The effect of self‐regulated decision making on career path and major‐related career choice satisfaction

The present research examined the influence of self‐regulated decision making on satisfaction in career path (college major for Study 1, job for Study 2) and major‐related career choice. Results indicate a full mediating effect of fit in the relationship between self‐regulated decision making and satisfaction in career path. Self‐regulated decision making also influenced major–job congruence via satisfaction with a participant's college major. Findings suggest that individuals who possess self‐regulatory ability in decision‐making contexts were more likely to choose majors and jobs of good fit, experience satisfaction from their career decisions, and choose careers relevant to their college majors.     

Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy Change in Italian High School Students

The authors explored the effects of a structured‐group career intervention among 280 Italian high school students. Hierarchical linear models indicated the intervention's effectiveness in increasing career decision‐making self‐efficacy and, consequently, career exploration, but not in decreasing career choice anxiety. In addition, partial confirmation was found for the moderating effects of participants' expectations and motivation to change on the relationship between career decision‐making self‐efficacy and career choice anxiety. The findings support the development of a systematic vocational guidance program in Italian schools.     

Perfectionism and career decision‐making self‐efficacy

This study investigated the relationship between perfectionism and career decision‐making self‐efficacy. Participants completed the Almost Perfect Scale—Revised (R. B. Slaney, K. G. Rice, M. Mobley, J. Trippi, & J. S. Ashby, 2001) and the Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy—Short Form (N. E. Betz, K. L. Klein, & K. M. Taylor, 1996). Adaptive perfectionists had higher levels of career decision‐making self‐efficacy than did maladaptive perfectionists and nonperfectionists. There was no difference between maladaptive perfectionists and nonperfectionists in career decision‐making self‐efficacy. Findings add to a growing body of research that suggests perfectionism has adaptive and maladaptive components. Implications for counseling and limitations are discussed.     

Emotional Intelligence and Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy: National and Gender Differences

This study examined the effect of emotional intelligence (EI) on career decision‐making self‐efficacy (CDMSE) in an East Asian context, as well as the moderating roles of gender and country. Data were collected from undergraduate students from China (N = 149) and South Korea (N = 218). The results showed that all 4 factors of EI were positively related to CDMSE. Moreover, while the effects of 3 EI factors on CDMSE were found to be greater among the Chinese students than the South Korean students, no gender differences were detected. By introducing cultural influences, the findings provide important implications for career counseling.     

The role of personality traits,core self‐evaluation,and emotional intelligence in career decision‐making difficulties

This study examines the role of personality traits, core self‐evaluation, and emotional intelligence (EI) in career decision‐making difficulties. Italian university students (N= 232) responded to questions on the Big Five Questionnaire, Core Self‐Evaluation Scale, Bar‐On Emotional Quotient Inventory, and Career Decision‐Making Difficulties Questionnaire. It was found that EI adds significant incremental variance compared with personality traits and core self‐evaluation in predicting career decision‐making difficulties. The results draw attention to the unique role of EI in career decision‐making difficulties, offering new research opportunities and intervention possibilities.     

Increasing Career Self‐Efficacy for Women: Evaluating a Group Intervention

The study evaluated whether women participating in a career group designed to increase career‐related self‐efficacy would make gains on career decision‐making self‐efficacy and vocational exploration and commitment compared with women in a control group. Thirty‐one women participated in a 6‐week treatment group, and 30 women participated in a no‐treatment control group. Results indicated that, compared with the control group, women in the treatment group improved on career decision‐making self‐efficacy and vocational exploration and commitment, and maintained those gains at 6‐week follow‐up. The discussion focuses on implications for counseling, limitations of the study, and future research.     

the role of the employer in shaping students' work‐related skills

One hundred two employers were surveyed to identify their level of involvement and perceived responsibilities in working with student‐workers to develop personal responsibility, decision‐making ability, problem‐solving ability, collaboration, commitment, and career development. Results suggested that employers perceived their involvement to be in the following areas, from highest to lowest: commitment, personal responsibility, problem‐solving ability, collaboration, decision‐making ability, and career development.     

Influence of Proactive Personality on Career Self‐Efficacy

This study examined the relationship between proactive personality and career decision‐making self‐efficacy. In Study 1, the authors validated the Proactive Personality Scale–Korean Short Form, using the Rasch model with 315 participants, and found that fit statistics, point‐measure correlations, and item difficulty estimates satisfy the construct validity criterion. In Study 2, the authors administered the Proactive Personality Scale, Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy Scale, and Career Search Self‐Efficacy Scale to 296 freshman and sophomore college students. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that proactive personality scores explain additional variance in both career decision‐making self‐efficacy and career search self‐efficacy scores. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

The Career Decision‐Making Process of Chinese American Youth

The authors investigated how negotiating two cultural expectations may influence the career decision‐making process of Chinese youth. In‐depth interviews were conducted with 8 participants addressing issues of role models, career interests, and individuals with whom they discussed career concerns. Consensual Qualitative Research (C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, & E. N. Williams, 1997) was used to analyze data. The findings suggest that parents' academic and career expectations influenced the career decisions of Chinese youth.     

Emotional Intelligence and Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy: Mediating Roles of Goal Commitment and Professional Commitment

This study is the first to examine the mechanism of the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and career decision‐making self‐efficacy (CDMSE) and the moderating role of gender in relevant mechanisms. Analyses of 185 Chinese university students showed that EI could influence CDMSE through goal commitment (GC) and professional commitment, and male students exhibited a stronger relationship between EI and GC compared with female students. This study introduces a new perspective for career development research by establishing a mediation‐based emotion–career framework and provides deeper insights for career counselors to assist clients in career decision processes.     

The Effect of Internal Locus of Control on Career Adaptability: The Mediating Role of Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy and Occupational Engagement

This study examined the mediating roles of career decision‐making self‐efficacy (a domain‐specific motivational variable) and occupational engagement (a behavioral variable) on the relationship between internal locus of control (a general motivational variable) and career adaptability among college students in South Korea (N = 310). The findings extend past research on career adaptability by identifying a relationship among the variables.     

Theoretical application of holland's theory to individual decision‐making styles: implications for career counselors

Career decision making is an important aspect of career choice and career development. This theoretical article explores the relationship between J. L. Holland's (1997) 6 dimensions of personality and individual decision‐making styles. Implications for career counselors are also provided.     

Empowering high‐risk clients to attain a better quality of life: a career resiliency framework

Career counselors frequently encounter clients who are at high risk for career and life development difficulties. Research suggests there is a connection between resiliency and successful career development in high‐risk clients. Many high‐risk individuals have poor decision‐making skills and lack motivation to succeed in life and career development. This article describes a career resiliency framework in which career resiliency is best understood within the context of psychological resiliency. Specifically, this article explicates how career counseling from a resiliency theory perspective may promote successful career development for populations dealing with multiple barriers.     

High School Students' Career‐Related Decision‐Making Difficulties

The present study examined the construct of career‐related decision‐making difficulties among 1,843 Israeli adolescents: choosing a high school (9th grade), choosing high school elective courses (10th grade), and deciding on a military job preference (11th grade). Three versions of the Career Decision‐Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ) were constructed to match the 3 decision situations. The structures of the 10 difficulty categories of the revised CDDQ were found similar to that proposed by I. Gati, M. Krausz, and S. H. Osipow (1996). Boys reported higher difficulties than girls in external conflicts and dysfunctional beliefs. Research and counseling implications are discussed.     

Career Decision‐Making Intervention With Unemployed Adults: When Good Intentions Are Not Effective

This study adapted existing empirically supported interventions to explore options for serving large numbers of unemployed adults. Participants included 150 unemployed adults (72 experimental group, 78 control group) seeking employment office services to maintain U.S. federal unemployment compensation. A 1‐hour workshop was offered to the 72 experimental group participants. The same career development variables were assessed during data collection for both groups. Results revealed the workshop had no impact on negative career thinking and potentially increased career decision‐making difficulties in the experimental group. Intervention effectiveness issues, implications for future research, and intervention options with unemployed adults are discussed.     

A person‐centred approach to investigate the development trajectories of job‐related affective well‐being: A 10‐year follow‐up study

The primary aim of this three‐wave 10‐year follow‐up study was to investigate the intra‐individual change trajectories of job‐related affective well‐being among Finnish managers (n= 402). Job‐related affective well‐being as indicated by anxiety, depression, comfort, and enthusiasm was measured in 1996, 1999, and 2006. The characteristics of the trajectories were sought from experienced career disruptions (i.e., periods of unemployment or lay‐offs) and perceived job insecurity. The growth mixture modelling (GMM) revealed altogether three latent trajectories that differed from each other in their mean levels and regard to changes in job‐related affective well‐being over time: (1) high and improving well‐being (n= 347), (2) decreased well‐being (n= 32), and (3) low and improving well‐being (n= 23). The associations between job‐related affective well‐being trajectories and career disruptions depended upon the timing of the career disruptions. In addition, perceived job insecurity is associated with concurrently decreased occupational well‐being. Overall, the results highlighted both typical and untypical development trajectories of job‐related affective well‐being and related career characteristics.     

A Predictive Investigation of Reputation as Mediator of the Political‐Skill/Career‐Success Relationship1

Career success is determined by a number of factors, including some combination of specific competencies and a performance record, along with network development, organizational politics, and reputation building. Theory and research suggest that employees' political skill predicts their career success, and that this relationship is mediated by employees' reputation in the workplace. These hypotheses were tested in a predictive study, collecting 2 waves of data from 135 career employees, covering a 1‐year timeframe. Political skill at Time 1 predicted hierarchical position, income, and career satisfaction at Time 2. Furthermore, reputation mediated the relationships between political skill, hierarchical position, and career satisfaction. Contributions, implications, limitations, strengths, and future research directions are discussed.     

The College‐to‐Career Transition: An Exploration of Emerging Adulthood

In this qualitative study, the authors explored the experience of recent college graduates transitioning from college to career within the first 3 years of their transition. Five men and 5 women were interviewed, and the narratives were analyzed using consensual qualitative research methodology. Several general themes emerged, including the role of social support, expectations, and optimism in adaptability and resilience in the college‐to‐career transition.