Relationship[QCE1] between proactive personality and career exploration among Chinese university students: Mediating effects of career decision-making self-efficacy and career maturity

Given the intensifying employment difficulties faced by Chinese university students today, career exploration (CEX) has become increasingly essential. Simultaneously, examining its relationships with career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE), career maturity (CM), and proactive personality (PP) may provide valuable insights for enhancing students’ CEX. Hence, a quantitative research design was employedto examine these relationships. In the structural equation modeling analysis, which controlled for grade level, only PP and CDSE exhibited significant positive effects on CEX. While CDSE was found to mediate the relationship between PP and CEX, CM did not. Accordingly, the findings of this study suggest that enhancing the PP and CDSE of Chinese university students is fundamentally beneficial for their CEX and employability and that incorporating these factors into programs aimed at improving their CEX or career competence is recommended.