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Posted on: 16/05/2012 11:05.
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Social and Class

Overview (Introduction):

In the 1950s, social class was relatively straightforward: people were born into one of three ‘classes’ – upper, middle, and lower. Massive economic and cultural disparities mean that movement between the classes was rare.

The 1960s sent class-conscious society into freefall. Post-war economic prosperity, combined with rapid advances in engineering, technology and mass communications, meant that the upper classes were no longer the only ones with money.

Yet, by the 1970s, it was becoming clear that Britain was still a country in which social class was a real, if not always visible, factor in people’s lives. The Learning to Labour study (Willis, 1978) was one of the first to trace a link between social class and access to employment opportunities.

Thirty years on, definitions of ‘social class’ remain contentious; even so, class remains an important issue when attempting to understand why in society certain groups fare better than others.

Social class and higher education

In 1938, less than 2% of the 18-30 year-old population went to university (Dyhouse, 2002, Redmond, 2004).

Today, that figure is 42%. But, despite the overall growth in numbers, the proportion of students from the lowest social groups has barely changed. Even since the mid-1980s, the proportion of people from the poorest 20% of society going to university has only risen from 6% to 9%, whereas the proportion of the wealthiest 20% has risen from 20% to 47%.

Research shows that working-class students who do go to university are more likely to study at local institutions, live at home, and have childcare or part-time work commitments. In these cases, involvement in university is often restricted to compulsory engagements – attending lectures or visiting the university library. Limited involvement in extra-curricular, socio-cultural aspects of university life, such as joining student clubs and societies, threatens to reduce the wider impact of higher education on students’ lives, and possibly their career options.

Employer discrimination against people from a particular social class can be based around factors such as where you are from, your economic background, your education, and even your health. This section will explore how people from a working-class background might be discriminated against, and how this discrimination can be overcome.

Marketing yourself:

There is no reason why ‘that little bit extra’ that employers are looking for must come from expensive gap years and participation in university clubs and societies. If you have had other commitments that have prevented you from getting involved in student life as much as you would have liked, then think about the skills that you have gained through other experiences instead, perhaps through events in your personal life. You may have developed excellent time management skills, motivation, the ability to be flexible, resourcefulness, and creativity.

When you are applying for jobs, it is important to market yourself effectively using the language that employers want to hear. Reading employer literature and spending time looking at their websites will help you to identify the key skills they are looking for. You should then think about how you can demonstrate evidence of these skills and your abilities.

Careers advisers are experienced in helping you identify what strengths you have and how to go about selling these to employers. You can usually make an appointment to see a careers adviser to discuss any worries you might have about marketing yourself and finding employment.

Understanding the law:

There is currently no legislation to prevent employers discriminating against applicants on the basis of social class. When discrimination occurs, it is likely to be indirect: employers choosing to target specific institutions over others; the use of culturally specific interview questions; even pictures used in graduate recruitment brochures.

Social class and graduate recruitment

Few employers overtly set out to recruit students from specific social groups. However, as the number of students graduating from higher education has increased, some employers have chosen to target specific universities – pre-1992, ‘old universities’- and these are rarely places where working class students are well represented. This has led to a perception that graduates from pre-1992 universities enjoy better employment prospects than those from post-1992 institutions (Jethwa and Weir, 2001)

According to research, studying at an old university can boost a graduate’s earnings by between 3 and 6% (Chevalier and Conlon, 2003).

However, research also suggests that even those working class students who do go to pre-1992 universities are still likely to fare worse than their middle class counterparts in the graduate job market. One reason for this could be the recruitment processes employed by some graduate employers, which have been developed to select candidates according to evidence of ‘aesthetic skills’ (Warhurst and Nickson, 2001).

Many employers rely on students having had the time and money to take a gap year and/or participate in the activities of university clubs and societies. Since not all students will have had the same opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities, placing an emphasis on these during the recruitment process could be perceived as discriminatory. And even if you have had the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities, one study has shown that certain (traditionally middle class) activities are likely to carry more weight than others (eg, a preference for rowing over snooker).

How can Career Development Services help?

Our services are open to any student or graduate of the University of Bradford, and you may be eligible to use us even if you're a graduate of another university - see our advice page for more information. We can arrange for you to speak confidentially to a Career Development Adviser about your own individual circumstances and the best way to positively market yourself to employers, as well as anything else careers-related that you need guidance with.

You can also use our Information Room, to access information on specific occupations and employers, travelling and working abroad, labour market information, volunteering, placements, jobseeking skills - anything 'careers-related' really! We also have a state of the art computer cluster (if you are a graduate you will need to bring photo ID in order for us to make you a password). There will always be a member of staff on hand to help you find the information you want.

In term-time we're open 9-5 Monday to Thursday and 9-4 on Fridays, and we're open 9-4 Monday to Friday during vacations. Our contact details are:

• Telephone: 01274 234991
• Email: careers@bradford.ac.uk
• Textphone: 01274 235560

We also offer the Impact Project, an enhanced programme designed to boost employment skills and increase employment opportunities. If you're interested, have a look at their website, or contact us with the details above.

Top tips:

Here are Prospects’s top tips for graduates searching for employment, taken from their 'Handling Discrimination' pages:

• Social class has no bearing on ability whatsoever. The best and most dynamic employers know this; your job is to make yourself known to them.
• Don’t stereotype employers or let yourself be stereotyped by them. Research organisations and tailor your application for each one.
• Go to careers fairs, apply for work experience and use these opportunities to network and challenge expectations.
• Get involved in societies and activities as much as possible at university. Take advantage of everything that you can.
• Try to picture yourself as a ‘brand’. What are your brand’s strengths and weaknesses? How can you promote your brand more effectively in the marketplace?
• Find a mentor with whom you can discuss your ideas, inspirations, passions and ambitions, and try to meet with them regularly.

Sources of further information:

Contacts:

The Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE)

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