The Professional Identity of Specialists of the Future in the Context of Existential Expectations

The article presents an up-to-date study of professional identity in the context of existential expectations among modern students, which is necessary for understanding their future path of life. It describes key concepts such as professional and personal identity, as well as existential expectations. The active formation of professional identity occurs during youth with dynamics observed throughout the entire university education period. The existential expectations are projected into desired events, scenarios, meetings, life incidents, and active engagement in mastering essential matters in the sphere of life. The features of various professional and personal identity statuses (Lydia Shneyder’s method) have been identified and analyzed, prioritizing “Diffuse Identity” and “Pseudo-Identity.” The expectations of students (Elena Sapogova’s method) are represented by the expectation of a meeting, the expectation of the unusual, the expectation of confirmation of one’s own credibility, that is, the hope of receiving some kind of magical, wonderful experience, meeting with a significant person who will reveal the fullness of existence and meanings. Life authenticity (Sapogova’s method) reveals high individuality and sincerity, characterizing students as those who feel their uniqueness, believe in the sincerity of the thoughts of friends, parents, and educators. Personal characteristics correlate with professional and personal identity, the professional expectations (at p ≤ 0.05). Numerous connections of identity status, personal characteristics with expectations that determine the inner space of one’s own life are revealed.The personal profile of students is characterized by a sense of their uniqueness, the need for communicative contacts that accept moral principles and social norms, sometimes in a stereotypical manner. The presentation also includes various expectations and degrees of infantilism.