Job
Nepotism and Job Search: An Investigation on Bangladeshi Graduates
Sajid Bin Hasnat and Salma Begum
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58718/policyanalysis1120233
Abstract
The youth unemployment rate in Bangladesh is 10.6 % which is more than twice the overall national unemployment rate standing at 4.2 %. And this group of young people are at risk of having their labour-market prospects deteriorating in the long term according to a report by the International Labor Organization (Ilo, 2022). To correctly identify all the plausible aspects leading to massive unemployment among the youth, nepotism marks an important area of study and investigation in order to figure out particularly in which areas the university students fail or are able to secure their desired job opportunities after their graduation. However, this issue rarely receives the necessary attention and focus, and scholarly discussions on this topic are sparse. To shed light on this, a survey questionnaire was designed for university graduates with different backgrounds and expectations which led us to gather interesting insights into how nepotism plays a role in shaping their interest into areas of job search and also in helping them to get their desired jobs. We were able to confirm that graduates who rely on family and friends for job leads are more likely to get hired shortly after graduation. They require fewer job applications, and are less likely to broaden their horizons in their search for employment. It was also noted that the dynamics of the job search vary significantly between majors, particularly in the fields of Business Administration, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and the Social Sciences, in terms of both the demands of the applicants and the extent to which they rely on external assistance in order to secure employment. These findings provide a glimpse into the decision-making process behind the nepotistic job choices made by graduates and also helped in shedding light on the consequences of those who were engaged in the job seeking process without the same advantages or backings.
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