Student work experience: An investment in the future or a waste of time?

Work experience that students acquire during their studies and through various student jobs serves as a bridge between academic knowledge and the pro­fessional world. Not only does it allow students to apply their theoretical knowl­edge in practice, contributing to the development of key skills and the strengthen­ing of various competencies, but it is also an important factor in shaping their job search self-efficacy. Work experience is directly linked to students’ sense of competence and readiness to face professional challenges. The aim of our research was to examine how different aspects of work experience are related to students‘ job search self-efficacy. The sample included 97 students who, through an on­line questionnaire, assessed the number of hours, diversity, and relevance of their work experience, as well as their own job search self-efficacy. As expected, the results showed that all examined aspects of work experience – the numerical esti­mate of work experience hours, the relative amount of work experience hours, the self-perceived relevance of work experience, and the self-perceived diversity of work experience – were positively and statistically significantly associated with job search self-efficacy. Regression analysis revealed that the combination of these factors significantly contributes to explaining the variance in self-efficacy and that the combination of all these aspects and their interactions effectively predicts an individual’s job search self-efficacy. The findings contribute to a better under­standing of the relationship between work experience and students’ job search self-efficacy while also offering students insight into the importance of different aspects of work experience. When seeking student jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities, it is advisable for students to gain a high quantity of experience, ensure it is diverse, and prioritize relevance to their field of employment.