Beyond Onboarding: Always First Gen
While FGPs initially share common motivations with their peers—such as salary, interest in the field, and growth opportunities—they encounter barriers that can significantly impact their professional journeys.
From the outset of their careers, FGPs earn on average 10 percent less annually than their peers whose parents also graduated from college.1
Even more, families headed by FGPs have lower income than continuing-gen families: In 2019, households led by adults aged twenty-two to fifty-nine with at least one parent holding a bachelor’s degree had a median adjusted income of $100,900—significantly above those led by FGPs ($65,200).2 Why?
In part, first-gen college students aren’t landing the same types of jobs as their peers.
FGPs are more likely to work in the public and nonprofit sectors, which tend to pay less than corporate. They’re also less likely to work in urban areas, where salaries are higher, and they may not have resources to relocate.3 But another factor is their lack of exposure to the white-collar world and the kinds of networks that facilitate entry into it. During job interviews, FGPs face obstacles, with studies showing a preference among employers for candidates from elite universities and higher socioeconomic backgrounds.4
Even after FGPs enter the workforce, the challenges persist—and they don’t fade with time.
Studies show that despite gaining years of work experience, FGPs still contend with less access to information about career paths, less confidence in communication and negotiation, and less established professional networks.5 More specifically:
Many FGPs initially underestimate the importance of networking or feel uneasy about it, and they are 46 percent less likely to have access to networks helping them advance their careers.
- FGPs often have a tendency to focus only on their performance without investing time in building their networks and developing strategic relationships. The reality that FGPs don’t often share the same background or experiences as their colleagues can result in more barriers to cultivating strong relationships at work.6
- Without a strong mentor or network, FGPs struggle to adjust to office culture or to learn the unspoken rules for advancing in an organization, which can exacerbate existing feelings of imposter syndrome.7
Investing in the development of FGPs pays off big time.
As prospective leaders, their loyalty and intrinsic drive are invaluable assets:
- FGPs are 32 percent more likely to be loyal to their employers when working in a large company with more than 1,000 employees.
- FGPs are 40 percent more likely to be intrinsically motivated—of this group, 48 percent are more likely to pursue management positions in their career. Self-motivated FGPs are highly driven to take on responsibility.
- FGPs take pride in their resilience and work ethic. In Baem’s research as well as in a study by the U.S. Census Bureau, FGP participants described needing to have a certain amount of grit and determination to achieve the amount of success they have in their careers.8
Resources
1
"First-generation college students earn less than graduates whose parents went to college." ABC News, 14 May 2023. https://www.abc27.com/national/first-generation-college-students-earn-less-than-graduates-whose-parents-went-to-college/2
"First-Generation College Graduates Lag Behind Their Peers on Key Economic Outcomes." Pew Research Center, 18 May 2021. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2021/05/18/first-generation-college-graduates-lag-behind-their-peers-on-key-economic-outcomes/3
"First-generation college students earn less than graduates whose parents went to college." ABC News, 14 May 2023. https://www.abc27.com/national/first-generation-college-students-earn-less-than-graduates-whose-parents-went-to-college/4
"First-Generation College Grads Face More Hurdles in the Job Market." Wired, 24 February 2021. https://www.wired.com/story/first-generation-college-grads-hurdles-job-market/5
"Hiding in Plain Sight: First-Generation Professionals." Boston Consulting Group, April 2023. https://web-assets.bcg.com/49/9c/184a60f14ed9b17f8fabfd7c9d6c/hiding-in-plain-sight-first-generation-professionals-bcg-study.pdf6
"Qualitative Research on Barriers to Workplace Inclusion for First-Generation Professionals." Center for Behavioral Science Methods Research and Methodology Directorate, Issued 1 May 2019. https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2019-07/Qualitative%20Research%20on%20Barriers%20to%20Workplace%20Inclusion.pdf7
"First-gen leaders and professionals, it’s not your fault you feel like a fraud." Fast Company, 19 August 2022. https://www.fastcompany.com/90779662/first-gen-leaders-and-professionals-its-not-your-fault-you-feel-like-a-fraud8
"Qualitative Research on Barriers to Workplace Inclusion for First-Generation Professionals." Center for Behavioral Science Methods Research and Methodology Directorate, Issued 1 May 2019. https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2019-07/Qualitative%20Research%20on%20Barriers%20to%20Workplace%20Inclusion.pdf9
"Hiding in Plain Sight: First-Generation Professionals." Boston Consulting Group, April 2023. https://web-assets.bcg.com/49/9c/184a60f14ed9b17f8fabfd7c9d6c/hiding-in-plain-sight-first-generation-professionals-bcg-study.pdf10
"Hiding in Plain Sight: First-Generation Professionals." Boston Consulting Group, April 2023. https://web-assets.bcg.com/49/9c/184a60f14ed9b17f8fabfd7c9d6c/hiding-in-plain-sight-first-generation-professionals-bcg-study.pdfHello, World!