Career Choice Determinants of the Management Students: A Case of a Sri Lankan State University

Abstract

Career is identified as a significant research area in the contemporary world of work. This quantitative study aims to investigate the factors which influence the career choice of management undergraduates. Students who are studying in a selected Management Faculty of a state university of Sri Lanka are the population of this study and three hundred and six (306) undergraduates were randomly selected as the sample. A structured questionnaire was administered in collecting data. In the descriptive data analysis, it was conducted frequency and percentage analysis for the demographic items. Mean comparison among the independent variables also carried under the descriptive data analysis. Correlation analysis is carried out in hypothesis testing. The personality of the student, family influence, and teachers’ influence, interest in the subject, career opportunities, career benefits, and self-efficacy are found to be significant with the student career choice. Personality and future career benefits are identified as the most influential factors towards the career choice. Further, it was found that most management students have made their career choice decision during their Advanced level and at the university enrolment. It is recommended to consider the personality type of the student when they are advised by the family, teachers, and career advisors. Communicating the actual career opportunities and benefits to the school students is recommended since they tend to make their career choice decision based on the perceived future opportunities and benefits attached to the career.