Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it: the role of self-perceived employability among engineering graduates

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of noncognitive skills, including academic tenacity, emotional intelligence, grit and career anchors, on the self-perceived employability (SPE) of fresh engineering graduates (FEGs) in India. It explores the mediating role of career anchors and the moderating role of gender in these relationships, aiming to address the skills gap and improve employability outcomes. Design/methodology/approach In this cross-sectional research, the data were collected from 897 fresh engineering graduates (FCEGs) from 9 Indian states, including 18 public and 7 private universities, through purposive sampling. The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The SEM findings indicated that academic tenacity, grit and career anchors have a significant and direct impact on the self-perceived employability skills of FCEGs. However, emotional intelligence has no impact on the self-perceived employability skills of FCEGs. In addition, the mediation results show that career anchors mediate the impact of academic tenacity, grit and emotional intelligence on self-perceived employability. Gender also plays an important role in moderating the proposed hypotheses. Originality/value This study extends the application of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Schein’s Career Anchor Theory in the context of engineering education. It contributes novel insights by examining the mediating role of career anchors and the moderating influence of gender on the relationship between noncognitive skills and SPE, addressing a critical research gap in employability studies.