Setting the First Step: The Role of Soft Skills and Self-Efficacy in Students' Career Readiness

Abstract

This study aims to analyze and investigate the influence of Soft Skills and Self-Efficacy on Career Readiness among final-year university students who are already employed. Career readiness is a crucial aspect determining student success in the transition from the academic environment to the professional world, where they are required to possess technical competence, interpersonal skills, and strong self-belief. Soft Skills, including communication, teamwork, time management, problem-solving, and adaptability, are considered essential. Meanwhile, Self-Efficacy, referring to an individual's belief in their capacity to successfully complete specific tasks, plays a vital role in building motivation, persistence, and resilience when facing dual job demands. This quantitative study utilized simple and multiple linear regression methods analyzed using SPSS, with a sample of 106 respondents, predominantly female (57.5%) and aged between 17–20 years (66%). The statistical analysis yielded strong and significant findings: The overall regression model is highly significant in predicting Career Readiness (F = 121.850, Sig. < 0.001), with 70.3% of the total variance in Career Readiness being explained by the combination of Soft Skills and Self-Efficacy (R2 = 0.703). In both partial and multiple analyses, Self-Efficacy emerged as the most dominant factor ({Beta} = 0.686, B = 0.644, Sig. < 0.001), indicating that students' self belief is the primary predictor of career readiness, though Soft Skills also showed a positive and significant influence (B = 0.138, Sig. = 0.010). In conclusion, this study affirms that Career Readiness is a product of psychological attributes (Self-Efficacy) and interpersonal competencies (Soft Skills), with the model proven robust (Durbin Watson = 2.171). The practical implications highlight the necessity for higher education institutions to integrate structured Soft Skills training and Self-Efficacy development into career preparation programs.