Inequality beyond networking: personal networks and mobilization of contacts by young job seekers in Barcelona

Abstract

How young job seekers mobilize their contacts in the labour market? We look at mobilization of personal networks of young adults in Barcelona. We consider the strength of ties and status homophily as mecha- nisms of personal networks as for the consolidation of social capital. Our qualitative analysis of 18 in- terviews with job seekers explores their personal networks and labour market trajectories. We applied Social Network Analysis (SNA). Our analysis of social capital indicates the existence of a relation between the cultural and economic capitals of job seekers and the compositional features of their networks. Re- sults show how networks are similarly heterogeneous in terms of strength of ties, and mostly homophilous in educational levels. But these similarities in terms of social capital come with sharp inequalities in the patterns of mobilized contacts and their success in finding a job.