A pre-post evaluation of an online career planning module on university students’ career adaptability

Abstract

Indecisiveness and negative thinking regarding career pathways can hinder university students’ career planning, motivation, and mental health. Students intending to enter the workforce after graduation therefore need to develop skills related to career adaptability (i.e. career planning, decision-making, problem solving/confidence and exploration), particularly since career planning and construction is linked to gaining employment. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of an online career planning module on students’ career adaptability. The career-focussed online module, based on the constructs of Savickas’ (2005) theory of career construction, and tailored to students’ skills and interests, was developed and embedded into the University curriculum of a second-year exercise and public health-related unit. In 2018, 80 students completed the online module, along with pre- and post-intervention questionnaires assessing career adaptability elements including career planning, decision making, problem solving/confidence, and exploration. Dependent t-tests were conducted to assess differences in these measures pre- and post-intervention. Post-intervention, significant increases in career-planning strategies used (t(69)=5.45, p<0.001), career planning concern (t(69)=3.73, p<0.001), decision making (i.e. career path identification) (t(70)=3.86, p<0.001), decision making confidence (t(65)=2.69, p<0.01), and problem solving/confidence (t(65) = 2.16, p=0.03) were observed. Further, 80% of participants identified jobs at post-intervention not previously identified pre-intervention (exploration) and 71% of participants perceived improvements in confidence regarding job ideas/making career choices. Findings from this research indicated that completing a brief online career education module, tailored to an individual’s skills and interests, improved all dimensions of the participating students’ career adaptability. Further research utilising longer-term follow-up and randomised controlled trial designs are required to confirm the reliability and transferability of the findings.

An Online Career Intervention for Promoting Chinese High School Students’ Career Readiness

“…Online career interventions can be highly efficient and are likely to be used increasingly in the future (Dozier et al, 2015). The effectiveness of online career interventions is widely acknowledged (Nota et al, 2016;Teychenne et al, 2019; has not yet been confirmed in the Chinese context, a fact supporting the need for the current study.…”

A systematic review on career interventions for university students: Framework, effectiveness, and outcomes

“…Category (a) has been assessed by the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (Di Fabio & Maree, 2013; Lam & Santos, 2018; Rowell et al, 2014). Category (b) has been assessed by the Career Decision-Making Self-efficacy Scale–Short Form (Behrens & Nauta, 2014; Maples & Luzzo, 2005; McKay et al, 2005; Talib et al, 2015; Tirpak & Schlosser, 2013), the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale–Short Form (Di Fabio & Maree, 2013; Lam & Santos, 2018; Teychenne et al, 2019), and the Career Confidence Scale (Peng, 2000). Category (c) has been assessed by the Career Decision Scale (Barclay & Stoltz, 2016a; Lam & Santos, 2018; Peng, 2001; Peng & Herr, 2000) and the Career Factory Inventory (Behrens & Nauta, 2014; Teychenne et al, 2019).…”

Developing Mobile-based Career Counselling Applications: a Tool for Assisting High School Students on Career Decisions Making

“…To answer the research question, we developed a web-based application to support student career counseling [8]. Career counseling aims to make students understand their potential well, know the various jobs and departments at the University [36], and improve confidence regarding job ideas/making career choices [37]. Instead, secondary school students are in their teens, transitioning from childhood to adulthood.…”