Exploring the Influence of Personality Traits, Self-Efficacy, and Creativity on Employability for Hospitality and Tourism College Students

With the widespread establishment of universities and technical colleges in Taiwan, having a university degree is no longer a privilege of the few. However, it has also led to the emergence of many socially inexperienced people with higher education degrees who need more workplace competitiveness. Therefore, students’ employability is a topic worth exploring. Equally, the number of students in hospitality-related departments is still very high in the current conditions, while the employment situation in the tourism and hospitality industry is relatively challenging and unstable, making students’ employability even more critical. This study examines the relationship between self-efficacy, creativity, employability, and personality traits in the hospitality and tourism industry. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis confirm the previous research findings. In addition, testing of the scale reliability and validity is needed. A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach and mediation analysis are adopted to test the research hypotheses and explore gender differences. The study aims to understand how individual characteristics contribute to career success and identify any unique challenges or advantages based on gender. The research results show that personality traits can affect and influence employability in terms of self-efficacy. Furthermore, personality traits can affect self-efficacy, and self-efficacy can enhance creativity and improve employability.