Since social welfare is a profession that requires internalization of professional job value, the value of
work itself is more important than external conditions. However, recently, while advocacy for social
workers’ rights and discussions on improving their working conditions continue, the value of professional
jobs is relatively overlooked. In addition, the low employment rate due to oversupply of social workers is
linked to the job seeking stress and uncertain future of students majoring in social welfare. The purpose of
this study is to identify the level of intrinsic/extrinsic work value and job seeking stress of social welfare
students, and to examine how these variables affect career attitude maturity. In order to minimize the
influence of the potential factors affecting the preceding variables, this study focused on the third and
fourth grade undergraduate students of social welfare major at one selected university. Hierarchical
regression analysis identified the effects of work value and job seeking stress on the level of career attitude
maturity (decision, purpose, confidence, preparation, independence). The average of work value was similar
in intrinsic value (3.9) and extrinsic value (3.93), and the mean of job seeking stress was 2.6 in the 5
point scale. Model 1 of the hierarchical regression included gender and grade. Model 2 added work value
(intrinsic, extrinsic) to the Model 1. Model 3 added job seeking stress to the Model 2. The results showed
that male students had higher decision and confidence maturity than female students, and that grade in the
previous semester had negative effects on preparation and independence maturity. Intrinsic work value had
negative influence on purpose maturity (p>.001) but had positive influence on confidence maturity. External
work value had positive effects on purpose and confidence maturity. Job seeking stress had negative effects
on decision, confidence, and independence maturity, but had positive effect on purpose maturity. Based on
this research results, this study proposed discussions to improve the career attitude maturity of social
welfare major students.