Does Salary, Commuting Time, and Workload Play a Role in a College Student's First Career Choice?

Abstract

none

This study explores Generation Z graduating student's employment choices from the perspective of job seekers. Since there is an old saying about the ideal job in Taiwan: more money, less workload, and close to home, this research incorporates this statement and examines how these three variables affect students' willingness to apply for their first job. The survey adopted the discrete choice experiment method as well as the ranking method and received valid responses from 352 senior-year undergraduate students at National Taiwan Normal University. Descriptive statistics and conjoint analysis were used to test the importance of the three job attributes: salary, commute time, and workload. It was found that the overall job attributes utility order was workload, commute time, and salary, and students preferred a job with low workload, 15-minute commute time, and a salary of NT$6,000 above the market. However, in the ranking method, the majority of undergraduates considered salary to be the most important job attribute. From the different results of the two approaches, it is clear that the responses depend on the context of the question. In addition, demographic variables were also found to have a significant impact on the ranking of job attributes. Overall, research findings fill a gap in the literature on job preferences of Generation Z job seekers and contribute to future research on job selection and recruitment. Moreover, it provides practical implications that enable employers and HR practitioners to focus on job attribute trends of current job seekers and further adjust their recruitment practices.