I name it and I claim it - In the name of Jesus, this job is mine: Job search, networks, and careers for low-income women

Much of the quantitative research on labor market attachment within female low-wage labor markets de-emphasizes the variation within this population. Based on in-depth interviews with 92 women on welfare in San Francisco, this article develops a typology of labor market attachment using cluster analysis and illustrates the variation within this labor market segment by focusing on clerical jobs. Various supply-side factors (i.e., education, work experience, and network structure) and demand-side factors (i.e., wages and occupation) interact with the job search method to shape labor market attachment. For chronically unemployed women, informal job search methods in part explain poor labor market outcomes, whereas career-oriented women use network resources and education to connect to career paths. Policies to increase labor market attachment should recognize the interconnectedness of job search strategies, human capital, networks, and demand-side factors by improving employment brokering and addressing long-term workforce development needs.