The Effect of College Students’ Problem-solving Competence on Job Preparation Behavior: The Moderating Effect of Digital Literacy

This study examined the impact of university students’ problem-solving competency on their job preparation behavior and verified the moderating effect of digital literacy competency in this relationship. A survey was conducted among Korean university students, and hierarchical regression analysis was employed to test the research model. The findings revealed that, first, problem-solving competency had a significant positive effect on job preparation behavior, suggesting that students with higher problem-solving abilities tend to engage in more systematic and proactive job search activities. Second, digital literacy competency did not have a direct significant impact on job preparation behavior. However, third, the interaction effect between problem-solving competency and digital literacy competency was statistically significant. The influence of problem-solving competency on job preparation behavior was stronger among students with higher levels of digital literacy, indicating that digital literacy plays a facilitating role in translating problem-solving competency into action. These results highlight the importance of integrating both problem-solving and digital literacy training in university career education to effectively prepare students for the digitalized labor market. Implications for educational practices and policy development are discussed.