Emotional intelligence influences on the work performance of early career academics: An exploratory study

We aimed to investigate emotional intelligence (EI) influences on the work performance of early career academic (ECA) staff. Participants were 220 early career academic staff at a rural South African university (female = 56.8%, 77.7% aged between 20 and 40 years, black = 89.1%). They completed an emotional intelligence scale as well as a measure of work performance. Results, following structural equation modelling, indicated that perception and regulation of emotion aspects of EI to significantly, positively influence the ECA’s job, interpersonal, non-organisational and hierarchical success. ECA staff high on EI perceived to relate better with others, and to be proactive in their adaptive behaviours when change manifests. The ways in which ECA staff appraise and respond to emotionally charged workplace communication appear to influence their likelihood to succeed in the work adjustment.     

Expatriates’ success in Ethiopia: Empirical evidence on the overlooked impact of cultural value alignment

The present study assessed the impact on the work engagement of expatriates’ personal value orientation alignment with the host country’s national culture. Participants were 231 expatriates from seven countries who are working in Ethiopia (females = 17%; mean age = 36 years, SD = 2.72 years). The expatriates completed measures of personal value orientation, cross-culture adjustment, and work engagement levels. Structural equation modelling analysis indicated expatriates with personal value orientations that align with the host country’s national culture to have a higher work engagement level. Cross-cultural adjustment mediated the relationship between personal value orientation and work engagement. Expatriates’ personal value orientation fit with the host country’s national culture is a resource to accomplish their work successfully.     

Career support needs of learners with historical disadvantage: an exploratory study

This study explored the career support needs of learners from a historically disadvantaged rural South African school setting. Participants were a convenience sample of 20 high school learners (females=60%; males=40%; age range 15–17 years; schools grades 9–10). They completed focus group interviews relating to their career awareness and needs. The data were thematically analysed. The results suggested learners have significant in-school career awareness and support needs. The learners accessed career related information informally from social networks they were using out of school rather than in the educational setting.     

Career Counselling in the 21st Century: A Reaction Article

This article reviews the articles on career counselling in the special edition of the Journal of Psychology in Africa. A thematic analysis to the content of the articles was conducted and common themes extrapolated. The main themes were (a) the shift toward postmodern career counselling, (b) the importance of cultural sensitivity in career counselling practice and (c) adolescents career development. This is followed by a reaction comment.     

Motives for Choosing a Career in Teaching: A South African Study

The study investigated motives for teaching career entry by students (n= 232, males= 103, females= 129, mean age 23) at a large South African university. Data were collected using a career motives survey differentiating extrinsic, intrinsic and altruistic motivators. Extrinsic motivators scored higher than intrinsic or altruistic motivators. The motives advanced for teaching were in alignment with those reported in similar research carried out in metropolitan and developing countries.     

Results of a Citation Analysis of the Career Counselling Field from an African Perspective

The study examined research and trends in career counselling published in selected professional sources during the period 1980–2010. Citation analysis was used in this study to investigate documents which were indexed in the Web of Science related to career counselling. Career counselling and related keywords were used jointly in the search for documents. There were a total of 730 documents judged to be relevant to the field of career counselling and were citation analysed. The number of citations related to the career counselling field has been increasing continuously since 2000. Research publications on career counselling are projected to increase for both South African authors and the authors of other African countries.     

Job Characteristics That Influence the Career Success of Soldiers in the South African National Defence Force: An Analytical Review

Career success for solders is influenced by objective and subjective job qualities including their antecedents and mediators. This article considers the objective and subjective indicators of career success in the context of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF): achievement, satisfaction, mobility, organizational commitment and retention. Objective determinants of career success include the qualities of the physical environment, physical job demands on effort, typical job demands, role conflict and subjective occupational hazards and the organisational culture of the military. The subjective determinants that impact career success are psychological in nature, such as value conflict, job security and psychological contact. Outcomes for individuals vary as mediated by organizational culture, gender, period of service and education.     

The Role of Career Aspiration,Self-Esteem,Body Esteem,and Gender in Predicting Sense of Well-being Among Emerging Adults

During emerging adulthood, one’s sense of well-being undergoes many rapid changes. Although emerging adults often present considerable energy, creativity, and hopefulness, both in higher education classrooms and workplaces, they often experience a decrease in well-being due to experience confusion, stress encounters, and difficulties in transitioning to adulthood. The authors examined four noteworthy key socioemotional factors that may be linked to emerging adults' sense of well-being: career aspiration, self-esteem, body esteem, and gender. Three hundred 20- to 29-year-old university students participated in the study. Results showed that well-being was correlated positively with self-esteem and body esteem, and body esteem was correlated negatively with gender (men scored higher). Regression analyses revealed that for both men and women, self-esteem and body esteem predicted well-being. Nevertheless, when the gender was analyzed separately, career aspiration predicted well-being only for men, whereas body esteem predicted well-being only for women. The study findings illuminates the importance of generating preventive measures in childhood and adolescence, through reinforcing skills such as resilience and self-esteem with the aim of passing through emerging adulthood with as little harm as possible to the sense of well-being.     

The effects of creative,expressive, and reflective writing on career learning: An explorative study

This study investigates whether creative, expressive, and reflective writing contributes to the formation of a work-life narrative that offers both meaning and direction among students in higher education. The content of writing done by students who participated in a two-day writing course at the start (or in preparation) of their work placements and of a control group who did not take part in the course were compared. Writing samples were analysed using the Linguistic Index Word Count program (Pennebaker, Booth, & Francis, 2007) and an instrument based on Dialogical Self Theory (Hermans & Hermans-Konopka, 2010). Results show writing promotes the development of career narratives.