Replication Data for Discoveries from Recent College Graduates: Documenting Lived Experiences from School to Work during a Period of Economic Downturn.

This phenomenological study explored how recent college graduates navigated from school to work during a recent economic downturn. More specifically, the study endeavored to understand the lived experiences of recent college graduates in a period of transition. Schlossberg’s (1984) transition theory and Arnett’s (2000) emerging adult theory framed the study. The conceptual underpinnings of both theories provided a foundation to understand the role of higher educational attainment in graduates’ time spent in the labor market to secure employment in dismal employment conditions. The heuristic value of each of the theories advanced understanding of the factors shaping the experiences of recent college graduates. This study sought an in-depth understanding of how recent college graduates handled disappointments and the types of coping resources that helped them reconcile old and new identities, exchange old tasks for new tasks, move into new responsibilities while they continued to carry on responsibilities leading to graduation and challenges associated with seeking employment. Participants’ emic stories provided expansion of the school-to-work phenomenon typically relegated to statistical reporting in terms of quantifiable unemployment and underemployment rates. This study contributes to a body of work that highlights how recent emerging adult college graduates compete for jobs post-graduation within an anemic labor market. By expanding the breadth of specialized knowledge, the information captures what is essential to empower emerging adult college graduates entering a labor market influenced by record unemployment and suggests ways to further career development. This study documented the shift in the roles and responsibilities in the school-to-work phase, and the employment issues of a cadre of recent emerging adult college graduates who were influenced by the economic recession of 2007 and its impact on the present. Interview data from nine participants were transcribed and coded to determine emerging themes. Themes were aligned with the concepts within transition theory and emerging adult theory to increase understanding of issues facing recent college graduates in transition to employment. The analysis of participants’ lived experiences expanded the educational leadership knowledge base to impact praxis by mitigating the unexpected effects of economic downturn, as students move out of school and into the labor market. The phenomenon has expanded the knowledge base by identifying how to organize resources of academic or student affairs and career centers to maximize how to offer services relevant to today’s emerging adult college graduates. The study discovered that although emerging adulthood is defined as age-based, a new category isolating the breadth of understanding for emerging adults college graduates is crucial to document the impact of dismal employment trends. Economic downturn affects the ability for young adults to reconcile identities. Study participants reported a lack of knowledge about how to mitigate their student orientation to career socialization. This study exposed a need for integration of student development theory, historically germane to traditional-aged collegians, and career development theory to guide emerging adult college graduates toward their career goals. The disconnect between the mass production of degrees and skills essential to the labor market (Bivens, 2014 ), have an impact on emerging adults who are one of four generations competing for skilled jobs at competitive rates of pay.

本现象学研究（phenomenological study）探讨了近期经济下行周期中，应届高校毕业生如何完成从校园到职场的过渡。更具体而言，本研究旨在探析应届高校毕业生在过渡阶段的真实生活体验。本研究以施洛斯贝格（Schlossberg，1984）的过渡理论（transition theory）与阿内特（Arnett，2000）的新兴成人理论（emerging adult theory）为研究框架。两种理论的概念基础为理解高等教育学历在毕业生于惨淡就业环境中求职、且耗费在劳动力市场的时长中所扮演的角色，提供了研究根基。两种理论各自的启发式价值，推动了学界对塑造应届高校毕业生就业体验的各类因素的认知深化。

本研究旨在深度探析应届高校毕业生如何应对求职挫折，以及哪些应对资源可帮助他们调和新旧身份认同、以新任务替换旧任务、承担新职责——与此同时，他们仍需履行临近毕业时的各项职责，并直面求职相关的各类挑战。过往针对校招过渡现象的研究多聚焦于可量化的失业率与不充分就业率的统计报告，而本研究中受访者的主位（emic）叙事则拓展了对该现象的认知维度。

本研究为现有学术成果添砖加瓦，进一步阐明了在疲软的劳动力市场中，处于新兴成人阶段的应届高校毕业生毕业后的求职竞争现状。本研究通过拓展专业知识边界，提炼出赋能身处创纪录失业率影响下的劳动力市场的新兴成人应届高校毕业生的核心要素，并为其职业发展路径优化提供了可行方向。

本研究记录了校招过渡阶段角色与职责的转变，以及受2007年经济衰退及其当下延续影响的一批处于新兴成人阶段的应届高校毕业生所面临的就业困境。本研究对9名受访者的访谈资料进行转录与编码，以提炼核心主题。研究将提炼出的主题与过渡理论及新兴成人理论中的核心概念进行对标，以深化对应届高校毕业生在向职场过渡阶段所面临问题的认知。

对受访者真实体验的分析，拓展了教育领导力（educational leadership）的知识体系，旨在通过缓解经济下行对学生离校入职带来的意外冲击，推动教育实践（praxis）的优化。本研究通过明确如何统筹学术事务、学生事务与职业中心的各类资源，以最大化提供适配当下处于新兴成人阶段的应届高校毕业生的服务，进一步丰富了相关知识储备。

研究发现，尽管新兴成年期的界定基于年龄，但增设一个针对高校毕业生群体的新兴成人研究分类，对记录惨淡就业趋势的影响至关重要。经济下行会削弱年轻人调和身份认同的能力。受访者表示，他们缺乏相关知识以完成从学生身份向职业社会化的过渡。本研究揭示，需将原本适配传统年龄段大学生的学生发展理论（student development theory）与职业发展理论（career development theory）相融合，以引导处于新兴成人阶段的应届高校毕业生达成职业目标。

学位批量产出与劳动力市场必需技能之间的脱节（比文斯，2014），对新兴成人群体造成了冲击——该群体作为四大求职代际之一，正以极具竞争力的薪资标准角逐技能型岗位。