Exploring the Interplay Between Social Support and Proactive Personality in Career Competencies of International Students

Career development is noteworthy for international students, given the challenges of adapting to a new culture. This study explores how social support moderates the link between proactive personality and career competencies in this group. A total of 310 international students (52.9% male) from various countries participated in the study. Using Hayes’ Process Macro, regression analysis revealed a significant moderating effect of social support on reflective and behavioral competencies, but not on relational competencies. Specifically, higher levels of social support served as a protective factor for international students with low proactive personality in these competencies. However, proactive personality remained a significant predictor of career competencies, as higher levels of proactive personality compensated for the disadvantages associated with low social support. Based on these findings, implications are provided for career counselors and higher education institutions to support the career development of international students.