Job Preference and Factors Influencing Job Choice Among Public University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur

Abstract

Today, most of the students at the university level are facing career-related problems in the form of either career indecision or the wrong decision. For university-level students' career preference is a crucial issue. Being successful in life depends on making the appropriate career decision. This study aims to identify the recent trends of job preferences and elements influencing job desire and how family, friends, and peer relationships affect students' preferences for choosing a career. A survey was carried out at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) with regular students of 4th year and Masters; with a sample size of 272. An interview schedule was used to carry out the survey. In order to acquire a better understanding and more knowledge about the research, some material was gathered through in-person interviews. Using stratified simple random sampling technique, respondents were chosen from four faculties of the University. The study revealed that there is no discernible difference between the genders in terms of preferred careers, but there is a difference in faculty and family status. BCS and first-class government jobs are the preferred career fields for 116 out of 272 students (42.6%). The respondents' hesitation to seek employment in the small- and medium-sized business and non-profit sectors was also discovered. The main drivers of these professional choices are that today's graduates place a high importance on monetary rewards, social status, and public acknowledgement, in addition to power and authority. Furthermore, the current BCS test system attracts students more due to job stability and transparency in the hiring process. The interest of young people in working in banks has recently increased due to the emergence of private and foreign banks. The primary factors luring these graduates into these industries are the excellent compensation packages. This study recommends that more market-driven, practical, and relevant courses should be developed by the university