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The STEM Graduate: Immediately after Graduation, Men and Women Already Differ in Job Outcomes, Attributions for Success, and Desired Job Characteristics
Author(s) -
Jasko Katarzyna,
PyrkoszPacyna Joanna,
Czarnek Gabriela,
Dukała Karolina,
Szastok Marta
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/josi.12392
Subject(s) - attribution , salary , agency (philosophy) , psychology , job attitude , graduation (instrument) , social psychology , job performance , job satisfaction , political science , engineering , sociology , law , mechanical engineering , social science
We examined the job outcomes of men and women who recently graduated from the same STEM majors in Poland ( N = 8,082). The results demonstrated that women experienced more difficulties in finding a job, received fewer job offers, were less likely to find a job consistent with their education, and earned less money than men. Additionally, we examined the attributions that men and women made for their professional success and the characteristics that they sought in potential jobs. In comparison to men, women were less likely to attribute their success to stereotypically male characteristics and more likely to attribute their success to stereotypically female characteristics. Moreover, women were less likely than men to perceive agency‐affording job characteristics (e.g., salary) as decisive features when making a decision about a job. The findings suggest that despite having the same educational background, the professional situations of male and female graduates differ.