Spotlight for Career Services Professionals
First-generation students use online career services more frequently than do their non-first-generation classmates, even though they deem some of these services to be more effective on campus, according to a forthcoming special report based on results of NACE’s Class of 2016 Student Survey.
Three of the services that first-generation students use online more frequently than do their non-first-generation classmates—individual career counseling, resume writing/reviewing assistance, and practice interview sessions—were ones that they, themselves, deemed to be less effective online. (See Figure 1.)
First-generation students also used online career skill testing and career assessments at a greater clip than non-first-generation students, although the former found the service to be equally effective whether delivered online or on campus.
Overall, the frequency with which both first-generation and non-first-generation students entering the work force visited the career center on campus was similar.
The special report on the attitudes, behaviors, and job-search success of first-generation students will be available later this fall. The report is based on results from NACE’s Class of 2016 Student Survey, which was conducted February 16 – April 30, 2016. Among graduating seniors taking part in the survey, 5,013 self-identified as either first generation (1,925) or non-first generation (3,088). First-generation students are defined as having a parent/parents who does/do not possess at least a bachelor’s degree. The Class of 2016 Student Survey was sponsored by Enterprise. Survey participants can access a full copy of the report through MyNACE. Highlights from the Class of 2016 Student Survey are available at www.naceweb.org/surveys/student.aspx.
Figure 1: Career center services used and rated effectiveness
Location |
Service |
Used |
Effectiveness |
| First generation |
Non-first- generation |
First generation |
Non-first- generation |
| % |
% |
| Office |
Individual career counseling |
56.9% |
57.8% |
3.5 |
3.5 |
| Resume writing/reviewing assistance |
82.3% |
80.9% |
3.7 |
3.7 |
| Career skills testing and career assessments |
38.1% |
36.7% |
3.3 |
3.4 |
| Job-search assistance |
55.1% |
56.6% |
3.4 |
3.3 |
| Internship/co-op search assistance |
50.0% |
46.7% |
3.3 |
3.4 |
| Practice interview sessions |
37.9% |
37.7% |
3.5 |
3.7 |
| Career or employment workshops |
46.2% |
45.3% |
3.3 |
3.3 |
| Researching a potential employer |
41.8% |
39.3% |
3.4 |
3.4 |
| Using career center job listings |
65.4% |
60.9% |
3.4 |
3.5 |
| Online |
Individual career counseling |
25.1% |
18.9% |
3.3 |
3.3 |
| Resume writing/reviewing assistance |
54.8% |
45.1% |
3.5 |
3.5 |
| Career skills testing and career assessments |
32.7% |
25.4% |
3.3 |
3.3 |
| Job-search assistance |
60.5% |
62.0% |
3.5 |
3.4 |
| Internship/co-op search assistance |
46.2% |
43.6% |
3.4 |
3.3 |
| Practice interview sessions |
25.9% |
19.7% |
3.3 |
3.1 |
| Career or employment workshops |
26.3% |
21.5% |
3.3 |
3.1 |
| Researching a potential employer |
48.7% |
51.5% |
3.6 |
3.6 |
| Using career center job listings |
69.6% |
69.5% |
3.5 |
3.5 |
Source: Class of 2016 Student Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers