A Grounded Analysis towards Developing a Career Decision Making Competency Model for Students Employability

Abstract

Abstract:Malaysian graduates are normally assumed to be lacking soft-skills and preparation for job-searching, thus affecting their decision-making skills. Thus, this study aims to develop a career decision-making competency model for effective career development among graduating students in Malaysia. The data collected from 1,655 graduating students were tested with confirmatory factor analysis to obtain three best-fit measurement models from the three variables. The findings according to the primary data reveal that there are significant relationships between self-knowledge and career decision-making, and occupational exploration as well as career decision-making. The result for testing invariance of a structural model for multi group analysis showed a validation model of self-knowledge, occupational exploration and career decision making. The findings from this study can be of great benefit to students, researchers, as well as the policy makers in the educational field.