Proactive career self-management: exploring links among psychosocial career attributes and adaptability resources

The study explored whether the positive links between individuals' psychosocial career attributes and career adaptability resources empirically represent the characteristics associated with proactive career self-management behaviour. A cross-sectional convenience sample of Black and White (N=248) working adults participated in the study. The redundancy analysis of the canonical correlation analysis indicated positive links between the career attributes of behavioural adaptability, career directedness, self-esteem, self/other skills, social connectivity, and career purpose, and the four career adaptability resources of career concern, career control, career curiosity, and career confidence. The common synthetic themes that emerged from the positive associations described the characteristics of proactive career self-management behaviour, including (1) self-efficacious adaptive goal-directed behaviour, (2) proactive psychosocial career engagement behaviour, and (3) career resilience. The three dimensions offer considerations for practitioners involved in career development and counselling discussions with employees who need to develop personal agency in their career development and management.