First employment, social status and mobility in Dublin

Abstract

It is widely believed that a young man entering the labour market for the first time may, if he wishes, take any job open to him, of whatever social status or degree of skill, confident that this will not affect significantly his subsequent career. On this view, that is, the character of first employment does not necessarily limit a man's reasonable hopes for his future. Opposing this, however, is the contrary belief that a man establishes his public persona largely through the employment he takes up; and that the manner of first entering the labour market must be, in consequence, the subject of careful consideration by a young man ambitious for his future.