Nowadays college students in South Korea experience much stress related to job search
due to the continuing unemployment crisis. Particularly, students who hold a degree in
Security Services suffer from such stress at a higher level compared to other students because
of the specific qualifications sought by potential employers. Therefore, this study investigates
the effect of the stress related to job search on career maturity among the students of
Security Services.
The authors surveyed 250 students of Security Services from 7 colleges in Gyeonggi,
Jeolla, and Gyeongsang provinces. Before distributing the questionnaire, its validity and
reliability were assessed through the consultations with experts in the related fields. The data
collected was examined via various statistical methods, including factor, reliability, correlation,
and regression analyses using SPSS 20.0.
The results indicated that socio-demographic characteristics affected job search stress and
career maturity. Additionally, it was found that the job search-related stress of the students
influenced their career maturity. To illustrate, job search stress and career maturity were
positively related.
Based on the results of the analyses, the authors confirm that the students of Security
Services are suffering from a high level of stress resulting from job search, which impacts
their career selection. Finally, policy implications are discussed, including alleviating the stress
by providing diversified career choices to the students.