CHER 28th Annual Conference Note: Please fill in the information between squared brackets [ ]. Delete when not applicable. This whole document should not have more than 7,000 words. [The impact of education on the job market. Signaling phenomenon.] Track [T5] [Marcin Dwórznik, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland] NOTE: No further information or detail should be included. Add as many author lines as needed. Corresponding author: [Name] Corresponding author’s email: mdworznik@wne.uw.edu.pl Structured Abstract: [Not more than 250 words] The doctoral dissertation addresses the issue of mismatches in the labor market. It results from the asymmetry of information between participants in the labor market: employers and workers. Employers want to obtain employees with appropriate professional suitability. At the same time employers want to offer employees salary at a level appropriate to their professional suitability. On the other hand, employees who have knowledge about potential professional suitability, possessed by them want to get jobs, for which they will receive salary as close as possible to professional suitability held by them. The research aims to assess the impact of a set of signals (characteristics) with the a reference to the success in the labor market by graduates. Labour market success is defined as a compound of three elements: the fact of having work, the time needed to find a job, and achieved income . Analysis is carried out on the basis of the data obtained in the study of the graduates of the University of Warsaw. The basis of the analysis is the model of the job market signaling proposed by M. Spence. Characteristics used in this study are based on three sources of data: the review of the variables which are taken into account in empirical studies concerning job market signaling phenomena, information that is communicated by a candidate for work in the main recruitment document - CV and interviews conducted with people who are responsible for recruiting workers. The conducted analysis showed that from the point of view of the graduates, there is a set of characteristics that may have a (statistically significant) impact on their success in the labor market. Purpose of this paper: [What are the reason(s) for writing the paper or the aims of the research?] There is a large uncertainty about graduates professional suitability as employees on the labor market. Professional suitability is an adaptation of workers professional efficiency to the requirements of the work environment. Professional efficiency is the system of physical and mental capabilities necessary to perform the work in accordance with its requirements. Graduates do not fully know what employers expect of them. In turn, employers are not fully able to identify the potential of future employees. Both sides are trying to reduce the asymmetry of this information. Graduates send signals designed to convince the employer of high professional suitability. Employers analyze them by assigning different importance to different types of signals. In the study, conducted in the framework of writing a doctoral dissertation, attempted to determine the beam of signals (information, characteristics) sent by graduates that may have a significant impact on their situation in the labor market. Potential employees know that their professional suitability will be assessed, in the first place basing on the generated signals and that employer’s assessment of their professional suitability will have a significant impact on their remuneration, they try to generate signals in order to achieve the best possible rating. In doing so they try to pay attention to the costs that are associated with the generation of signals (obtaining further characteristics). Wages received by workers should cover expenses incurred in the process of acquiring the ability to generate signals. 1 Figure 1 Linkage between the level of human and social capital and the assessment of the level of professional suitability of the employee by the employer Source: Own Asymmetry of information on the labor market is connected with the problem of chosen beam of signals (characteristics) sent by the graduate who can have influence on the succees in the labor market. In view of presented above problem there arise a number of research questions: 1. What is the relationship between sending signals by graduates and achieved earnings level? 2. What signals are conducive to finding job faster by graduates? 3. What signals increase the probability of having employment constantly providing income? Design/methodology/approach: [How are the objectives achieved? Include the main method(s) used for the research. What is the approach to the topic and what is the theoretical or subject scope of the paper?] Phenomenon of signaling in the labor market has been described by Michael Spence in the article "job market signaling" (Spence, 1973). The basis of the presented model is the belief that both employees and employers are aware that a potential employee productivity can be determined using the signals generated by them. Model proposed by Spence examines the role of signals on the basis of the graduate labor market. Spence, in his model, assumes that individuals are willing to invest in the ability to generate signals (eg. to get a certain level of education) subject to achieved earnings and thanks to this for achieving the desired level of return on investment. Most empirical studies analyze the effects of the signals on the labor market based on the model proposed by Spence (Altojni, Pierret, 1996; Blackburn, Neumark, 1991, Bedard, 2001, Frazis, 2002, Buchel, Pollmann-Schultz, 2001, Albrecht, van Ours, 2001, Lang, Manove, 2011, McDonald, Benton, Warner, 2012, Habermalz, 2003, Lofstrom, 2000, Chan, Hao, Suen, 2007). Identified, available empirical studies on the phenomenon of labor market signaling concerned mainly the USA and Germany labor market. These studies were based on data collected as part of the National Longitudinal Survey, Youth Cohort (NLSY) in the US and German Life History Study (GLHS) in Germany. In Poland, information about the fate of graduates that could be used for research is not collected regularly. The law regulating the functioning of higher education imposes obligation on universities to conduct successive surveys of graduates. In accordance with the law, Polish universities, are trying to carry out graduate studies. Often, however, the return of the conducted survey is low (30%). Additionally, way of presenting the results of research conducted by universities does not allow assessing what factors affect the situation of graduates in the labor market. Results of the analysis are often presented in the form of statistical summaries, giving only a picture of the structure of graduates according to the selected feature. Research based on a survey of University of Warsaw graduates. Survey was conducted in 2013 as part of the project entitled "Higher education graduates’ tracer study with the use of Social Insurance Institution’s (ZUS) administrative data" conducted on behalf of the IBE (The Educational Research Institute). The 2 survey was conducted among graduates of the University of Warsaw, on a sample of 1 896 people1. In the thesis, a success on job market is understood as: level of wages, speed of finding a job and the fact of obtaining a job. Basis on the survey conducted among graduates it was possible to examine the impact on the success of graduates in the labor market characteristics, which can illustrate the level of professional suitability. Among main features one can be distinguish: parents' education, volunteer work during their studies, experience gained through work during studies (include working while studying abroad), completion of courses enhancing the professional qualifications, level and type of study, the average grade obtained in the course of study, place of birth and residence. As variable "control" used “sex”, information about the faculty which was completed by the graduate and way to find a job. In addition, during the preparation of the research, were patterns used in recruitment documentation analyzed (mainly CVs) and a number of interviews was conducted with people who carry out the recruitment process. Among the information that should be included in the CV identified information such as: name and surname, address, information about education (including level of education, completed faculty), the fact of completion of courses enhancing the professional qualifications, knowledge of foreign languages, additional skills (such as computer skills, driving license), interests, marital status is often given in CV . Information based on the study of graduates of Warsaw, can be extracted about amount of average monthly net earnings of graduates calculated on the basis of the last three months before the survey. The analysis was conducted on a sample of people who provided information about the amount of income achieved. Due to the fact that the wage distribution in the sample to be analyzed is left-oblique. In order to obtain the distribution of the dependent variable close to normal, it was decided to take the logarithm of wages declared by the respondents. The dependent variable is the logarithm of wages. To examine the impact of signals generated by graduates on their salaries, due to continuous nature of the dependent variable and close to normal distribution, it was proposed to apply the least squares analysis method, that is linear regression. 1 The questionnaire was sent to 13 843, of which it effectively received 13 557, answered (filled) 1 896 people. 3 Figure 2 Corresponding to the number of participants distribution of the amount of declared value of earnings Source: Own calculations Respondents pointed to time needed to find a work after graduation. For the purpose of the analysis of a sample we took into account people who had worked the in day of filling the survey. 65% of the analyzed group of graduates did not have to look for a job, because they already had it during their studies. 20% of graduates found work within a month from the date of graduation. This group of graduates may include people who do not have to look for a job because they started their own business, they received an offer start to work after completing their studies or find a job within a month of graduation. Four groups were to separated among graduates , depending on the period from the date of graduation to the point when they found work (1-3 months, 4-6 months, 7-12 months, more than one year). It is worth noting that only 1% of the graduates who participated in the study, could not find a job for a period exceeding 12 months. The dependent variable is the variable “time necessary to find job”. To examine the impact of signals generated by graduates on the time necessary to find work, due to the fact that the dependent variable is discontinuous (discrete step) random variable, it was proposed to analyse this phenomenon using maximum-likelihood Poisson distribution. 4 Figure 3 The structure of the research sample of graduates regarding the time necessary to find a work Source: Own calculations Among the graduates who participated in the study, 70% had a job. Among the graduates who had work, 76% were involved in work which brings regular income and 24% of graduates were involved in work which brings irregularl income. Will be analyze the impact of signals on the fact that graduates had work which brings regularly income. To examine the impact of signals generated by graduates on the fact that they found work, due to the fact that the dependent variable is a qualitative binary variable, it was proposed to use the maximum-likelihood (MNW), probit model. Among the activities undertaken by graduates during their studies, which are potentially observable signals by employers, of which the information was collected during the survey one can enumerate2: Determining whether a person has acquired a formal professional qualifications during his studies (within the compulsory classes during their studies, as part of elective courses during their studies or outside the university). The information was coded as a variable “certificate”. 44% of graduates gained formal professional qualifications during their studies. The determination of whether a person participated in formal courses outside the classes in university which enhance their professional qualifications. The information was coded as variable “courses”. 39% of graduates participated in formal courses which enhance their professional qualifications during their studies. The determination of whether a person, while studying, participated in mandatory student practice. The information was coded as a variable “practice”. 51% of graduates participated in mandatory student practice during their studies. The determination of whether a person, while studying participated in professional internships organized by the employer (except mandatory practices). The information was coded as a variable “internships”. 28% of graduates participated in professional internships organized by the employer (except for mandatory practices) during their studies. The determination of whether a person received a scholarship (from the University of Warsaw or other institution). The information was coded as a variable “scholarships”. 37% of graduates received scholarships during their studies. The determination of whether a person after beginning the studies worked as a volunteer. The information was coded as a variable “volunteering”. 36% of graduates worked as a volunteers during their studies. 2 The following is presented a structure of data which was undertaken to analyze the influence of selected variables on the situation of graduates in the labor market. 5 The determination of whether a person while studying worked in student organizations. The information was coded as a variable “student organization”. 24% of graduates were working in student organizations during their studies. The determination of whether a person while studying undertook paid work, with particular emphasis on working abroad. The information was coded as variable “work during study” and “work abroad”. 93% of graduates were working during their studies. 29% of graduates were working abroad during their studies. The determination of whether the person has language certificates (at least 1). The information was coded as a variable “foreign languages”. 61% of graduates have language certificates. Sex of the graduate. The information was coded as variable female. 71% of graduates in the analyzed sample are women. Determination of the place of birth of the graduate. The information encoded as three variables: “Warsaw” (graduates coming from Warsaw), “suburb” (graduates coming from the area of 50 km from Warsaw), “country” (graduates coming from the area of over 50 km from Warsaw). 45% of graduates in the analyzed sample come from an area of over 50 km from Warsaw. The analysis also examined the impact of the number of completed courses of study at the situation of graduates on the labor market (I and II degree), and the forms of the completed studies. The information encoded as four variables: 1degreeI (when graduate complete one course of study of 1st degree), 2degreeI (when graduate complete two courses of study 1st degree), 1degreeII (when graduate complete one course of study if 2nd degree), 2degreeII (when graduate complete two courses of study of 2nd degree). Graduate can finish two forms of study: full-time (“daily”) study and part-time (“extramural” and “evening”) study. The completed faculty / unit has also a potential impact on the situation of graduates in the labor market. The information encoded as dummy variables for each department / unit: 1. Faculty of Biology, 2. Faculty of Chemistry, 3. Faculty of Journalism and Political Science, 4. Faculty of Philosophy and Sociology, 5. Faculty of Physics, 6. Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, 7. Faculty of Geology, 8. Faculty of History, 9. Faculty of Applied Linguistics, 10. Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, 11. Faculty of Economic Sciences, 12. Faculty of Modern Languages, 13. Faculty of Education, 14. Faculty of Polish Studies, 15. Faculty of Law and Administration, 16. Faculty of Psychology, 17. Faculty of Applied Social Sciences and Resocialisation, 18. Faculty of Management (completed study of I degree), 19. Faculty of Oriental Studies, 20. CKN - Centre for Foreign Language Teacher Training and European Education, 21. Inter – Studies Interdepartmental / interdisciplinary, 22. other – European Centre, Centre for the Study of Local Government and Local Development, Institute of Americas and Europe, Faculty of “Artes Liberales”. The third group of independent variables are unobservable signals for the employer, but may have an impact on the position of the employees on the labor market. Among these variables one can enumerate: The level of education of parents, both father and mother. The information was coded separately as levels of education of father and mother (respectively father’s education: primary, vocational, secondary, higher education and mother’s education primary, vocational, secondary, higher education). 41% of fathers and 50% of mothers werehigher education graduates. The result of studies (the average obtained by the graduates during their studies). The variable was coded as 4 variables corresponding to the average levels achieved by graduates during their studies: average35 (for graduates who have achieved an average not exceeding 3,5), average35_40 (for graduates who have achieved an average in the range of 3.5 - 4.5). average 40_45 (for graduates who have achieved an average in the range of 4.0 - 4.5), average 45 (for graduates who have achieved an average above 4.5). 41% of graduates achieved an average in the range of 4.0 - 4.5). Employers often assess knowledge of foreign languages during the interview (actual knowledge gained not only confirmed by a language certificate). The information was coded as 4 variables corresponding to the number of known languages (at a level enabling free communication): language lack (graduate do not knows foreign language), language one (graduate knows one foreign language), language two (graduate knows two foreign languages), language more three (graduate knows three or more foreign languages). 6 Moreover, marital status of graduates can have influence on situation of graduates in the labor market (variable coded as “marital status”, which mean that graduate was in a stable relationship). Decision undertaken by graduates after completion of their studies can have influence on their situation in the labor market. Information used for the analysis were : The current place of residence. The information encoded as four variables: “Lives Warsaw” (graduate lives in Warsaw), “lives suburb” (graduate lives in the area of 50 km from Warsaw), “lives country” (graduate lives in the area of over 50 km from Warsaw), “lives abroad” (graduates lives abroad). The method by which the graduate found work. The information encoded as five variables: “find work direct” (graduate landed a job through direct contact with the employer), “find work institution” (graduate landed a using job placement services), “find work friends” (graduate landed a job with the support of friends), “find work now” (graduate "did not have to look for a job, work found him herself or they have set up own venture"), “find work ads” (graduate landed a job using the ads) Connection of the character of the work and the character of the completed studies. The information encoded as three variables: „connection min” (when the connection between work and studies is negligible according to the graduates), „connection med” (when the connection between work and studies is medium according to the graduates), „connection max” (when the connection between work and studies is significant according to the graduates) Findings: [What was found in the course of the work? This will refer to analysis, discussion, or results.] Assuming the probability of error on the level of 5%, statistically significant because of the potential impact on the average monthly income earned by graduates turned out to be 19 variables: female, courses, 1degreeI, 2degreeI, 2degreeII, extramural, student organization, work abroad, Faculty of History, Faculty of Applied Linguistics, Faculty of Modern Languages, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Polish Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, marital status, lives in country, lives abroad, language lack, find work institution. Female graduates receive wages lower by 28% than graduates. The negative impact on wages achieved by the graduates have: completion of one or two fields of study I degree and working in student organizations during their studies, completion of Faculties of History, Applied Linguistics, Modern Languages, Pedagogical, Oriental and Polish philology department, residence in the day of completion survey at a distance of over 50 km from Warsaw and lack of foreign language skills at a level enabling free communication. The positive impact on wages achieved by the graduates have: completing vocational courses while studying, completion of two fields of study II degree, completion of extramural studies, working while studying abroad Polish and residence in the day of completion survey abroad. Table 1 The impact of observable signals to potential employers generated by graduates, information about completed Faculty / unit and unobservable signals for employers and decisions taken by the graduate on their situation in the labor market (log wages) Variables results female -.28136299** courses .14265204** 1degreeI -.2872512** 2degreeI -.35655592* 2degreeII .210648* extramural .30961815** student organization -.16434922** work abroad .20232567** Faculty of History -.36492298** Faculty of Applied Linguistics Faculty of Modern Languages Faculty of Education -.34246046** Faculty of Polish Studies Faculty of Oriental Studies marital status -.31576914** lives in country -.24003644** lives abroad .62254926** -.33812144** -.35419596** -.46250937* .18196128** 7 language lack -.355472* find work institution -.26443806* Constant 7.6360577** Note: * p<.05; ** p<.01 Number of observation: 1246 Source: Own calculations Assuming the probability of error on the level of 5%, statistically significant because of the potential impact on the time needed to find a work after graduation, proved to 3 variables: 1degreeI, extramural, work during study. The fact of completion of one fields of I degree study shortens time needed to find a work after graduation. Also completion of extramural studies shortened the time to look for work in relation to people who have completed their studies full-time study mode. Working while studying potentially shortens the time needed to find a job after graduation. Table 2 The impact of observable signals to potential employers generated by graduates, information about completed Faculty / unit and unobservable signals for employers and decisions taken by the graduate on their situation in the labor market (job search time) Variables results 1degreeI -.10038782* extramural -.31276304** work during study -.23995213** Constant .81851684** Note: * p<.05; ** p<.01 Number of observation: 1313 Source: Own calculations Assuming the probability of error on the level of 5%, statistically significant, because of the fact that the graduate had work which brings regularly income, proved to 17 variables: courses, 1degreeI, 2degreeI, extramural, volunteering, work during study, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Faculty of Polish Studies, marital status, find work direct, find work institution, find work friends, find work now, connection min, connection med (variables significant at 1%), internships, Faculty of Oriental Studies (variables significant at the 5% level). Table 3 The impact of observable signals to potential employers generated by graduates, information about completed Faculty / unit and unobservable signals for employers and decisions taken by the graduate on their situation in the labor market (having a job) Variables results courses .22974659** internships .20322402* 1degreeI -.67979477** 2degreeI -.83935171** extramural .66114972** volunteering -.30420454** work during study .49801407** Faculty of Economic Sciences Faculty of Polish Studies Faculty of Oriental Studies marital status .65856654** find work direct .95610615** find work institution .8313409** find work friends .71272357** find work now .61491168** connection min 1.0661805** connection med 1.0161811** -.51760537** -.66888523* .25962355** 8 Constant -1.1208436** Note: * p<.05; ** p<.01 Number of observation: 1896 Source: Own calculations Completion courses during their studies up training increases the chances of finding work by 9%, participation in internships by 8% carry out paid employment by 19%. Completion of extramural increases the chances of having systematically gainful employment by 25% compared to those who completed fulltime. The chances of finding work also increases the completion of the Faculty of Economic Sciences by 24% compared to those who completed secondary studies at the Faculty of Management. Remaining by the graduate in a stable relationship increases the chances of finding work by 10%. Finding a job through direct contact with the employer, taking advantage of job placement services institutions, with the help of friends and family and the measures qualified for another group increases the chances of finding work in relation to job seeking by notice of respectively 33%, 29%, 26%, and 23%. Linking the nature of the work completed with the study area to a minimum and medium, increases the chances of having employment by 37% and 36%. Completion of one or two majors and degree reduces the chances of having a job, compared to those who have completed a course of study secondary education, respectively 27% and 31%. The chances of finding work systematically gainful employment also reduces the fact that during his studies in volunteering (12%). The chances of having a job reduces also the fact of completion of the Faculty of Polish Studies and the Faculty of Oriental Studies, compared to those who have completed secondary studies at the Faculty of Management, with respectively 20% and 26%. Table 4 The impact of observable signals to potential employers generated by graduates, information about completed Faculty / unit and unobservable signals for employers and decisions taken by the graduate on their situation in the labor market (having a job), marginal effect Variables marginal effect courses .0906263 internships .0800388 1degreeI -.2660573 2degreeI -.3116506 extramural .2510978 volunteering -.12066 work during study .1962 Faculty of Economic Sciences Faculty of Polish Studies Faculty of Oriental Studies marital status .2389244 find work direct .330078 find work institution .2877599 find work friends .26412 find work now .2303947 connection min .3742572 connection med .3581846 -.2024957 -.2558588 .1026915 Source: Own calculations Research limitations/implications (if applicable): [If research is reported on in the paper this section could include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process.] It seems reasonable to extend the analysis of graduates to the ones from other universities. This should, on the one hand make easier for candidates to study to choose the right university, on the other hand, universities should facilitate their positioning in the market of educational services. In addition, standardization of graduates surveys should be introduced (and the techniques of the analysis and presentation of their results). In addition, the possibility of usage of the so-called hard data should be considered. Such data can come from a database collected by the state administration. For example in Poland information about the factors which characterize the graduates situation on the labor market (like 9 wage levels, time needed to find a job, the fact of having a job), may be obtained potentially from the information collected by the Social Insurance Institution, and tax offices. If case studies will be conducted at many universities, it would also be an opportunity to conduct comparative analyzes. The Ministry substantively responsible for higher education will be able to carry out a comparison between the fate of university graduates using research results, to identify elements of the offer of higher education which have an impact on increasing the chances of success in the labor market by graduates. This will, determine the directions of development of higher education in terms of staff training, allowing for students to be better suited to the needs of the economy. Practical implications (if applicable): [What outcomes and implications for practice, applications and consequences are identified? Not all papers will have practical implications but most will. What changes to practice should be made as a result of this research/paper?] The results of the analysis show that the job market signaling phenomenon has a significant impact on reducing asymmetry of information on the labor market. Job market signaling has a positive impact on all stakeholders in the labor market: institutions of the education system, institutions of labor market, workers, employers and government administration. The education system can better adapt its educational offer to the needs "of the labor market" by having feedback on the relevance of the signals generated by graduates. Potential employees sending signals help employers assess the level of the degree of human and social capital possessed by them. Human and social capital held by graduates is connected with potential productivity of employees (professional suitability). On the basis of the assessment of the productivity of graduates, employers make decisions about hiring employees and offering the wages. The phenomenon of the signals reduces transaction costs occurring in the labor market. For workers it may be primarily contributing to reduction of the time necessary to find a job and increase the chances of having a job. Moreover, thanks to formation of the set of signals, potential employees can affect the earnings that will be offered to them by employers. In the case of employers the ability, to observe signals generated by potential employees, reduces the risk of selecting employees who do not meet their expectations and of offering them remuneration at a level higher than shown by the staff productivity. The state administration with the knowledge of factors potentially contributing increasing the employability can select the instruments of combating unemployment better. Thanks to the research of graduates, government will be able to potentially gain knowledge about the level of human and social capital held by the society, including in the context of the needs of the economy, so they will be able to determine directions of the development of the educational system, to match better labor market needs. Presented below is a diagram showing the signaling role in the economy. 10 Figure 4 The signaling role in the economy Source: Own It should be noted that workers entering the education system begin to generate signals. A young person elects permanent income level and tries to make efforts to enable its achievement and maintenance. In the first stage of life achieving permanent income is possible thanks to external conditions imposed by the family home, and at the entrance to the education system also aids such as scholarships. At some point of the functioning in the education system, young people have the level of human and social capital that may by noticeable to potential employers. This makes it possible for their enter once into the labor market. Then signals generated by young people begin to play an important role (and constant striving to raise the level of human and social capital and its signaling to potential employers). Person in the phase of "education system" and at the beginning phase of the "working life" begins to rapidly increase the level of possessed human and social capital, and the number of signals. The dynamic growth of human and social capital has influence on rapid rise in earnings level. The growth rate of human and social capital begins to decrease after certain in phase of "working life". The declining growth rate of human and social capital is accompanied by declining growth rate of wages. 11 Figure 5 Connection between growth rate of income and growth rate of human and social capital Note: form permanent income it should B=A+C Source: Own The studies and analyzes allowed to identify a beam of signals (characteristics) that should have graduate who wants to achieve success in the labor market. From the point of view of the earnings achieved by the graduate statistically significant, positive are: impact on the sex (graduates have higher earnings than the female graduates), taking paid work while studying abroad, completing up training courses, completed level of study (completion of two directions secondary education), staying in married or in a stable relationship and knowledge of foreign languages enabling communicative communication. The positive impact on earnings was also a graduate fact of living outside the Polish, the completion of the Faculty of Economic Sciences (compared with earnings achieved in the case of the completion of the second cycle of the Faculty of Management) and completion of extramural studies (in comparison to completed full-time). To shorten the time required to find by graduate work affects completed undergraduate degree (I degree), completion of extramural studies (compared to study full-time) and taking work during their studies. The possession by the graduate work is influenced by: having certificates confirming acquired during their studies a formal professional certificate, completing up training courses, participating as a student in professional internships, completed undergraduate degree, performing paid work during their studies, marital status, graduate, degree of compliance owned work the nature of the completed course of study, finding a job through a job placement company. Graduate in order to obtain their advantage over the others in terms of wages earned opportunities, according to the survey results, should have signal about: completed courses increasing qualifications, two fields of study second degree, study in absentia and gain experience while studying at work beyond the Polish borders. At the same time the impact on higher earnings, compared to other graduates, has to remain married or cohabiting and living beyond the Polish borders. It should be noted that the activity during studies student organizations and the completion of humanistic studies, the potential to affect the lower earnings of graduates compared to the others. A graduate wishing to increase their chances of having a job constantly bringing earnings should have signal about: completed courses increasing qualifications, work placements during their studies, graduate extramural study and take up employment while studying. The desired signal will be completing his studies at the Faculty of Economics, and after graduation being in constant married or cohabiting. What is original/value of paper: [What is new in the paper? State the value of the paper and to whom.] Statistical analysis are often conducted as part of analysis of fate of graduate in Poland, evaluating students for the selected characteristic3. These analyzes can be determined as the vertical analysis 3 You can meet with individual tests that use econometric analysis, but they do not refer to the theory of job market signaling. 12 (vertical). Econometric study was conducted in the thesis, evaluating a student because of the many characteristic. This study can specify as the horizontal (horizontal). Universities and students can be the recipients of the information developed in accordance with the methodology proposed in this paper, as well as substantively ministry responsible for higher education. For universities useful is the information about factors in their offer, beyond the teaching, that are important from the point of view of possibility for the success of their graduates in the labor market. Universities thanks to regularly conducted research on fate of graduates, with some approximation, will be able to consciously decide on an offer sent to prospective students. In addition, test results may be a good material to the university marketing campaign. Students having access to the results of fate of graduates will know the sets of signals that should try to "create" as a student, to then increase your chances of success in the labor market. 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F., “Dual Embeddedness: Informal Job Matching and Labor Market Institutions in the United States and Germany”, Oxford University Press on behalf of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Social Forces 91(1), 2012, 75–97 Parent D., “Wages and Mobility: The Impact of Employer-Provided Training”, Journal of Economics Vol. 17, Nr 2, 1999, 298-317 Spence M., „Job Market Signaling”, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 87, No 3., 1973 , 355374 Stiglitz J.E., “The Theory of 'Screening, Education, and the Distribution of Income”, The American Economic Review, 1975, s. 283-300 Biographical Details: [Marcin Dwórznik, Employee of Faculty of Economic Since, University of Warsaw, Sphere of scientific interests: higher education, strategic management, accounting] 13