A STUDY ON CAREER PREFERENCES AMONG YOUNG ADULTS IN CHENNAI
AUTHORS:
Mentor
Dr. R. Ramamoorthy
Affiliation
Department of Management Studies, Jerusalem College of Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
DOI: 
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
CC BY 4.0 License:
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
REVIEW REPORT
CITE THIS ARTICLE
Abstract
Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions for young adults, as it shapes their income, identity and long-term well-being. This study examines the career preferences of young adults in Chennai, focusing on four factors, namely Personal Values and Vocational Interests, Family and Socio-Economic Background, Educational Attainment and Aspiration, and Job-Related Work Values. A descriptive research design was adopted, and data was collected from 64 young adults using a structured questionnaire circulated through Google Forms. Statistical tools such as percentage analysis, weighted average analysis, multiple regression and correlation analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings indicate a generally favourable response to all Career Preference statements, with the highest weighted average (4.08) for actively seeking information and opportunities aligned with the preferred career path. The four factors together have a significant effect on Career Preference (p = 0.000) and explain about 55 per cent of its variation, with Personal Values and Vocational Interests and Educational Attainment and Aspiration emerging as the significant predictors. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.626) was found between Personal Values and Vocational Interests and Career Preference. The study concludes that interest- and value-based career guidance, better educational and skill development support, and constructive family involvement can help young adults make informed career decisions
Keywords
Article Information
PUBLICATION DETAILS
Review Type:
Double-Blind Peer Review
License:
CC BY-NC 4.0
Volume/Issue:
Volume 02, Issue 10
Review Rounds:
2
Article Type:
Research Article
Publication Date:
Oct 13 2026
Article Metrics
Article Views
81
PDF Downloads
1
HOW TO CITE
Copy
R, M. (2026). A Study on Career Preferences among Young Adults in Chennai. International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, 02(10), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i10.068
R, Monica. "A Study on Career Preferences among Young Adults in Chennai." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, vol. 02, no. 10, 2026, pp. 1-9. doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i10.068.
R, Monica. "A Study on Career Preferences among Young Adults in Chennai." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology 02, no. 10 (2026): 1-9. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i10.068.
References
Super, D. E. (1957). The Psychology of Careers. Harper & Brothers, New York.
Holland, J. L. (1959). A Theory of Vocational Choice. Journal of Counselling Psychology, 6(1), 35–45.
Dhar, S. (2019). Job Preferences and Career Priorities. In Kumar, S. (Ed.), Youth in India: Aspirations, Attitudes, Anxieties. Taylor & Francis.
Atamian, R., & Mansouri, H. (2013). Student Career Preferences: In Support of a New Learning Paradigm. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 6(2), 223–232.
Tien, H. S. (2011). An Exploration of Adult Career Interests and Work Values in Taiwan. Asia Pacific Education Review, 12, 559–568.
Lipshits-Braziler, Y., Arieli, S., & Daniel, E. (2024). Personal Values and Career-Related Preferences Among Young Adults. Journal of Personality, 93, 378–393.
Murisal, Ardias, W. S., Zikri, M., & Maiseptian, F. (2026). Career Interests Among Young Adults of Minang Ethnicity in the Overseas of Lubuk Linggau City. G-COUNS: Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling, 10(2), 1355–1369.
Tziner, A., Loberman, G., Dekel, Z., & Sharoni, G. (2012). The Influence of the Parent-Offspring Relationship on Young People's Career Preferences. Revista de Psicología del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones, 28(2), 99–105.
Croll, P. (2008). Occupational Choice, Socio-Economic Status and Educational Attainment. Research Papers in Education, 23(3), 243–268.
Hamid, M. A. (2020). Job Selection Preferences: What Do Young Adults Want? Global Business and Management Research, 12(4), 606–615.
Oliveira, L. B., & Cordeiro, C. L. (2025). What Do Young Adults Want? A Study About Their Job Preferences. BBR – Brazilian Business Review, 22, e20231341.
National Statistical Office (2026). Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Report, 2025 [January–December 2025]. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India.
Holland, J. L. (1959). A Theory of Vocational Choice. Journal of Counselling Psychology, 6(1), 35–45.
Dhar, S. (2019). Job Preferences and Career Priorities. In Kumar, S. (Ed.), Youth in India: Aspirations, Attitudes, Anxieties. Taylor & Francis.
Atamian, R., & Mansouri, H. (2013). Student Career Preferences: In Support of a New Learning Paradigm. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 6(2), 223–232.
Tien, H. S. (2011). An Exploration of Adult Career Interests and Work Values in Taiwan. Asia Pacific Education Review, 12, 559–568.
Lipshits-Braziler, Y., Arieli, S., & Daniel, E. (2024). Personal Values and Career-Related Preferences Among Young Adults. Journal of Personality, 93, 378–393.
Murisal, Ardias, W. S., Zikri, M., & Maiseptian, F. (2026). Career Interests Among Young Adults of Minang Ethnicity in the Overseas of Lubuk Linggau City. G-COUNS: Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling, 10(2), 1355–1369.
Tziner, A., Loberman, G., Dekel, Z., & Sharoni, G. (2012). The Influence of the Parent-Offspring Relationship on Young People's Career Preferences. Revista de Psicología del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones, 28(2), 99–105.
Croll, P. (2008). Occupational Choice, Socio-Economic Status and Educational Attainment. Research Papers in Education, 23(3), 243–268.
Hamid, M. A. (2020). Job Selection Preferences: What Do Young Adults Want? Global Business and Management Research, 12(4), 606–615.
Oliveira, L. B., & Cordeiro, C. L. (2025). What Do Young Adults Want? A Study About Their Job Preferences. BBR – Brazilian Business Review, 22, e20231341.
National Statistical Office (2026). Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Report, 2025 [January–December 2025]. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India.
Ethics and Compliance
✓ All ethical standards met
This article has undergone plagiarism screening and double-blind peer review. Editorial policies have been followed. Authors retain copyright under CC BY-NC 4.0 license. The research complies with ethical standards and institutional guidelines.
Indexed In
Similar Articles
Examining the use of Social Commerce and Direct Selling on Social Media by Entrepreneurs and its Impact on Revenue
(2026)
DOI: 10.55041/ijsmt.v2i4.500
Revisiting the Legal and Constitutional Landscape of Jammu & Kashmir Post-Article 370 Abrogation: A Critical Analysis
(2026)
DOI: 10.55041/ijsmt.v2i3.431
Development of a Low-Cost IOT-Based Smart Energy Meter System
(2026)
DOI: 10.55041/ijsmt.v2i5.402
Previous Article
