How Career and Non-Work Goal Progress Affect Dual Earners’ Satisfaction: A Whole-Life Perspective

Abraham, E., Verbruggen, M., & Hirschi, A. (2024). How Career and Non-Work Goal Progress Affect Dual Earners’ Satisfaction: A Whole-Life Perspective. Journal of Career Development, 08948453241230907.

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Abstract

Many career self-management models assume that career goal progress promotes satisfaction, but research on the topic has yielded mixed results. Adopting a whole-life perspective, this study examines how career and non-work goal progress relate to career, non-work, and life satisfaction and explores crossover effects and gender differences between dual-earner partners. We tested our research model using Actor-Partner Interdependence Modeling on a two-wave dataset of 190 heterosexual dual earners (i.e., 95 couples). Career goal progress was not related to any of the satisfaction indicators. For men, non-work goal progress was marginally positively related to career and non-work satisfaction and positively related to life satisfaction. For women, non-work goal progress was not related to any satisfaction indicator. Between partners, men’s non-work goal progress was positively related to women’s non-work and life satisfaction, whereas women’s career goal progress was negatively related to men’s life satisfaction. Implications for research and career practice are discussed.

Keywords: career goal progress, non-work goal progress, dual-earner couples, career self-management, satisfaction, gender

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The multidimensional nature of career self-management behaviours and their relation to facets of employability

Wilhelm, F., Hirschi, A., & Schläpfer, D. (2024). The multidimensional nature of career self‐management behaviours and their relation to facets of employability. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 97(1), 342-375.

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Abstract

Career self-management (CSM) has attracted increased scholarly interest, but definitional issues and the lack of an integrative understanding constrain research on the topic. In two studies, we seek to clarify the nature and dimensionality of CSM behaviour, examine the relation of specific dimensions to the general construct and investigate the relation of different CSM behaviours to facets of employability. In Study 1, we used a systematic literature review and thematic analysis to identify seven key CSM behaviours: (a) impression management, (b) building contacts, (c) using contacts, (d) human capital development, (e) goal setting and planning, (f) self-exploration and (g) mobility-oriented behaviour. Across two samples in Study 2 (combined N=1065), we examined the relation of the seven behaviours to the general CSM construct and their relation to facets of employability in a time-lagged analysis. The results show that CSM behaviours are best modelled as a bifactor structure with a general dimension and seven specific behaviours. Specific CSM behaviours explained unique variance in specific facets of employability. In sum, the studies clarify our understanding of CSM's nature, dimensionality, structure, and nomological net.

Keywords: career management, career proactivity, employability, proactive career behaviour

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Technological self-efficacy and occupational mobility intentions in the face of technological advancement: a moderated mediation model

Medici, G., Grote, G., Igic, I., & Hirschi, A. (2023). Technological self-efficacy and occupational mobility intentions in the face of technological advancement: a moderated mediation model. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 32(4), 538-548.

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Abstract

While research on the effects of technological advancement on job design has gained traction, we know little about how personal and contextual factors relate to work attitudes and mobility intentions in relation to technology-induced change in different occupational domains. Based on social cognitive career theory, we investigated the influence of technological self-efficacy beliefs (TSE) on occupational commitment and occupational mobility intentions and included automation potential and developmental support as contextual moderators. Based on a survey study with 512 employees and two data points, we found that TSE was negatively related to occupational mobility intentions, both directly and through the mediating role of occupational commitment. The relation between occupational commitment and mobility intention was stronger for individuals receiving more developmental support. Contrary to our hypotheses, the relation between TSE and mobility intention was stronger in occupations with low and medium automation potential. Our findings provide first evidence for the relevance of TSE for occupational mobility intentions and the impact of automation potential and perceived developmental support on this relationship. We discuss the relevance of our findings for better understanding potential effects of technological advancement on occupational mobility and provide practical implications for enabling employees to deal with changing work environments.

Keywords: technological self-efficacy; automation potential; developmental support; social cognitive career theory; occupational mobility

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Work-Nonwork Interface and Career Success: Examining Behavioural and Affective Linking Mechanisms

Wüest-Baumeler, F., Hirschi, A., & Steiner, R. S. (2023). Work-nonwork interface and career success: Examining behavioural and affective linking mechanisms. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 32(4), 476-488.

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Abstract

Past research has illustrated that experiences at the work-nonwork interface are related to the achievement of objective and subjective career success. However, the mechanisms linking positive and negative work-nonwork experiences and career success have not received much attention. Based on the conservation of resources theory and the source attribution perspective, we propose behavioral (i.e., through career engagement) and affective (i.e., through positive and negative affect at work) mechanisms linking positive and negative work-nonwork experiences (i.e., work-to-nonwork enrichment and interference) to objective (i.e., salary) and subjective (i.e., career satisfaction) career success. The results of a time-lagged study (N = 812) performed over one year with three measurement waves with young employees (18–35 years old, 47% females) provided partial support for both mechanisms and showed that career engagement mediated the positive relation between work-to-nonwork enrichment and salary, as well as the positive relation between work-to-nonwork enrichment and career satisfaction. However, unexpectedly, work-to-nonwork interference was also positively associated with salary and career satisfaction through increased career engagement. Additionally, negative affect at work mediated the negative relation between work-to-nonwork interference and both career success dimensions, but this mediation was stronger for career satisfaction. The study implies that behavioral and affective mechanisms differentially link work-nonwork experiences and various forms of career success.

Keywords: work-nonwork enrichment, work-nonwork interference, affective mechanism, behavioral mechanism, career success

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Called to stay? The moderating roles of feedback from others and role clarity in the relationship between experiencing a calling and organizational embeddedness

Muehlhausen, J., Spurk, D., Hirschi, A., & Sandmeier, A. (2023). Called to stay? The moderating roles of feedback from others and role clarity in the relationship between experiencing a calling and organizational embeddedness. Career Development International, 28(2), 160-179.

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Abstract

Purpose – Organizational embeddedness of employees who are experiencing their work as a calling is of high relevance. Understanding what promotes staying in organizations can provide benefits for individuals with a calling while at the same time helping organizations to retain those valuable employees. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how and when experiencing work as a calling relates to organizational embeddedness (OE). Based on assumptions from the theory of work adjustment (TWA), the authors hypothesized a conditional effects model with feedback from others and role clarity as moderating variables.

Design/methodology/approach – For this longitudinal study, the authors collected data at two measurement time points (N 5 553). To tests the hypotheses, the authors performed hierarchical regression analysis. Additionally, the authors conducted simple slope tests to calculate the effects of calling on OE, depending on the different levels of the moderators.

Findings – The results indicated that higher levels of experiencing a calling are associated with higher levels of OE 18 months later while controlling for the initial levels of OE. Additionally, the moderation analysis revealed that feedback from others and role clarity strengthened the relationship between experiencing a calling and OE. Interestingly, for individuals with low feedback from others and low role clarity, experiencing a calling was not related to OE.

Originality/value – Addressing recent research calls that highlight more research on boundary conditions and diverse theoretical perspectives, this study contributes to the literature on calling and organizational retention and provides a more individual and career-related view of potential predictors of OE.

Keywords: calling, organizational embeddedness, feedback from others, role clarity, employee retention, theory of work adjustment

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Career proactivity: Conceptual and theoretical reflections

Akkermans, J., & Hirschi, A. (2023). Career proactivity: Conceptual and theoretical reflections. Applied Psychology, 72(1), 199-204.

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Abstract

This article adds several conceptual and theoretical reflections to the article “Career proactivity: A bibliometric literature review and a future research agenda” by Jiang et al. The authors conducted a timely and relevant study by analyzing and integrating literature on career proactivity from the domains of organizational and vocational behavior. Prior research has clearly demonstrated that these areas are still largely operating as separate “islands,” both conceptually and methodologically. As such, systematically analyzing the literature and synthesizing the many existing proactivity-related constructs are important steps forward in taking research on career proactivity to the next level. Though their bibliometric analysis confirms the gap between vocational psychology and OB research, there is also a hopeful message in the article, as several clusters showed considerable connections. Thus, it seems that scholars are starting to build bridges between the islands. Building on their analysis and future research suggestions, in this article, we further explore three specific considerations related to (1) conceptual issues, (2) theoretical issues, and (3) additions to their future research agenda.

Keywords: career proactivity, career self-management, grading coefficient, proactive behavior, proactive career behavior

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Boundaries for career success? How work–home integration and perceived supervisor expectation affect careers

Unger, D., Kornblum, A., Grote, G., & Hirschi, A. (2023). Boundaries for career success? How work–home integration and perceived supervisor expectation affect careers. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 96(1), 144-164.

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Abstract

The necessity to actively manage the work–home boundaries has drastically increased. We postulate that work–home integration may affect individuals' subjective career success via its positive effects on work goal attainment and exhaustion. Furthermore, we study perceived supervisor expectation for employee work–home integration as a boundary condition. Our three-wave online survey with 371 employees showed support for the two hypothesized moderated mediation effects. Work–home integration preference is indirectly related to subjective career success: (1) positively via home-to-work transitions and work goal attainment and (2) negatively via home-to-work transitions and exhaustion. Perceived supervisor expectation constrained work–home integration preference's direct effect on home-to-work transitions and indirect effects on subjective career success. Exploratory analysis revealed that exhaustion negatively affected all career success dimensions, whereas work goal attainment was only related to some. Our results indicate that supervisor expectation can override the effect of employee's work–home integration preference on home-to-work transitions which have a double-edged sword effect on subjective career success. Our study contributes to integrating the careers and work–life interface literature and incorporating contextual factors. Furthermore, with the exploration of differential effects on subjective career success, we advance our understanding of this outcome's nomological network.

Keywords: boundary management, exhaustion, subjective career success, supervisor expectation, work goal attainment, work–home integration

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Facing Change With Stability: The Dynamics of Occupational Career Trajectories

Medici, G., Igic, I., Grote, G., & Hirschi, A. (2023). Facing Change With Stability: The Dynamics of Occupational Career Trajectories. Journal of Career Development, 50(4), 883-900.

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Abstract

In today’s dynamic work environments, individuals must manage their careers. Although research suggests that many individuals change jobs and organizations more frequently, they often pursue their careers within one occupation still. The current study addresses how such seemingly stable careers unfold in the face of societal, economic, and technological changes and explores the proactive and reactive strategies individuals use to sustain occupational stability throughout their careers. Applying qualitative content analysis to 32 semi-structured interviews, we revealed eight major strategies underlying the process of occupational stability maintenance. We discuss the identified strategies using control theory and job crafting as theoretical lenses and introduce the concept of occupational crafting for understanding stability maintenance in vocational careers. The study highlights occupations as meaningful reference points in contemporary careers and illustrates how proactive and reactive strategies lead to occupational stability.

Keywords: occupational stability maintenance, career management, vocational careers, occupational crafting, qualitative methods

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A Longitudinal Study of Relationships Between Vocational Graduates’ Career Adaptability, Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy, Vocational Identity Clarity, and Life Satisfaction

Kvasková, L., Hlado, P., Palíšek, P., Šašinka, V., Hirschi, A., Ježek, S., & Macek, P. (2023). A longitudinal study of relationships between vocational graduates’ career adaptability, career decision-making self-efficacy, vocational identity clarity, and life satisfaction. Journal of Career Assessment, 31(1), 27-49.

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Abstract

Career construction theory proposes that high career adaptability leads to positive adaptation outcomes during career transition. However, the specific pathways of how this happens remain underexplored. Drawing on the career construction model of adaptation, we hypothesized that career decision-making self-efficacy mediates the link of career adaptability with vocational identity clarity and life satisfaction as two measures of adaptation outcomes. We conducted a three-wave survey with an initial sample of 3126 Czech upper-secondary vocational graduates transitioning from vocational school to the labor market. Structural equation modeling revealed that career decision-making self-efficacy fully mediated the relationship between career adaptability before graduation and vocational identity clarity 20 months later. In contrast, the mediation effect of career decision-making self-efficacy on the relationship between career adaptability and life satisfaction was not supported. Additionally, in contrast to the previous literature, career adaptability was not directly related to vocational identity clarity and life satisfaction. Nevertheless, our findings demonstrated a positive long-term association of career adaptability with adaptation outcomes within the working life domain. Practical implications and future directions are discussed.

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Many Roads Lead to Rome: Researching Antecedents and Outcomes of Contemporary School-To-Work Transitions

Steiner, R., Hirschi, A., & Akkermans, J. (2022). Many roads lead to Rome: Researching antecedents and outcomes of contemporary school-to-work transitions. Journal of Career Development, 49(1), 3-17.

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Conceptualizing career insecurity: Toward a better understanding and measurement of a multidimensional construct

Spurk, D., Hofer, A., Hirschi, A., De Cuyper, N., & De Witte, H. (2022). Conceptualizing career insecurity: Toward a better understanding and measurement of a multidimensional construct. Personnel Psychology, 75, 253–294. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12493

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Abstract

Applying qualitative and quantitative analyses across four studies and seven samples, we clarified the meaning and developed a new measure of career insecurity. Career insecurity is defined as “an individual's thoughts and worries that central content aspects of one's future career might possibly develop in an undesired manner.” The new Multidimensional Career Insecurity Scale (MU‐CI‐S) measures eight career insecurity (CI) dimensions: (1) CI‐Career opportunities; (2) CI‐Decreased prestige and qualification requirements of the employment; (3) CI‐Contractual employment conditions; (4) CI‐Unemployment; (5) CI‐Change of workplace; (6) CI‐Retirement; (7) CI‐Work‐nonwork interactions; and (8) CI‐Discrepancy between individual resources and work demands. Across all studies, the MU‐CI‐S showed excellent psychometric properties (e.g., factor loadings of all items and internal consistencies of all dimensions) and high levels of construct validity (e.g., theoretically assumed factorial structure and discriminant and convergent validity). The analyses showed concurrent, predictive, and incremental validity beyond neuroticism and other job and career insecurity measures for predicting health and well‐being, job performance, career success, and career attitudes. The results provide a comprehensive assessment and investigation of career‐related insecurity perceptions in the current labor market. Moreover, the results offer theoretical and practical implications for individual career planning, career counseling, and organizational career management.

Keywords: career insecurity, career management, scale development

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Exploring the dynamics of protean career orientation, career management behaviors, and subjective career success: An action regulation theory approach

Haenggli, M., Hirschi, A., Rudolph, C. W., & Peiró, J. M. (2021). Exploring the dynamics of protean career orientation, career management behaviors, and subjective career success: An action regulation theory approach. Journal of vocational behavior, 131, 103650.

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Abstract

Due to increased dynamics in the world of work and the resulting responsibility of individuals to shape their careers more independently, there is an increased need to focus on the individual as an active agent in the development of a successful career. Drawing on action regulation theory, this four-wave longitudinal study investigates the dynamic relations between protean career orientation, engagement in career self-management behaviors, and subjective career success over time. Based on a sample of N = 574 German employees, we tested a random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to focus on within-person dynamics across four time-points while accounting for stable between-person differences. We found partial support for assumed dynamics in these variables, in that increases in protean career orientation predicted subsequent increases in career self-management behaviors. Moreover, increased protean career orientation and subjective career success (but not career self-management behaviors) predicted further increases in the same respective states. However, increases in career behaviors did not predict increases in subjective career success and increases in subjective career success did not predict increases in protean career orientation or career self-management behaviors. We discuss the findings in light of adopting a dynamic within-person approach to understand key career development constructs.

Keywords: protean career orientation, career self-management, subjective career success, action regulation theory, random intercept cross-legged panel model (RI-CLPM)

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Career Counseling

Hirschi, A. & Froidevaux, F. (2019). Career counseling. In H. Gunz, M. Lazarova, & W. Mayrhofer (Eds.), Routledge Companion to Career Studies. Oxford: Taylor & Francis.

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Zu alt, um flexibel zu sein? Veränderungsbereitschaft älterer Arbeitnehmender in der Beratung

Hänggli, M., Pang, D., & Hirschi, A. (2021). Zu alt, um flexibel zu sein? Veränderungsbereitschaft älterer Arbeitnehmender in der Beratung. Deutscher Verband für Bildungs- und Berufsberatung e.V. (Hg.). dvb forum, (2), 11-15. Berufliche Orientierung. Teil 1. Bielefeld: wbv.

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Abstract

Aufgrund aktueller Herausforderungen in der Arbeitswelt müssen Personen zunehmend selbst Verantwortung über ihre eigene berufliche Entwicklung übernehmen. Diese dynamische Perspektive in der beruflichen Entwicklung betont die Wichtigkeit von persönlichen Ressourcen, lebenslangem Lernen und Flexibilität. Gerade ältere Arbeitnehmende werden in diesem Zuge oft mit stereotypischen Annahmen konfrontiert. Eine der Schlüsselaufgaben in der lebensbegleitenden beruflichen Orientierung und Beratung ist es, Individuen auf ihrem beruflichen Weg bis ins hohe Alter zu unterstützen.

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Career self-management as resource management through action regulation: Theoretical concepts and practice implications for promoting career management skills

Schläpfer, D., Wilhelm, F., & Hirschi, A. (2023). Career self-management as resource management through action regulation: Theoretical concepts and practice implications for promoting career management skills. In A. Chant, J. Katsarov, J. Pouyaud, & L. Sovet, (Eds.), Developing Career Management Skills. NICE Foundation.

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Abstract

Career management skills are important in today’s labor market, which is characterized by increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. This chapter aims to provide a better understanding of core career management skills by presenting a framework which sees career self-management as an active process of resource management. Based on this perspective, career self-management consists of building, maintaining, and applying knowledge and skills, psychological (motivational/ attitudinal), and contextual resources through various career self-management behaviors. We moreover suggest how career self-management skills can be enhanced throughout the lifespan by presenting career self-management as an action-regulation process. This process consists of four phases in terms of (1) goal setting and development, (2) mapping the environment for goal-relevant resources and barriers, (3) planning and execution of behaviors, and (4) monitoring and feedback processing. Based on this conceptualization of career self-management, we discuss how practitioners can assist clients in this process across different action regulation phases of career self-management.

Keywords: career resources, action regulation, career self-management, career self-management skills

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Introduction to Vocational, Academic and Career Guidance in Switzerland

Hänggli, M., Albien, A., & Hirschi, A. (2021). Introduction to Vocational, Academic and Career Guidance in Switzerland. In Handbuch Studienberatung pp. 175-176.

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The Effectiveness of Work-Nonwork Interventions: A Theoretical Synthesis and Meta-Analysis

von Allmen, N., Hirschi, A., Burmeister, A., & Shockley, K. M. (2023). The effectiveness of work–nonwork interventions: A theoretical synthesis and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001105

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Abstract

A growing body of intervention studies is concerned with improving the work-nonwork interface. Extant work-nonwork interventions are diverse in terms of content and effectiveness. We map these interventions onto work-nonwork theories that explain why the interventions should improve proximal work-nonwork outcomes (i.e., conflict, enrichment, balance). Our resulting integrative framework suggests that interventions can affect work-nonwork outcomes via distinct mechanisms, which can be delineated according to their (a) content valence (i.e., increasing resources/positive characteristics or decreasing demands/negative characteristics; (b) locality (i.e., personal or contextual factors); and (c) domain (i.e., work, the nonwork, or the boundary-spanning). We further provide a meta-analytic review of the efficacy of such interventions based on 6,680 participants within 26 pre-post control group design intervention studies. The meta-analytic results reveal an overall significant main effect across all identified interventions for improving proximal work-nonwork outcomes. When comparing different kinds of interventions aimed at increasing resources, we found beneficial effects for interventions targeting personal resources over contextual resources and interventions in the nonwork domain compared to interventions in the work or boundary-spanning domain. We conclude that work-nonwork interventions effectively improve the work-nonwork interface and discuss theoretical and practical implications of the more substantial effects and potential advantages of interventions aimed at enhancing personal resources in the nonwork domain. Finally, we provide concrete recommendations for future research and elaborate on the type of studies we would like to see in terms of interventions targeting the reduction of demands, for which we found only a limited number of studies.

 Keywords: work-nonwork; work-family; interventions; resources; demands

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Action regulation at the work–family interface: Nomological network and work-family consequences

Hirschi, A., von Allmen, N., Burmeister, A., & Zacher, H. (2022). Action regulation at the work–family interface: Nomological network and work-family consequences. Journal of Business and Psychology, 37(2), 369-387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-021-09751-6

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Abstract

Pursuing personally valued goals in work and family is important for many people, yet research has only partially addressed how individuals can actively manage the work–family interface. We examined the role of action regulation at the work-family interface (AR-WF) as an integrated individual-level approach to attain favorable work-family outcomes through the selection and pursuit of goals at the work-family interface. We investigated the relation of AR-WF to theoretically-derived correlates and outcomes in two time-lagged studies with samples from the United States and Germany, based on a newly developed and validated measure to assess AR-WF. Overall, results showed that AR-WF is positively related to dispositional self-regulation, work and family role commitment, work and family goal regulation, and work and family social support. In contrast, AR-WF was largely unrelated to work and family role demands and segmentation or integration boundary enactment. AR-WF further positively related to work and family goal attainment, as well as work–family enrichment beyond related constructs. However, AR-WF was also positively related to increased work-to-family conflict. We discuss how a focus on action regulation can be useful for attaining a better understanding of the active role that people play in managing multiple role demands at the work-family interface.

 Keywords: work–family interface; action regulation; boundary management; multiple roles

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Crossover effects of parent work-to-family experiences on child work centrality: A moderated mediation model

Steiner, R. S., Hirschi, A., & Wang, M. (2022). Crossover effects of parent work-to-family experiences on child work centrality: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Applied Psychology, , 108(8), 934-953. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001055

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Abstract

Work-to-family conflict (WFC) and work-to-family enrichment (WFE) are prevalent experiences among working parents. Past research has highlighted the negative consequences of WFC and the positive implications of WFE for the focal person and crossover effects on significant others, such as spouses. However, research on crossover effects on children is sparse, especially in terms of their emerging work beliefs, such as work centrality. To address this research void, based on social support and role-modeling literature, we propose that parental WFC and WFE relate to child work centrality through perceptions of parental career support (an instrumental path) and parental job satisfaction (a socio-cognitive path). In addition, we investigated whether these effects are moderated by parental intrinsic work motivation. Results from time-lagged data of 193 parent–child dyads in Switzerland (Study 1) showed that parental WFC (but not WFE) negatively related to child perceptions of parental job satisfaction, especially when parental intrinsic work motivation was low. Child perceptions of parental job satisfaction were, in turn, positively related to child work centrality, which was positively associated with their job involvement one year later when they were in vocational education and training. A second study (Study 2) using a sample of German adolescents with additional control variables corroborated the specific relation between child perceptions of parental job satisfaction and child work centrality. We discuss the implications of our findings for the work–family crossover and work centrality literature.

Keywords: crossover, work-to-family conflict, work-to-family enrichment, adolescent work centrality, parent–child dyads

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Pursuing Money and Power, Prosocial Contributions, or Personal Growth: Measurement and Nomological Net of Different Career Strivings

Hirschi. A. & Pang, D. (2023). Pursuing Money and Power, Prosocial Contributions, or Personal Growth: Measurement and Nomological Net of Different Career Strivings. Journal of Career Development. https://doi.org/10.1177/089484532311829

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Abstract

There is considerable agreement that individuals need an “inner compass” to manage their careers as self-directed and values-driven. However, how different career strivings (i.e., long-term, values-related career goals) affect career development remains largely unaddressed. To tackle this issue, we conducted a study to develop and validate new scales to assess self-enhancement, self-transcendence, and personal growth career strivings, representing key self-focused and other-focused extrinsic and intrinsic career goals. The validation of the scales among 389 U.S. and 490 German workers confirmed that career strivings are differentially related to existing measures of intrinsic and extrinsic career goals, work values, and motivational work strivings. Moreover, we confirmed with a time-lagged study among 354 German workers that career strivings (especially personal growth strivings) relate positively to career commitment, career satisfaction, and life meaningfulness. The studies support the utility of examining different career strivings as critical motivational factors in self-directed career management in future research.

Keywords: career strivings; career motivation; career goals; career self-management

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