Job search strategies
Mobile students have searched for more jobs, and used more strategies for finding a job than
non-mobile students, those graduated abroad in particular. Among those who have actively
searched for jobs, the average number of applications sent before obtaining the first postgraduate
employment is 12 applications among mobile students graduated abroad, 10
applications among mobile students graduated domestically and 6 applications among nonmobile
students.
The strategies applied for obtaining jobs, and the strategies actually leading to a job match
are also somewhat different. Domestic graduates make more use of their professional
network, while abroad graduates make use of their personal and family network. This could
be due to several reasons. Abroad graduates may have less extensive professional networks
domestically, due to their sojourn abroad. Their use of family connections may be caused by
necessity; those facing difficulties in finding a job may become more creative in using their
networks. Another possible explanation could be that mobile students have access to more
relevant personal networks. A higher percentage of them have parents with higher education,
and family connections and other acquaintances may constitute a social capital that
improves graduates’ job-opportunities.
Employment and unemployment
3.5-5 years after graduation (at the time of the survey), the employment rate among mobile
as well as non-mobile students is high; 92 percent among mobile students graduated abroad,
94 percent among mobile students graduated domestically and 96 per cent among nonmobile
students. Though the variations in employment rates are moderate, the difference
between those graduated abroad and those graduated domestically are statistically
significant. The probability of being employed is also investigated in regression models, and
the results showed that those who are graduated abroad had a lower probability of being
employed also after controlling for other variables (Wiers-Jenssen and Try 2003).
Employment rates vary by subject field, but the pattern is similar for those graduated abroad
and domestically. Graduates in humanities and social sciences have lower employment rates
than other groups.
The proportion outside the work force is higher among mobile than mobile students (5 vs. 3
percent), and so are the unemployment rates. But differences between mobile and nonmobile
students become more evident when looking at unemployment history. Figure 1
shows the ratio reporting unemployment at different stages of the career.3 Mobile students
graduated abroad are significantly more likely to have faced unemployment than other
groups at all stages. Unemployment rates vary by subject field; graduates in humanities are
generally more exposed. Among graduates in business and administration and health care
sciences, differences in unemployment rates are significantly higher among those graduated
abroad (Wiers-Jenssen 2005; tab 5.4 and 5.5).
Networks and social capital
Network theories explain how information about vacant positions becomes available and
trusted through personal and institutional relationships (Granovetter 1985, 1995; Rosenbaum
et al. 1990). Relatives, friends, previous colleagues and employers may be important
sources to information about jobs, and according to Granovetter, “weak ties” rather than the
closest relationships are of particular importance in job matching. Resources situated in
social networks may also be labelled as social capital (Bourdieu 1985; Coleman 1990).
Australian International Education Conference 2006 – www.idp.com/aiec 5
Knowing the “right people” is relevant also in meritocratic societies. Due to the sojourn
abroad, mobile students may have less institutional and social relations in their home country
than non-mobile students, and this may turn out to be an obstacle to job-search if they return
home after graduation. We assume that graduates from domestic HEIs may hay have
achieved access to professional networks through their contacts within HE (lecturers, tutors,
supervisors), or in contact with the labour market through work placement or jobs held in
combination with study courses.
Jannecke Wiers-Jenssen
NIFU STEP – Studies in Innovation, Research and Education
Wergelandsveien 7
N-0167 Oslo
Norway
http://www.nifustep.no
e-mail: jannecke@nifustep.no
tel.: +47 22 59 51 83
EFFECTS OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
IN EARLY CAREER
