Economics and Business Administration Postgraduates in Transition From University to Work: Labor Market Success Factors

• In Event: Issues for Students in the Professions: Moving From School to the Workforce

Abstract

Due to rapid economic changes employers require more versatile competences from post-graduates in
economics and business administration. The goal of the current study was to develop generalizable
measures for self-reported competences in labor market surveys, and to investigate their predictive validity. The sample consisted of more than 4000 Dutch post-graduates in economics and business administration. The Rasch rating scale model indicated that self-reported acquired competences and self-reported required competences are two different constructs. Employers (as reported by the alumni)prioritize competences in different ways than education programs.
Regressions revealed that specifically alumni’s self-reported required competences and GPA were
powerful positive predictors of labor market success, while the self-reported acquired competences were negative or neutral predictors.

Authors

• Monique Bijker, Open University of the Netherlands

• Marcel Van der Klink, The Open University of the Netherlands

• Henny Boshuizen, Open Universiteit Nederland