Can ChatGPT Boost Students’ Employment Confidence? A Pioneering Booster for Career Readiness
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Literature
2.1. The Role of AI Tools in Education
2.2. Students’ Employment Confidence
2.3. Differences in Technology Use Across Academic Levels and Fields
2.4. Ethical Considerations of AI
3. Research Questions
4. Methods
4.1. Data
4.2. Variables
4.2.1. Dependent Variables
4.2.2. Independent Variables
4.2.3. Control Variables
4.2.4. Mediating Variable
4.3. Models
5. Findings
5.1. Results of Regression Model
5.2. Results of Robustness Test
5.3. Results of Heterogeneity Analysis
5.4. Results of SEM
6. Discussion
6.1. RQ1: The Role of ChatGPT in Enhancing Employment Confidence
6.2. RQ2: Differences Across Academic Levels and Fields
6.3. RQ3: The Mediating Role of User Experience in Enhancing Employment Confidence
6.4. Theoretical Explanations and Analytical Hypotheses for Future Research
6.5. Context-Specific Insights and Generalizability
7. Conclusions
8. Implication
9. Limitations and Future Directions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Demographic Characteristic | Declaration | N | Percentage | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gender | Male | 9279 | 40.59% | |
Female | 13,247 | 57.95% | ||
Other | 103 | 0.45% | ||
Prefer not to disclose | 230 | 1.01% | ||
Area | Urban | 11,326 | 64.33% | |
Suburban | 3481 | 19.77% | ||
Rural | 2799 | 15.90% | ||
Student status | Full-time | 19,266 | 85.27% | |
Part-time | 3327 | 14.73% | ||
Study level | Undergraduate | 18,784 | 83.31% | |
Postgraduate | 2856 | 12.67% | ||
Doctoral | 906 | 4.02% | ||
Study field | Arts and humanities | 2696 | 12.01% | |
Social sciences | 9290 | 41.37% | ||
Applied sciences | 7764 | 34.58% | ||
Natural and life sciences | 2705 | 12.05% | ||
Economic status | Significantly below-average | 1172 | 6.65% | |
Below-average | 3480 | 19.74% | ||
Average | 9830 | 55.75% | ||
Above-average | 2728 | 15.47% | ||
Significantly above-average | 423 | 2.40% | ||
Variables | Mean | S.D. | Max | Min |
Age | 23.13 | 6.82 | 100 | 18 |
Dependent Variable | Question/Items | Options |
---|---|---|
Confidence about getting a job | Do you feel confident about getting a job after you complete your studies? | 1 = Not at all confident 2 = Slightly confident 3 = Moderately confident 4 = Very confident 5 = Extremely confident |
Independent variable | Question/Items | Options |
ChatGPT use | Have you ever used ChatGPT? | 1 = Yes 0 = No |
ChatGPT frequency | To what extent do you use ChatGPT in general? | 1 = Rarely 2 = Occasionally 3 = Moderately 4 = Considerably 5 = Extensively |
Control variable | Question/Items | Options |
Gender | What is your gender? | 1 = Male 0 = Female |
Age | How old are you (in years)? | |
Area | Which of the characteristics below describes the area you live in? | 1 = Rural 2 = Suburban 3 = Urban |
Student status | What is your student status? | 1 = Full-time 0 = Part-time |
Economic status | What is your economic status? | 1 = Rarely 2 = Occasionally 3 = Moderately 4 = Considerably 5 = Extensively |
Government funded | Is your institution publicly/government funded? | 1 = Yes 0 = No |
Mediating variable | Question/Items | Options |
ChatGPT experience | What is your experience with ChatGPT? | 1 = Very bad 2 = Bad 3 = Neutral 4 = Good 5 = Very good |
Independent Variable | β | S.E. | t | p | 95% Conf. Interval | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ChatGPTuse × ChatGPTfrequency | 0.050 | 0.010 | 5.15 | <0.001 | 0.031 | 0.069 |
Gender | 0.091 | 0.021 | 4.25 | <0.001 | 0.049 | 0.132 |
Age | 0.015 | 0.002 | 8.25 | <0.001 | 0.011 | 0.019 |
Area | 0.028 | 0.014 | 2.01 | 0.045 | 0.001 | 0.056 |
Student status | 0.136 | 0.033 | 4.08 | <0.001 | 0.071 | 0.201 |
Economic status | 0.124 | 0.013 | 9.72 | <0.001 | 0.099 | 0.149 |
Government fund | −0.023 | 0.026 | −0.87 | 0.386 | −0.073 | 0.028 |
Constant | 2.290 | 0.082 | 27.86 | <0.001 | 2.129 | 2.451 |
N = 9384 R2 = 0.0249 |
β | S.D. | z | p | 95% Conf. Interval | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ATET chatgptuse: yes vs. no | 0.044 | 0.021 | 2.11 | 0.035 | 0.003 | 0.084 |
Pomean chatgptuse: no | 3.292 | 0.018 | 184.38 | <0.001 | 3.257 | 3.327 |
N = 13,635 |
Subgroup | Independent Variable | β | S.E. | t | p | 95% Conf. Interval | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Undergraduate (N = 7838, R2 = 0.0183) | ChatGPTuse × ChatGPTfrequency | 0.048 | 0.011 | 4.52 | <0.001 | 0.027 | 0.069 |
Gender | 0.083 | 0.023 | 3.58 | <0.001 | 0.037 | 0.128 | |
Age | 0.013 | 0.003 | 4.87 | <0.001 | 0.008 | 0.018 | |
Area | 0.024 | 0.015 | 1.61 | 0.108 | −0.005 | 0.054 | |
Student status | 0.206 | 0.038 | 5.43 | <0.001 | 0.131 | 0.280 | |
Economic status | 0.102 | 0.014 | 7.32 | <0.001 | 0.075 | 0.129 | |
Government fund | −0.023 | 0.028 | −0.84 | 0.403 | −0.078 | 0.032 | |
Constant | 2.343 | 0.098 | 24.03 | <0.001 | 2.152 | 2.534 | |
Graduate (N = 1095, R2 = 0.0426) | ChatGPTuse × ChatGPTfrequency | 0.038 | 0.029 | 1.31 | 0.189 | −0.019 | 0.094 |
Gender | 0.202 | 0.065 | 3.12 | 0.002 | 0.075 | 0.329 | |
Age | −0.000 | 0.004 | −0.08 | 0.933 | −0.009 | 0.008 | |
Area | 0.053 | 0.043 | 1.21 | 0.226 | −0.033 | 0.138 | |
Student status | −0.126 | 0.085 | −1.49 | 0.136 | −0.293 | 0.040 | |
Economic status | 0.196 | 0.038 | 5.15 | <0.001 | 0.121 | 0.270 | |
Government fund | −0.035 | 0.082 | −0.43 | 0.670 | −0.197 | 0.127 | |
Constant | 2.753 | 0.238 | 11.57 | <0.001 | 2.286 | 3.220 | |
Doctoral (N = 414, R2 = 0.0625) | ChatGPTuse × ChatGPTfrequency | 0.077 | 0.048 | 1.60 | 0.111 | −0.018 | 0.171 |
Gender | 0.119 | 0.105 | 1.13 | 0.260 | −0.088 | 0.325 | |
Age | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.68 | 0.495 | −0.008 | 0.016 | |
Area | −0.026 | 0.081 | −0.33 | 0.743 | −0.185 | 0.132 | |
Student status | −0.052 | 0.138 | −0.38 | 0.706 | −0.323 | 0.219 | |
Economic status | 0.277 | 0.068 | 4.05 | <0.001 | 0.142 | 0.411 | |
Government fund | −0.215 | 0.142 | −1.52 | 0.130 | −0.493 | 0.064 | |
Constant | 2.712 | 0.423 | 6.41 | <0.001 | 1.880 | 3.544 | |
Arts and humanities (N = 1132, R2 = 0.0188) | ChatGPTuse × ChatGPTfrequency | 0.037 | 0.030 | 1.22 | 0.222 | −0.022 | 0.095 |
Gender | −0.041 | 0.068 | −0.60 | 0.546 | −0.174 | 0.092 | |
Age | 0.021 | 0.005 | 4.11 | <0.001 | 0.011 | 0.032 | |
Area | 0.027 | 0.040 | 0.66 | 0.508 | −0.052 | 0.105 | |
Student status | 0.070 | 0.090 | 0.78 | 0.438 | −0.107 | 0.246 | |
Economic status | −0.023 | 0.037 | −0.63 | 0.531 | −0.095 | 0.049 | |
Government fund | −0.124 | 0.088 | −1.41 | 0.159 | −0.296 | 0.049 | |
Constant | 2.522 | 0.236 | 10.70 | <0.001 | 2.060 | 2.984 | |
Social sciences (N = 3761, R2 = 0.0282) | ChatGPTuse × ChatGPTfrequency | 0.048 | 0.016 | 2.99 | 0.003 | 0.016 | 0.079 |
Gender | 0.023 | 0.035 | 0.67 | 0.500 | −0.044 | 0.091 | |
Age | 0.017 | 0.003 | 6.53 | <0.001 | 0.012 | 0.022 | |
Area | 0.028 | 0.021 | 1.31 | 0.189 | −0.014 | 0.069 | |
Student status | 0.174 | 0.050 | 3.51 | <0.001 | 0.077 | 0.272 | |
Economic status | 0.136 | 0.020 | 6.75 | <0.001 | 0.097 | 0.176 | |
Government fund | −0.023 | 0.040 | −0.57 | 0.566 | −0.100 | 0.055 | |
Constant | 2.164 | 0.123 | 17.52 | <0.001 | 1.922 | 2.406 | |
Applied sciences (N = 3435, R2 = 0.0271) | ChatGPTuse × ChatGPTfrequency | 0.040 | 0.015 | 2.62 | 0.009 | 0.010 | 0.070 |
Gender | 0.085 | 0.034 | 2.47 | 0.013 | 0.018 | 0.152 | |
Age | 0.015 | 0.003 | 4.24 | <0.001 | 0.008 | 0.022 | |
Area | 0.012 | 0.025 | 0.47 | 0.642 | −0.037 | 0.060 | |
Student status | 0.048 | 0.061 | 0.79 | 0.428 | −0.071 | 0.167 | |
Economic status | 0.160 | 0.021 | 7.61 | <0.001 | 0.119 | 0.201 | |
Government fund | 0.003 | 0.041 | 0.07 | 0.948 | −0.078 | 0.083 | |
Constant | 2.439 | 0.148 | 16.46 | <0.001 | 2.148 | 2.729 | |
Natural and life sciences (N = 1007 R2 = 0.0113) | ChatGPTuse × ChatGPTfrequency | 0.027 | 0.030 | 0.89 | 0.375 | −0.032 | 0.086 |
Gender | 0.100 | 0.066 | 1.52 | 0.130 | −0.030 | 0.230 | |
Age | 0.002 | 0.006 | 0.32 | 0.747 | −0.009 | 0.013 | |
Area | −0.002 | 0.042 | −0.05 | 0.958 | −0.084 | 0.080 | |
Student status | 0.122 | 0.102 | 1.20 | 0.231 | −0.078 | 0.322 | |
Economic status | 0.102 | 0.040 | 2.56 | 0.011 | 0.024 | 0.180 | |
Government fund | 0.001 | 0.093 | 0.01 | 0.991 | −0.181 | 0.183 | |
Constant | 2.851 | 0.253 | 11.25 | <0.001 | 2.353 | 3.348 |
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Xiao, Y.; Zheng, L. Can ChatGPT Boost Students’ Employment Confidence? A Pioneering Booster for Career Readiness. Behav. Sci. 2025, 15, 362. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030362
Xiao Y, Zheng L. Can ChatGPT Boost Students’ Employment Confidence? A Pioneering Booster for Career Readiness. Behavioral Sciences. 2025; 15(3):362. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030362
Chicago/Turabian StyleXiao, Yu, and Li Zheng. 2025. "Can ChatGPT Boost Students’ Employment Confidence? A Pioneering Booster for Career Readiness" Behavioral Sciences 15, no. 3: 362. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030362
APA StyleXiao, Y., & Zheng, L. (2025). Can ChatGPT Boost Students’ Employment Confidence? A Pioneering Booster for Career Readiness. Behavioral Sciences, 15(3), 362. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030362