Social networks in the transition from higher education to work: A systematic review

Abstract

Higher education institutions are increasingly taking responsibility for preparing students for the transition to work. Prior research on the nexus of higher education and careers has focused heavily on individuals' trajectories in the school-to-work transition. However, in reality, graduates are embedded in social networks when navigating the labour market. Due to theoretical ambiguity in current research, results on how social networks facilitate the transition of graduates from different socio-economic backgrounds are inconclusive. This systematic review aims to integrate the findings on the complex role of social networks in the transition through a comprehensive theoretical framework, building on a formalist (network structure), substantialist (network composition), and social capital (network resources) approach. Results show that higher education institutional networks, often overlooked, have significant power in connecting graduates to the labour market. Further, findings demonstrate that the characteristics of network actors and the resources they offer are determining factors in facilitating graduates’ transition process. Herein lies the danger of social exclusion mechanisms in the transition to work.