The impact of perceived social support on Chinese university students’ employability: a perspective based on signaling theory

This study, based on a sample of Chinese college students, reveals that perceived social support not only directly predicts employability but also indirectly influences it through a dual-mediation mechanism involving occupational self-efficacy (psychological path) and personal brand equity (behavioral path). Occupational self-efficacy serves as the foundation for accumulating personal brand equity. The findings offer empirical support from the Chinese context for signaling theory in the employment field, demonstrating that the social support system plays a role in shaping and transmitting signals. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of focusing on the collaborative transformation of psychological and behavioral signals in developing employability.