Service programs and other short-term work experiences have become much more common for young adults after college graduation. Emerging adulthood has become a widespread explanation for this phenomenon, namely that a new life stage has arisen between adolescence and young adulthood in which emerging adults prioritize identity exploration. However, using in-depth interviews with juniors and seniors at an elite university, I find that this explanation overlooks two critical social constraints that young adults face during this time period that are shaped by their social class: work values and labor market conditions. Rather than all students seeking to participate in service programs in order to engage in identity exploration, I find four orientations towards service programs, shaped by social class background, current sense of financial stability, and work values: 1) participating as a backup plan to boost resumes, 2) seeking meaningful short-term work during an unsettled stage of life, 3) seeking opportunities to enact identity projects around helping others, and 4) using the programs to facilitate long-term career entry. Thus, I argue that the rise of short-term work experiences after college graduation should not be viewed as young adults engaging in a distinct life course phase prior to entry into full adulthood. Instead, the rise of these programs should be seen as a response to students’ social class backgrounds and the various labor market constraints each group faces.

中文翻译：

---

身份探索或劳动力市场反应：大学生参与 Peace Corps、Teach for America 和其他服务项目的社会阶层差异

对于大学毕业后的年轻人来说，服务项目和其他短期工作经历变得更加普遍。新兴成年期已成为对这一现象的普遍解释，即青春期和青年期之间出现了一个新的生命阶段，其中新兴成年人优先进行身份探索。然而，通过对一所精英大学的大三和大四的深入采访，我发现这种解释忽略了年轻人在这个时期面临的两个关键的社会限制，这些限制是由他们的社会阶层塑造的：工作价值观和劳动力市场条件。不是所有的学生都为了进行身份探索而寻求参与服务项目，我发现服务项目有四个方向，由社会阶级背景、当前的财务稳定感、和工作价值观：1) 参与作为提高简历的备用计划，2) 在生活不稳定的阶段寻找有意义的短期工作，3) 寻找机会制定围绕帮助他人的身份项目，以及 4) 使用这些计划来促进长期职业进入。因此，我认为，大学毕业后短期工作经历的兴起不应被视为年轻人在进入完全成年之前经历了一个独特的生命历程阶段。相反，这些项目的兴起应被视为对学生社会阶层背景和每个群体面临的各种劳动力市场限制的回应。4) 利用该计划促进长期职业进入。因此，我认为，大学毕业后短期工作经历的兴起不应被视为年轻人在进入完全成年之前经历了一个独特的生命历程阶段。相反，这些项目的兴起应被视为对学生社会阶层背景和每个群体面临的各种劳动力市场限制的回应。4) 利用该计划促进长期职业进入。因此，我认为，大学毕业后短期工作经历的兴起不应被视为年轻人在进入完全成年之前经历了一个独特的生命历程阶段。相反，这些项目的兴起应被视为对学生社会阶层背景和每个群体面临的各种劳动力市场限制的回应。