the role of social network ties and relationships during the internship assignment phil gardner...
DESCRIPTION
Challenge The “First Job” New Demographics: – Passing Time – Pedigree – Entrepreneurers Employability: Teichler – University of Kassel – Do not know what fosters employability skills – Lag effects are likely New Professional: Expand Inquiry – Refocus on emerging domains – Experienced required but how muchTRANSCRIPT
The Role of Social Network Ties and Relationships During the Internship Assignment
Phil GardnerMichigan State UniversityPortions previously presented at
WACE’s 10th International SymposiumUniversity West
Trollhattan, Sweden
Overview• Experience --- the gatekeeper to labor market• More is better --- in larger chunks• Focus on boundary spanning skills &
competencies
Challenge• The “First Job”• New Demographics:
– Passing Time– Pedigree– Entrepreneurers
• Employability: Teichler – University of Kassel– Do not know what fosters employability skills– Lag effects are likely
• New Professional: Expand Inquiry– Refocus on emerging domains– Experienced required but how much
The Real Question of Inquiry• How does the growth of social capital during the
internship or co-op:– Contribute to successful transition to workplace– Foundation for early career success
• First step:– Focus on the role of social capital during the
internship assignment
• Task Mastery• Social Integration• Team Integration• Learning (broad)• Social Capital– Weak Ties: Career network – Strong Ties: Supervisor, Mentor, Known in organization
Starting Points: Newcomer and Early Socialization Theories
Basic ModelSI
TI
LI
CN
KO
SPI
M
SPE
Mastery
Satisfaction
Study Parameters
• Sample• Large Convenience sample drawn from over 200 US
schools – current college students• Administration
• One time solicitation through Career Services• Partner – so question space limited
Study Parameters
• Sample Characteristics• 8,900 with 80% in internships• 65% Women• 73% Caucasian• 20% Business• 62% GPA 3.35 or higher• 62% Family Income $80,000 or less
Basic Measures
• Social Networks• Career Network: 14 average
• Composed of – Peers on campus (5), Faculty/Advisor (2.5), Family (2.6), Relatives/Acquaint. (2.6)
• Know in organization: 1/3 knew someone with 90% only knowing one person
• Tended to be someone with 7 to 20 years with the organization
Basic Measures
• Mentor• More likely to be a young professional
• Supervisor• Experienced professional or management• Interpersonal Interactions• External Interactions
• Scale Metrics
FIRST MODEL (WITH MASTERY)
First Step: Supervisor/Mentor Influences
SE
SI
M
SI
TI
LI
+
+
+
++
+
+++
2nd Step: Weak Network
SE
SI
M
SI
TI
IL
+
+
+
++
+
+++
CN
KO
+
+
+
3rd: Mastery
SI
TI
IL
TASK MASTERY
Et
Sr
Final: SatisfactionSITI IL
TASK MASTERY
Et
GPA
Satisfaction
-
SE MSI
G
CN
KO
-
• Gender– What’s with it with men?– Women seek out faculty more in career advice– Women less likely to have management as supervisor– Women more likely to have less experienced mentor
• Ethnicity– Non-whites have fewer classmates in their network; also fewer family are involved– Non-whites less likely to have managers as supervisors– Advantages – are they permanent
• GPA– Tim Judge’s work –
• Family Income– No statistical impact (yet)
Additional Variables
Characteristics of the Internship• Credit vs no-credit
– No statistical differences (at this time)• Paid vs unpaid
– Paid are more satisfied with experience• Length
– Longer experience more satisfied• Part or Full time
– Part-time (20 hrs or less) more satisfied
Alternative Model• Control variables that are used in all models. – Paid versus unpaid– Credit versus no-credit– Internship length– Internship Status – Gender– Race
Serial mediation models: Supervisory support learning satisfaction accept offer
Indirect effects.0032 (significant)
Supervisory support team integration satisfaction accept offerIndirect effects
.0005 (not significant)Supervisory support social integration satisfaction accept offer
Indirect effects-.0002 (not significant)
Supervisory support satisfaction accept offerIndirect effects
.021 (significant)
Mentor Moderation
• Control variables that are used in all models. – Paid versus unpaid– Credit versus no-credit– Internship length– Internship Status
• Main effects of social capital on outcomes:• Social capital satisfaction = .000 (not significant)• Social capital job offer = .010 (not significant)• Social capital supervisory support = .014 (significant)• Social capital mentorship status = .026 (significant)• • Main effects of race/ethnicity and gender on outcomes • • Race/Ethnicity • satisfaction = -.018 (not significant)• job offer = -.337 (significant)• supervisory support = -.106 (significant)• mentorship status = .03 (not significant)
• Gender• satisfaction = .006 (not significant)• job offer = .501 (significant)• supervisory support = -.011 (not significant)• mentorship status = -.126 (not significant)
Implications• Ethnicity: Passing Time• Gender: Do men gain more simply doing it and
ignoring all the breadth stuff – or does it catch up with them
• Supervisor – always the key• Mentors – should not be forgotten• Social capital – both strong and weak – play key roles
Shift Gears: Future• Administrative Clarity: rise of “big data”• Boundary Spanning & Length• Story Telling: need for integration• New frontiers (i.e.)– Teams– Reverse education and experiential education (the
context more important than the content)
Questions