Spotlight for Career Services Professionals

First-generation and non-first-generation students expressed similar views regarding their ability to search for jobs and operate in a professional work environment, according to a new report from NACE.

Overall, although students entering the work force felt confident in their preparation to operate in the work force, they were less confident about their ability to search for professional jobs. (See Figure 1.) Furthermore, both groups were least confident in their ability to evaluate potential employers, but non-first-generation students were significantly less confident in their ability than were first-generation students.

The report, First-Generation Students: Influences, Outcomes, and Implications for Job-Search Success, is based on data collected through NACE’s 2016 Student Survey; data were collected from February 16, 2016, through April 30, 2016. Through NACE’s college members, this survey collected data from 23,282 respondents across all degree and year levels; the focus of this report is the 5,013 graduating seniors who identified as first generation (1,925) or non-first generation (3,088). For highlights from the report, see “First-Generation Students and Job Success.” Details about the full report are available on NACEWeb.