Openness to Experience and the Career Adaptability of Refugees: How Do Career Optimism and Family Social Support Matter?

The present study examines the antecedents of the career adaptability of people from a refugee background. Drawing on career construction theory, it specifically examines whether openness to experience fosters career adaptability through enhancing career optimism. In addition, it examines whether family social support moderates the relationship between openness to experience and career optimism, and moderates the mediated relationship between openness to experience and career adaptability through career optimism. Analysis of three waves of data from people from a refugee background seeking employment in metropolitan Australia found support for the hypothesized relationships. In particular, career optimism was found to fully mediate the relationship between openness to experience and career adaptability. In addition, family social support was found to substitute for low levels of openness to experience.

An exploration of black college men's perspective on their career outlook through cluster analysis

Black men currently significantly lag other groups in their participation in high status occupations. There have been several studies to highlight the challenges of Black people in the workplace but there is a lack of research that assess how college men think about their career futures (Barrett, 2004; Byars-Winston, 2010; Hoffman, Llagas, & Snyder, 2003). The current study aims to explore what Black college men believe about their career potential postgraduation during a critical time in the development of their careers. The constructs career adaptability, career decision self-efficacy, career optimism, and the impostor phenomenon will be used to identify strengths and internal barriers that both positively and negatively influence the psychology of Black men in relation to their career motivations, aspirations, and their confidence in their ability to successfully navigate the career landscape. Cluster analysis was used to identify groups of participants based upon the constructs measured and demographic variables. A six-cluster solution was identified in the sample that represented distinct profiles of career readiness. The clusters were labeled 'Impostor with low optimism and career agency', 'Highly prepared impostor', 'Comfortable', 'Not prepared', 'Very comfortable and highly prepared', 'Impostor'. Black Racial Identity measures suggest that positive esteem held for Black people corelates with high career preparedness and lower distress. The results from this study provides information useful for vocational practioners and university administrators who support the career development needs of Black college men. Keywords: Black College Men, Academic Self-Concept, Career Adaptability, Career Decision, Self-efficacy, Career Optimism, Imposter Phenomenon

The relationship between mentor support experiences and STEM graduate student career optimism

PurposeUsing social cognitive career theory in tandem with gender role theory, the current research examines how instrumental and socioemotional mentor support experiences are linked to mentee career optimism among a sample of STEM graduate students. More specifically, this study examines how self-efficacy and school satisfaction mediate the relationship dependent on the gender of the student as well as the gender of the mentor.Design/methodology/approachA total of N = 828 (n = 408 women, n = 420 men) graduate students enrolled in one of 119 public STEM graduate programs in the USA participated in an online survey.FindingsResults suggest that student gender did not moderate the proposed mediation model. However, the instrumental support experiences → self-efficacy → career optimism mediation relationship was moderated by mentor gender with female mentors strengthening the relationship between mentor support experiences and optimism. Finally, same-gender mentor–student dyads experience consistency of school satisfaction regardless of instrumental mentor support experiences compared to the heterogeneous gender mentor–student dyads where school satisfaction is positively associated with mentor instrumental support.Originality/valueThis study expands Lent et al.'s (2015) social cognitive career model by providing an analysis of independent parallel mediation paths to examine the direct link between mentor support experiences and career optimism through self-efficacy and school satisfaction. Based on the findings, graduate programs should emphasize the importance of mentor support experiences and help graduate faculty explore how they can best provide mentor experiences to their mentees.

Career Adaptability: The Role of Developmental Leadership and Career Optimism

Researchers suggest contextual and personal factors may interact to predict career adaptability and that antecedents of career adaptability have received less research attention. Consequently, we examined the relationship between developmental leadership, career optimism, and career adaptability, and the potential moderating role of career optimism. Data were collected from workers pursuing an MBA program in leadership and other business courses in a Ghanaian University. Results showed that developmental leadership and career optimism relates positively to career adaptability. Finally, we observed developmental leadership relates positively to career adaptability for employees low on optimism but was unrelated to career adaptability for employees high on optimism. Together, the results suggest that although both developmental leadership and career optimism are beneficial for career adaptability, developmental leadership is particularly important, for less optimistic employees. We have discussed implications and limitations of our findings.

Effectiveness of a school-to-work transition skills program in a collectivist culture

This study examined the effectiveness of a school-to-work transition skills program on the career adaptability and career optimism of senior year university students in Turkey. For this purpose, a career intervention program was adapted from one developed in the USA. Results indicated that participants in the intervention group (N = 16) had higher career adaptability and career optimism after the program, and their scores were higher than the control group (N = 16). The effectiveness of the program was confirmed by a follow-up test three months later. This study also discusses the theoretical and practical implications of career interventions in relation to the relevant literature.

When and why do negative organization-related career shocks impair career optimism? A conditional indirect effect model

PurposeThis study investigates when and why negative organization-related career shocks affect career optimism, which is a positive career-planning attitude. The indirect effect of negative organization-related career shocks on career optimism via job insecurity and the role of perceived organizational career support as a first-stage moderator were investigated.Design/methodology/approachThree-wave time-lagged data from a sample of 728 employees in Switzerland was used. Time-lagged correlations, an indirect effect model and a conditional indirect effect model with bootstrapping were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsFirst, this study showed a significant negative correlation between negative organization-related career shocks (T1) and career optimism (T3), a positive correlation between negative organization-related career shocks (T1) and job insecurity (T2) and a negative correlation between job insecurity (T2) and career optimism (T3). Second, findings revealed that negative organization-related career shocks (T1) have a negative indirect effect on career optimism (T3) via job insecurity (T2). Third, perceived organizational career support (T1) buffers the indirect effect of negative organization-related career shocks (T1) on career optimism (T3).Originality/valueThis study provides an initial examination of the relationship between negative organization-related career shocks and career optimism by applying assumptions from the JD-R model and Conservation of Resources theory. Implications about how to deal with negative career shocks in HRM and career counseling are discussed.