Networking behaviour, graduate employability:a social capital perspective

Purpose Drawing on the overarching framework of social capital theory this study develops and empirically examines networking behaviour and employability within the higher education context. Design/methodology/approach In a sample of 376 full-time business students we measured perceived employability, networking behaviour, access to information and resources and job-search learning goal orientation. Findings We found networking is related to increased internal and external perceived employability by boosting access to information and resources. Our results also demonstrate that networking is positively related to access to information and resources for low and high job-search learning goal orientation, the relationship being stronger for those with higher levels. Research limitations/implications The results provide an enriched view of individual networking behaviour by offering an indirect model of networking outcomes and to the graduate employability and social capital literatures. Practical implications Our findings may provide focus for individuals concerned with enhancing their employability and those involved in supporting career guidance. Originality/value Obvious beneficiaries are students, for whom employment is a key concern, and universities who face increasing pressure to enhance graduate employability whilst resources to do so are diminishing. To this end we highlight activities that may develop networking behaviours and job-search learning goal orientation

Career guidance and the changing world of work: Contesting responsibilising notions of the future.

Career guidance is an educational activity which helps individuals to manage their participation in learning and work and plan for their futures. Unsurprisingly career guidance practitioners are interested in how the world of work is changing and concerned about threats of technological unemployment. This chapter argues that the career guidance field is strongly influenced by a “changing world of work” narrative which is drawn from a wide body of grey literature produced by think tanks, supra-national bodies and other policy influencers. This body of literature is political in nature and describes the future of work narrowly and within the frame of neoliberalism. The ‘changing world of work’ narrative is explored through a thematic analysis of grey literature and promotional materials for career guidance conferences. The chapter concludes by arguing that career guidance needs to adopt a more critical stance on the ‘changing world of work’ and to offer more emancipatory alternatives.N/

Improved academic performance and enhanced employability? The potential double benefit of proactivity for business graduates

This study contributes to proactivity theory and debate on how universities meet competing stakeholder demands in an increasingly marketized higher education environment. We explore how the interplay between the stable facet of proactive personality and the situated behaviour of personal initiative influence academic performance. We hypothesized and found that students high on both these facets of proactivity achieve better academic grades than those low on both, or high in just one. Unexpectedly, high proactive personality with low personal initiative behaviour was the worst combination. Proactivity can be a valuable employability asset, which alongside academic grades is important to some employers as well as students and universities. We argue that nurturing student proactivity can therefore produce multiple benefits but with focus on the more trainable dimension of personal initiative behaviour. To this end we provide practical guidance for university curriculum design to simultaneously enhance graduate employability and academic performance

Improved academic performance and enhanced employability? The potential double benefit of proactivity for business graduates

This study contributes to proactivity theory and debate on how universities meet competing stakeholder demands in an increasingly marketized higher education environment. We explore how the interplay between the stable facet of proactive personality and the situated behaviour of personal initiative influence academic performance. We hypothesized and found that students high on both these facets of proactivity achieve better academic grades than those low on both, or high in just one. Unexpectedly, high proactive personality with low personal initiative behaviour was the worst combination. Proactivity can be a valuable employability asset, which alongside academic grades is important to some employers as well as students and universities. We argue that nurturing student proactivity can therefore produce multiple benefits but with focus on the more trainable dimension of personal initiative behaviour. To this end we provide practical guidance for university curriculum design to simultaneously enhance graduate employability and academic performance

Sustainable graduate employability: an evaluation of ‘brand me’ presentations as a method for developing self-confidence

This paper evaluates ‘brand me’ presentations as a method for developing employability-related self-confidence (ERSC). Measurements of ERSC were taken at three points in time from a sample of 105 full-time business and law students at a UK university. These were analysed alongside student feedback, assessment artefacts, and semi-structured interviews with students and lecturers. Findings indicate that ERSC increases over time, skills are learnt, and new behaviours are developed. We contribute to sustainable graduate employability literature by empirically demonstrating theoretically proposed links between career management learning and ERSC. Furthermore, we show that self-confidence may be a situated behaviour, rather than a fixed trait, which generates practical suggestions for career management teaching. We join the teaching excellence debate by demonstrating a method to measure learning gain in higher education. We also add to research methods knowledge by adapting an evaluation framework from the Human Resource Development field for use in this context