From Occupational Choice to Career Crafting

This chapter provides an updated review and commentary on the empirical literature on individual difference antecedents of careers outcomes, before suggesting areas for future research. Career success is commonly defined as either the real or perceived achievements individuals have accumulated as a result of their work experiences, or the accumulated positive work and psychological outcomes resulting from one’s work experiences. Potentially career enhancing dispositions are unlikely to result in objective career outcomes unless they lead people to act and perform in ways that are valued by organizations or other gatekeepers of objective career outcomes and/or that build career-enhancing opportunities and resources, such as a network of supportive colleagues. Networking is important for career success because it creates opportunities and aids in identifying the next career move within or beyond the organization. Conscientiousness and neuroticism respectively influence salary positively and negatively, via their influence on the occupational self-efficacy facet of human capital.