The Effectiveness of Mastering Mandarin in Enhancing Career Competitiveness for Entry into International Companies

This study aims to analyze the influence of Mandarin language proficiency and soft skills on career competitiveness in international companies. The research is motivated by the growing demand for global competencies amid rising foreign investment, particularly from China, and the lack of soft skill readiness among graduates in Lampung. A quantitative descriptive approach was employed through a survey of 100 University of Lampung alumni working in the formal sector, using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression with SPSS version 27. The results show that both Mandarin language proficiency (X1) and soft skills (X2) simultaneously have a significant effect on career competitiveness (Y), with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.454. Partially, Mandarin proficiency had a stronger effect (sig. = 0.000) compared to soft skills (sig. = 0.002). The study concludes that foreign language competence and interpersonal-adaptive skills significantly contribute to enhancing graduates’ competitiveness in the global job market. Therefore, strengthening these aspects should be prioritized in higher education curricula.