UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND
CAREER STATUS AND
SATISFACTION OF RECENT
BUSINESS AND ARTS/HUMANITIES
COLLEGE GRADUATES
Alyce C. Martinez , William
E. Sedlacek and
Thomas D. Bachhuber
Research Report #9-84
This
report was produced in collaboration with the Career Development Center.
Computer
time was provided in full by the Computer Science Center of the University of
Maryland, College Park
COUNSELING CENTER
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND
CAREER STATUS AND
SATISFACTION OF RECENT BUSINESS AND ARTS/HUMANITIES
COLLEGE GRADUATES
Alyce C. Martinez, William
E. Sedlacek & Thomas D. Bachhuber
Research Report # 9-84
SUMMARY
Sixty-five
(65) Bachelor's degree recipients from the Spring, 1983 graduating class from
the College of Business and Management and 61 Bachelor's graduates from the
Division of Arts and Humanities at UMCP (79% and 67% response rate,
respectively) returned and anonymous questionnaire concerning their beginning
career positions and views on their UMCP education. Although there were several
areas in which the groups significantly differed, Arts and Humanities and
Business graduates were similar on many career status and satisfaction
measures. Additionally, there were similar percentages of graduates from both
areas employed in professional, technical and managerial fields. Business
graduates, however, were significantly more likely to hold full-time jobs
within their field and earn higher salaries. It appears that Arts and
Humanities graduates required more assistance in educational and career
planning focused on job entry, while Business graduates required services for
career development beyond attaining the first job.
Stereotypic themes like, "you've got to major in either business, engineering, or computer science to be employable; you won't get a good job if you major in the humanities; and job prospects are bleak for college graduates in the 1980's" have been prevalent in the popular media (English, 1983). Such extremes are rarely true, however, and there is a danger in portraying the prospects so broadly for college graduates. Attaining the first job after graduation depends on many variables beyond academic preparation and it is important to view a "larger picture" when drawing conclusions about the relationship between college and first jobs. While the media have portrayed the rather simplistic, "attention-grabbing" approach, one function of professional journals is to examine topics with greater scrutiny. Through broad-based research, more realistic and accurate assessments can be determined.
There have been predictions that higher education will witness a shift of student interest away from liberal arts and toward more technical, job-oriented fields during the 1980s (Swanson, 1980; Evangelauf, 1984). For example, in a survey conducted by the American Council on Education, academic officials such as deans and department heads cited a lack of employment opportunities for graduates in the humanities as the cause of this shift (Evangelauf, 1984). These same officials, however, reported that though they had
lost-many prospective humanities students to
technical fields, the overall quality of students in the humanities remained
high. Other studies show that, over time, liberal arts graduates do achieve
management positions in business as readily as business graduates (Beck, 1981).
Very little data comparing initial jobs following graduation can be
found in the literature.
What,
then, are the initial employment experiences of arts/humanities graduates? How
do these compare with the experiences of graduates from a field such as
business, where employment opportunities are believed to abound?. How do these
two groups differ in initial position attained, salary, job satisfaction? For example,
a 1981 survey of all humanities graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University
found that 79% were satisfied with their jobs (Woodlief, 1982).
The purpose of the present research was to examine these questions by comparing and contrasting the responses of graduates in arts & humanities and in business/management on items of career position, satisfaction and views of college as career preparation.
Method
Subjects
Career
Status 5
their present situations, educational status, employment status, occupational field, income, hiring organizations, assessment of what was most helpful in getting a job and of what was difficult in the transition from student to worker, and in their career planning needs.
In describing their present situation (how they spent the majority of their time), the groups significantly differed (X2(5, N = 121) = 11.59, p<.05). Although the largest percentage of respondents in each group indicated that they were employed in their chosen fields or in a satisfactory position, significantly more business graduates were likely to choose that option, (60% compared to 41% of the arts & humanities graduates) (see Table 1). Arts & humanities graduates were significantly more likely to have either continued their schooling (12% vs. 2%), or not have entered the labor force (10% vs. 3%). Graduates in both fields were about equally as likely to be employed but still seeking a job in their fields (25% of the business graduates vs. 28% of the arts & humanities graduates) or be unemployed and job-hunting (6% vs. 9%, respectively).
Educational Status
In describing their current education status, students in business significantly differed from arts & humanities students (X2 (2,N = 122) = 6.74, p<.05). The majority of
Career Status 6
respondents in both groups indicated that they were not enrolled in any educational program or taking any courses (see Table 2). Business graduates were significantly more likely to choose that option, however (89% vs. 79% of the arts & humanities group). Arts & humanities graduates were more likely to have enrolled as full-time students than were their business counterparts (14% arts & humanities vs. 2% business). Both groups were about equally likely to have enrolled for some part-time schooling (9% of the business group and 7% of the arts & humanities group).
Employment Status
Although
the majority of graduates in both fields were employed, and most were employed
full-time, there were significant differences between groups (X2 (1, N =
104) 4.51, `.05). Of those employed, significantly more of the business
graduates held full-time jobs (91% of the business graduates vs. 74% of
the arts & humanities graduates). Twenty-six percent of the employed
arts & humanities graduates held part-time positions, compared with
9% of the business graduates (see Table 3).
There
were some significant differences in the occupational fields entered by the
graduates in both majors (X2(11, N = 104) = 32.39, p <.05). A majority of
graduates within each major group attained jobs in professional,
Career
Status 7
technical, or managerial fields (73% business: 62%
arts & humanities). Arts and humanities graduates, however, appeared to
have entered a wider variety of fields than their business counterparts (see
Table 4). Business graduates were concentrated in occupational fields directly
related to their major: 52$ entered management jobs and 12% entered jobs in
marketing/professional sales. In contrast, arts & humanities graduates held
jobs in the creative arts (24%) as well as other professional fields: business
management (15$), marketing/ sales (11%), architecture/engineering (11%), and education
(7$). Interestingly; graduates from both major;; were equally likely to attain
jobs in the business-related field of marketing and professional sales.
About equal proportions of graduates in both majors went into non-professional
fields such as clerical jobs, services (hospitality, food, recreation, etc.),
protective services, and skilled trades.
The types of organizations in which the graduates found employment differed for each group (X2 (8, N = 104) = 20.27, p<.05). Most graduates in both areas worked in business or industry, but business graduates were likely to be employed by large national/international firms while arts & humanities graduates were likely to be hired by small businesses (see Table 5). For business majors, 41% were in large businesses and 24% in small businesses; for arts & humanities majors,
Career Status 8
44% were in small businesses and 22% in large
businesses. Thirteen percent of the arts & humanities majors were employed
in educational settings, compared with none of the business majors. On the
other hand, business majors were more likely to be employed in civil service
jobs than those in arts & humanities. Sixteen percent of the business
majors were employed by the Federal government, compared to 4% of arts & humanities
graduates. Five percent of the business majors and 7% of the arts &
humanities graduates were self-employed.
There was a significant difference in the annual income reported by these two groups (F (1,84) = 10.75. p<05). The median salary for business majors was $15,983 with a range from $5,000 to $31,200 (mean salary was $15,236). The median salary for arts & humanities majors was $12,500, with a range from $1,500 to $20,000 (mean salary was $12,037). Additional study is recommended to determine what happens to this gap over time.
Getting the First Job
There
were no significant differences between business graduates and arts &
humanities graduates in either their expectations for job opportunities or
their experiencing difficulty finding a job after graduation. Graduates of both
groups, on the average, tended to agree with the statement "I expected to
have better job opportunities after
Career Status 9
graduation than I had" and equal proportions in
each group agreed and disagreed with the item "I had difficulty finding a
job after graduation" (See Table 8).
The
most helpful element in getting that first job (see Table 6) differed for both
groups (X2(7, N = 99) = 14.37, p< .05). For business graduates a personal
contact in the employing organization was most helpful (26% business vs. 18%
arts & humanities), while for arts & humanities graduates, a marketable
resume was most helpful (32% arts & humanities vs. 18% business). The
biggest difference between arts & humanities and business majors in this
regard was in the value accorded participation in the On-Campus
Recruiting Program. Sixteen percent of the business group cited it as most
helpful, while none of the arts & humanities people chose that option. It
should be noted that 80% of the employers visiting campus are looking for
technical and business graduates. Recruiting programs are not viewed as a
primary job search strategy for liberal arts students.
In
viewing other sources of assistance in Table 6, many students in both groups
chose "other" (24% business, 36% arts & humanities). This may be
explained by the observation that job hunting in college is usually a complex
process, influenced by many variables, and rarely undertaken in a systematic
way (Newton, Angle, Schuette, & Ender,1984).
Career
Status 10
Students
have difficulty determining which one resource was most helpful, as in
most cases they are involved in several "routes". A combination of
strategies and contacts usually determines job search success.
The Career Development Center's lower rating by both
groups is partially explained by this circumstance. Additionally, it is likely
that the Center has influence on other items like faculty, friends, and
employer contacts besides the obvious resume development and campus recruiting
program. Students may not recognize these relationships and may make
questionable judgments on these issues. For example, it is difficult for a job
hunter to determine if having a contact in an organization or the skills used
in expressing personal strengths in relation to job demands was the
"key" to getting the job.
Transition From Student to Worker
Graduates
in both samples were likely to agree with the statement "The working world
is just as I had expected it to be". Regardless of major, student
expectations appeared to have been met. This may be somewhat surprising to
student development and academic staff alike. It may speak to both the naïveté
of young professionals who haven't fully realized the extent of their new work
environment and/or that university students are more aware of work these days
due to career,
experiential learning and work resources on campus.
When
asked about the mast difficult adjustment made after graduation, the patterns
of responses by these majors significantly differed (X2 (9, N = 11.7) = 13.57,
p<.05) (see Table 7). For both arts & humanities and business, the
largest proportions of respondents cited "adjusting to a new
schedule" and "feeling like a beginner again" as the most
difficult areas of adjustment. Areas that business graduates were more likely
to find difficult were: learning office politics, translating theoretical
knowledge to practical job performance, and making new friends/meeting people.
Areas that arts & humanities graduates were more likely to find difficult
included financial planning and moving.
Overall,
alumni froze both majors were generally satisfied with their present
situations, jobs, and their preparation from their college education with no
significant differences on several items (see Table 8).
The
groups did differ, however, in their satisfaction with their major (F (1,84) =
5.17, p<.05). Although both groups appeared to be generally satisfied,
graduates in business were stronger in their agreement with the statement
"If I had it to do over again, I would take the same or a similar
major" than were graduates in arts & humanities
Career
Status 12
(on
a 5-point Likert scale where 1 = Strongly Agree and 5 = Strongly
Disagree, the business mean = 2.13; arts & humanities mean = 2.45).
Interestingly, most alumni from both groups tended to wish that they had had
more practical job preparation at UMCP (54% business, 67% arts &
humanities), but did not wish they had taken a more practical, job-oriented
major (79% business, 60% arts & humanities). Generally, both groups were
satisfied with their major but it appears they wished they had done more career
planning as part of their education. This notion is equally supported by
employers who often prize liberal arts graduates who have both clearly stated
career goals and course and/or work experience related to those goals. The
implications for business minors, internships, part-time/volunteer jobs
and programs which assist students in translating liberal arts skills to career
demands are numerous.
Career Planning and Development
For
both groups, the biggest proportion of respondents felt that the pace of
college life didn't allow enough time for career planning or job hunting (48%
of the business alumni; 52% of the alumni from arts & humanities). In
looking back on their career planning activities, graduates in both groups were
more likely to regret not seeking more help with job search skills than not
seeking more help in
choosing a major or career. Sixty-three
percent of the arts & humanities group and 56% of the business group agreed
with the statement "If I had it to do over again, I would seek out more
help with job search skills before I graduated." In contrast, 38% of the
alumni from arts & humanities and 36% of the business alumni would seek out
more help in choosing a major (47% and 45% disagreed with this item,
respectively). This may demonstrate in part, a somewhat over-simplified
understanding between choice of a major and career choice/preparation. The
issues related to each are usually very similar and founded in gaining a
clearer understanding of self and college goals. Also, students would have
difficulty indicating differences between "career planning" and
"job search" skills,e.g. a critical job search skill is being able to
clearly state a career goal to an employer - a task requiring effective
career planning.
Graduates in both groups believed that career services should be offered in the classroom. Three-fourths of the respondents in both groups wanted career planning and job hunting services to be accessible through their regular academic curricula (77% business, 75% arts & humanities). Such services are available in a number of departments at UMCP.
The
majority of respondents in both groups also believed
Career
Status 14
that they could make better use career planning
services now than they could as undergraduates (56% business, 58% arts &
humanities). In addition, 81% of each group believed that UMCP should provide
career planning services for recent alumni.
In
assessing areas in which the respondents currently needed career services, arts
& humanities alumni were significantly more likely to need help exploring
careers that fit their interests, skills, and abilities (X2(1, N = 121) = 5.16,
p<05). Both groups were likely to need help in the areas of exploring career
options not previously considered, learning about additional specialized
training in their fields, and knowing how to find information about jobs in
their fields.
Graduates
in business and the liberal arts are faring well in the market place. The
predictions of bleak job prospects for arts and humanities majors did not hold
true for most of the respondents in this study. While perhaps not as successful
as their business counterparts in terms of salary and full-time
employment status within their field, the arts & humanities grads tended to
be employed and generally satisfied with their jobs and present situations.
Furthermore, although slightly less likely to be employed in
Career
Status 15
their field, the arts & humanities graduates had
no greater difficulty finding a job than did their business counterparts.
One
area in which the arts & humanities graduates differed from the business
graduates in the sample, however, was in their needs for career services. In
terms of what was currently needed, the arts & humanities alumni
were somewhat developmentally behind their business counterparts. The business
graduates were, for the most part, in need of career assistance for goals
beyond job entry, such as learning about future career options or obtaining
further specialized training. The arts & humanities graduates, in contrast,
were significantly more likely to still be in the stage of exploring possible
careers for job entry. Earlier career service intervention may be helpful for
this group.
A
study by Mason-Sowell and Sedlacek (1984) indicated that while there has
been a dramatic rise in vocational orientation toward college in the last
decade, there has also been a rise in a general, academic view of college. As
first described by Clark and Trow (1966), student "academic types"
view college as a means for intellectual pursuits while "vocational
types" perceive college as a means towards getting a job. According to
Mason-Sowell and Sedlacek (1984) these academic types represent 25% of
the UMCP student population. It may be that many of the arts & humanities
majors in the
present study represent the "academic
types" for whom getting an education is of primary importance. Thus, while
there are larger numbers of students seeking majors in technical fields there
remains a strong, if smaller, contingent of those who desire a "non-technical
education" and will still meet success upon graduation.
The central point here, perhaps, is that vocational and intellectual goals for college need not be mutually exclusive. Liberal Arts prepare students for careers, while business studies also provide intellectual challenge and liberal learning. What is significant, however, is the balance that students seek in their education based in individual interests, values and goals. A valuable college education is both intellectually liberating and prepares for a career. Equally important to institutions is the challenge of providing effective programs which allow students to become aware of these issues and make appropriate and rewarding choices accordingly.
Career
Status 17
References
Beck,
R.E. (1981). Career patterns: the liberal arts major on bell system management.
Paper presented at Association of American Colleges, Washington, D.C.
Clark,
B.R., & Trow, M. (1966). The organizational context. In T.M. Newcomb and E.
R. Wilson (Eds.) College Peer Groups. Chicago, I1: Aldine.
English,
C.W. (1983, December 12). Turn for better in job prospects for '84 grads. U.S.
News & World Report, 32-33.
Evangelauf,
J. (1984, February 22). Top students move to science studies, leave humanities.
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 27 (24), 1.
Mason-Sowell,
M., & Sedlacek, W.E. (1984). Changes in campus subcultures by sex over
thirteen years. College and University, 60, 63-67.
Newton,
F.B., Angle, S.S., Schuette, C.G., & Ender, S.C. (1984). The assessment of
college student need: First step in a prevention response. Personnel and
Guidance Journal, 62, 537-543.
Swanson,
D.S. (1980). Forecast for the 80's. Journal of College Placement, 40,57-60.
Woodlief,
A. (1982). Liberal arts and careers: Taking the long view. Journal of
College Placement, 42, 25-28.
Career
Status 18
|
Table 1: Present Situation by Divisional Field |
||
|
|
% Business |
% Arts and Humanities |
|
Employed in my chosen
field or in a satisfactory position |
60 |
41 |
|
Employed , but seeking a
job in my chosen field |
25 |
28 |
|
Unemployed, but seeking a
job |
6 |
9 |
|
Student |
2 |
12 |
|
Not in the labor force |
3 |
10 |
|
Military service |
3 |
3 |
|
|
100%* |
100%* |
*Percentages
may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Career
Status 19
|
Table 2: Educational Status |
||
|
|
% Business |
% Arts and Humanities |
|
Not Enrolled or taking any
courses |
89 |
79 |
|
Enrolled part-time |
9 |
7 |
|
Enrolled full-time |
2 |
14 |
|
|
100%* |
100%* |
Career
Status 20
|
Table 3: Employment Status |
||
|
|
% Business |
% Arts and Humanities |
|
Employed full-time |
91 |
74 |
|
Employed part-time |
9 |
26 |
Career
Status 21
|
Table 4: Current Occupational Field |
||
|
Field |
% Business |
% Arts and Humanities |
|
Professional, Managerial
or Technical |
|
|
|
Business/Management |
52 |
15 |
|
Marketing/Professional
Sales |
12 |
11 |
|
Creative Arts |
2 |
24 |
|
Architecture, Engineering
or Surveying |
0 |
11 |
|
Education |
0 |
7 |
|
Social Sciences |
3 |
4 |
|
Mathematical or Physical
Sciences |
2 |
0 |
|
Life Sciences |
0 |
0 |
|
Medicine or Health |
0 |
0 |
|
Clerical |
10 |
11 |
|
Services |
5 |
7 |
|
Protective Services |
3 |
4 |
|
Skilled Trades |
2 |
2 |
|
Agriculture, Forestry,
Fishery |
0 |
0 |
|
Other |
9 |
4 |
|
|
100% |
100% |
Career
Status 22
|
Table 5: Type of Employing Organization |
||
|
|
% Business |
% Arts and Humanities |
|
Large business or industry |
41 |
22 |
|
Small business, industry,
or agency |
24 |
44 |
|
Education |
0 |
13 |
|
Self-employment |
5 |
7 |
|
Federal government |
16 |
4 |
|
State/local government |
2 |
0 |
|
Social or community
services |
2 |
0 |
|
Military |
3 |
0 |
|
Other |
7 |
11 |
|
|
100%* |
100%* |
*Percentages
may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Career
Status 23
|
Table 6: What was most helpful in getting your
present job? |
||
|
|
% Business |
% Arts and Humanities |
|
Personal contact in the
employing organization |
26 |
18 |
|
Marketable resume |
18 |
32 |
|
Participation in the UMCP
On-Campus Recruiting Program |
16 |
0 |
|
Advice or assistance from
friends or family |
7 |
9 |
|
Assistance from a private
employment agency or recruiting firm |
7 |
2 |
|
Assistance from the Career
Development Center |
2 |
0 |
|
Assistance from a campus
office or faculty member |
0 |
2 |
|
Other |
24 |
36 |
|
|
100%* |
100%* |
*Percentages
may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Career
Status 24
|
Table 7: Most Difficult Adjustment After Graduation |
||
|
|
% Business |
% Arts and Humanities |
|
Adjusting to a new
schedule |
29 |
27 |
|
Feeling like a beginner
again |
26 |
24 |
|
Learning the office
politics or power structure of your hiring agency |
13 |
2 |
|
Financial planning |
3 |
13 |
|
Translating theoretical
knowledge to practical, on-the-job performance |
10 |
4 |
|
Making new friends;
meeting new people |
8 |
2 |
|
Moving; adjusting to a new
location |
2 |
6 |
|
Interacting with the boss
or work colleagues |
3 |
4 |
|
Being on your own;
independent |
3 |
4 |
|
Other |
3 |
16 |
|
|
100%* |
100%* |
*Percentages
may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Career
Status 25
|
Table 8: Attitudes Toward College Preparations* |
||||
|
Item |
Business |
Arts and Humanities |
||
|
|
Mean |
Standard Deviation |
Mean |
Standard Deviation |
|
My undergraduate academic
program helped me prepare for my present situation. |
2.71 |
1.17 |
2.44 |
1.1 |
|
My personal life in
college helped me to prepare for my present situation. |
2.39 |
1.15 |
2.66 |
1.18 |
|
MY extracurricular life in
college helped me to prepare for my present situation. |
2.44 |
1.18 |
2.67 |
1.25 |
|
I am satisfied with my
present situation. |
2.66 |
1.41 |
3.03 |
1.24 |
|
If I had it to do over
again, I would take the same or similar major.** |
2.13 |
1.16 |
2.45 |
1.26 |
|
I wish I had more
practical job preparation at UMCP. |
2.59 |
1.24 |
2.36 |
1.33 |
|
I wish I had taken a more practical, job-oriented
major. |
3.82 |
1.05 |
3.57 |
1.19 |
|
I feel that UMCP should
provide career planning services for recent alumni. |
1.87 |
0.89 |
1.69 |
0.86 |
|
I had a difficultly
finding a job after graduation. |
3.03 |
1.45 |
2.93 |
1.55 |
|
I expected to have better
job opportunities after graduation than I had. |
2.77 |
1.34 |
2.95 |
1.19 |
|
I feel satisfied with my
personal job. |
2.61 |
1.33 |
2.78 |
1.27 |
*Based
on a 5-point Likert scale, 1=Strongly Agree, 5=Strongly Disagree.
**Difference
significant < .05 using MANOVA.