Romanticization of self-employment and its impact on the formation willingness to choose a profession

The study reveals the phenomenon of romanticizing self-employment among young people, based on the results of a survey of 1,041 respondents. It is established that self-employment is perceived mainly through idealized categories of freedom, self-realization and independence with insufficient awareness of the associated risks. This has a negative impact on professional self-determination, shifting attention away from traditional forms of employment and increasing staff shortages in key industries. To solve the problem, the authors propose a concept of career guidance measures aimed at forming a balanced and informed choice of a career trajectory.