A Gateway to the Future or a Mind Trapped in Anxiety? The Transformative Power of Career Resources

ABSTRACT This study explores the indirect impact of employment anxiety on university students’ perceptions of decent work through the serial mediating roles of motivational and environmental career resources. Data were collected from 458 university students in Türkiye using validated scales. Analysis via Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 6) revealed that while employment anxiety did not directly predict perceptions of future decent work, its indirect effects through motivational and environmental career resources were statistically significant. The results support the hierarchical interaction model of career resources and align with the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT), highlighting the importance of internal psychological capacities and external support systems in shaping career outlooks. Findings underscore the need for integrated career counseling approaches that strengthen individuals’ self‐efficacy and enhance access to environmental supports. The study offers practical implications for developing multilayered career interventions and youth employment policies, particularly in contexts marked by economic uncertainty and high youth unemployment.