Melinde Coetzee

A Psychological Career Resources Framework for Contemporary Career Development

In a complex, boundaryless and continually changing work world, people increasingly focus on their subjective careers as a framework for their career growth and development (Converse et al., J Vocat Behav 80:148–159, 2012; Khapova et al., Handbook of Career Studies, pp. 114–130, 2007. The subjective career represents an internally-driven self-regulated psychological state of vocational development that influences the individual’s capability to effectively cope with, adapt to, and succeed in a particular work setting or occupational role, and deal effectively with career transitions (Converse et al., J Vocat Behav 80:148–159, 2012; Khapova et al., Handbook of Career Studies, pp. 114–130, 2007; Savickas and Porfeli, J Vocat Behav 80:661–673, 2012). The psychological state of development is a consequence of individuals’ psycho-social meta-capacities (Coetzee, South African J Ind Psychol 34(2):32–41, 2008; Savickas and Porfeli, J Vocat Behav 80:661–673, 2012; Weigl et al., J Vocat Behav 77:140–153, 2010) which comprise their psychological capital and social resources and strengths (Avey et al., Human Resour Dev Q 22(2):127–152, 2011). People’s psycho-social resources (meta-capacities) have been related to key self-evaluations and agentic processes that enable them to control and influence their environment (Hobfoll et al., J Personal Soc Psychol 84:632–643, 2003; Rottinghaus et al., J Career Assess 20(2):123–139, 2012), successfully cope with job demands, attain goals, achieve personal growth and development (Demerouti et al., J Appl Psychol 86:499–512, 2001) and solve the unfamiliar, complex and ill-defined problems presented by current and anticipated developmental vocational tasks, and transitions and traumas in occupational roles (Savickas and Porfeli, J Vocat Behav 80:661–673, 2012). This chapter proposes a psychological career resources (career meta-capacities) framework relevant to the 21st century occupational world and reports research findings on the development and validation of a quantitative measure of psychological career resources that can be applied in the contemporary career counseling context.

Perceived leadership style and employee participation in a manufacturing company in the democratic republic of Congo

This study examined the relationship between the perceived leadership style (measured by the leader behavior descriptive questionnaire) and employee participation (measured by the employee participation survey), and looked at how individuals differ with respect to these variables in terms of demographical factors such as gender, age, educational level and functional department. A crosssectional survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 200 employees from a manufacturing company in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The results indicated that the participants’ perceptions of a leader’s behavioral style have a significant influence on their perceptions of employee participation. The study further found that male participants perceived their leader’s style significantly more positive than their female counterparts. Participants’ with master’s and doctoral degrees were significantly more positive about the level of employee participation than the participants with undergraduate levels qualifications. Participants in the exploitation management department were significantly more positive about their leaders’ style than those in the other functional departments. The findings add new knowledge that may be used to inform human resource practitioners in the development and coaching of leaders and employees in manufacturing companies.

Measuring student graduateness: reliability and construct validity of the Graduate Skills and Attributes Scale

This study reports the development and validation of the Graduate Skills and Attributes Scale which was initially administered to a random sample of 272 third-year-level and postgraduate-level, distance-learning higher education students. The data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis. In a second study, the scale was administered to a stratified proportional random sample of 1102 early-career, undergraduate open distance-learning higher education students in the economic and management sciences field. The data were analysed using confirmatory factor and Rasch analyses. The structural validity and reliability of the scale were confirmed by the results. Educators and learning and development practitioners may be able to use the findings in their teaching, learning and assessment design.

Exploring the perceived career success of staff in a South African science and engineering company.

This study explored the core themes underlying individuals’ perceptions of their career success with the view to inform retention practices. The participants were a convenience sample of 207 employees (63% Blacks; 60% males) within a South African science and engineering company. Data were gathered by using a quantitative survey approach and posing an open-ended question to the participants regarding their perceived career success. The data were thematically analysed by using the Atlas.ti version 6 computer-aided qualitative data analysis software. Findings suggest that self-perceptions of career success are multifaceted, including learning and development; skills, experience and competence; career transitions and advancement; job content; contributing to a larger community; goal achievement; helping others; rewards and recognition; and work-life balance. Individuals’ inner definitions of career success could inform retention strategies in the science and engineering field focused on their career development, career wellbeing and satisfaction.

Gender and hardiness as predictors of career adaptability : an exploratory study among Black call centre agents

The call centre career poses developmental challenges that require high levels of hardiness and career adaptability. This article explores whether call centre agents’ gender and hardiness significantly and positively predicted their career adaptability, and whether women and men differed significantly regarding their hardiness and career adaptability. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 409 early-career Black African call centre agents (mean age = 32 years; 66% females). Correlations, stepwise hierarchical regression analysis and the Mann–Whitney U test for significant mean differences were performed to achieve the objective of the study. The results showed that gender significantly predicted career adaptability and that the females had significantly higher levels of career adaptability than their male counterparts. A high sense of hardy control and a low tolerance for unpredictability predicted higher levels of career adaptability. In the light of the paucity of research on the hardiness and career adaptability of Black women and men in the African context, the research contributed valuable new insights that may inform career development interventions for Black call centre agents. The results of the study emphasise the importance of developing call centre agents’ hardiness in order to strengthen their career adaptability. The results further indicated that the diverse strengths and growth areas of women and men in terms of developing their career adaptability must be considered in career development interventions.

Job Retention Factors, Perceived Career Mobility and Organisational Commitment in the South African Financial Sector

This study explores job retention factors, perceived career mobility and organisational commitment among early career employees. Participants were professional auditors, accountants and financial staff (N = 82) in the finance industry in South Africa (57% = females, 70% White, age range between 17 and 29 years). They completed a career mobility survey and an organisational commitment measure. Data were analysed to identify key retention factors and relate employee demographics to their perceptions of career mobility and organizational commitment. The results suggest that older employees perceived the cost of leaving to influence their career mobility and organisational commitment. Younger Black employees regarded career advancement important for their career mobility and organisational commitment. Talent retention strategies for professional staff members in the financial sector should take into account their need for intra-organisational career mobility, work-life balance, knowledge and skills utilisation and competitive compensation.

Distance Learning Students' Graduateness as Predictors of Their Job Satisfaction and Optimism about Future Career Prospects

Abstract This study explored whether individuals’ graduateness skills and attributes (measured by the Graduateness Scale) significantly predict their job satisfaction and optimism about their future career prospects, and whether race and gender groups differ significantly regarding these variables. A random sample of 272 adults employed in the South African service industry and registered as distance learning students in the economic and management sciences field at a South African open distance learning higher education institution participated in the study. A quantitative survey design was used. Multiple regression analyses indicated enterprising skills as a significant predictor of the participants’ job satisfaction. Continuous learning orientation and presenting and applying information skills significantly predicted the participants’ optimism regarding their future career prospects. The race and gender groups differed significantly regarding their graduateness skills and attributes, with Indians scoring higher than the other race groups, and females scoring higher than their male counterparts. The new knowledge obtained may be used to inform organisational training and development and higher educational curriculum design practices concerned with optimising the graduateness of employees in their role as students and lifelong learners in a knowledge-driven global business economy.

Subjective work experiences, career orientations, and psychological career resources of working adults

The primary objective of the present study was to assess whether career orientations and psychological career resources relate to individuals’ subjective work experiences. A quantitative survey was conducted on a random sample of 2 997 participants at predominantly managerial and supervisory level in the South African service industry. The measuring instruments consisted of a subjective work experiences scale, the Career Orientations Inventory and Psychological Career Resources Inventory. The results indicated career orientations and psychological career resources as significant predictors of the participants’ subjective work experiences. The results make an important contribution to existing literature on career well-being and subjective career success. Career guidance and counseling, and organisational career development support have become of crucial importance in the changing employment climate in order to maximise individuals’ chances of experiencing job and career satisfaction and success over the life course (Sinclair 2009). More recently, interest in the subjective aspects of career success and satisfaction has gained greater salience in contemporary career research. This can be ascribed to the more turbulent career context resulting in careers being less ordered and predictable (Arnold and Cohen 2008; Arthur, Khapova and Wilderom 2005; Coetzee and Bergh 2009; Hall and Chandler 2005 Kidd 2008; Sinclair 2009). Contemporary measures of people’s subjective experiences of their careers and working lives tend to focus on the career self-concept or identity, the internal career orientation and the core self-evaluations relating to people’s psychological career resources or career meta-competencies (Coetzee 2008, Coetzee and Schreuder 2009b; Fugate, Kinicki and Ashforth 2004; Kanye and Crous 2007; Kuijpers and Scheerens 2006; Sinclair 2009; Van Dam 2004; Van der Heijde and Van der Heijden 2006). People’s experiences of subjective career success have also been linked to people’s subjective experiences of their careers and working lives which also relate

Psychosocial employability attributes as predictors of staff satisfaction with retention factors

The increased mobility of highly skilled knowledge workers who place a high premium on their employability capital challenges organisations to retain their scarce talent. This article explored individuals’ psychosocial employability attributes as predictors of their satisfaction with organisational retention factors. A cross-sectional quantitative, correlational research design was followed. A non-probability purposive sample of 321 permanently employed employees in an automotive manufacturing company in South Africa participated in the study (50% mid-career; 72% males; 50% Blacks; and 79% managerial/supervisory levels). Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that proactivity positively predicted satisfaction with job characteristics; career self-management positively predicted satisfaction with training and development opportunities, career opportunities, and work–life balance. Emotional literacy negatively predicted satisfaction with career opportunities. The results provide valuable insights regarding how employees’ psychosocial employability attributes influence their retention.

Young emerging adults’ graduateness and career adaptability: Exploring the moderating role of self-esteem

This study investigated the moderating role of self-esteem on young emerging adults’ in their school-to-work transition phase of graduateness skills and career adaptability. A non-probability convenience sample (n=332) of undergraduate black (98.5%) and female (62%) young emerging adults (18–29 years) at a Further Education and Training (FET) college in South Africa participated in the study. Participants completed the Culture Free Self-esteem Inventory for Adults (CFSEI 2-AD, Battle, 1992), the Graduateness Skills and Attributes Scale (GSAS, Coetzee, 2010) and the Career Adapt-abilities Scale (CAAS, Savickas & Porfeli, 2012). Hierarchical moderated regression analysis indicated significant interaction effects between self-esteem and overall graduateness, lifelong learning and global/moral citizenship skills and attributes in moderating overall career adaptability. The relationship between the participants’ graduateness skills and attributes (overall graduateness, global/moral citizenship, and lifelong learning) and their career adaptability was significantly stronger when their self-esteem was high than when their self-esteem was low. The finding suggests self-esteem to influence self-perceived graduateness skills and career adaptability in emerging adults.