Key Drivers of Work Readiness: Soft Skills, Self-Efficacy, and Career Exploration among Universitas Siliwangi Students
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Work readiness has become an important issue in higher education as graduates are required to adapt to increasingly competitive labor market demands. This research aims to examine the effects of soft skills, self-efficacy, and career exploration on students’ work readiness. A quantitative explanatory approach with a cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 162 active undergraduate students at Universitas Siliwangi selected using convenience sampling. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results reveal that soft skills and self-efficacy have positive and significant effects on work readiness. Soft skills emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.602, p < 0.001), followed by self-efficacy (β = 0.348, p < 0.001). In contrast, career exploration did not have a significant effect on work readiness after controlling for soft skills and self-efficacy (β = −0.005, p = 0.927). Simultaneously, the three independent variables significantly influenced work readiness and explained 78.4% of its variance (R² = 0.784; F = 191.5; p < 0.001). These findings indicate that interpersonal competencies and confidence in one’s abilities are more influential in shaping work readiness than career exploration alone. The research highlights the importance of strengthening students’ soft skills and self-efficacy through educational, organizational, and career development programs to better prepare them for the transition from higher education to employment.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Adriansyah, M. A., Handoyo, S., Margono, H., & Sabar. (2024). The role of self-efficacy as a mediator between active organization and job readiness. RSF Conference Proceeding Series: Business, Management, and Social Science, 4(1), 34–41. https://doi.org/10.31098/bmss.v4i1.852
Anisa, R., & Sa’adah, L. (2025). The Influence of Self-Efficacy, Soft Skills, and Career Planning on the Work Readiness of Students at KH. A Wahab Hasbullah University, Tambakberas Jombang. 3rd Multidiscipline International Conference 2025, 146–152.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
Betz, N. E., & Hackett, G. (2006). Career self-efficacy theory: Back to the future. Journal of Career Assessment, 14(1), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072705281347
Breusch, T. S., & Pagan, A. R. (1979). A simple test for heteroscedasticity and random coefficient variation. Econometrica, 47(5), 1287–1294.
Caballero, C. L., Walker, A., & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. (2011). The Work Readiness Scale (WRS): Developing a measure to assess work readiness in college graduates. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 2(1), 41–54. https://doi.org/10.21153/jtlge2011vol2no1art552
Clarke, M. (2018). Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and context. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1923–1937. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1294152
Cook, R. D. (1977). Detection of influential observation in linear regression. Technometrics, 19(1), 15–18.
Deswarta, Hamsal, & Aditya Nanda. (2024). The Influence of Ability, Digital Skills, Industry 4.0 Skill Sets, Soft Skills on Students’ Work Readiness in Facing The Challenges of The Future World of Work (Case Study of Students of The Faculty of Economics and Business, Islamic University of Riau). Management Studies and Entrepreneurship Journal, 5(2), 4122–4131. http://journal.yrpipku.com/index.php/msej
Diah Baiti, R., Abdullah, S. M., & Rochwidowati, N. S. (2017). Career self-efficacy dan kesiapan kerja pada mahasiswa semester akhir. Jurnal Psikologi Integratif, 5(2), 128–141.
Dian, L., Wibowo, J., Suhandiah, S., & Supriyanto, A. (2023). Perceptions of Student Soft Skills and Self Efficacy on Perceptions of Student Work Readiness in Surabaya. International Journal of Global Accounting, Management, Education, and Entrepreneurship (IJGAME2), 4(1), 199–208. https://doi.org/10.48024/ijgame2.v1i1.12
Erliana, V., & Rozana, A. (2022). Pengaruh career self-efficacy terhadap work readiness pada mahasiswa tingkat akhir di Unisba. Bandung Conference Series, 2(2), 150–157.
Febriyana, N., Indrawati, H., & Makhdalena, M. (2023). The Influence of Emotional Intelligence, Industrial Work Practices, Soft Skills, and Self-Efficacy on Students Work Readiness. Journal of Educational Sciences, 7(3), 499. https://doi.org/10.31258/jes.7.3.p.499-517
Fu, W., Tao, T., Ouyang, B., & Yang, J. (2026). The Relationship of Career Exploration on The Teaching Intention of Pre-Service Special Education Teachers in China: A Chain-Mediating Role of Career Calling and Perceived Employability. Acta Psychologica, 269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107529
Glejser, H. (1969). A new test for heteroskedasticity. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 64(325), 316–323.
Haenggli, M., Hirschi, A., & Marciniak, J. (2025). Navigating Transitions: A Longitudinal Exploration of Career Decision-Making Process Dynamics in Adolescents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2025.104125
Hamzah, S. R., Le, K. K., & Musa, S. N. S. (2021). The mediating role of career decision self-efficacy on the relationship of career emotional intelligence and self-esteem with career adaptability among university students. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 26(1), 83–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2021.1886952
Hulu, F. (2020). Pengaruh kreativitas belajar dan soft skill mahasiswa terhadap kesiapan kerja mahasiswa Pendidikan Bisnis 2016. NIAGAWAN, 9(3), 263–270. https://doi.org/10.24114/niaga.v9i3.20327
Ingsih, K., & Suhana, S. (2023). Improving working readiness through mastering soft skills: Empirical evidence from university students in Indonesia. Revista de Métodos Cuantitativos para la Economía y la Empresa, 35, 268–279.
Ismaya, M. I. N., & Achmad, N. (2024). The Influence of Soft Skill and Hard Skill Development on Students Self-Efficacy and Work Readiness. International Summit on Science Technology and Humanity (ISETH 2024), 291–303.
Jiang, Z., Newman, A., Le, H., Presbitero, A., & Zheng, C. (2019). Career Exploration: A Review and Future Research Agenda. In Journal of Vocational Behavior (Vol. 110, pp. 338–356). Academic Press Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.08.008
Kleine, A. K., Schmitt, A., & Wisse, B. (2021). Students’ Career Exploration: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2021.103645
Kristiana, J., Syamsuddin, A., Giovanni, J., Meitiana, & Lampe, N. A. (2025). Bridging soft skills and work readiness: The strategic role of self-efficacy and organizational experience in final-year students. JSM: Jurnal Sains Manajemen, 14(1), 1–15.
Lee, S. D., Aquino, A., Kuncel, N. R., & Hansen, J. I. C. (2023). Personality Predictors of Career Exploration: A Meta-Analysis. Career Development Quarterly, 71(1), 41–55. https://doi.org/10.1002/cdq.12315
Lemeshow, S., Hosmer, D. W., Klar, J., & Lwanga, S. K. (1990). Adequacy of sample size in health studies. John Wiley & Sons.
Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). MONOGRAPH Toward a Unifying Social Cognitive Theory of Career and Academic Interest, Choice, and Performance. In JOURNAL OF VOCATIONAL BEHAVIOR (Vol. 45).
Mahesi, A. E. R., & Wasskito, J. (2026). The Effect of Soft Skills, Hard Skills, and Self-Efficacy on Work Readiness With Part-Time Work Experience as a Mediation Variable. Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Sharia Economics (IIJSE), 9(1), 1885–1902.
Makki, B. I., Feng, F., Waqar, M. A., & Adhikari, I. M. (2023). Work Readiness, Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy, and Career Exploration among Engineering Students: A Two‐Step Framework. Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2023(1). https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/8166825
Nauta, M. M. (2024). Exploratory actions as mediators of the association between career exploration self-efficacy and decisional outcomes: Does exploration type matter? Australian Journal of Career Development, 33(2), 144–153. https://doi.org/10.1177/10384162241263033
Nasution, A. S., & Daulay, N. (2025). Layanan Bimbingan Karir Tahap Eksplorasi Dalam Meningkatkan Kesiapan Kerja Mahasiswa Tingkat Akhir BKPI UINSU Medan. Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, Dan Pengembangan, 10(6), 265–272. https://doi.org/10.17977/jptpp.v10i6.25919
Nurbaiti, & Putri, A. D. (2024). Hard Skill, Soft Skill dan Efikasi Diri Terhadap Kesiapan Kerja Mahasiswa Tingkat Akhir FEB Perguruan Tinggi di Kota Bandar Lampung. Jurnal Administrasi Bisnis (JAB), 14(1), 20–32.
Peersia, K., Rappa, N. A., & Perry, L. B. (2024). Work readiness: Definitions and conceptualisations. Higher Education Research & Development, 43(8), 1830–1845. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2024.2366322
Rahmadani, D., & Mardalis, A. (2022). Improving Student’s Working Readiness by Increasing Soft Skills, Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Organizational Activities. Proceedings of the International Conference on Economics and Business Studies (ICOEBS 2022), 218, 273–279.
Ratuela, Y. R. G., Nelwan, O. S., & Luminantang, G. G. (2022). The Influence of Hard Skills, Soft Skills and Self-Efficacy on Work Readiness in Final Students Majoring in Management FEB Unsrat Manado. Jurnal EMBA, 10(1), 172–183.
Salim, R. M. A., Istiasih, M. R., Rumalutur, N. A., & Situmorang, D. D. B. (2023). The role of career decision self-efficacy as a mediator of peer support on students' career adaptability. Heliyon, 9(4), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14911
Shapiro, S. S., & Wilk, M. B. (1965). An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika, 52(3–4), 591–611.
Stumpf, S. A., Colarelli, S. M., & Hartman, K. (1983). Development of the Career Exploration Survey (CES). Journal of Vocational Behavior, 22, 191–226.
Su, X., Ahmad, A., & Alias, J. (2024). Examining career calling through career exploration: The influence of decision self-efficacy and openness. Social Sciences, 13(12), 685.
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: Comparing students and employers' perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1585420
Sulistiyo, E. (2023). The Effect of Career Exploration on Employability Skills, Career Adaptability and Work Readiness of Indonesian Engineering Students Moderated by Teacher Support. World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education, 21(3).
Syifa, F. D., Wolor, C. W., & Adha, M. A. (2023). The effect of self efficacy and soft skills on work readiness in students of the Faculty of Economics, Universitas Negeri Jakarta. Jurnal Pendidikan Ekonomi, Perkantoran, dan Akuntansi, 4(2), 29–38.
Taylor, J. D., McAlister, M., & Stover, J. (2026). From Career Exploration to Practice: A Nursing Workforce Journey. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 21(2), e753–e757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2025.12.015
Teng, W., Ma, C., Pahlevansharif, S., & Turner, J. J. (2019). Graduate readiness for the employment market of the 4th industrial revolution: The development of soft employability skills. Education + Training, 61(5), 590–604. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-07-2018-0154
White, H. (1980). A heteroskedasticity-consistent covariance matrix estimator and a direct test for heteroskedasticity. Econometrica, 48(4), 817–838.
Wiguna, H. A., & Saragih, L. (2025). The Effect of Motivation, Self-Efficacy and Soft Skills on Students’ Work Readiness as Generation Z in Facing the Digital Era. Business, Economics, Law, Communication, and Social Sciences (BELACOSS), 1(6), 702–715. https://journal.arepublisher.com/index.php/belacoss
Yunita, M. M., Lesmana, T., & Fallacorina, D. Q. (2026). Exploring work readiness: The role of future orientation mediated by career self-efficacy in university students. Psympathic: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi, 13(1), 41–52. https://doi.org/10.15575/psy.v13i1.49776
Zikic, J., & Douglas, T. H. (2009). Toward a More Complex View of Career Exploration. The Career Development Quarterly, 58(2).