Misusing our talent? Overeducation, overskilling and skill underutilisation among Spanish PhD graduates

Abstract

The 'knowledge economy' is said to depend increasingly on capacities for innovation, knowledge-generation and complex problem-solving - capacities attributed to university graduates with research degrees. To what extent, however, is the labour market absorbing and fully utilising these capabilities? Drawing on data from a recent cohort of PhD graduates, we examine the correlates and consequences of qualification and skills mismatch. We show that job characteristics such as economic sector and main work activity play a fundamental and direct role in explaining the phenomenon of mismatch, experienced as overeducation and overskilling. ...