Chinese University Graduates' Reflexivity on Social Networking During First Job Search

• In Event: Hilton Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Sociology of Education Roundtable

Abstract

China’s graduate labor market has become highly competitive due to the fast massification of higher education. Among university graduates, practices of social networking during job search are on the rise. This study aims to examine such practices from an agent-based perspective, which has rarely been adopted by previous research. Applying the concept of “reflexivity” (internal conversation) as human agency, an exploratory multiple-case study was conducted in Shanghai. In total, 50 fresh graduates attended in-depth interviews on first-job seeking experiences. As preliminary findings, five reflexive modes have emerged to grasp Chinese graduates’ agency on social networking during first-job search: consensus-oriented, outcome-oriented, value-oriented, transigent, and fractured. The paper concludes with discussions on causes for different reflexive modes, research limitation, and future directions.

Author

• Ying Ma, The University of Hong Kong