This quantitative study investigated the career perceptions of Japanese undergraduate students, specifically contrasting views on general careers versus those in the hospitality and tourism sector. Data collected from 137 students at an annual hotel career fair via structured surveys revealed that while most career perceptions were consistent, there were marked differences in ‘a job with high-quality resources’ and ‘job mobility’. These aspects were viewed more favorably for careers in hospitality and tourism. This finding contrasted with previous research from other geographic locations, where students expressed more negative perceptions about the hospitality and tourism careers, including the ‘a job with high-quality resources’ factor. Notably, a limited number of current research participants had industry exposure through internships, suggesting potential biases in their perceptions. A realistic job preview is vital in making informed early career choices, and its absence might lead to increased job turnover. Given that Japan’s hospitality sector reported a 25.6% employee turnover rate in 2022, this research finding emphasizes the need for comprehensive career insights for students, advocating for robust internships and academia-industry collaborations.
Kate Inyoung Yoo (Fri,) studied this question.