BUFT Journal of Business and Economics

Does Career Development Learning Lead to Greater Job Search Intentions? Uncovering the Underlying Mechanisms

University of Barishal
Email: mschowdhury@bu.ac.bd

Abstract

Purpose: During the past couple of years, a great deal of study has been done on the intentions behind job searches, and this field continues to gain importance because millions of people worldwide do job searches every year. Therefore, the fundamental objective of this study is to investigate how the job search intentions of university students’ could be predicted. Methodology: Based on structured questionnaires, 306 data were collected from the university students of Bangladesh. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with Smart-PLS. Findings: The results showed that career development learning is significantly associated with human capital, perceived employability and career entry worries. Also, human capital positively affects job search intention but perceived employability and career entry worries don’t affect it. Notably, human capital mediated the relationship between career development learning and job search intentions. Practical Implications: This study adds value to the existing knowledge on job search intentions and human capital literature. In addition, the study's findings would provide higher education institutions with some insights into how to develop students’ employability and how to reduce students’ career entry worries through career development learning. Value/Originality: This study is distinctive in that it has an applied focus. To measure job search intentions, human capital, career entry worries, perceived employability, and career development learning are used as striking variables in the study. Notably, the research also looked at the ways in which human capital, employability perception and career entry anxieties function as mediators. Research Limitations: The study ends with discussing its key limitations and highlighting some directions for future research.