Striving for success: Towards a refined understanding and measurement of ambition

Hirschi, A., & Spurk, D. (2021). Striving for success: Towards a refined understanding and measurement of ambition. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 127, 103577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2021.103577

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Abstract

Despite broad interest in the nature of ambition and its effects on career outcomes, scientific research on this issue is limited due to an inconsistent conceptualization and measurement of ambition. Consistent with theoretical views, but in contrast to most existing measurements, we conceptualize ambition as a general personal disposition and developed and evaluated a 5-item measure of ambition consistent with this conceptualization. We report a six-phase process including (1) item generation, (2) item content review by subject matter experts, (3) item reduction and selection based on a university student (N = 1074) and employee (N = 469) sample, (4) examining convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity in relation to existing ambition scales with an employee sample (N = 301), (5) establishing discriminant validity to other personal dispositions in terms of achievement striving, trait competitiveness, and future time perspective with an employee sample (N = 544), and (6) establishing re-test reliability, longitudinal measurement-invariance, and incremental criterion validity regarding objective (i.e., salary, promotions) and subjective career success (i.e., career satisfaction) with a six-month time-lagged study (N = 394). In sum, the newly developed scale should be useful for future research to improve the theoretical and empirical understanding of the nature and effects of ambition.

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Career adaptability and career success in the context of a broader career resources framework.

Haenggli, M. & Hirschi, A. (2020). Career adaptability and career success in the context of a broader career resources framework. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 119, 103414. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103414

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Abstract

Increasing dynamics of careers make the development and application of different career resources important for successful career development. The study aimed to understand how different career resources are related to each other and different forms of career success. Examining 574 employees with 3-waves of 1-month time lags, we assessed relations between key resources (i.e., self-esteem and optimism), career adaptability resources (i.e., concern, control, curiosity, confidence), and knowledge/skills, motivational, and environmental career resources and their predictive utility for different forms of subjective and objective career success (i.e., salary). Results showed that career adaptability resources are highly related to other types of career resources, but career adaptability and other career resources each explain unique variance in different facets of career success. Using relative weight analyses, we found that especially motivational and environmental career resources are meaningfully positively related to different facets of subjective career success, whereas knowledge and skills career resources are most prominently positively related to objective career success. Under consideration of other career resources, career adaptability related negatively to salary. The findings contribute to career construction theory by situating career adaptability within a broader resource framework in relation to career success.

Keywords

Career adaptability; Career resources; Key resources; Subjective career success; Objective career success; Career construction theory

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Career self-management as a key factor for career wellbeing

Wilhelm, F., & Hirschi, A. (2019). Career self-management as a key factor for career wellbeing. In I.L. Potgieter, N. Ferreira & M. Coetzee (Eds.). Theory, Research and Dynamics of Career Wellbeing (pp. 117-137). Switzerland: Springer.

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Career self-management (CSM) is an important factor for achieving career wellbeing and is becoming increasingly crucial in career environments characterized by higher volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. In this chapter, we provide an overview of current research on CSM, and conceptually and empirically clarify its relation to career wellbeing. First, we define CSM and delineate its dimensionality. Second, we concisely summarize the empirical research on predictors and career wellbeing related outcomes of CSM. Third, based on our literature review, we suggest how CSM can be promoted through interventions, and how organizations can create synergies between organizational and individual career management. Finally, we suggest avenues for further research addressing identified research gaps: conceptual refinement, investigating facilitators of CSM at different action stages, broadening the scope of investigated career wellbeing outcomes of CSM, conducting theory-based intervention studies to systematically promote CSM, and examining contextual influences emerging in Industry 4.0 work-life spaces.

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Competition in Career Tournaments: Investigating the Joint Impact of Trait Competitiveness and Competitive Psychological Climate on Objective and Subjective Career Success

Spurk, D., Keller, A. C., & Hirschi, A. (2019). Competition in career tournaments: investigating the joint impact of trait competitiveness and competitive psychological climate on objective and subjective career success. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology ,doi : 10.1111/joop.12238

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Abstract

This study investigates the joint impact of trait competitiveness (i.e., the enjoyment of interpersonal competition and the desire to win and be better than others) and competitive psychological climate (i.e., the degree to which employees perceive organizational rewards as contingent upon comparisons of their performance against that of their peers) on objective and subjective career success. Based on tournament and person–environment fit theory, we assumed that the positive effects of trait competitiveness on different indicators of objective (i.e., salary, promotions) and subjective (i.e., career satisfaction, internal marketability, and meaningful work) career success are stronger under conditions of a highly competitive psychological climate. Moderated regression analyses using data from a 6-month time-lagged study of 340 employees working in diverse occupational fields in their early careers revealed joint effects of the two competition variables. For both objective and subjective career success, the effect of trait competitiveness was strengthened under conditions of a highly competitive psychological climate. We discuss the results by integrating theoretical reasoning from a tournament and person– environment fit perspective on the attainment of career success.

Keywords: career success, tournament theory, trait competitiveness, competitive psychological climate

Practitioner Points

• Organizations should be aware that competitive environments, and specifically their related perceptions, are only beneficial for some employees’ career success

• Within perceived highly competitive organizational contexts, personnel selection and development should consider competitive traits of employees when deciding about hiring and career planning

• Career counselors may consider perceived organizational climates and competitive personal characteristics when objective and subjective career success is of topic in the counseling process

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Antecedents and Outcomes of Objective versus Subjective Career Success: Competing Perspectives and Future Directions

Spurk, D., Hirschi, A., Dries, N. (2019). Antecedents and outcomes of objective versus subjective career success: Competing perspectives and future directions. Journal of Management, 45(1), 35-69. doi:10.1177/014920631878656

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Abstract

This review examines competing perspectives relating to (a) the range and prevalence of different theoretical approaches to the study of career success and (b) the need for a theoretically differentiated understanding of the antecedents of objective (OCS) versus subjective (SCS) career success. Furthermore, the review complements the assumption that OCS and SCS are only ultimateoutcomes of careers, proposing instead that career success also acts as an antecedent to other career and life outcomes. Against the backdrop of an organizing resource management framework, we present and critically evaluate the results of a systematic analysis of the theoretical approaches used to empirically study the antecedents of OCS and SCS. Furthermore, we develop a taxonomy of outcomes of career success. Our review findings show a theoretical heterogeneity with some dominant theoretical approaches within research of antecedents of career success. Moreover, past research started to adopt different theoretical approaches when predicting OCS (e.g., approaches focusing on personal resources, such as human capital or [competitive] performance) versus SCS (e.g., approaches focusing on personal key resources, such as stable traits). Several types of career success outcomes were identified: withdrawal, career attitudes, health and well-being, reactions from the (work) environment, and self-concept. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for how future research can make sense of the theoretical heterogeneity in career success research, how research on antecedents and outcomes can better account for the OCS/SCS distinction, and how future research can more rigorously integrate research on antecedents and outcomes of career success.

Keywords: objective career success; subjective career success; antecedents; outcomes; systematic review

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Karriere-Ressourcen messen: Validierung der deutschsprachigen Version des Karriere-Ressourcen Fragebogens Assessing Career Resources: Validation of the German-Language Career Resources Questionnaire

Hirschi, A., Hänggli, M., Nagy, N., Baumeler, F., Johnston, C., & Spurk, D. (2019). Karriere-Ressourcen messen. Diagnostica. doi:10.1026/0012-1924/a000219

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Die existierende Literatur schlägt eine Vielzahl von potentiellen Prädiktoren für Karriereerfolg vor, welche in ihrer Menge kaum auf eine ökonomische Art erhoben werden können. Um diesen Umstand anzugehen, haben Hirschi, Nagy, Baumeler, Johnston und Spurk (2018) den Karriere-Ressourcen Fragebogen (CRQ; Career Resources Questionnaire) entwickelt und in einer englischsprachigen Version validiert. Basierend auf einer Integration von theoretischer und metaanalytischer Forschung misst der Fragebogen 13 distinkte Faktoren, welche 4 übergeordnete Dimensionen repräsentieren: Wissen und Kompetenzen, Motivation, Umfeldund Aktivitätenbezüglich Karriere. In der vorliegenden Studie wird eine Validierung der deutschsprachigen Version mittels N= 1 666 Personen (Studierende und Berufstätige) vorgenommen. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen die Reliabilität sowie die Faktorstruktur des Fragebogens. Mittels Relative-Weight-Analysen konnte zudem die Wichtigkeit von verschiedenen Faktoren für unterschiedliche Arten von Karriereerfolg gezeigt werden. Das Messinstrument bietet Forschenden und Praktizierenden eine ökonomische, reliable und valide Möglichkeit, um Schlüsselfaktoren für Karriereerfolg zu erfassen.

The existing literature proposes a large numer of potential predictors of career success which makes it difficult to measure such facilitative factors in a economic way. In order to address this challenge, Hirschi, Nagy, Baumeler, Johnston, and Spurk (2018) have developed and evaulated the Career Resources Questionnaire (CRQ). The CRQ measures 13 factors, represented in 4 higher-level dimensions: Knowledge and Skills, Motivation, Environment, and Activities. In this paper, we aim to validate the German version of the CRQ among N = 1 666 employees and students. The results support the reliability and factor structure and support concurrent and criterion validity regarding similar measures and different indicators of objective and subjective career success. Moreover, relative-weight analyses show that different factors are differently related to various types of career success. We conclude that the German-language CRQ provides an economic, reliable, and efficient tool to assess key predictors of career success.

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Assessing Key Predictors of Career Success: Development and Validation of the Career Resources Questionnaire

Hirschi, A., Nagy, N., Baumeler, F., Johnston, C., & Spurk, D. (in press). Assessing Key Predictors of Career Success: Development and Validation of the Career Resources Questionnaire. Journal of Career Assessment.

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Abstract

Identifying predictors of career success is one of the most considered topics in career research and practice. However, the existing literature suggests a vast array of potential predictors that cannot be economically measured. This significantly limits research and practice. To address this issue, we have integrated theoretical and meta-analytic research to propose an integrative framework of career resources, including human capital, environmental, motivational, and career management behavior resources represented by 13 distinct factors. In a multi-step process, we have developed the Career Resources Questionnaire (CRQ) to assess these factors in workers and college students. In two studies encompassing 873 workers and 691 students, we have confirmed reliability and factor structure, convergent validity with existing scales, and criterion validity with indicators of subjective and objective career success. The developed measure can provide researchers and practitioners with a reliable, concise, and comprehensive measure to assess key predictors of career success.

Protean career orientation, vocational identity, and self-efficacy: An empirical clarification of their relationship

Hirschi, A., Jaensch, V., & Herrmann, A. (2017) Protean career orientation, vocational identity, and self-efficacy: An empirical clarification of their relationship. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 26(2), 208-220.doi: 10.1080/1359432X.2016.1242481.

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Abstract

There is a large interest in how people can be more protean in their career development, exhibiting a self-directed striving for personally valued career outcomes. However, existing research on the protean career needs to better address issues of antecedents and outcomes as well as unique effects of a protean career orientation (PCO). We present two studies investigating how PCO is related to vocational identity clarity and occupational self-efficacy. Study 1 reports a one-year, three-wave cross-lagged study among 563 university students and established that PCO preceded changes in identity and self-efficacy – but not the other way around. A six-month longitudinal study of 202 employees, Study 2 showed that identity clarity and self-efficacy mediated the effects of PCO on career satisfaction and proactive career behaviors. PCO only possessed incremental predictive validity regarding proactive career behaviors. However, we could not confirm specific direct or mediated effects of PCO on job satisfaction. These results imply that PCO is closely related to vocational identity clarity and self-efficacy because it enhances these career attitudes. Moreover, identity and self-efficacy mediate some but not all of the effects of PCO on important career outcomes.

Keywords: protean career orientation; vocational identity; occupational self-efficacy; job satisfaction; career satisfaction; proactive career behaviors

All in the name of work? Nonwork orientations as predictors of salary, career satisfaction, and life satisfaction

Hirschi, A., Herrmann, A., Nagy, N., & Spurk, D. (2016). All in the name of work? Nonwork orientations as predictors of salary, career satisfaction, and life satisfaction. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 95–96, 45-57, doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2016.07.006.

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Abstract

Career development increasingly demands a successful integration of work and nonwork domains. Based on work-nonwork conflict and enrichment theories, this study explored the relationship between nonwork orientations (i.e., family, personal life, and community) and both objective (i.e., salary) and subjective (i.e., career satisfaction) career success and life satisfaction over a period of six months among a sample of 548 employees from Germany. The results generally support the enrichment perspective. Family orientation showed a positive relationship with career satisfaction. All three nonwork orientations, especially family orientation, were positively related to life satisfaction. We also explored gender and age effects but found no differences in nonwork orientations between young employees aged 25–34 years and older workers aged 50–59 years. Men showed lower levels of personal life orientation than women, but no differences in family or community orientation based on gender were found. We also did not observe gender x age interaction effects. We discuss the study's implications for a whole-life perspective on career development, career success, and well-being.

The protean career orientation as predictor of career outcomes: Evaluation of incremental validity and mediation effects

Herrmann, A., Hirschi, A., & Baruch, Y. (2015). The protean career orientation as predictor of career outcomes: Evaluation of incremental validity and mediation effects. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 88,205-214, doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2015.03.008

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The positive effects of a protean career attitude for self-initiated expatriates: Cultural adjustment as a mediator

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Cao, L., Hirschi, A., & Deller, J. (2013). The positive effects of a protean career attitude for self-initiated expatriates: Cultural adjustment as a mediator. Career Development International, 18(1), 56-77. doi:10.1108/136204313113059537