In this age of globalization and technological innovation, organizations may encounter difficulties that have a negative impact on the career satisfaction of their employees. Therefore, organizations play a significant role in managing individuals' careers and can aid in developing their knowledge, skills, and abilities [1]. Also, attracting and retaining qualified talent is a significant issue in the tourism industry today. Employee satisfaction is crucial when defining organizational performance, particularly in the service sector. Enhancing employee satisfaction is essential for improved business operations since it boosts long-term employee productivity and keeps profitable clients [2].

Career management refers to the actions businesses take to support the professional growth of their staff members, assisting with wage increases, promotions, and the transfer into leadership roles. As espoused career goal is a ubiquitous and significant component of career management approaches [3]. However, relatively little is known about the variables affecting career goals and when and how career goal setting occurs.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities crucial to career development, which may be modified by the individual," is how career competencies are characterized [4]. Hence, career development aims to achieve gradual improvement by operating in harmony with efforts to enhance employees’ career competency. Moreover, competency may also be a constellation of these qualities; it is the collection of information, abilities, attitudes, and skills essential for someone to carry out a task successfully and effectively [5]. It is thus helpful to explore the mediating effect of career competency on the relationship between hotel career management and career satisfaction.

This study aimed to probe the mediating effect of career competency from management to employee satisfaction in the tourism industry in Davao City. Moreover, this study was guided by the following objectives: To measure the level of career management of the tourism industry in Davao City in terms of appraisal, development, and training; To ascertain the level of career satisfaction of the tourism industry in Davao City; To assess the level of career competency of the tourism industry in Davao City in terms of Knowing Why, Knowing Whom and Knowing How; To discover the significant relationship in terms of Career management and career satisfaction, Career management and career competency and Career competency and Career satisfaction. Lastly, to determine the mediating effect of career competency from career management to employees' career satisfaction in the tourism industry in Davao City.

The following null hypothesis was tested at a 0.05 level of significance. This was the basis for establishing the hypothesis of this study, which are: There is no significance between Career management and employees’ career satisfaction; career management and career competency; and career competency and employees’ career satisfaction; and Career competency does not significantly mediate the relationship between career management and employees’ career satisfaction.

Career Management

Career management can be defined as the process of making educated decisions about an individual's working life. Career management considers many aspects at the individual (private), organizational (business), and social levels. Both organizational and societal deterrents have an impact on career management. (Vienna, January 2019). Career management refers to a procedure that aims to influence and shape the careers of potentially upwardly mobile employees inside a company. It is a crucial aspect of human resource management since it focuses on ensuring the organization has the essential talent to ensure its long-term success.

Career management refers to the actions businesses take to support their employees' professional growth. This includes assisting them in getting increases and promotions and moving up the corporate ladder [6]. The capacity to establish a career and consciously control how employment, learning, and other areas of a person's life interact is known as career management.          

Career Competency

Career competencies are knowledge, skills, and abilities crucial to career development that can be influenced by the individual [5]. These competencies fall into three categories: reflective, communicative, and behavioral career competencies. The ability to reflect on one's values, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses in relation to one's profession falls under the reflective career competencies, which refers to one's awareness of one's motivation and qualities. While communicative career competencies refer to the ability to communicate effectively to increase one's chances of career success, this also includes developing and growing a network for professional reasons and self-profiling to communicate one's knowledge, skills, and abilities to the labor market. The ability to actively explore job and career prospects in the environment and proactively plan and attain career goals are examples of behavioral career competencies [5].

Employees’ Career Satisfaction

Employee career satisfaction refers to intrinsic and extrinsic career values, which may include things like compensation, wages, and possibilities for professional development [8,9]. Employee career satisfaction reflects the satisfaction for employees with internal aspects such as compensation and promotion, while external aspects such as performance appraisal and training & development) along their career which is considered a result of work-related psychological consequences accumulated for the employee through work experience  which include outcomes for employees well-being and the quality of their life-career  [9-12].

Correlations between Measures

Previous studies show that to develop employees' careers, the organization should ensure their career management planning involves individual and organizational needs [1]. This process not only can make employees feel valued in the organization, but it also can increase employees' career satisfaction. Generally, employees’ career satisfaction can be measured through the employees’ career satisfaction [13][1]. A study found that when employees received better career management, their satisfaction with the job was high [14]. Employees are satisfied with their job if the organizations develop their career management by providing training, giving them opportunities to apply their new skills and knowledge towards their jobs and when they can achieve their career goals [1]. In other words, employees would be satisfied with their jobs when they have become more expert and knowledgeable as a result of undergoing the training and development programs.

The study was anchored from the theory [15]. The theory states that career competency has a direct influence on career satisfaction. It also mediates the relationship between the three dimensions of hotel career management (career appraisal, career development, and career training) and career satisfaction. This study presents a first step in empirical research on this topic and provides initial evidence of the mediating effect of career competency. Building on the theory of the findings reveal the importance of career competency [15]. They suggest that hotel managers will be better able to enhance their career competency to achieve higher career satisfaction when their career management is supported through hotel career activities such as mentoring, job rotation, and career appraisal. Both hotels and individual employees should thus adopt proactive and effective practices to improve career competency. Individuals must be committed to their careers and navigating by identifying career goals, developing diverse networks, and engaging in continuous learning.

The study also supported that career competency was previously found to be a significant predictor of career satisfaction. However, empirical evidence of its mediating role is limited [16][8]. This study finds that, in addition to being directly associated with career satisfaction, career competency mediates the relationship between perceived hotel career management and career satisfaction. The identification of this mediating role provides a relational approach that emphasizes the function of the "knowing why," "knowing whom," and "knowing how" types of career competency. This study adds to the literature by developing three dimensions of hotel career management and examining their effects on career competency and career satisfaction. In addition to the general influence of hotel career management, this study explored the influence of each dimension on career competency and career satisfaction, respectively.

The study utilized a descriptive survey using a questionnaire for data gathering. In the study of Descriptive research is dedicated to collecting information about prevailing conditions or situations for description and interpretation [17]. The descriptive survey is suited wherever the goal of any class differs among themselves, and one is interested in knowing the extent to which differences attain among these objects. A non-experimental design known as correlational analysis examines the association between two or more variables in a natural situation without the use of manipulation or control [18,19].

This study's respondents were 500 employees in the tourism industry. The primary purpose of this research is to determine the mediating effect of career competency from career management on employees' satisfaction in the tourism industry in Davao City.

Table 1: Demographic Profile of Respondents.

The researcher has used an adapted questionnaire for career management which was modified to suit the context of the study and was presented to the panel of experts for validation [8]. Career management includes the following indicator: appraisal, development, and training. The second part of the questionnaire was adapted career competency, which was modified to fit into the study and subjected to the validation of the experts [16]. The career competency questionnaire includes the following indicators: knowing why, knowing whom, and knowing why. The third part of the questionnaire was an adapted questionnaire on career satisfaction which was modified to fit into the study and subjected to the validation of the experts. In evaluating career management, career competency and employees career satisfaction, the scale used was five-point Likert scale (Strongly Agree 4.20-5.00; Agree 3.40-4.19, Moderately Agree 2.60-3.39, Disagree 1.80-2.59, Strongly Disagree 1.00-1.79).

In the statistical treatment of the data, the following statistical tools were used to compute data testing the hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance. Mean. This was used in determining the level of career management, career competency, and career satisfaction in the tourism sector in Davao City. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pearson r). This statistical tool was used to determine the significance of the relationship between Regression as input to the Medgraph. This was utilized in determining the number of respondents based on their demographic profile. Sobel Test. This was utilized in determining the ratio of the respondents based on their demographic profile in percentage form.

Career Management

The level of career management in the tourism industry in Davao City is shown in Table 2. The overall level of career management, as shown in the table, is 4.68, with a standard deviation of 0.52, which is considered strongly agree or very much observed. The standard deviation indicated that the respondents' responses were almost uniformly distributed across the scale. When the data were examined attentively, it was discovered that the mean and standard deviation scores differed slightly. All mean scores fall into the same "strongly agree" category. The highest mean score was 4.69 with a standard deviation of 0.52 in training; development program and appraisal and advice got the same average score of 4.68 with a standard deviation of 0.57 and 0.53.

Table 2: Level of career management of the tourism industry in Davao City.

Based on the findings, authors have asserted that career management is the action companies take to support the professional development of their personnel. This includes helping them advance up the corporate ladder, as well as helping them receive raises and promotions [7]. Career management is the ability to create a career and actively manage interactions between a person's employment, learning, and other areas of their life. Thus, it is an essential aspect of employee engagement, boosting organizational productivity and increasing career satisfaction. As it helps close the gap between employee and organizational expectations, it is advantageous for both the employer and the employee.

 Career Satisfaction

Table 2 shows the career satisfaction level in Davao City's tourism industry. The overall mean score for career satisfaction is 4.70 with a standard deviation of 0.51, which is described strongly agree or very much observed.

Table 3: Level of career satisfaction in the tourism industry in Davao City.

The finding supported the study [9]. An employee's career satisfaction reflects how they feel about their career's internal and external aspects concerning performance reviews, training, and development. This satisfaction is thought to result from work-related psychological consequences the employee has accumulated throughout their employment. Employees' psychological well-being, including their identity, health, and overall pleasure, is influenced by their career satisfaction. Therefore, employees who are more content with their jobs work harder and miss fewer sick days than those who are less satisfied.

Career Competency

Data outputs of the level of career competency of the tourism industry in Davao City are shown in table 4. It can be seen that the overall mean score of 4.70 with a standard deviation of 0.50. The overall mean score is described as strongly agree, which means that the level of career competency of the tourism industry towards employees was very much observed. Examining the data closely revealed slight differences in the mean and standard deviation scores. All mean scores belong to the same category of strongly agree level. The knowing why (why do we do a job) and knowing whom (with whom do we work) obtained the highest mean score of 4.71 with a standard deviation of 0.51 and knowing how (how do we do a job) obtained the lowest mean score of 4.70 with a standard deviation of 0.50.

Table 4: Level of career competency in the tourism industry in Davao City.

The authors asserted that career competencies are knowledge, skills, and abilities that are essential to career development and that may be changed by the individual, because they are known as career competencies, the knowledge, abilities, and attitudes that a person needs to perform well in an organization [5]. Professional competencies are employed in critical roles to support career planning and long-term growth. Career competencies provide a possibility to achieve organizational success. The notion is that both individuals and businesses can profit from having the appropriate job skills and abilities. Organizations must, in this circumstance, ascertain which work skills and competencies are necessary for a successful career.

Correlation between Management and Satisfaction, Management and Career Competency, and Career Competency and Satisfaction

Table 5 shows the correlation between career management and career satisfaction, Career management and career competency, and Career competency and Career satisfaction. It can be seen that career management correlated to career satisfaction has r=0.883**, career management and career competency has r=0.924**, and career competency and career satisfaction has 0.895**. All variables correlated to each other's, which has a very strong positive relationship and significance.

Table 5: Correlation between management and satisfaction, management and career competency, and Career competency and satisfaction.

Legend: * *Correlation is significant at 0.01 level (2-tailed)

Mediation Analysis of the Three Variables

The result of the mediation is displayed in Figure 1. The Sobel test yielded a z-value of 10.6377 with a p-value of 0.000, which is significant at a 0.05 level. This means that the full mediation results generated by Med Graph tell us that career competency was a significant mediator between management and employee satisfaction.

Figure 1: Mediating effect of career competency from management to employees’ satisfaction of tourism industry in Davao City.

In addition, the causal relationship between management and employees' career satisfaction has been reduced from a significant beta coefficient value of 0.383 to 0.049, which is significant with the inclusion of career competency as a mediator variable. Also, the indirect effect between management to employees' satisfaction with the tourism industry in Davao City via career competency is statistically significant.

According to the authors' conclusions, organizations should ensure that their career management planning considers individual and organizational needs [1]. This method not only helps employees feel appreciated by the company but also helps them be more satisfied with their careers [20-25]. In general, employees' career satisfaction can be assessed by looking at their career satisfaction [26-32].

This research advances our understanding of the mediating effect of career competency from career management to employees’ career satisfaction in Davao City. With consideration of the findings of the study, conclusions are drawn in this section. The initial results can be concluded thus:

In determining the level of career management of the tourism industry in Davao City concerning training, development program, appraisal and advice was found to be very much observed or strongly agreed upon. It is an essential aspect of employee engagement, boosting organizational productivity and increasing career satisfaction. As it helps close the gap between employee and organizational expectations, it is advantageous for both the employer and the employee.

The career satisfaction level in Davao City's tourism industry was very much observed. Employees' psychological well-being, including their identity, health, and overall pleasure, is influenced by their career satisfaction. Therefore, employees who are more content with their jobs work harder and miss fewer sick days than those who are less satisfied.

The level of career competency of the tourism industry in Davao City with regards to knowing why (why do we do a job), knowing whom (with whom do we work), and knowing how (how do we do a job) was found to be very much observed or described as strongly agree. The knowledge, skills, and attitudes an individual needs to function well in an organization are career competencies. Key roles are applied with professional competencies to promote career planning and long-term development. Therefore, career competencies so offer a chance to attain organizational success. The idea is that having the right job skills and competencies can benefit both individuals and companies. In this situation, it is crucial for organizations to determine which job skills and competencies are essential for a successful career.

The correlation between career management and career satisfaction, career management, and career competency, and Career competency and career satisfaction has a very strong relationship or significant.

Lastly, it was found that there were full mediation results generated by Med Graph telling us that career competency acted as a significant mediator between career management and employees' career satisfaction.

Based on the findings and the conclusions, the researchers suggest the following recommendations:

The researcher, therefore, recommended continuing and alleviating the career management of their employees concerning development programs, training, appraisal, and advice. Since career management is a lifelong process of allocating resources to reach your long-term professional objectives, you can adjust to the shifting demands of our dynamic economy through this ongoing process. The career management process encompasses several ideas, including networking, lifelong learning, professional growth planning, and self-awareness. This can be done by supporting the employees to attend and participate in training, development program, and appraisals which can lead to career development and increases employee motivation and productivity.

Also, to maintain the career satisfaction of their employees through appreciation or recognition, achievement, responsibility, growth, and other matters associated with the individual's motivation in their career.

Similarly, to persist the career competency of the employees regards knowing why (why do we do a job), knowing whom (with whom do we work), and knowing how (how do we do a job) because career management is the proactive development of oneself and career through lifelong learning, understanding of one's strengths and weaknesses, navigating career possibilities and networking to forge connections both inside and outside of one's business.

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