Longitudinal Change in Self‑Perceived Employability During Emerging Adulthood: Key Findings from Our Study Presented at SSEA 2026

At the 2026 conference of the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood (SSEA), held in Poznań, we presented the poster “Longitudinal Change of Self‑Perceived Employability Throughout Emerging Adulthood.” This study examines how university students’ perceptions of their own employability evolve over nearly a decade, a period marked by significant personal and professional transitions.

Self‑perceived employability, both internal (referring to one’s sense of competence) and external (referring to perceived opportunities in the labor market), is a crucial psychological resource during the transition to adulthood. Understanding its developmental trajectory helps identify factors that support more adaptive and resilient career pathways.

Main Findings

Drawing on three waves of data collected in 2015, 2018, and 2024, the study reveals:

1. Stability in self‑perceived employability Perceptions of employability remain relatively stable over time. Although mean levels show a slight increase, absolute stability is confirmed even after controlling for age and gender.

2. Consistent relative stability Correlations across waves indicate that individuals who initially report higher employability tend to maintain these perceptions in subsequent years.

3. Persistent gender differences Men report higher levels of both internal employability (feeling more competent) and external employability (perceiving more opportunities available in the labor market) across several waves of the study.

4. Family support as a protective factor Family social support predicts internal employability in 2018 and 2024, and external employability in 2018. Support from friends, however, does not show significant effects on either dimension.

Implications

In a labor market characterized by uncertainty and precariousness, feeling employable becomes a key psychological asset for navigating transitions, making decisions, and sustaining well‑being. These findings provide evidence on how employability perceptions develop during emerging adulthood and highlight the role of family support as a meaningful contributor.

Sánchez-Queija, I., Vargas, R., Rodríguez-Pérez, M., Macía Guerrero, P., Smith, K., & Parra, A. (2026). Longitudinal Change of Self-Perceived Employability in Emerging Adulthood. Poster presented at the EA 2026 Conference, Emerging Adults on the Road to Maturity, Poznań (Poland), June 29–July 1, 2026.

The Transition to Adulthood in Spain (TAE) Project relies on the joint institutional collaboration of researchers from the Universidad de Sevilla, the Escuela Universitaria de Osuna (an affiliated center of the Universidad de Sevilla), and the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea.

Proyect PID2024-155825NB-I00 financed by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE