SELF-EFFICACY ACROSS DEMOGRAPHICS: THE ROLE OF CAREER SEEKING BEHAVIOR IN MALAYSIAN UNDERGRADUATES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.4841Keywords:
Career Readiness, Career Self-Efficacy, Career Development, University StudentsAbstract
Background: The preparations involved in planning, choosing, and making career decisions are explained by university students' career readiness. The purpose of this study is to determine undergraduate students' profiles of career readiness. In addition to measuring the differences in career self-efficacy among fields of study, gender and career seeking behvior Methods: This study uses crossectional servey design to determine the career readiness patterns of students. A total of 410 undergraduate students based on cluster division, namely sciences (n = 174), and social sciences (n = 236), were involved as the study sample. The instrument used is the Career Decision Self-efficacy – Short Form (CDSE-SF). Data were analyzed descriptively and using t-tests. Result: According to the study's findings, career self-efficacy is moderate (42.9%), and high (57.1%). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between Sciences and Social Sciences students according to the independent t-test analysis, t(408) = 1.87, p = .072, for all subscales except for the Goal Selection subscale, which showed a significant difference t(313) = 2.71, p = .007. However, revealed no gender difference t(408) = 0.45, p = .650. Conclusion: The study underscores a notable gap in career self-efficacy among undergraduates, revealing only moderate confidence in career decision-making. The lack of differences across gender and fields of study points to systemic shortcomings in higher education’s career readiness initiatives. These findings highlight the need for structured, experiential, and evidence-based career development programs to strengthen both students’ skills and self-belief, ensuring they are better prepared for the workforce. Future research should examine intervention-based and longitudinal approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of such programs over time.
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