The Value of Career Services

How do we measure the value of career services? NACE suggests that a few measures in their 2010 Student Survey provide some options. They point to
- likelihood of getting a job. The survey showed that more use - 4 or more times in a semester vs once - was associated with a greater likelihood of a job offer
- salary - more use seems to be associated with higher median salaries
- increased use of career services by freshmen. Their interpretation: "Clearly, freshmen understand that they need to be prepared, and are getting an early start."

These are interesting measures. Great to see they are all positive!

However, a couple thoughts:
- might the higher mediam salaries not be truly related to career services use, but be because users of career services are not distributed evenly across all disciplines and types of work?
- why are freshman using the career services more? Is this required in any programs? Are they being "encouraged" by anyone (eg anxious parents)?

I am absolutely convinced that career services have value. To be fair, these stats are really presented as teasers to encourage readers to get the full survey report, and there may be more information there (I've not read the entire thing). However, reading this short article reinforces for me just how complex determining and measuring value really is.