Career Services
Get More Grads to Complete Your First Destination Survey
Graduation season is here, and career centers are racing to capture first destination outcomes before students head off to their next adventure.
Graduation season is here, and career centers are racing to capture first destination outcomes before students head off to their next adventure.
But many grads—especially those in majors where hiring peaks after graduation—don’t yet have full-time roles lined up. Others may be working with smaller employers who hire just-in-time. That makes it tough to gather complete and accurate data, and even harder to connect with those still seeking.
To make things more challenging, some students don’t see the point of completing the survey. If it feels like it’s only helping the institution—not them—they’re likely to ignore it altogether.
Adding a small reward can drive a big increase in responses. A few proven ideas from real institutions:
Other successful ideas include:
These kinds of moments make the process feel fun and meaningful—and they reinforce that participation matters.
For institutions using 12twenty’s Outcomes and Data Analytics, the magic link feature can be a game changer.
It takes students directly to their personalized survey—no login needed. Removing that barrier helps boost completion, especially during a busy time of transition.
As responses come in, staff can approve them in real time. And as the data populates, it flows directly into the 12twenty Outcomes Research Tools—giving students immediate access to salary insights, offer timelines, and top employers by major. That’s data students can actually use—and that perceived value helps drive even more participation.
You can also customize the survey to gather feedback on academic prep, the student experience, or anything else your institution wants to learn.
Another simple but effective tactic: survey-on-login.
12twenty allows you to automatically prompt students to take the survey the next time they log into the platform—no email required. You can also collect personal emails for post-graduation outreach or offer advising appointment links for students still seeking jobs.
For Gen Z students, no response often signals that they didn’t see the value—or didn’t feel supported.
If someone indicates they’re still seeking and never hears from your office again, the survey becomes a dead end. To avoid that, use your dashboard tools to identify students still looking and follow up with personalized support.
Virtual office hours in the weeks after graduation can go a long way. Even a short check-in helps grads feel seen—and keeps them connected to your institution.
Improving survey response rates isn’t just about hitting a number. It’s about building trust, showing students the value of their input, and keeping the relationship strong as they move from campus to career.
With the right tools and a few thoughtful touchpoints, career centers can gather richer insights—and offer better support when it matters most.
Boost response rates with personalized survey links, automate data collection, and follow up with still-seeking grads—all in one platform.
