Gelı̇şen yetı̇şkı̇nlı̇k dönemı̇nde yaşam tasarımı: Karı̇yer yönelı̇mı̇nde medyanın rolü

This thesis seeks to examine the role of the media in the career orientations of emerging adults, with a particular focus on the relationship between media and emerging adults. In order to achieve this aim, a theoretical framework is first developed to define the career field and the subject matter, which includes the media field. In this thesis, the concept of career is approached from the perspective of Career Construction Theory and the conceptualization of media is informed by postmodernist theories. From this perspective, an attempt has been made to identify how the relationship between media and career is conceptualized in existing literature. In light of the data obtained from the literature review, research questions were formulated, and a qualitative method was employed to seek answers to the research questions. The study's population comprises emerging adults who have taken the university entrance examination, which represents a significant initial step in career development and a demographic group that utilizes media at a high level. To ensure data diversity in selecting an appropriate sample from the population, emerging adults residing in various regions and cities of Turkey were contacted, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 emerging adults from 20 different cities. The findings of the research, obtained through thematic analysis, indicate that participants perceive the media as predominantly social media yet view it as a regular and integral aspect of their daily lives. It is not possible to determine whether the media exerts a direct influence on university and major preferences. However, it is apparent that the media has become a prominent source of information in this domain. The participants indicated that social media is an effective tool for evaluating universities based on prestige. Furthermore, participants who are optimistic about the future tend to favor majors that lead directly to a direct profession, which they perceive as a fixed rather than an unlimited career orientation. This study, which aims to contribute to the existing literature on the relationship between media and career across Turkey, highlights the necessity for continued and repeated research into the evolving nature of the relationship between media and youth.