College is probably not the ‘great equalizer’ – luck and hiring practices also play a job, explains a sociologist

The concept that a university degree improves equal opportunities for college kids from different socioeconomic backgrounds has gained traction in recent times. For example, studies from 2011 and 2017 found that getting a bachelor’s degree helped students from socially disadvantaged families Do and their better-off peers._

Jessi Streiba sociology professor at Duke University, was skeptical. Other research has found that every little thing related to getting job – skilled networks, high grades, internships, status symbols – unevenly distributed by classTo discover whether college is the “great equalizer” or whether greater than only a bachelor’s degree plays a job, Streib interviewed 62 students at a public university who were studying business administration – the most well-liked majorShe also spoke to 80 recruiters and interviewed many more employers. Here she shares her findings.

According to your research, is college the “great equalizer”?

The college helps, but widespread employment practices that keep salary information secret appeared to play a bigger role for the scholars I interviewed. Potential employers on this job market often hide necessary information, corresponding to salary ranges and an in depth job description, that might help graduates determine which jobs to use for. The information is commonly not provided until a job offer is made.

Over and beyond recurrently offer graduates different amounts for similar jobs, so it’s difficult for prospective graduates to develop a general idea of ​​what they need to earn for the style of work they wish to do. Salary information might be found on web sites corresponding to glass door is commonly unreliable. For this reason, graduates whose parents have different educational qualifications – a facet of socioeconomic status – must guess where they must apply to maneuver on. This makes luck the “great equalizer” for individuals with a bachelor's degree.

What other hiring practices affect the roles that college graduates get?

In addition to hiding salary information, recruiters also obscure the factors they use to guage potential employees. For example, they might announce that they’re searching for applicants with good communication skills or the power to work in a team, but they don't describe what meets those criteria. Good communication can mean the power to specific yourself concisely, or it could mean being thorough and slightly verbose. In addition, different recruiters may use conflicting criteria. I've found that some prefer students who respond quickly and decisively, while others want those that take their time before responding.

At the identical time, employers – those that hire students just like the business students I interviewed – are likely to apply neutral criteria that students from all social classes can meet. They often don’t require high grade point averages and ignore student status symbols, corresponding to exposure to expensive activities like golf, skiing, and traveling abroad. They also are likely to refuse to barter with college graduates over salary. Students from middle- and upper-class families who know more about the way to negotiatelose their advantage. This in turn results in smaller income differences amongst latest hires.

How is a ignorance negating students’ class advantage?

Students from more privileged backgrounds are likely to have more family and friends who might help them find jobs. However, when salaries are concealed, people in students' networks often lack the crucial information and are subsequently just as more likely to direct students into low-paying jobs in addition to high-paying ones, my research shows.

In general, privileged students usually tend to turn to family, friends, or the profession center for advice on job-search issues corresponding to resumes and interviews. When information in regards to the hiring process is hidden, the recommendation students receive is never useful. Instead, their family and friends advise students to arrange for questions which might be never asked and advise them to reply questions in ways in which may very well be penalized by certain recruiters. For example, one student I spoke with was advised to maintain his answers temporary; the interviewer later told him he didn't get the job because his answers weren't detailed enough.

Do the outcomes differ for college kids from other study programs?

Students at public universities who usually are not studying business may face different processes, but my findings are more likely to be generalizable to many other students at non-elite universities. For many college graduates, whether or not they apply for a well-paying job is a matter of luck. For this reason, luck – together with a level – might be the massive equalizer.