Browsing by Author "Clark, Anthony R."

The purpose of this research is to understand how social networks among Princeton University seniors influence job search strategies and employment outcomes across different socioeconomic backgrounds, and the role of informal connections. Specifically, I used different journals, articles, and novels that helped my understanding on the topic and influenced my conclusion. On top of that, I used statistics across different sources that gave me the evidence I needed in order to come to a conclusion. The sources and statistics were a huge help in allowing me to learn more about the topic of social networks and how informal connections come into play. Also, I was able to analyze over fifteen different Princeton seniors across different socioeconomic backgrounds through interviews in order to get real life experiences. The interviews were a crucial part in my research because they showed how Princeton seniors create social networks at Princeton, the impact of one’s socioeconomic background and informal connections, and the influence that social networks have in job search strategies and employment outcomes. Through all of this, I was able to find out that social networks influence Princeton seniors' job search strategies and employment outcomes by giving advice in the job search, connecting Princeton seniors with their network, job referrals, and job opportunities. The results suggest that social networks DO influence Princeton University seniors’ job search strategies and employment outcomes.