How much does your first job shape the rest of your career?

For some people, their first job is an immediate success and sets the stage for a rewarding career. Others look back on their first steps into the labour market with mixed feelings. But how important is that first job, really? According to labour economist Professor Stijn Baert, it matters more than most people think.

Why does your first job matter so much?

"Labour economists often talk about the scarring effects of early career experiences. Research shows that people who graduate during an economic downturn tend to have less favourable career outcomes on average. The effect is particularly strong in labour markets such as Belgium's, where hiring can take longer to recover after a crisis. 

The same applies to graduates who spend significantly more time looking for work than their peers. Their initial disadvantage can linger for years. Together with doctoral researcher Liam D'hert, Baert is currently investigating why these effects occur. 

Part of the explanation lies in what economists call human and social capital. Time spent unemployed means missed opportunities to gain experience, develop skills and build professional networks. It can also take a psychological toll. On top of that, employers' perceptions play a role. For roughly the first six months of unemployment, employers tend to see candidates primarily as available. After that, the stigma increases rapidly. Someone with a year-long gap after graduation may be unfairly perceived as less motivated, less talented or harder to employ."

Does your first job need to match your qualifications?

"Not necessarily. Many people start in jobs that do not fully match their qualifications and still go on to build successful careers. Yet research suggests some caution is warranted. Graduates who begin below their qualification level often remain there longer than they originally intended. Such positions rarely serve as the stepping stone people hope for. Once employed, job seekers tend to search less actively, while employers may view a mismatch on a CV with some scepticism. Exactly why this happens remains an active area of research."

How long should you stick with your first job before moving on?

"If it quickly becomes clear that a role is not the right fit, Baert advises looking elsewhere sooner rather than later. At the same time, frequent job-hopping can raise concerns among employers. Research suggests that changing jobs three times in less than five years may start to raise concerns among employers."

That said, young people are often more vulnerable to economic fluctuations. During uncertain times, employers advertise fewer entry-level positions and favour experienced candidates. New graduates may therefore need to work harder to secure a first role and, in some cases, use an entry-level position as a pathway to their preferred career."

Does AI also affect the prospects of young people entering the labour market?

"Yes, recent master's graduates will also feel the impact of AI on the labour market. Many people assume AI will mainly replace routine or physically demanding work. However, research points in a different direction. Jobs with a strong administrative component appear more exposed to automation than many manual occupations. Roles that rely heavily on social intelligence, creativity or human motor skills are proving more resilient. Among master's-level professionals, those working in finance are likely to be particularly affected."

Looking back, what do you wish you had known at the start of your career?

"That the freedom of student life never really comes back," he laughs. "As a student, I could spend hours doing very little without it having much impact, even though I was involved in all sorts of activities. That abundance of time disappeared once I entered the workforce.

Mind you, I can't complain. Few jobs offer as much freedom as being a professor. I decide when I work and which research questions I want to pursue. Sometimes I'll spend a couple of hours walking around another campus, and I don't have to justify that to anyone. And to be honest, I never go for walks in nature. I'm much more fascinated by railway lines and Ghent University buildings.”

What's your top job application tip for recent graduates?

"Avoid spelling mistakes. In one experiment, 66% of applicants whose CVs contained no spelling errors were invited for an interview, compared with 47% of candidates whose CVs contained five mistakes. No other CV characteristic examined (including gender, having repeated a school year, student work experience or final degree classification) had such a strong effect. Recruiters often associate spelling mistakes with carelessness or even lower ability. In the age of AI-assisted writing tools, they may also interpret them as a sign of insufficient effort. "

How can graduates make their CVs stand out?

“In an era when AI can generate polished CVs in seconds, authenticity is becoming a real differentiator. Research shows that employers are more persuaded by evidence than by labels. Rather than describing yourself as hardworking, independent or meticulous, show what you've actually done. Did you for example keep an office running single-handedly? Concrete examples paint a far more convincing picture of how you'll perform in a future role than a list of personal qualities ever could.”

Finally, what was your first job?

"I once prided myself on being the best cashier Kinepolis had ever had. At the end of every shift, our tills were checked to make sure they balanced to the cent. I turned it into a bit of a personal challenge to get it right almost every time, although that didn't necessarily make me any more popular," he laughs.

My first real job was at Ghent University. I'm Ghent University through and through. I started as a teaching assistant, then became a postdoctoral researcher and eventually a professor. And I can see myself doing this until I retire. Being a professor is my dream job."