Antecedents of perceived employability among higher education students

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of different antecedents of perceived employability among higher education students, including career engagement, involvement with the university environment (assessed through academic performance and participation in extracurricular activities), the prestige of the higher education institution, as well as the students’ gender, socioeconomic status, and core self-evaluations. Originality/value: The study seeks to enhance the understanding of the antecedents of the perceived employability of higher education students in Brazil, addressing a gap in the national literature on career development and professional insertion, which lacks quantitative research on perceived employability. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted with the participation of 506 students from different higher education institutions in Rio de Janeiro. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings: The results showed that perceived employability is positively influenced by participants’ core self-evaluations and socioeconomic status, as well as by the prestige of their higher education institution, career engagement, and participation in extracurricular activities. Furthermore, the impact of career engagement on perceived employability was fully mediated by participation in extracurricular activities. Finally, gender and academic performance did not influence perceived employability.