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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Be it now, or in the near future, the question What will life be like after

graduation? has most baffled the youth as they slowly approach the completion of their

undergraduate degree (Ribbons, 2014). Yet as time changes, generations also change and

younger age groups now aspire differently from their predecessors. Due to a modernistic

environment where their needs and wants are almost always satiated, the youth expect

more when it comes to their career choices (Jobstreet Asia, 2017). As older generations

leave from workplaces around the world, even in Asia or in the Philippines, younger

employees slowly fill up cubicles and offices (Lim, 2016). Given with the current

economic situation, it is now common to observe different age groups, whether young

and old, competing for one job position. Understanding how these generations interact

and what are their expectations are vital for companies to know so that employers can

retain them in place.

In assessing career expectations, it is important to know that one can be really

affected by their choices. Some people have set their expectations high, and some are low

for the reason that they might expect for progressive change over time. Defining a good

career expectation is crucial because this will be a way to add value to an applicant.

Discussing aspirations clearly increase chances of getting the job, and this might even be
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the opportunity to showcase ones potential (Tucker, 2015). However, it has been

emphasized that one must avoid being too ideological, and must focus on setting practical

goals. Setting very high goals may result to disappointment and disengagement to reality,

especially in the current economic situation of the Philippines. An example of a very high

expectation is to think that an applicant will be able to negotiate a huge salary increase

for the job offer. While it might be true that its good to persuade employers, one must

not expect an instant P50,000 bump for an entry level job (Salemi, 2014). One of the

people that set high career expectations are students, especially fresh graduates that are

on the hunt for companies to apply. According to Thomas (2014), a survey has found out

that 79% of these students expect to be in a graduate-level job within six months.

However government figures say otherwise, and showed that only around 53% of those

graduated within the past five years are in such jobs. People of varied age groups now

aspire differently from their predecessors and successors, due to the fact that they are

exposed to changing times and environments (Jobstreet Asia, 2017).

When setting expectations, job-seekers need to know various reality checks.

Furthermore, when having high expectations, one should in return have higher efforts

when developing their careers. On the actual situation, experts believe that job-hunting

should in itself be a full-time job (Hansen, R., & Hansen, K., 2015). While it might be

true that getting inside a competitive job market will a big challenge to students, it is

never bad to have professional goals for career development. Despite harsh realities, a

job-seeker must always be open for self-improvement and opportunities. That is why it is

crucial to plot a clear, objective and practical career development plan beforehand

(Harrison, 2016).
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The phenomenon of varied career expectations from different age groups is

rampant across the world. It is also observed that older people have a generational

difference on the career choices of younger people. The need for this to be studied has

attracted various sociologists in order to expose how different each generations are when

it comes to their work values. As being discussed earlier, those from the younger age

groups, like students, have higher career expectations as compared to their predecessors.

In fact Raybould & Wilkins (2005) found out that Hospitality Management students in

New Zealand seem to rate the value of their degrees higher than employees do in the

actual industry. Therefore, there are gaps between the assumptions of students and those

of hospitality professionals, which have led to problems in the industry.

Each generation has its own different work values and aspirations, and it is

essential for this to be observed since this has concerned employers in their recruitment,

especially to millennials. In North America, people from Generation X (born from 1965-

1978) and Generation Y or Millennials (born from 1978-1999) are much more likely than

Traditionalists (birth years 1945 and below) and Baby Boomers (born from 1946-1964)

to want and expect to reach a senior level position. In other words, younger generations

have higher expectations than those from older groups (n-Gen People Performance Inc.,

2009). A survey conducted by Poll (2015) to Chicago workers and high school students

has found similar results. When respondents were asked what salary they need to earn to

be successful, 1 in 4 current workers (25 %) feel they would be successful making less

than $50,000 a year, while high school students say they need to make $200,000 or more

to feel the same way. When it comes to earning promotions, high school students display

more optimism than working professionals. Another survey found out that millennials are
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more impatient about advancement or moving. They are more open to flexible work

schedule, and more methodical in the conduct of their work, yet they show up later and

work shorter hours (Smith, 2012). New research also found out that millennials are also

more likely to be entrepreneurs. However as a negative, they have been criticized for

having very high expectations about what can be achieved in the workplace (Seager,

2014).

Differences of work values and aspirations between generations continue to be

evident even in an Asian perspective. As the first wave of Baby Boomers leave the

Singaporean workforce, organizations are going to have to rely more heavily on their

Generation Y employees. In order to hire and retain the best, employers will need to take

Gen Ys high expectations for pay and promotion into account. However, a survey has

found out that Gen Ys are the most challenging to retain. Eighty percent of respondents

say that this is because of their very high expectations for career advancement, while

75% say they want more remuneration than they are worth (Half, 2013).

Millennials comprise up to 25% of the Asian Pacific workforce, and it has been

forecasted to increase by 50% of the global workforce by 2020 (CBRE, 2015). As they

are becoming more important in the workforce, companies are adjusting as possible to

know their demands, and one of the major challenges is none other than salary. Jobstreet

Asia (2017) explained that high remuneration demands may also be attributed to the way

millennials are raised. Millennials grew up in an environment where their needs and

wants are almost always satiated, not to mention early exposures to paid services,

conveniences and entertainment. As cited by Lim (2016) from David Jones, their high

expectations can also be explained because they are living in an age of low
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unemployment in Malaysia. They expect a pay rise or a promotion as they are confident

that they can find employment elsewhere if their expectations are not met.

In the Philippines, younger generations are having different aspirations than their

older predecessors. Mattison (2011) has found out that Filipino students choose their

majors in part because of the market value of the field, rather than any real interest or

capability in it. In other words, younger generations prefer remuneration and salary when

choosing a career. Moreover, in the findings of the study of Gastardo-Conaco, Jimenez &

Billedo (2003), Filipino adolescents goals and aspirations center on finishing their

education, helping their families and being gainfully employed. Getting a degree and

entering into a successful company is considered very important in light of the

competition for jobs and for the improvement of ones quality of life. Filipino youth

(ages 18-30) prefer higher remuneration because they are more likely to save money in

the face of economic uncertainty than their older counterparts (PDI, 2008). Meanwhile, a

Jobstreet survey of 450 companies in Manila has found out what employers are bothered

about fresh graduates and younger generations, and how they are compared to older

workers. Employers think that fresh graduates cannot settle long enough in a job. This

may be due to the fact that millennials love to experiment different careers at one time.

Moreover, their expectations for salary and job positions are very high as compared to

their antecedents. Many employers also feel that younger generations have no regard for

rules in the workplace unlike their predecessors (Tantuco, 2015).

As Baby Boomers approach retirement age, more workplaces today consist of

only three groupsthe Generation X, Y and Z (a newer generation of birth years 2000

and above). It can be beneficial to have a mixture of experience and conservatism from
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older groups, and confidence and youthful energy from younger groups in the workplace,

however it could also be difficult to manage, given the differences that exist within these

generations. That is why it is encouraged to have more cross-generational interaction.

The younger generations can learn the experience and expertise offered by the senior

generations whereas the latter can learn to adapt to new perspectives or even pick up new

technical and social skills from the former (Jobstreet, 2017).

Despite the fact that students, millennials and younger age groups have more

varied career expectations than their predecessors (Seager, 2014; Smith, 2012 & Poll,

2015), it is crucial to observe how these populations interact in the workplace. Their

stereotypes aside, these generations have various skills and capabilities given the

modernistic environment of today. As they are likely to move from jobs in hope for

higher salaries, companies need to do more to engage younger employees and give them

roles that leverage their strengths if they want to keep them. One example would be to tap

their savviness with technology and social media to lead a social networking task force to

drive a business need (Half, 2013). Determining what younger generations are looking

for can help companies and organizations in improving their workplace, because

someday these age groups will work for them long enough if governed well (Lim, 2016).

For this quantitative study, the researchers aimed to investigate on the differences

of the level of career expectations when grouped according to students years of study.

Although there may be numerous literatures highlighting the said topic globally and

nationally, limited studies are found in local contexts that talk about this matter.

Moreover, this study might fill in the remaining gap of this body of knowledge,

especially in local considerations where the economic situation in the Philippines and in
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Digos City is challenging, and applicants from different age groups compete for one job

position. Additionally, the research can also further strengthen the existing foundation of

this matter.

Theoretical Framework

This study was observed and backed up through the Self-Concept Theory by

Donald Super (1953). Furthermore, the foundations of this research were strengthened

because of this supporting theory.

Self-Concept Theory. This states that as time passes by, people continue to change,

grow and develop through different phases. Super (1953) influenced the idea that

developing a sense of self and realizing that you change over time is important when

planning your career. Self-concept changes over time, and develops as a result of

experience. As they progress from stage to stage, so does their career choices because

career development is a lifelong process. During times of growth, people should start to

have a better understanding of themselves. This theory assumes that people might have

several different careers and choices over their lifespan because they will continue to

evolve. If positioned in the context of this study, this can be understood that as a person

matures or the more he/she is exposed in various life/industrial situations, he/she might

be more aware of the reality in taking part in competitive job markets and economic

environments. As knowing such, he/she can adjust expectations based on actuality. It is

known that one can be really affected by his/her career choices and expectations. People

must keep in mind that career development is also like life development; one must start

from the lowest stage to proceed to the higher ups (Super, 1953).
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Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to compare the level of career expectations of students, as well

as their demographic profile. Specifically, it sought to answer the following:

1. What is the demographic profile of the students in terms of year level?

2. What is the level of their career expectations?

3. Is there a significant difference on the level of career expectations of students

when grouped according to year level?

Hypothesis of the Study

After the statement of the problem was determined, the researchers then

formulated a null hypothesis, and tested it at 0.05 level of significance. Furthermore, it

stated the following:

H0: There is no significant difference on the level of career expectations of

students when grouped according to year level.

Significance of the Study

The result of the study could provide help among these people:

Business Organizations. The findings of this study might help managers and

employers of business organizations or companies in assessing the career expectations of

younger generations, and how varied it is when years of study increase. They can

compare the career choices between different age groups of their employees.

Furthermore, they might be more aware of what the youth are looking for when applying
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for a company, and can adjust accordingly to better suit the professional needs of these

students.

School Authorities. The aim of this study was most primarily targeted within

campus environments. The results might aid the school board and administration in

evaluating the career expectations of students. With the help of the guidance counselor or

other related personnel, authorities can support their students when formulating career

expectations through the assistance of the findings of this study.

Teachers. The results of this study might inform teachers about the outlook and

career expectations of their students. In connection with this, they can provide lessons

and wisdom to their students about the reality of taking part into job and business

environments, and the idea that one can be really affected by their career choices.

Parents. By becoming aware of the career expectations of certain students as

being implicated by the study, parents can be knowledgeable about what their child or

children are looking for and their professional needs. Since they are most exposed to

business environments, parents can offer insights on how to enter jobs as quickly as

possible, and how to effectively compete with other applicants through adjusting their

expectations.

Students. This study would help the students to be guided and have enough

knowledge in the process of making a choice on which path they ought to take in the

future. Furthermore, through the results, students can be more sentient on setting career

expectations. This study might help them realize the varied expectations of different age

groups, and how they are affected with their career choices.
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Future Researchers. The results of the study can serve as a guide or reference to

future researchers who would like to have a similar topic to this research. The findings

can be transferred to their context as a support to their study.

Scope and Limitation

The scope of this study contained Senior High School and College students from

Cor Jesu College, Sacred Heart Avenue, Digos City, and essentially investigated their

years of study and the level of their career expectations. Moreover, the study only

focused on Grade 11 and 12 Senior High School students from the Accountancy,

Business and Management (ABM) strand. For College students, the study contained

Third, Fourth, Fifth Year students from the College of Accountancy, Business and

Entrepreneurship (CABE) who were taking up these Bachelors degree programs:

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Accountancy, BS in Accounting Technology, BS in Business

Administration, and BS Hotel and Restaurant Management regardless of student

classification (regular or irregular). Because of the current implementation of Senior High

School of the K to 12 Program, First and Second Year College students were not

obtainable because of the two additional years added in the Basic Education Curriculum.

Instead, Grade 11 and 12 students were the ones who underwent the studys data

gathering procedure. For the delimitations, the research did not include College students

from special programs (Sunday School), and those taking up Hotel and Restaurant

Management at Cor Jesu Colleges annex campus at Sitio Power, Barangay Tres de

Mayo, Digos City due to time and location constraints. The conduct of the study and

drafting of the paper were done from July to October 2017.

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Definition of Terms

The title of this study was very much important as this served as a window for the

readers to further delve into the possibilities and discussions of the research. Moreover,

certain terms were being defined based on how they are developed in the context of the

study.

Years of Study. These referred to how long the student was exposed in his/her

chosen field or course, in which because of this experience, a student might have

different career choices as compared to younger or older students.

Career Expectations. The outlook of a student to his/her future, and what he/she

anticipates when choosing a job, getting into a company, salaries and benefits, individual

or professional growth, and what he/she looks for in an employer or workplace. This also

referred to how high the expectations of students are when formulating their career

choices.