For upGrad's career services, should we focus on increasing job placement rates or diversifying the types of roles and industries we connect students with?

Introduction

The trade-off we're examining today is whether upGrad's career services should focus on increasing job placement rates or diversifying the types of roles and industries we connect students with. This decision is crucial for upGrad's growth strategy and student success outcomes. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining the product context, identifying key metrics, designing experiments, and providing a data-driven recommendation.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Business Context: I'm thinking about upGrad's current revenue model and growth targets. Could you share how career services contribute to upGrad's overall business model and what our current placement rate is?

Why it matters: Helps prioritize the trade-off against business objectives Expected answer: Career services are a key differentiator, current placement rate is 80% Impact on approach: Higher placement rates might be prioritized if they directly impact revenue

• User Impact: Based on our student demographics, I'm curious about the diversity of our current student base. Can you provide insights into the range of industries and roles our students are typically interested in?

Why it matters: Informs the potential impact of diversifying placement options Expected answer: Primarily tech-focused, but growing interest in other sectors Impact on approach: May lean towards diversification if there's significant untapped demand

• Technical Feasibility: Considering our current career services platform, I'm wondering about the technical effort required to expand our job matching capabilities. How flexible is our current system for incorporating a wider range of industries and roles?

Why it matters: Determines the feasibility and timeline for implementing changes Expected answer: Moderate flexibility, would require some development work Impact on approach: Might influence the speed at which we can diversify offerings

• Resource Allocation: Thinking about our team structure, I'm curious about the current allocation of resources between improving placement rates and expanding our network of employers. How are our career services teams currently structured?

Why it matters: Helps understand the operational impact of shifting focus Expected answer: Team primarily focused on placement rates with a smaller employer outreach team Impact on approach: May need to consider team restructuring or hiring to support diversification

• Timeline and Urgency: Given the competitive landscape in edtech, I'm wondering about the urgency of this decision. Are there any upcoming strategic initiatives or market pressures that are driving this trade-off consideration?

Why it matters: Helps frame the decision in the context of broader company strategy Expected answer: Increasing competition in tech placements, opportunity to expand into emerging sectors Impact on approach: Might influence the balance between short-term placement rates and long-term diversification strategy