Perceived employability among undergraduates and the importance of career self-management, work experience and individual characteristics

Abstract

Underemployment, continued growth in the supply of graduates and seemingly perpetual instability are dominant trends in graduate labour markets. In order to negotiate an increasingly complex career terrain, graduates require sharpened skills in effectively managing their own careers and a strong assurance of their own capabilities. This study focuses on the individual dimensions of perceived employability (PE) and explores perceptions among undergraduates and the associated influence of career management competencies, work experience and individual characteristics. Data were collected for 480 business undergraduates at a UK and Australian university using an online survey. Findings indicate that, overall, undergraduates demonstrated reasonably high levels of PE. Certain career management competencies influenced perceptions, in addition to work experience and individual characteristics. The study is relevant to stakeholders, including educators, employers and students, from developed economies as it highlights coherent strategies to enhance PE among higher education students. These may lead to increased individual success in the labour market and more effective recruitment, retention and performance of new graduates

Radiation Oncology Resident and Program Director Perceptions of the Job Market and Impact on Well-being

“…The literature also describes the impact of turbulent job markets on the professional and personal well-being of university students and graduates in the general population. Poor perceptions of employability, for example, have a negative impact on physical health, job performance, and life satisfaction [22]. This body of literature is consistent with our findings that the job market contributed to poor morale, decreased satisfaction with the training program, and disruption of personal and professional relationships.…”

Opening the Black-Box in Lifelong E-Learning for Employability: A Framework for a Socio-Technical E-Learning Employability System of Measurement (STELEM)

“…On the other hand, the proposed framework designs an e-learning for employability related to ICT that takes into account micro level factors related to individual circumstances [45], as well as variables related to access and use of information, group work, opinions about decentralized decisions, creativity and interdisciplinarity in companies, and biodemographic and psychosocial variables [46]. In particular, the framework takes into account issues related to perceived employability and career self-management [47], as well as situation (social and individual) and personal (objective and subjective) dimensions [48]. Figure 1 shows the model for the STELEM framework.…”

Career Self-Management as a Key Factor for Career Wellbeing

“…Engaging in CSM may carry special significance in the transition from school to work. CSM has been shown to be associated with perceived employability of graduates both in the UK and Australia (Jackson & Wilton, 2017b, 2017aOkay-Somerville & Scholarios, 2017), and was more important than social background and human capital variables in predicting the perceived employability of UK graduates (Okay-Somerville & Scholarios, 2017). CSM may also be important in proactively coping with job and career insecurity as well as job loss (Shoss, Jiang, Jundt, Lavigne, & Probst, 2017).…”