The Relationship Between Family Socioeconomic Status and Career Outcomes: A Life History Perspective

Abstract

Based on the life history perspective, this study tested a serial mediation model in which family socioeconomic status (SES) related to person–job fit via resource scarcity, career exploration, and goal persistence. We expected that when seeking employment, higher SES students would perceive lower resource scarcity, and, in turn, adopt more adaptive career behaviors (i.e., career exploration and goal persistence) to maximize career success, which would then lead to better person–job fit upon graduation. Using a sample of 224 final-year students (mean age 21 years, 77% male), we found, as expected, that higher SES was related to more career exploration and goal persistence via lower perceived scarcity and that exploration and persistence were related to better person–job fit. In addition, higher SES was indirectly related to person–job fit via scarcity and the two career behaviors. The findings highlight the importance of family SES in young people’s career development.