The Influence of Self-Esteem, Social Support, and Career Preparation Behavior on Senior Nursing Students’ Job-Seeking Stress

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of self-esteem, social support, and career preparation behavior on senior nursing students’ job-seeking stress. The subjects were 150 senior nursing students, and the collected data was analyzed using the SPSS WIN 26.0 statistical program. The subjects' self-esteem was 3.74±0.62 points, social support was 3.60±0.92 points, career preparation behavior was 3.10±0.74 points, and job-seeking stress was 2.95±0.83 points. Job seeking stress by general characteristics showed significant differences according to gender, relationships with friends, motivation for applying to nursing school, grades, and satisfaction with the major. The subjects' job-seeking stress showed a significant negative correlation with self-esteem, social support, and career preparation behavior. The factors influencing job seeking stress were social support, self-esteem, and career preparation behavior in that order, with an explanatory power of 43.1%. Based on the results of this study, a strategic program for customized guidance, such as writing self-introductions, nursing-specific interview lectures, and mock interviews, should be developed and operated at the university and department level for career preparation activities.