Fatores facilitadores e limitadas no planejamento de carreira com estudantes de administração

Abstract

Career planning represents a fundamental process for guiding professional choices and facilitating entry into the labor market, especially in contexts of uncertainty and instability. This study aimed to identify facilitating and limiting factors in career planning based on the perception of students enrolled in a Business Administration program at a Higher Education Institution located in Vale do Mamanguape, Paraíba, Brazil. A qualitative, descriptive, and applied approach was adopted, configured as a case study. The sample consisted of eight students, four freshmen and four seniors, selected for convenience. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews, and the comprehensive and interpretative analysis was conducted based on thematic categories defined from the theoretical framework and the answers obtained. The results revealed that freshmen showed greater indecision regarding professional goals, being mainly influenced by family factors and the pursuit of stability. On the other hand, seniors demonstrated greater clarity and planning, although they still face challenges related to labor market entry and regional opportunity constraints. Among the facilitating factors, family support, personal motivation, and experience gained throughout the undergraduate program were highlighted. As limiting factors, the lack of continuous career guidance, insecurity regarding labor market changes, and socioeconomic restrictions stood out. It is concluded that, although academic training contributes to the maturation of choices, the career planning process still requires greater institutional support and strategies that consider the particularities of students at different stages of their academic journey.