European Journal of Scientific Research

ISSN 1450-216X Vol.26 No.3 (2009), pp.465-469

© EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2009
http://www.eurojournals.com/ejsr.htm

Gender Difference and Career Interest Among

Undergraduates: Implications for Career Choices

Abdullah Seif AlMiskry

International Islamic University, Malaysia

Ab. Rahim Bakar

Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
E-mail: arb@educ.upm.edu.my

Othman Mohamed
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the career interests of university students. Two
hundred and thirty-eight undergraduates were involved in the study. They consisted of 101
male and 137 female students attending three public universities in Malaysia. There was a
significant different of realistic career interest pattern between male and female students.

1. Introduction
Human being must earn for a living in order to meet the basic needs for foods, shelter and many other
physical as well as psychological needs. Although everyone has to work to earn a living it does not
mean that one is happy with what one does. Holland (1985) contended that we can be happy with our
jobs and are able to do our jobs comfortably if the jobs are congruent with our interests. Career
interests are patterns of likes, dislikes, and indifference regarding career relevant activities and
occupations and career interest predict career choices and performance (Lent et al., 1984). There are
six distinct vocational interests (Holland, 1985 and Holland, 1992). The six types are: Realistic,
Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional (RAISEC).
People often select a job on the basis of experiences or exposures to the world of work.
However, studies have shown that gender plays an important role in career choices. Male and female
career choices are normally different because of the difference in their self-concepts. Studies (Adams
and Walkerdine, 1986; Best, 1983; and Spender, 1982) showed that girls tended to opt for a very
narrow range of stereotypically feminine occupations. There is a gender-role stereotyping in expressing
vocational interest among gender whereby male preferred realistic and investigative occupations and
female on the other hand preferred social type of occupations (Betz and Hackett, 1981). Similar
Tomlinson and Evans (1991) found that male students scored significantly higher than female students
on the realistic and investigative scales of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory. On the other hand,
female students prefer social, artistic, and conventional types of occupations

2. Objectives of the Study

The objective of the study was to determine the career interest pattern of undergraduates attending
public universities in Malaysia.
Gender Difference and Career Interest Among Undergraduates: Implications for Career Choices 466

3. Methods of Research
3.1. Population and Sample
The population of the study was third and second year undergraduates attending public universities in
Malaysia. A cluster random sampling process was used to select the sample whereby classes were the
clusters and all students in the selected classes were the respondents. Two hundred and thirty-eight
students from seven faculties of the three selected universities were involved in the study (Table 1).

Table 1: Number of students by Faculty selected to participate in the study (n=238)

Faculty Number of Students Selected %

Engineering 34 14.3
Laws 34 14.3
Human science 34 14.3
Economics & Management 34 14.3
Medicine 34 14.3
Education 34 14.3
Agriculture 34 14.3

3.2. Instruments
The research instrument employed in the study consisted of two parts. The first part contained
questions related to demographic variables (age, gender, ethnicity, year of study, their majors, home
location, and their socio-economic status). The second part of the instrument contained questions
related to undergraduates career interests. Undergraduates career interest were solicited using
Holland’s Vocational Preference Inventory (1985). The VPI consisted of six career domains. These
are: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional career interest. 14 items
represent each career domain. The VPI has been extensively used in psychological and education
researches. It is a highly reliable and valid inventory as reported by Holland.. The result of a pilot test
indicates that the instrument was highly reliable. (Cronbach alpha = .95)

4. Results
The age of the respondents raged between 19 and 27 years. The mean age was 21.65 and SD. of 1.29
years. About 58% of the respondents were female students and about 42 of the respondents were male
students.

Table 2: Majors across gender

Gender
Majors Male Female
F % F %
Business & Management 18 17.82 27 19.7
Engineering 15 14.85 17 12.41
Medicine 9 8.9 25 18.25
Psychology 5 4.95 12 8.76
Law 16 15.84 18 13.14
Education 16 15.84 24 17.52
Agriculture 22 21.78 12 8.76
Total 101 100 147 100

4.1. Undergraduates’ Career Interests

Undergraduates’ career interests were categorized into six patterns. These are realistic, investigative,
artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. The study showed that 12.6% students was classified as
467 Abdullah Seif AlMiskry, Ab. Rahim Bakar and Othman Mohamed

having realistic career interest, 24.8% of the students was classified as having investigative career
interest, 8.8% of the students has artistic career interest, 26.9% of the students has social career
interest, 21% of the students has enterprising career interest, and 5.9% of the students has conventional
career interest.

4.2. Students Career Interest Pattern

Table 3:

Types of Career Interest Patterns F %

Realistic 30 12.6
Investigative 59 24.8
Artistic 21 8.8
Social 64 26.9
Enterprising 50 21.0
Conventional 14 5.9
Total 238 100

Table 4: Undergraduates’ career interest patterns by gender

Gender
Male Female
F % within Gender % within Career Pattern F % within % within Career Pattern
Realistic 21 20.8 70 9 6.6 30
Investigative 25 24.8 42.4 34 24.8 57.6
Artistic 8 7.9 38.1 13 9.5 61.9
Social 16 15.8 25 48 35.0 75
Enterprising 24 23.8 48 26 19 52
Conventional 7 6.9 50 7 5.1 50
Total 101 100 137 100

Students’ career interest patterns vary across gender. Students who were considered as having
realistic career interest were mainly male students (70%). While majority of the students having social
career interest were mainly female (75%). About 62% of the students with artistic career interest were
mainly female. About 58% of the students with investigative career interest were also female slightly
more than 50% of the students having enterprising career interest were also female. An equal
percentage of students (male and female) have a conventional career interest. Male students are
investigative (24.8%), enterprising (23.8%), and realistic (20.8%). Female students on the other hand
were more inclined towards social career interest (35%), investigative career interest (24.8%), and
enterprising career interest (19.0%).
The difference of career interest between male and female students was tested using a
MANOVA test. The result of the MANOVA test showed that there were significant differences in
career interest patterns between male and female students, Walk’s Λ =. 85, F (6, 203) = 5.95, p <. 05. In
addition, η2 = .15 indicated that 15% of the variance in the dependent variables, career interest patterns
was the function of gender. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted on each of the dependent
variables as a follow-up of test to the MANOVA. As shown in table &&, the only significant
difference was between on the realistic career interest and gender, F (1, 236) = 26.59, p <. 05. In
addition, η2 = .11 indicated that 11% of the variance in the dependent variables, career interest patterns
was uniquely explained by gender. Male students obtained significantly higher scores on a realistic
career interest measure as compared to female students. Male and female students do not significantly
differ from each other on other career interest pattern.
Gender Difference and Career Interest Among Undergraduates: Implications for Career Choices 468

5. Discussion and Implication

The findings of the study suggested that the career interest patterns of university students vary across
gender. The study showed that male students constituted the larger group in the realistic career interest
patterns (70%) compared to females (30%). The finding of the present study was consistent with that
of Tomlinson and Evans (1991). They found that male college students scored significantly higher than
female college students on Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory. Another researcher, Van Burren et al.
(1993) also found that more males than female students preferred realistic and investigative
occupations.
Researchers like Bem (1981) and Betz (1994) have tried to reason out the factors relevant to the
development of gender differences in vocational interest. They suggested that the development of
gender difference in vocational interests as well as vocational choices is a result of multitudes of
factors, some which are internally related, and some are environmentally related. In a study by Betz
(1994), it was found that occupational stereotype is one of the factors affecting the vocational interest
of genders. On this basis, people believed that occupations are designed to be appropriate for one
gender and not for the other gender.
Self-concepts, self-efficacy, personality and even the environment could also influence the
career interest pattern where students grew-up. For instance, the perceptions of many students that
subjects such as mathematics and physics are difficult could affect one’s career interest.
In general, female dominates today’s workforce. Likewise, female students outnumbered male
students in many universities. Their academic abilities are not much different from their male friend. A
study by Ab. Rahim (1995) showed that CGPA of female and male student did not differ significantly.
Studies on the academic performance at the secondary level also showed that their academic
performance did not differ significantly (Ab. Rahim, 1995, 2000). Specifically, the students
participated in a study by Ab. Rahim (2000) did not show any significant difference in mathematics
and science subjects which is the basis for enrollment in science and technology related course. Thus,
form the result of a study by Abdullah (2002) showed that a slightly larger percentage of male
(14.85%) students enrolled in than female students (12.40%) in engineering related courses.
Another reason that may have influence students career interest patterns is their career self-
efficacy. Bandura (1986) stated that influence academic motivation and is powerful predictors of the
academic choice one makes. Lent and Hackett (1987) also believed that self-efficacy is related to
college majors and career choices. If one does not believe one is capable of pursuing science related
educational and careers, one will not hesitate not to enroll in those areas. However, one may have
enrolled in these areas but one may not have the required efficacy or career interest pattern. Because,
university education in Malaysia is quite a rigid system, the role counselors in this situation are very
critical. Like it or not any student who has been admitted into a course has to proceed with the given
course of study. Thus have to be counseled to be able to adapt them to the course of study offered to
them. Some kind of career intervention programs need to develop to increase students’ awareness of
career related to their career interest patterns.
469 Abdullah Seif AlMiskry, Ab. Rahim Bakar and Othman Mohamed

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