Towards a Self-Regulation Model of Career Competencies: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda

Journal: Journal of Vocational Behaviour

Abstract:

Owing to the growing self-managed career patterns, career competencies as essential personal resources play a vital role in several work and career outcomes. Despite extensive research on career competencies, it lacks a consistent theorization and often relies on diverse theoretical perspectives. This study conducts a systematic literature review of career competencies literature over three decades to synthesize scholarly knowledge. It elaborates on how career competencies are conceptualized and measured, reviews prominent theoretical perspectives adopted, and builds a theoretical model based on a self-regulation perspective.

In addition to the conceptual and theoretical advancement suggestions, this study’s findings offer relevant insights to practitioners, specifically for career counselors and vocational psychologists. For instance, research shows that a career competency intervention could enhance participants’ employability and well-being through positive reinforcement and self-efficacy enhancement. Generally, career counselors could benefit from the study’s integrative model to select specific factors that may help strengthen people’s career competencies and zoom in on specific self-regulatory elements and mechanisms to support their career development.

Similarly, practitioners could draw inspiration from vocational psychology. For example, research highlights career adaptation’s role in developing career adaptability resources and employability perceptions, positively impacting their future vocational outcomes. Research also indicates that career interventions help students across racial and gender backgrounds enhance their career decision self-efficacy and exploratory behaviors. Likely, the principles and mechanisms underlying such career interventions could also help individuals to develop career competencies. As such, this study suggests that practitioners collaborate to develop and test such career intervention programs to help students and working individuals in their career development.