Impact of personal competencies and market value of type of occupation over objective employability and perceived career opportunities of young professionals

Abstract

The research of employability shows tension in the social field of career, where variables such as market value, gender, and personal skills are important. The aim of this study was to identify the predicted weight of market value of type of occupation, sex, and career competences (self-efficacy, pro-activity, and locus of control) over objective employability and perceived opportunities for a future career and satisfaction of young professionals. In this study, 294 graduates from 27 different undergraduate degree programs participated, describing their labor situation, satisfaction with career opportunities, and their level in the studied competences. Each type of occupation has a specific market value score, according to national and international criteria. It was possible to identify that the market value of their occupations had significant effects on objective employability (p < .000, f = .48). Also, self-efficacy and locus of control were significant predictors of perceived employability opportunities (p < .000, f = .26). This predictive value of personal variables was different between males (p = .011, f = .82), and females (p < .000, f = .34), and between occupations with low market value (p=.016, f=.45), medium market value (p < .000, f = .34), and high market value (p = .006, f = .21), which allows the development of specific intervention strategies to promote equality in labor opportunities and job placement.