ERIC Number: ED587795
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Jun
Pages: 29
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Role of Career Services Programs and Sociocultural Factors in Student Career Development. WCER Working Paper No. 2018-8
Chin, Mun Yuk; Blackburn Cohen, Chelsea A.; Hora, Matthew T.
Wisconsin Center for Education Research
Existing research on the effectiveness of college career services centers (CSCs) has primarily focused on students' rates of utilization and their satisfaction with the programs and services offered. Based on survey (n = 372) and focus group data (n = 35) from undergraduate business students, we found that participants were most satisfied with the CSC's provision of practical tools that enhanced employability and were least satisfied with the CSC's integration of students' backgrounds and interests during advising. Our qualitative analysis yielded three categories of contributors (i.e., sociocultural factors, independent activities, and institutional factors) to student career outcomes, which were psychological characteristics, career decisions, and social capital. Sociocultural factors were most prominently featured in students' narratives of their experiences, in that they shaped how students leveraged institutional resources and how they engaged in independent activities as part of their career trajectories. Practical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Descriptors: Employment Services, Career Development, Student Development, Undergraduate Students, Business Administration Education, Student Satisfaction, Employment Potential, Career Counseling, Psychological Characteristics, Decision Making, Social Capital, Business Schools
Wisconsin Center for Education Research. School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1025 West Johnson Street Suite 785, Madison, WI 53706. Tel: 608-263-4200; Fax: 608-263-6448; e-mail: uw-wcer@education.wisc.edu; Web site: https://www.wcer.wisc.edu/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A