The Motivational Architecture of Job Search Behavior: A Work Readiness Mediation Model in Romanian Higher Education

The changes brought about by technology and digitalization transformed the labor market into an increased dynamic ecosystem, causing many graduates, especially in emerging economies like Romania, to face difficulties in obtaining jobs aligned with their field of study. This article examines the relationships among various types of motivation, work readiness, and job search behavior among Romanian final-year students, using SPSS 24.0 software and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) performed in AMOS for data analysis. Our results reveal that autonomous forms of motivation stimulate work readiness, and a high level of readiness catalyzes job search behavior. Conversely, when work readiness is undermined by amotivation, it weakens the direct impulse toward job-seeking. Unexpectedly, we found that amotivation may directly trigger job search behavior, and we attribute this paradoxical effect to external pressures, which can activate reactive job-seeking behaviors despite a lack of internal drive. Accordingly, we offer new insights into the specific job search behaviors of Romanian final-year students, examined through the lens of motivation and work readiness. We also provide practical recommendations for university educators, career counselors, and policymakers in higher education.