The relationship between career social support and career management competency: The mediating role of career decision-making self-efficacy

Career management competency is regarded as key competency which can help college students improve their employability and achieve future career success. However, there are few literatures on the influencing factors of career management competency. This study aimed to examine the potential mediating role of career decision-making self-efficacy between career social support and career management competency. Using a cross-sectional design, 577 Chinese college students (mean age = 19.68, 61.35% female) completed the Questionnaire of Career Management Competency, Career Social Support, and Career Decision-making Self Efficacy. The results showed significant positive correlations among career social support, career decision-making self-efficacy, and career management competency. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that career social support and career decision-making self-efficacy were two positive predictors of career management competency. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicated that career decision-making self-efficacy played a completely mediating role in the influence of career social support on career management competency. These results offered practical implications that provide more career social support and improve career decision-making self-efficacy for promoting college students’ career management competency.