Psychological Capital and Career Outcomes among Final Year University Students: the Mediating Role of Career Engagement and Perceived Employability
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology
Abstract
Increasingly, graduates are taking much more time in the transition from school to
work. Recent research suggests that the ability to adjust quickly plays a key role in the
transition process. This is even more important today given the tough labor market
realities such as exacerbated unemployment levels and global competitions for the few
available job openings. Yet new graduates often lack experience and certain skills that
employers look for. Those unable to maneuver through the School-To-Work Transition
(STWT) quickly may experience further challenges in their career development process.
Using a sample of 516 students in their final semester of their university studies in
Ugandan and Kenya, the present study examines the role of psychological resources,
namely psychological capital and the mechanisms (i.e. Career Engagement - CE,
Perceived Employability - PE) through which it works to affect students’ readiness
for STWT as well as positively evaluating their career success. The major findings of
the study reveal substantial positive direct effects of psychological capital on perceived
employability, readiness for STWT, and career satisfaction. The double mediation
results show that psychological capital indirectly affects the readiness for STWT via
career engagement and internal PE, while psychological capital indirectly affects career
satisfaction via career engagement and external PE. The implications of these results
are discussed.
Description
Keywords
Career engagement, Intrinsic career satisfaction, Perceived employability, Psychological capital, School-to-work transition, Social cognitive model of career self management
Citation
Baluku, M. M., Mugabi, E. N., Nansamba, J., Matagi, L., Onderi, P., & Otto, K. (2021). Psychological capital and career outcomes among final year university students: The mediating role of career engagement and perceived employability. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 6(1), 55-80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-020-00040-w