Ananda Martin-Caughey (Brown University)

Similarity & Segregation Within Occupations: A Closer Look at Job Titles & Tasks

To what extent does occupational categorization obscure our understanding of labor market patterns of inequality in an evolving economy? I explore this question by examining similarity, segregation, and proliferation within occupations at the level of job titles and tasks. While most previous research has had to rely on occupational categories, I exploit rarely analyzed text data on job titles and tasks from two nationally representative surveys: the General Social Survey and the American Community Survey, supplemented with analysis of online job ads. These data allow for an investigation of often overlooked details of work and shed light on forms of inequality masked by categorization. After demonstrating the scope of job title and task heterogeneity within occupations, I show how this heterogeneity leads to hidden forms of racial and gender segregation. I also examine patterns over time, which suggest that job titles are proliferating and may become increasingly important sites of stratification.