Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background Rationale of the Study

Career choice is the process of selecting a profession that aligns with your

interests, skills, and values. It's a personal journey influenced by your unique

perspective and self-assessment. Lau et al. (2019), suggest that students should

decide their careers well before they start looking.

Dvoulety et al. (2021), stated that career choices must be introduced starting

from adolescence because at that age they are required to undergo developmental

tasks. It was supported by Gati et al. (2019) that the choices made during this period

can have a profound impact on their future paths. People often feel overwhelmed by

the amount of information they need to absorb when considering the numerous

career paths they could potentially follow.

In the study conducted by Dami et al. (2019), it was discussed that high

school age or adolescence is in the exploration stage wherein students should already

focus on determining careers in a more specific range, but not a final choice. Career

planning is a substantial part of preparing oneself towards the selection of further

education or the desired job, students often prioritize career exploration during their

academic years.
 Study by Veronica et al. (2020), students wants to have a good career however,

individuals that choose careers that align with their interests, values, and strengths, they

are more likely to experience job satisfaction and personal fulfillment. It's just a proof

that career decisions had a big impact in the student’s success in the future.

Tang (2019) supports that students’ clear understanding of their inclinations,

skills, and abilities which will continue to develop throughout their lives is essential

for their future and chosen career.

In another study, Siddiky and Akter (2021) reported that the students’ career

choice and career preferences are determined by their personal interests to a great

extent. Similarly, Anovunga, Nyelbi, and Akpadago (2021) reported that career

interest of an individual greatly affects their preferred vocational choice or

development.

Stated by Gallup (2019), students who experienced a sense of purpose in

their work were more likely to align their work with their interests, values, and

strengths and participate in a programme or class that helped them think about

pursuing meaningful work. Finally, Quinlan and Renninger (2022) concluded that

students’ interest in their subject was a significant predictor of career decidedness,

mediated by students’ desire to pursue that interest.

Sharif et al. (2019), stated that the father plays an important role in the

development of or influencing decision-related to their child’s career within eastern

society. The career for which the student found that their future income would be
high is also mostly opted by an individual. They would refrain from the career path

that would end up in an average monthly income (Abbasi and Sarwat, 2014). While

considering influences one of the career choice influences that remain on the top list

almost majority of the students is their future status. The love to opt for the career

that could give them a boost in the society, having to afford them a lavish lifestyle.

Not only our study but a number of previous studies gave the same findings

(Bhattacharya, 2013).

Based on the findings of Hadayati et al. (2023), students' career choices are

influenced by both internal and external factors. In Internal factors, gender

differences are assumed to have minimal impact, factors like intelligence, special

talents, and hobbies play significant roles in shaping career aspirations.

Additionally, students' decisions are often guided by their personal preferences and

comfort levels. On the other hand, External factors, such as socioeconomic

background and past experiences, can significantly influence students' career

choices. Students may consider careers that align with their family's expectations or

are influenced by their previous work experiences.

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors influencing career decision-

making among senior high school students. By exploring the challenges and

considerations faced by the students, this research seeks to provide valuable insights

that can inform the development of effective strategies to support their career

journeys.
Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the Factors Influencing Career Decision-Making

among Senior High School Students in the school year of 2024-2025.

Specifically, it seeks to answer to the following questions;

1. What is the demographic profile of the students according to;

1.1 Age

1.2 Gender

1.3 Socio-Economic Status

2. What are the factors that influence career decision-making of the

respondents?

3. What intervention scheme can be proposed based on the results of the study?

Scope and Limitations

This study aims to investigate the factors that influence the career decision-

making of all the Grade 12 Senior High School Students of Sto. Niño Senior High

School. By identifying the key influences that shape their career aspirations, this
research seeks to provide valuable insights into the factors that guide students' career

choices. The data collection will be conducted at Sto. Niño Senior High School in

the Division of Tacloban City.

The respondents of the study are all the Grade 12 students of Sto. Niño

Senior High School. All the students from Grade 12 are total of 150 students, hence,

the research will not conduct sampling procedure. The study will be conducted on

school year 2024-2025.

Significance of the Study

This study is significant to the following:

Students: The result of this study can help them by identifying the key factors that

shape their choices.

Teachers: The study's findings can help teachers provide more effective career

guidance, enhance the curriculum, identify students in need of early intervention,

and improve their own professional development.

Parents: The result of this study can help parents provide more informed support,

identify resources, and advocate for improved career education for their children.

Future Researchers: The study can significantly contribute them by providing

insights into factors influencing student choices, it can build on existing knowledge,
identify research gaps, inform theoretical frameworks, improve career counseling

practices, and address policy implications.

Definition of Term

The following are the terms that are used in the study that are operationally

defined.

Career: Refers to an individual's lifelong journey of work and learning,

encompassing education, training, and employment experiences, as well as personal

and professional development.

Decision-Making: The process of evaluating and selecting a path you want to take

from among several alternatives.

Senior High School Students: Are students in the final two years of high school.

They are preparing to transition from secondary education to higher education or

the workforce.
 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND FRAMEWORKS OF THE STUDY

This part of the study will present some relevant literature and studies which are

closely related to the present study.

Review of Related Literature and Studies

A career is a person's lifelong journey of work and professional

development. It encompasses a series of jobs, positions, and experiences that

contribute to one's professional growth and identity. Cambridge Dictionary defined

career as the job or series of jobs that you do during your working life, especially

when this involves making progress to better jobs or is in a particular profession.

Stated by Damai et al. (2019), that previous study career planning is a substantial

part of preparing oneself towards the selection of further education or the desired

job. As students contemplate their future paths, they must consider not only

immediate job opportunities but also the long-term trajectory of their careers,

including factors such as education, skills acquisition, and professional growth.

Career decision making is the process of identifying, evaluating, and

choosing a career path that aligns with your personal goals, values, and interests.

Career decisions are among the most important decisions individuals make in their

lifetime (Lent & Brown, 2020). Career decisions often focus on choosing a field of

study or training, selecting a job, moving from one job to another, and when and
how to retire. The features common to all these decisions include comparing

relevant alternatives, evaluating them, and arriving at an acceptable outcome. This

outcome typically comprises choosing one of the alternatives (or rank-ordering

them). As career decisions involve gathering and processing information and then

using this knowledge to compare the relevant alternatives, general decision-making

models can be applied to such decisions.

(Mohammed et al., 2021), stated that It is a form of self-expression that

includes beliefs, attitudes, motives, and feelings, ensuring effective planning of a

future career and its compliance with personal expectations. It indicates that career

decision-making competence is a multifaceted process that extends beyond rational

decision-making. It involves individuals formulating career goals and developing

strategic plans to attain them. This process, often referred to as career planning,

entails designing future work activities to align with personal aspirations and

professional objectives.

Career planning is closely related to self-confidence in making career

decisions setting career expectations and goals. The dimension or indicator of career

planning is self-efficacy (Tri Rahayuningsih, 2021). Based on the previous

definition, it can be concluded that career planning can be defined as a process used

by a person to choose career goals and career paths to achieve these goals and

process that aims to match individual career goals and abilities with opportunities

to fill them in a systematic ways. It is an effort made by individuals to better

understand and be aware of the skills, interests, values, opportunities, obstacles,

choices and consequences in themselves that seeks to identify career-related goals

and establish plans to achieve a goal.

 As stated by Dvoulety et al. (2021), career choices must be introduced starting

from adolescence because at that age they are required to undergo developmental tasks.

During this stage, individuals are actively engaged in self-discovery and future

planning. Exploring various career options can help them identify their interests,

values, and strengths, leading to a stronger sense of self. Selecting a career can be

one of life’s most challenging decisions. People often feel overwhelmed by the

amount of information they need to absorb when considering the numerous career

paths they could potentially follow (Gati et al., 2019). The abundance of information

available about various career paths can be overwhelming for students, leading to

feelings of confusion and indecision. This can impact their ability to make informed

choices and may influence their career decision-making process. Therefore,

understanding and addressing this challenge is essential for helping students

navigate the complexities of career exploration and make informed decisions about

their future.

A genuinely conscious choice of profession and place of future employment

directly depends on the individual’s current preferences by forming a sense of

professional identity. Students’ clear understanding of their inclinations, skills, and

abilities – which will continue to develop throughout their lives – is essential (Tang,

2019). Self-awareness can facilitate effective career exploration by helping students

match their personal attributes with potential career options. Recognizing the

importance of ongoing development and self-reflection aligns with the

understanding that career choices are not static but rather evolve over time. By

developing self-awareness early on, students can lay a strong foundation for future

career growth and adaptation.

 In the study conducted by Kulcsár et al. (2020), they explored the challenges

and difficulties facing the individual deliberating on a career decision. They

addressed the sources of these challenges and their effects on the process and the

decision, identifying three factors: (a) the antecedents, i.e., elements that precede

the decision-making process, but surely affect it; (b) the effects of the antecedents

on the process, i.e., the behavioral. Other study explain that in the career planning

of students at Insan Mulia Yogyakarta Health Vocational School, it is influenced by

factors that influence student career planning limited to environmental condition

factors (Sutiman et al., 2022). It is further explained that the condition of the family

environment is an important factor in student career planning.

The effective career choice depends on the degree of the college students’

mastery of their knowledge, skills and abilities. When students have the ability to

perceive the growth of their knowledge and skills or to anticipate future career

development, it is conducive to appropriate career choices (Peng, 2019). In addition,

the success of observing social patterns through continuous efforts will increase the

observer’s belief that he or she can perform well in similar activities. In contrast,

despite failed persevering in observing other, it will reduce a person’s efficiency. Li

et al. (2020), believe that the study of the interaction between cognitive activation

and self-efficacy has important practical significance. Hence, learners from low and

middle socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to benefit from cognitively

stimulating instruction than those from high socio-economic backgrounds. The

negative effects of one’s socio-economic background on their control appraisals in

learning situations can be offset by providing appropriate teaching strategies that

counter these effects to improve science achievement in low-income countries.

 Career decisions differ in several ways. First to be considered is the number

of alternatives: Alternatives may be numerous (e.g., choosing majors, colleges,

jobs), several, only a few (e.g., potential dissertation advisors), or just two (e.g.,

accepting or declining a diagonal promotion within one's company). Second,

individuals have different degrees of familiarity with the alternatives (e.g., between

one's current, familiar job and several unknown alternatives in the job market).

Third, career decisions differ in the type and proximity of their consequences; these

can be psychological, social, or financial, and can be short, moderate, or long-term.

Students want to have a good career and according to their abilities (Veronica et al.,

2020). However, most students have limited direct experience with many potential

careers. Their understanding is often based on secondhand information from

parents, teachers, or media. This lack of familiarity can lead to career choices based

on stereotypes or misconceptions. For instance, students may be drawn to high-

paying professions without considering the underlying skills, interests, or personal

fit.

In addition, Data from graduates’ trace study (MOE, 2019) shows 62,911 or

43% of employment mismatches involved graduates with Bachelor’s degrees.

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

(OECD) (2019), graduate mismatch in the labor market occurred when they are

employed in a position which was different from what they are specialized in and

not commensurate with their education levels. Bian (2020), posits that mismatch

can eventually contribute to a wage penalty, and students tend to regret their study

program. He added, specialization and education level can impact one’s possibility

of being underemployed. Analysis done by Shahidan et al. (2019), they highlights

that the number of overeducated-graduates employment in the Malaysian labor

market is increasing, and the majority of graduates are in job classifications as clerks

and sales workers. Beside mismatch and underemployment, students also worry

about being jobless after graduating. Data from the Department of Statistics

Malaysia (2020) show that unemployment rate in August 2020 was 4.7% which is

an increase of 1.4% since February 2019. In terms of numbers, unemployed

individuals in Malaysia totaled 516,400, out of which 162,000 are graduates. This

phenomenon makes university students more concerned about their career

opportunities after graduating. However, there are some evidence that people with

different interests approach career decision-making in distinctively different ways

and with varying degrees of success. Difficulties, particularly those associated with

perceived lack of career knowledge, are significant predictors of career decision

status across both age groups.

The reviewed literature and studies above shows that career decision-making

is a multifaceted process influenced by a variety of factors, both internal and

external. While the existing studies provide valuable insights into general career

decision-making processes, they often lack specific focus on this particular age

group. Moreover, by understanding their natural strengths, interest, values through

proper career guidance, students can make more informed decisions about their

academic path. This reduces the likelihood of pursuing degrees that don't align with

their skills or the current job market, leading to a mismatch in qualifications and

employment opportunities. With better career guidance and informed decision-

making, fewer graduates are likely to end up underemployed or unemployed. By

conducting research on this topic, we can gain a deeper understanding of the unique

challenges and opportunities faced by students, ultimately leading to the

development of more effective interventions to support their career choices.

Conceptual Framework

This part portrays the framework about the process that the research will go

through. It focuses on the factors that influence career decision-making of all the

Grade 12 Senior High School students of Sto. Niño Senior High School.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Demographic Data collection

Profile of the procedure on the

respondents based
factors that influence
Intervention
on their age, gender, career decision-
Scheme
and making of the

respondent
socioeconomic

status

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on the Social Cognitive Career Theory by Robert W.

Lent, Steven D. Brown and Gail Hackett (1994).

Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), proposed by Lent, Brown, and

Hackett (1994), is a comprehensive framework that explains how individuals' career

paths develop through the complex interplay of personal, social, and environmental

factors. It emphasizes the role of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal

goals in shaping career choices and outcomes. This theory posits that an individual's

career development is influenced by a complex interplay of personal, social, and

environmental factors. It highlight the importance of self-efficacy beliefs in

motivating individuals to pursue specific career paths and the role of social and

environmental factors in shaping these beliefs. The SCCT approach has the

following advantages: firstly, it provides a systematic explanation for career

development; secondly, it responds to the development of the times; lastly, it focuses

on special groups in terms of career counseling. SCCT approach also faces some

challenges: lack of qualitative research methods, lack of qualitative assessment

methods, and lack of intervention approach. Finally, The SCCT has good

applicability in school career education guidance and provides a comprehensive

framework for explaining and predicting career development (Lent and Brown,

2019). As SCCT’s interest model illustrates, career choice is preceded by the

development of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and skills in different

performance domains.
 Over time, these processes make certain choice paths attractive and viable

for a given individual, and render other options less appealing or likely to be

pursued. SCCT develops into a comprehensive career theory that argues that an

individual's career path results from the interaction between multiple career

elements. Moreover, once initial career choices are made, they are subject to future

revision because individuals and their environments can change. Events and

circumstances may well transpire that could not have been foreseen during initial

choice-making or career entry. Thus, it seems prudent to think of career selection as

an unfolding process with multiple influences and choice points. By Social

Cognitive Career Theory, students can gain a better understanding of their own

interests, values, and abilities, leading to informed decision-making and increased

self-confidence in achieving their career goals. We focus on empowering students

to make confident career choices upon entering college. This will enable them to

pursue a path they are passionate about and envision themselves in for the long term.

By avoiding indecision and potential mismatches, students can save time and

energy, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and successful career. This will also

prevent them from shifting courses mid-way through their studies, ensuring a

smooth and efficient academic journey. People develop outcome expectations

regarding different academic and career paths from a variety of direct and vicarious

learning experiences, such as perceptions of the outcomes they have personally

received in relevant past endeavors and the secondhand information they acquire

about different career fields (e.g., by observing family and community members or

seeing how different forms of work are portrayed in various media). SCCT helps us

understand how these students perceive their abilities, anticipate the outcomes of

their choices, and balance their personal interests with societal expectations.
 The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) explains how people's beliefs

about their abilities, the outcomes of their actions, and their personal interests shape

their career choices. When applied to the school setting, SCCT grants students a

framework for understanding their career paths. It empowers them to recognize their

strengths, set realistic goals, and make informed decisions about their future. Goals

offer an important means by which students exercise agency in their educational and

occupational pursuits. By setting personal goals, students help to organize, direct,

and sustain their own behavior, even over long intervals without external payoffs.

The amount of progress students perceive they are making toward their goals can

have important affective consequences (e.g., feelings of satisfaction/dissatisfaction),

which may help to reshape future choices. Interests are generally a reliable predictor

of educational and career choices—but they are not the only such predictor.

Especially in cases where people need to compromise their interests in making

choices. Choice content and performance goals, respectively, help to motivate

behavioral choices and the levels of performance and persistence students attain at

school. Considering the role of individual cognitive variables (self-efficacy and

outcome expectations), learning experiences, and personal interests on career

development, SCCT focuses on not only environmental but also individual factors

that influence one's career decision making. Progress toward personal goals also

promotes feelings of work satisfaction. It is important, therefore, that students set

and pursue goals in ways that enable them to achieve their own objectives.
 Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design, research respondents, research

locale, research instrument, data gathering procedure, ethical considerations, and

statistical treatment of the data.

Research Design

This study will use descriptive survey research design. A Descriptive

Research aims to accurately and systematically describe a population, situation, or

phenomenon. It can answer what, where, and how questions, but not why questions

(McCombes, 2022). The study may involve case studies, observation, survey and

archival research to understand characteristics of a specific demographic group

(Manda, nd).

The study will investigate the factors that influence career decision-making

among senior high school students. Specifically, it will use the survey-method,

which is one of the descriptive methods of research. Also, in this study, a

questionnaire will be used in collecting the data.

Research Respondents

This study will focus on the factors that influence career decision-making and

will not use a sampling technique, since all the strands of Grade 12 Sto. Niño Senior

High School students are the respondents of the study, namely: General Academic

Strand (GAS), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), Accountancy, Business,

and Management (ABM), Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and

Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL) are the respondents.

The table below shows the respondents of the study.

Table 1. Respondents of the Study

Respondents Groups
Grade 12 M F T

GAS

Section 1 7 10 17

Section 2 6 14 20

HUMSS

Section 1 12 14 26

Section 2 21 10 31
ABM

Section 1 2 7 9
ICT

Section 1 7 3 10

Section 2 12 5 17
TVL

Section 1 2 18 20
Total 69 81 150
Research Locale

This study will focus on the factors that influence career decision-making of

all the Grade 12 senior high school students in Sto. Niño Senior High School which

is located at Brgy. 6 Sto. Niño Extension, Tacloban City.

Figure 2. Research Locale of the Study

Research Instrument

The data will be collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire is a

combination of research-made and adopted (modified). The first part is all about the

demographic profile of the respondents such as; age, gender, and socio-economic

status. The second part is the factors that influence career decision-making of the

respondents. It is divided into two parts: part A, where the respondents will be asked
about their demographic profile, part B, where the respondents will be asked what

are the factors that influence their career decision making, part C, where the

respondents are to assess their level of agreement to the following evaluative

statement which are self-rated by the respondents using the 5-point Likert Scale

such: 5 = strongly agree, 4 = agree, 3 = uncertain, 2 = disagree, 1 = strongly disagree.

The questionnaire will undergo validation. First is the expert validation to

ascertain the validity of contents. Three experts will evaluate the questionnaire such

as research expert, a statistician and a language specialist. This will also be pilot

tested by 20 students from another school.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers will prepare a letter of request to conduct this study. Before

conducting the gathering of data, the researchers will seek first the permission of the

school principal and the advisers. If the respondents are under 17, they will need a

parent consent and assent form. In handling out the survey, the objectives of the

study will be clearly explained to the respondents. The cooperation of each

respondent will be sought, and each respondent will be assured of confidentiality.

Ethical Considerations

The researchers will initially have the authorization from the school

principal. This study will be conducted at Sto. Niño Senior High School. Permission

will be granted to the researcher, and informed consent and assent form for the 17
years old below respondents allowing the researcher to collect the data. The

proceeding method will be followed adhering to proper safety measures. The

respondents of the study will be chosen based on the study we are conducting since

the focus of our study is directed to the factors that influence career decision-making

of the Senior High School students.

The researcher will assure the respondents that their information will be kept in

private. The researcher will also be responsible in data retrieval in order to protect

and maintain the correctness of the result.

Statistical Treatment

To interpret the data effectively, the researchers will employ the following

statistical treatment. The percentage and Weighted Mean are the tools that will be

used to interpret the data.

1. Percentage

This will be used to determine the assessment of respondents with regards to their

personal profiles.

2. Weighted Mean

This will be employ to determine the frequency counts and distribution of factors

influencing career decision-making among respondents.

 Chapter 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter deals with the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data

gathered to determine the factors influencing career decision-making among Senior

High School Students. This study utilized the descriptive survey research design.

The study was conducted at Sto. Niño Senior High School, Tacloban City Division,

Tacloban City. The researchers made use of a questionnaire to determine the factors

influencing career decision-making among senior high school students. The

statistical tools that were used in numerical data gathered were percentage count and

weighted mean.

The following data are hereby presented with their corresponding analysis

and interpretation.

Profile of the Respondents

The profile of the respondents include the following: age, gender, and

socioeconomic status.

Table 3. Age, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status.

Profile f %
Age:
16-17 38 45.24%

18-19 35 41.67%

20-21 6 7.14%
2 2.38%
22-23
3 3.57%
24- above
84 100%
Total
 Profile f %

Gender:

Male 40 47.62%

Female 43 51.19%

Bisexual 1 1.19%

Gay 0 0%

Lesbian 0 0%

Transgender 0 0%

Total 84 100%

Socioeconomic Status

Upper Class 1 1.19%

Upper Middle 0 0%

Lower Middle 7 8.33%

Upper Lower 0 0%

Lower 24 29.57%

Poor 52 61.90%

Total 84 100%

Table 3 presents the frequency and percentage distribution of the

respondents according to age, gender, and socio-economic status. The table shows

that there were more respondents from the age range of 16-17 with a total number

of 38 or 25.24% from the total number of respondents which is 84. The table also

shows that there were more female respondents with a total number of 43 or 51.19%

from a total number of 84 respondents.

 Moreover, there were more respondents whose parents' monthly income

range from P10, 957 and below, which is classified as poor, with a total number of

52 or 61.90% out of 84 total number of respondents.

The Factors Influencing Career Decision-Making among Senior High School

Students

The second part of the survey collected data shows the factors influencing

career decision-making among senior high school students.

Table 4. Factors influencing career decision-making among senior high school

students.

Statement Level of Agreement

WM Interpretation
1. My family’s expectations 3.44 Uncertain
influence my career choice.
2. I seek advice from family 3.72 Agree
members regarding my career decisions.
3. My family’s financial situation 3.67 Agree
affects my career
Decision-making.
4. My school performance impacts 3.55 Agree
my career choice.
5. Teachers have encouraged me to 3.37 Uncertain
pursue specific careers.
6. The courses I am taking help me 3.62 Agree
make informed career decisions.
7. My friends’ opinions influence 3.13 Uncertain
my career choices.
8. I consider the career paths of my 2.95 Uncertain
peers when deciding on my own.
9. My personal interests heavily 3.84 Agree
influence my career choice.
10. I get career ideas from social 2.95 Uncertain
media.
 11. My career choice aligns with my 3.56 Agree
values and goals
12. Expected salary is a major factor 3.62 Agree
in my career choice.
13. I consider the job demand and 3.88 Agree
stability of a career before choosing it.
14. I have clear long-term goals that 3.81 Agree
guide my career choice.
15. I feel confident in my current 3.53 Agree
career choice.
16. I value feedback from peers 3.25 Uncertain
when considering my career path.
3.18 Uncertain
17. I feel pressure to choose a career
that is traditionally respected in society.
18. My siblings’ career choices 3.03 Uncertain
inspires me.
19. Financial stability is a top 3.09 Uncertain
priority in my career choices.
20. I think about the educational 3.72 Agree
requirements needed for my desired job.
21. I discuss career options 3.11 Uncertain
frequently with my family and friends.
22. The reputation of my career field 3.25 Uncertain
influences my career decision-making.
23. My parents choose what career I 2.92 Uncertain
should take.
24. I prioritize a career that aligns 3.06 Uncertain
with my personal values
25. When choosing my career, I 3.07 Uncertain
consider a high paying job opportunities.
General Assessment 3.46 Uncertain

Table 5 presents the factors influencing career decision-making among

senior high school students. There were 25 evaluative statements that describe the

factors that influence the career decision-making among senior high school students.

The table above shows that more students agree that their personal interests heavily

influence their career choice. They also agree that their family’s expectations

influence their career choice; they seek advice from family members regarding their
career decisions; their family’s financial situation affects their career decision-

making; their school performance impacts their career choice; the courses they were

taking help them make informed career decisions; their career choice aligns with

their values and goals; expected salary is a major factor of their career choice; they

consider the job demand and stability of a career before choosing it; they feel

confident in their current career choice; and they think about the educational

requirements needed for their desired job.

Overall, the computed weighted mean of all 25 statements is 3.46. When

interpreted, this means that respondents are uncertain about the factors influencing

their career decision-making.

Legend:

Mean Range Interpretation

4.50-5.00 Strongly Agree

3.50-4.49 Agree

2.50-3.49 Uncertain

1.50-2.49 Disagree

1.00-1.49 Strongly Disagree

 Chapter 5

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of findings, conclusion and

recommendation of the study about the factors influencing career decision-making

among senior high school students.

Summary of Findings

Career decision making is the process of identifying, evaluating, and

choosing a career path that aligns with your personal goals, values, and interests.

Career decisions are among the most important decisions individuals make in their

lifetime (Lent & Brown, 2020).

As stated by Dvoulety et al. (2021), career choices must be introduced

starting from adolescence because at that age they are required to undergo

developmental tasks. During this stage, individuals are actively engaged in self-

discovery and future planning. Exploring various career options can help them

identify their interests, values, and strengths, leading to a stronger sense of self.

Selecting a career can be one of life’s most challenging decisions.

The researchers gathered 84 grade 12 senior high school students to be the

respondents of the study. Researchers found out that there were more respondents

from the age range of 16-17 with a total number of 38 (45.24%) respondents and 43

(51.19%) respondents were female. Moreover, the researchers found out that 52

(61.90%) were classified as poor according to their socio-economic status.

 Based from the study, most students agree that their personal interests

heavily influence their career choice. Students also agree that their family’s

expectations influence their career choice; they seek advice from family members

regarding their career decisions; their family’s financial situation affects their career

decision-making; their school performance impacts their career choice; the courses

they were taking help them make informed career decisions; their career choice

aligns with their values and goals; expected salary is a major factor of their career

choice; they consider the job demand and stability of a career before choosing it;

they feel confident in their current career choice; and they think about the

educational requirements needed for their desired job.

Based on responses from 84 participants, it revealed a general uncertainty

regarding the factors influencing their career decision-making process. The overall

weighted mean of 3.46, derived from the tabulated responses to 25 statements,

supports this conclusion. This average score suggests that, across the factors

explored, participants did not express a clear sense of how these factors shaped their

career choices. A more detailed analysis of the tabulated responses for each

individual statement could provide richer insights into the specific factors

contributing most significantly to this uncertainty, potentially highlighting areas

where participants felt particularly ambivalent or lacked clear direction.

Conclusions

Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions are given.

1. A majority of the student participants are between the ages of 16 and 17, with a

slightly higher proportion of female respondents. A significant portion of the

participants come from families classified as having a poor socio-economic status.

2. While students acknowledge the influence of various factors on their career choices,

including personal interests, family expectations, family financial situation, school

performance, course selection, values, goals, expected salary, job demand and stability,

confidence in career choice, and educational requirements, a general uncertainty exists

regarding the relative importance and interplay of these factors in their career decision-

making process.

3. The overall weighted mean of 3.46, derived from 25 evaluative statements, reflects

this uncertainty, suggesting that students have not yet fully solidified their

understanding of how these factors shape their career choices.

Recommendations

After thoroughly analyzing the concluded research, the following

recommendations are stated below.

1. Further research is recommended to explore the specific factors contributing to the

observed uncertainty in career decision-making. Qualitative studies, such as interviews

or focus groups, could provide deeper insights into the students' perspectives and the

relative importance they place on different factors.

2. Targeted career guidance interventions should be developed and implemented to

address the identified uncertainties. These interventions should focus on helping

students clarify their values, explore career options aligned with their interests and

skills, understand the educational requirements for various careers, and develop a more

informed and confident approach to career planning.

3. Schools should strengthen their career counseling and guidance programs. These

programs should include opportunities for self-assessment, career exploration,

information about different career paths, and guidance on educational planning. Given

the socioeconomic background of many participants, programs should also address

potential barriers to career entry and provide information about financial aid and

scholarship opportunities.