<![CDATA[Work readiness has become an important issue in higher education as graduates are required to adapt to increasingly competitive labor market demands. This research aims to examine the effects of soft skills, self-efficacy, and career exploration on students’ work readiness. A quantitative explanatory approach with a cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 162 active undergraduate students at Universitas Siliwangi selected using convenience sampling. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results reveal that soft skills and self-efficacy have positive and significant effects on work readiness. Soft skills emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.602, p < 0.001), followed by self-efficacy (β = 0.348, p < 0.001). In contrast, career exploration did not have a significant effect on work readiness after controlling for soft skills and self-efficacy (β = −0.005, p = 0.927). Simultaneously, the three independent variables significantly influenced work readiness and explained 78.4% of its variance (R² = 0.784; F = 191.5; p < 0.001). These findings indicate that interpersonal competencies and confidence in one’s abilities are more influential in shaping work readiness than career exploration alone. The research highlights the importance of strengthening students’ soft skills and self-efficacy through educational, organizational, and career development programs to better prepare them for the transition from higher education to employment.]]>
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