LA SENTENCIA EN LOS PROCESOS CONTENCIOSOS ADMINISTRATIVOS

The following figure 5.1, and figures 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 (see appendix six) report responses to a series of statements about careers that participants were asked. Responses are compared by subject area, social background and gender to reveal any differences and will be returned to later in the thesis. The highest level of agreement is given to a statement about self-awareness, “I understand what my skills and strengths are” (94.6%), and graduates also indicate a relatively high level in an associated question “I am able to talk confidently about my skills and strengths” (81.8%). The two other highest scoring statements are “I know what I want from a job” (89.8%) and “My friends and family have been supportive of me in my career” (85.7%).

Comparisons across gender, social background and subject areas broadly follow similar patterns. However, more women tend to agree with statements about knowledge of what employers want (women 88.8%, men 68%) how to approach job-hunting (73.2%, men 66%) and being pro-active (women 83.7%, men 66%) as well as feeling more confident since graduating (women 64.3%, men 57.1%). In contrast more men indicate that thinking about their career frustrates them (women 46.9%, men 56%), but state they are more confident about attending job interviews (women 73.5%, men 82%). In relation to background, more graduates from a higher social background agree that they are confident about talking about their skills (higher 89.6%, lower 73.3%) and about attending interviews (higher 81.8%, lower 71.7%) and have become more confident about the future since graduating (higher 69.7%, lower 51.7%). A considerably larger number agree that their family and friends have been useful in providing contacts for their career (higher 46.8%, lower 23.3%).

A comparison of Arts, Creative Arts and Humanities and Business and Law graduates shows that Business and Law graduates are broadly more confident in their attitudes about careers. They report higher levels of awareness of jobs (Arts 53.2%, Business 77.8%) and job markets (Arts 34.8%, Business 63.9%) as well as how to approach career planning (Arts 46.4%, Business 61.1%); very many more have utilised the university careers service (Arts 20.5%, Business 54.3%). The only statement in which

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more Arts, Creative Arts and Humanities graduates score more highly is around self- awareness and knowing what their skills and strengths are (Arts 96.4%, Business 88.9%).

Figure 5.1 Percentage of survey participant population who ‘agreed’ or ‘slightly agreed’ to career attitude statements

(Base 148 graduates) 67.6% 40.5% 41.9% 61.2% 46.6% 29.9% 33.3% 21.6% 63.3% 18.2% 12.2% 14.3% 34.7% 23.0% 41.5% 33.1% 40.5% 48.0% 39.9% 37.4% 8.8% 24.3% 27.0% 33.1% 37.2% 28.6% 35.1% 29.3% 29.9% 20.3% 22.4% 18.9% 20.9% 14.3% 36.1% 27.0% 31.3% 34.5% 35.8% 33.8% 37.8% 24.5% 17.6% 25.7% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

25.1. I understand what my skills and strengths are

25.2. I am clear about what my career goals are

25.3. I know what jobs would suit my skills and strengths

25.4. I know what I want from a job

25.5. I understand what skills employers want

25.6. I know about what job opportunities are available 25.7. I keep up with trends in the occupations and/or

industries that interest me.

25.8. I left university with a good understanding of the graduate job market

25.9. My friends and family have been supportive of me in my career

25.10. My friends and family have been useful in giving me contacts for my career

25.11. I have used the university careers service for looking for jobs and opportunities

25.12. I have used the university careers service for careers advice

25.13. I know how to approach job-hunting

25.14. I know how to approach career planning

25.19. I have learnt a lot about job-hunting since I graduated

25.15. I feel confident about making applications.

25.16. I feel confident about attending interviews 25.17. I am able to talk confidently about my skills and

strengths

25.18. I am proactive in taking action about my career 25.20. I feel more confident about my future career now than

I did a year ago

25.21. I lack the energy to pursue my career goals

25.22. Thinking about my career frustrates me

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5.6 Summary

This chapter has sought to briefly contextualise the group of twenty graduates who participated in research interviews. The context is one of considerable change in early careers, although with steady improvement. It is also possible to observe a diminished value placed upon a degree by graduates in the labour market. With regard to attitudes to careers, most graduates say they have good self-awareness of skills and strengths which is associated with strong self-perceived employability but are uncertain about tackling the job market that faces them. Such a lack of confidence is unsurprising given what labour market literature reveals about risks of underemployment and the inequality of opportunity that is present in the job market. In general, it does appear that Business and Law graduates, women graduates and those from a higher social background have more positive attitudes about themselves and their careers than their peers. Notably, in relation to gender, this pattern is not clear-cut, e.g., women report feeling more confident since graduating but less confident than men about job interviews. Data about specific career status indicates that those from a lower social background and from Arts, Creative Arts and Humanities tend to be in less objectively positive career situations, whereas the difference between men and women’s status is less tangible at this early career stage. Broadly such patterns do follow what we know from literature about employability and labour market studies.

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