Barriers, Adaptability, Employability, and Satisfaction: Career Perceptions of Business Students

ABSTRACT Objective: this study was aimed to verify how perceptions of career barriers and adaptability held by senior undergraduate students attending Business Administration programs influence employability and career satisfaction. Method: a survey was conducted among 358 senior undergraduate students. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, hypothesis tests for differences between means, and structural equation modeling. Results: significant differences were found in individuals’ perceptions regarding career barriers depending on sex and race. Contrary to the expected, the hypothesis test showed that contextual career barriers do not predict employability or satisfaction. Adaptability, in turn, predicted both, while employability predicted satisfaction. Conclusions: the results reinforce that sociodemographic characteristics are potential indicators to support understanding of perceived career barriers. Additionally, the students’ continued development of adaptability (concern, control, curiosity, confidence) to advance their careers and life plays an important role, positively influencing perceptions of overall abilities for work (employability) and career success.

摘要
研究目的：本研究旨在探究工商管理专业本科高年级学生对职业障碍与职业适应性的感知，如何影响其就业能力（Employability）与职业满意度。
研究方法：本研究面向358名本科高年级学生开展问卷调查，数据分析涵盖描述性统计、均值差异假设检验以及结构方程模型（Structural Equation Modeling）。
研究结果：研究发现，个体对职业障碍的感知存在显著的性别与种族差异。与预期相悖的是，假设检验结果显示，情境性职业障碍无法显著预测就业能力与职业满意度；而职业适应性可显著正向预测二者，且就业能力可显著正向预测职业满意度。
研究结论：本研究结果进一步证实，社会人口统计学特征可作为辅助理解个体感知到的职业障碍的潜在指标。此外，学生持续培养职业适应性（忧虑、掌控、好奇与自信）以推进职业与人生发展，可对其整体工作能力感知与职业成功产生积极影响。