Abstract
This study attempted to examine and compare the job-seeking anxiety and job preparation behavior of undergraduate students. A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed; the study participants were 360 students (3rd and 4th grade), selected from K’ university in G city. Data were collected by structured self-reported questionnaires from November 2020 to February 2021. Variables included general characteristics, job-seeking anxiety and job preparation behavior and were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis by using the SPSS/WIN 25.0 program. Of the total population, 70.8% were female in the health and social science group, the age group was 22–24 years (55.2%; 50.2%) and were fourth grade 62%; 59.1%). The level of job-seeking anxiety of students showed a higher proportion in health science (4.45 ± 0.81) than social science (3.73 ± 0.55). The level of job preparation behavior also revealed the same results in health science (4.28 ± 0.76) and social science (4.06 ± 0.81). Job anxiety showed a positive correlation with employment anxiety induction situation (r = 0.32, p < 0.01) and employment anxiety induction causes (r = 0.27, p < 0.01), and social science students showed a positive correlation with employment anxiety induction situation (r = 0.24, p < 0.01) and employment anxiety induction causes (r = 0.23, p < 0.01). The factors of age, gender and desired job position are highly associated with job-seeking anxiety and job preparation behavior. The findings of this study revealed job-seeking anxiety was higher among the undergraduate students and showed a high level of job preparation behavior. There is a need to develop intervention strategies for promoting job preparation behavior and reducing job-seeking anxiety among undergraduate students by providing career planning to improve the positive attitude towards desired job selection.
Highlights
As the job crisis continues due to the economic recession, the problem of college students acquiring a job is becoming a significant issue in our society
The findings of this study revealed job-seeking anxiety was higher among the undergraduate students and showed a high level of job preparation behavior
This study focused on a descriptive cross-sectional design using a self-reported questionnaire to analyze and identify the job-seeking anxiety and job preparation behavior of undergraduate students belonging to health sciences and social sciences
Summary
As the job crisis continues due to the economic recession, the problem of college students acquiring a job is becoming a significant issue in our society. According to the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning’s report on the design and research of indexes for youth employment, the unemployment rate for youth in 2017 was estimated to be 34%, if hidden unemployed people that are not incorporated in statistics were included in the unemployment rate statistics [2,3]. The unemployment of youths in their twenties leads to weaker mental health status, including stress, anxiety, self-identity, and lack of job preparation tendencies compared to the employed group [4,5,6]. Previous research has shown that there is a positive relationship between youth unemployment and deterioration of mental health [7,8,9,10]. As a result of a longitudinal study for this purpose, unemployment was found to be correlated with neurotic complaints, such as depression, insomnia, poor concentration, and anxiety [10]
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