The study tracked two groups of college-educated job seekers in China over three months and recorded weekly changes in their wage expectations. The research team asked whether graduates from lower social class origins approach job hunting differently from those with higher-class backgrounds, even when formal qualifications are similar.
Using parental education and family income to measure social class, the researchers found clear patterns. Graduates from lower-class backgrounds set lower initial wage goals and were more likely to lower those goals when the job search felt slow or difficult. By contrast, higher-class graduates tended to keep goals more stable, a pattern the authors link to greater access to job search resources, such as professional networks, career advice and financial safety nets.
Professor Songqi Liu of Georgia State’s management department said the team wanted to understand why wage gaps persist among equally educated job seekers. The authors warn that early salary decisions can compound over time and recommend that universities include coaching on wage setting as well as résumé and interview help. The research appears in the Journal of Applied Psychology.
Difficult words
- wage expectation — amount of pay a person expectswage expectations
- social class — group in society by family and income
- graduate — person who finished university or collegegraduates
- initial — at the beginning; first in a process
- access — ability to use or reach something
- resource — supply or help people can useresources
- network — group of people who give professional helpnetworks
- safety net — money or support for difficult timessafety nets
- compound — become larger or worse over time
- résumé — document listing a person's work and education
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think coaching on wage setting would help recent graduates at your university? Why or why not?
- How could professional networks affect a person's job search?
- What steps could universities take to reduce early salary gaps between graduates?
