Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-2018

Abstract

Rising costs and competition for entry-level employment increasingly call into question the value of a university degree. Now more than ever, career counselors must identify key factors that enhance employability for graduating seniors. Existing research shows professional experience is vital to securing quality postgraduate employment but offers little insight into ways perceived value varies by experience characteristics. This study surveyed value perceptions of more than 600 U.S. hiring managers. Results revealed a significant preference for hiring undergraduates with off-campus professional experience relevant to their full-time position at graduation. An experience of 3 to 5 months duration was considered valuable.

Publication Title

Journal of Employment Counseling

ISSN

0022-0787

Publisher

Wiley

Volume

55

Issue

4

First Page

144

Last Page

154

DOI

10.1002/joec.12094

Comments

Version posted to Digital Commons @ West Chester University is a post-print. For publisher's version click on the DOI for potential access through your institution's subscriptions.

Download

Share

COinS