Sarah Christian
An Analysis of Employment Preferences: A Study of Marriage and Family Therapy Students
by
Sarah Christian
A Senior Honors Project Presented to the
Honors College
East Carolina University
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for
Graduation with Honors
by
Sarah Christian
Greenville, NC
May 2015
Approved by:
Michael Harris
College of Business, Management
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Sarah Christian
Abstract
The objective of the project is to determine how Marriage and Family Therapy
students feel about employment opportunities with small businesses versus larger
corporations. After obtaining IRB approval, a survey was distributed to Marriage and
Family Graduate Programs across the country. They were asked to complete this survey
based off of their employment preferences upon graduation. These students were in either
their first or second year of graduate school, preparing to be therapists soon.
The study was designed to determine if therapists want to go into small practices,
doing more nonprofit type work, or if they ultimately want to go to a larger practice
where they could potentially make more money. This survey also showed the business
savvy of these students, and if they are treating this career the same as they would if they
were going in to the business world. Based off the sample size, students agreed that if you
valued money, job security, and greater fringe benefits then you work for a large
company. However, the majority also agreed that you would have better managerial
relationships, more responsibilities, and involvement in decision-making in a small
company.
Introduction
Marriage and Family Therapy is a practice that can date back a long time, but
hasn’t been seen as a true profession until the 1960s. Marriage therapy was the first
practice to take the world by storm, and then later came family therapy. Ultimately, the
two were combined to make up the field of Marriage and Family Therapy. Over the
years, as this field has grown, so has the job opportunities and students hoping to make an
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impact not only in this field, but also in other peoples lives (American Association for
Marriage and Family Therapy).
When many think about a therapist, you may not consider them to know much
about the world of business. However, many therapists operate their own small practice,
and are more business savvy then you think. They may be more in tune to emotions, but
they also know what they want out of their career, and how to further their job
opportunities.
The purpose of this study was to determine the employment preferences Marriage
and Family Therapy students have upon graduation. Do they want to enter in to a small
firm or a large corporation, and what characteristics do they associate with each type of
organization? A three-minute survey was sent to MFT graduate students across the
country to ask them different questions about employment preferences. These allows us
to identify whether or not they like working in a large corporation, making more money
and getting more fringe benefits, or working for a small company or a nonprofit that
provides more autonomy and stronger relationship development. Are these future
therapists coming out in to the working world and approach it from a more humanistic
angle, or are they going to be more concerned about their monetary value? By
understanding the answers to these questions, there will be more of an understanding of
where this field is going.
Literature Review
Marriage and Family Therapy is a topic that has been looked at from many
different angles, often analyzing how to approach different therapy issues. Therapists
may look at the way to treat children, domestic violence issues, and body image
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problems. However, rarely is the study so specific that is shows where these therapists
want to end up in the job market. Do they want to counsel for a large corporation, who
are now starting to bring in their own counselors for employees? Or do they want to go
back to the root of therapy, and work in a small private practice where they may be able
to gain more autonomy?
The history of actual Marriage and Family therapists doesn’t date back too far.
For a long period of time, receiving any type of therapy was seen as weak and
unnecessary. Many Americans were suffering through marital problems without giving it
a second thought to seek help. Then around the early 1900s, many other professions were
taking on the role of the therapist as an auxiliary activity. These included college
professors, doctors, and lawyers. As late as 1950, about one quarter of the members of
the Association of Marriage Counselors were gynecologists with many of the rest being
members of the medical field (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy).
As the history of Marriage and Family therapists has changed over time, so has
the business world. No longer are the days of just going in to a small practice as a
therapist. The different job opportunities are endless. Therapists are now able to work in a
small private practice, a nonprofit organization, a hospital, treatment centers, or a large
corporation. The goal and purpose of this study is to see where Marriage and Family
Therapists fall in this spectrum. Do they see themselves ending up in a large corporation,
making more money, but maybe having less say in the type of therapy they practice, or
do they see themselves ending up in a large corporation.
There are many key differences in a small corporation versus a large corporation,
and as a Marriage and Family Therapist who may not be as business savvy, it is vital to
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know what you are up against. There are going to be positive and negative attributes to
working in both a large corporation and a small corporation. Working for a large
corporation can have a lot of advantages, which include a great fringe benefits package.
Typically at a large corporation, you will be well taken care of, and your insurance for
you and your family will be covered. That may not always be the case, and jobs are
always a case-by-case basis, but you can typically expect that type of coverage from a
large corporation. There is also the added benefit of financial compensation. Large
corporations generate greater revenue so they can pay out more money to their
employees. Even though many people, especially those working in the field of Marriage
and Family Therapy, argue they are only in the profession because they love what they
do, you cannot help but be pleased with the added comfort of extra money.
There are also many challenges when working for a large corporation. One of the
biggest differences may be autonomy. Many employees may feel as if they do not have as
much say in what they are doing and the type of therapy they are able to perform in a
large corporation. Another big downside as a therapist is that you would not be able to
reach all different types of people. In a large corporation, you would be working mostly
with employees of the company, and you could not reach a multitude of different people.
Also, it is a big priority for therapists to schedule their own hours, see whomever they
like to see, and give discounts to those who cannot afford therapy. By working in a large
corporation you typically will not be the boss, and will have more work restrictions.
There are also many positives and negatives to working in a small corporation. In
a small corporation, you will have more autonomy, and be able to work with a plethora of
different people. However, you still may not be in the boss in this case, and autonomy
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may still be limited. It is also reported that there is an overall better relationship between
employees and their bosses in a small corporation versus a larger corporation. Therapists
can also have more freedom to use the type of therapy they feel is best for the client,
without being pressured to treat them in a certain way. All of these factors can play a roll
in therapists deciding if they want to go in to a small corporation.
There are also challenges with employment in a small business, often which is the
financial compensation. Smaller companies general do not have as great a financial
package to offer their employees, and they may not have the fringe benefits that a large
corporation would have. Also, a small company is at a much larger risk of closure and not
having the staying power of a large corporation, which is scary for an employee to be in a
constant fear about their job. Obviously, there are pros and cons to both jobs, and it is up
to what is in the therapist’s best interest to decide which route to take.
There are many studies related to employment preferences for students who are in
graduate school or finishing up their undergrad classes. However, like has been
previously stated, not many of these have been related to Marriage and Family Therapy.
Two studies that have been used on employment preferences have been related to
undergraduate business student’s job preferences after graduation. In 1994, Teo and Poon
completed a study entitled “Career Choices of Undergraduate and SMEs in Singapore.”
This study analyzed whether they want to go in to a small- medium sized enterprise
(SME) or a large multinational corporation (MNC). The study found that 5.4 percent of
business undergraduates chose SMEs as their preferred choice of employment compared
to 51.4 percent of business undergraduate’s choosing MNCs as their preferred choice of
employment. This study concluded that MNCs are the preferred choice of employment
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for business undergraduates, followed by being in your own business, SMEs, and lastly
government/statutory boards. This study showed that SMEs are perceived to provide an
employee with certain benefits such as more authority and decision-making. They also
cannot provide as strong of working conditions and long-term career prospects that a
MNC could offer.
Another study that was reviewed before conducting this project was a 2007 study
by Grubb, Harris, and Mackenzie entitled “Business Students Perceptions of Employment
in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Versus Multinational Corporations: Investigating
The Moderating Effects of Academic Major, Gender, and Personality.” This study tested
undergraduate business student’s perceptions of towards employment with SMEs versus
MNCs.
This study discusses the real problems with more students preferring large
companies to small business, and how this is not good for our economy. Small business
must overcome the initial attraction of students to large companies. The ability to attract
personnel is important for all types of successful businesses, regardless of size (Grubb,
Harris, Mackenzie, 2007).” The study hypothesized that all business students would
prefer a multinational corporation to a small and medium sized enterprise. However, the
study ultimately found out accounting, marketing, and finance students preferred
employment with MNCs while management students preferred careers with SMEs. This
study was different then the results from Teo and Poon (1994) which concluded that all
business students prefer employment in a MNC. Since the results differ, and management
students could be looking to gain more control and decision making, this study should be
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completed again across other programs to test for employment preferences in different
areas in the United States.
Methods
When starting this project, it was known that there was going to be a need for a
large sample size, and to pull information from many different sources. This is when a
survey was being conducted to send out to graduate students in Marriage and Family
Therapy programs across the nation. In this survey, there needed to be questions
regarding the different aspects of a job, whether it was a small or large company, and an
analysis of the most important aspects to consider before taking a job. These aspects were
pay, fringe benefits, working conditions, managerial relationships, long-term career
prospects, responsibilities given, involvement in decision-making, marketability, and job
security. All of these most important job qualifications were put in the survey. This
survey was adopted from the instrument used by Grubb, Harris, and Mackenzie (2007)
and Teo and Poon (1994). That way the job aspects needed were already known and had
been previously tested. Next, an online survey was created through Qualtrics at ECU. The
survey was then distributed via graduate directors, being sent to most of the Marriage and
Family graduate programs in the United States. It was explicitly stated to the graduate
directors and before beginning the survey that it was anonymous and confidential and
completely voluntary. When the student began the survey, they were asked to rank each
of these job aspects on a scale from 1-5 in a small company and in a large company, one
being poor and five being excellent. This survey also spilt up students based on year in
graduate school, gender, and race. Then the survey proceeded to try and answer the most
important question regarding future working conditions, and what was most important in
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this testing, which was do these future therapists see themselves in a small business or a
large corporation? This survey was then sent through the IRB, and once approved, sent to
Marriage and Family Therapy students across the country. When looking at the response
rate, there were 70 total respondents, but only 51 actually completed to survey. With the
25 schools that were sent on this survey, and an average of 12 students per program, it
can be estimated that they were around 300 potential respondents, making it a response
rate of 23 percent. Lastly, when the results were received through Qualtrics, analysis was
completed to determine the survey results.
Results
In Chart 1 below, you can see a view of the results from the study that was
gathered. In this study, the numbers seen below were based off of student rankings on a
Likert scale. There were 51 current Marriage and Family Therapy Students who
completed the survey. These students attended a wide range of schools. Starting from
East Carolina University, stemming out to schools in Wisconsin, California, Indiana, and
many more. The information below is strictly based on what these participants responded
about the different job aspects in working in a large company versus a small company. In
Chart 1, the year in school was not mentioned, because this variable did not seem to have
any effect on how the student answered. Also, the overwhelming majority of these
students were white females, so it would be impossible to tell if the gender or race played
a factor in the way they saw a large versus small company. As shown in the chart, it is
clear that when it comes to long-term career prospects, that a large company is the clear
frontrunner, with 40 respondents saying a large company had either good or above
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excellent career prospects. Large companies also won out in categories such as fringe
benefits, job security, pay, and marketability. A small company came out on top in the
more human side of the coin, where they were voted higher in managerial relationships,
working conditions, involvement in decision-making, and responsibilities given.
Chart 1. Employment Preferences
Discussion
When first starting the project, it was initially hypothesized that the Marriage and
Family Therapy Students would favor a lot more with the small company attributes,
giving them more credit with long term career prospects and job security. It was believed
that since many of these students have not had much experience in the business side of
education, they might approach this survey with a more of a humanistic approach than a
realistic approach. There is not much data on employment preferences for Marriage and
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Family Therapy Students, however, there have been studies done about employment
preferences upon graduation. In one of theses studies, conducted by Teo and Poon
(1994), it suggests that students are most likely to seek out employment with a larger
company as a first option, and then go to a small company as a second option. In a study
done by Grubb, Harris, and Mackenzie in 2007 regarding the employment preferences of
business students, it was shown that accounting, marketing, and finance students
preferred future employment with multinational corporations while management students
prefer small to medium size companies. Lastly, in a study done by Hornsby and Kuratko
(2003), it suggests that human resource practices in small business have declined, thus
making it even less desirable for employees to work there.
When looking at the results from this survey, it is obvious that these Marriage and
Family students clearly believe that fringe benefits, pay, long-term career prospects, job
security and marketability are more favorable in a large corporation. Conversely, it is
clear that responsibilities given, managerial relationships, working conditions,
involvement in decision-making, and responsibilities given were more favorable in a
large company. The results for some of these categories the margin of votes were slightly
smaller than initially anticipated, with job security and marketability being closer in votes
between a large and small company. This may be attributed to the lack of knowledge on
the subject that a Marriage and Family Therapy student would have compared to a
business student.
In the other studies that were examined previously, Teo and Poon (1994), and
Grubb, Harris, and Mackenize (2007), they concluded that business students view
compensation and marketability as highly favorable in a large company, and that is where
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they wanted to work upon graduation. These studies showed that students are primarily
going to pick large companies, and then small companies will be their second choice.
This has many practical implications for job hiring for Marriage and Family
students. The results of this survey can go on to show large companies that they can start
hiring students in the social sciences. The world is always changing, and it would be
inappropriate for large companies to overlooked potential employees because they feel as
if those candidates are not business savvy or do not have interest in working for a larger
company. This survey also showed the continued threat for small businesses in
identifying and hiring adequate personnel. The fear is that if this trend continues to grow,
where graduates continue to look for the greatest pay and fringe benefits, that small
companies and non-profits could potentially face a greater human resource crisis in the
future.
Conclusion & Future Research
After gathering the results, it was shown that even though it is believed that
Marriage and Family Students and others in similar professions want to work for small
businesses, which is not necessarily the case. These employees are more business savvy
and want to make a career and a life for themselves, and it appears that they are just as
interested in compensation and marketability as a business student. These therapists know
how the business world operates, and whether they choose to or not, they know what
factors lie in which job opportunities.
This study was an extension of past studies, and I hope in the future there can be
continued studies in this field. I would like to see more analysis of employment
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preferences for graduates in all of the social sciences fields, and to get a more in depth
look at what these students personal feeling are on being in a small company. Another
study would also be beneficial if we had a larger sample size with a bigger differentiation
between race and gender. That way it can be seen if gender and race have a larger factor
in potential employment preferences.
References
Grubb, L., Harris, M., & MacKenzie, W. (2007). Business students’ perceptions of
employment in small and medium-sized enterprises versus multinational
corporations: Investing the moderating effects of academic major, gender, and
personality. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 17(2), 27-35.
Hornsby, J., & Kuratko, D. (2003). Human resource management in US small
businesses: A replication and extension. Journal of Developmental
Entrepreneurship, 8(1), 73-92.
Teo, H. A. & Poon, J. T. F. (1994). Career choice of undergraduates and SMEs in
Singapore. The International Journal of Career Management, 6(3), 20-26.
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