Student Employability in the Transition from University to the Labor Market: The Role of Faculty Support and Self-Compassion

In the current labor market, perceived employability is a key resource for university students approaching the transition from university to work, which is often marked by heightened stress, vulnerability, and unhealthy behaviors, particularly in contexts with high youth unemployment rates. Despite prior research documenting the buffering role of perceived employability in the relationships between career-related stressors and well-being, limited evidence exists regarding the roles of faculty support and self-compassion, a fundamental factor for effective emotional regulation, during university years. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the relationships between faculty support, self-compassion, career self-efficacy, career planning, and perceived employability through a self-report questionnaire completed by 186 Italian university students, mainly female, with a mean age of 21.24 (SD = 2.57). Results from a partial least squares model indicated that faculty support was indirectly associated with perceived employability through self-compassion, career self-efficacy, and career planning. These findings could support higher education organizations by suggesting the design of interventions to promote supportive learning environments and to develop training in emotional regulation skills. Such an approach could empower students to effectively cope with career-related stressors and, in turn, engage in adaptive behaviors associated with employability.