Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences between the level of satisfaction and concern regarding appearance according to gender, the importance of appearance in job interviews, and the influence appearance has on job-seeking stress and anxiety under the ever-increasing pressure on students to secure employment so that appropriate psychological interventions can be provided to undergraduates. Methods: The survey was conducted on 170 third and fourth year undergraduates in Gyeonggi province from August 31st to September 6th, 2012 to figure out the correlations and differences in variables of appearance satisfaction and concern, and the importance of appearance in job interviews and job-seeking stress and anxiety according to the differences in gender. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test, two-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation analysis. Results: 1. There was difference between the genders for appearance satisfaction and concern. The level of satisfaction was higher in male students while concerns regarding appearance were higher in female students. There was no gender difference regarding the importance of appearance in job interviews, job-seeking stress, and job-seeking anxiety. 2. For the concerns in appearance, there was a significant difference between the genders in appearance management, and gender and the importance of appearance in job interviews showed significant interactive effects. Stress and anxiety from job-seeking did not show significant differences between the genders, but there were common significant interactive effects between gender and grades, gender and employment, and gender and the importance of appearance in job interviews. 3. Both male and female students showed higher job-seeking stress as their job-seeking anxiety was higher. Job-seeking anxiety was higher in male students who had higher concern in appearance, and in female students who placed more emphasis on the importance of appearance in job interviews. Conclusion: As female students perceived appearance in job interviews as important more than male students, their job-seeking anxiety was higher, while male students who showed higher concern in appearance also showed higher level of anxiety in job-seeking. As job-seeking anxiety was higher, job-seeking stress was also higher according to the entire participants, based on this result, methods to decrease job-seeking anxiety should be suggested.

Keywords

• Job-seeking anxiety;
• Job-seeking stress;
• Appearance;
• Undergraduates

• 취업 스트레스;
• 취업불안;
• 외모;
• 대학생;