Who Influences College Students’ Career Choices?

Patrick C. Lee, DBA
Myong Jae (MJ) Lee, PhD
Lea R. Dopson, EdD
The Collins College of Hospitality Management, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Career development decision-making theory suggests multiple influences on career choices, including:
- Family
- School
- Community
- Social factors (Jungen, 2008)
The majority of hospitality management college students are Generation Y and significantly influenced by social media.
Aim of the research: To assess different factors influencing career choices (e.g., advisors, industry mentors, parents, faculty, social media) for hospitality management students.
Data collection: 558 completed online surveys.
Findings: Traditional factors influence career decisions more than social media.
Recommendation: Hospitality program administrators should enhance both traditional and online approaches in career decision support.

The hospitality sector is experiencing significant growth and contributes greatly to the global economy.
This industry's expansion has led to numerous employment opportunities in the job market (Chang & Tse, 2015).
The industry faces a chronic issue with high staff turnover which negatively impacts productivity, training, and human capital (Qiu et al., 2017).
Notably, only half of hospitality management graduates begin their careers in the industry (Chang & Tse, 2015).

To effectively retain skilled employees, it's crucial to understand students' perceptions of hospitality as a career.
Investigative researchers (Chuang et al., 2007; Song & Chon, 2012) highlight the necessity of examining career choice and influences on students to reduce turnover.
Hospitality programs can foster positive expectations about career paths by providing supportive environments that align with realistic employment conditions (Blomme et al., 2009; Brown et al., 2014).

Career decisions emerge more favorably when students are aware of their options and understand how to achieve career goals (Hansen, 1976).
Influences can include:
- Family
- School environment
- Community support
- Social factors (Jungen, 2008)
Research indicates that students often seek guidance from advisors, which enhances their vocational identity (Van Wie, 2011).

The significance of internships is highlighted as a key factor impacting commitment to career choices (Chuang et al., 2009).
However, negative internship experiences may cause students to reevaluate their career paths negatively (Brown et al., 2014).

According to a survey by Orndorff (2002), finding better job opportunities is a primary motivation for college enrollment.
Ribchester and Mitchell (2004) categorize students as follows:
- Those with clear career knowledge
- Those with uncertain career goals
- Those without career aspirations
Recent studies emphasize insufficient support for career decisions (Pauw, 2009), leading to stress and indecision among graduates.

Bandura’s (1986) theory posits that influences from role models and mentors significantly affect students’ career decisions.
Career choices are often reinforced through exposure to industry professionals and exchanges in educational contexts (Chuang et al., 2009).
- Role models provide skill modeling, support, and advice.

Previous research consistently ranks industry professionals as having the greatest influence on career decisions, while faculty and personal experience follow (Damonte & Vaden, 1987; Qiu et al., 2017).
Generation Y students frequently utilize social media for obtaining career-related information and support.
The preference for firsthand information from job and personal experiences grows as a significant influence over traditional guides like instructors (Kim et al., 2010).

Social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn enhance access to job opportunities and personal networks, particularly within Generation Y.
Students frequently utilize these platforms for career planning and networking.

Measurement items developed from extensive literature; reliability tested through a pilot study involving 67 hospitality management students.
Final survey contained 33 items to evaluate influences from:
- Advisors
- Faculty
- Industry mentors
- Parents
- Social media

Target sample included hospitality management students at accredited universities in the U.S.
Survey sent to 769 students with a completion rate of 73% (total: 558 usable responses).

Analysis included descriptive statistics, reliability tests, and tests for statistical significance among demographic variables.

Gender Composition: 69% female
Academic Standing: 39% seniors, 29% juniors, 16% sophomores, 15% freshmen
Background: 70% came directly from high school, 30% were community college transfers
Residential Status: 83% domestic, 17% international

All measurement items had a Cronbach’s alpha greater than .80:
- Advisors: .938
- Faculty: .907
- Industry Mentors: .869

Results emphasize faculty as the most significant influence in career decision-making, supporting global findings in hospitality education.
Importance of collaborative efforts between education and industry recognized.
Parent support and independence perceived vital by students.
Social media's impact appears limited compared to traditional influences.

Traditional factors such as faculty, industry mentors, and advisors outweigh social media in influence.
Faculty should enhance engagement with industry trends and provide comprehensive career support to current students.
Advisors need adequate training in hospitality industry trends.
Suggestions for integrating insights from social media into learning environments to assist more diverse student populations.