Career competencies in the transition from higher education to the labor market: Examining developmental trajectories

Abstract

Career competencies refer to knowledge and skills central to career development. They are particularly important at the start of the career, as early-career choices can have an impact on career outcomes in the longer term. Building on Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, this study sets out to investigate (1) how career competencies on average change in the transition from higher education to the labor market, (2) whether there are different trajectories (3) connected to labor market experiences. Results are based on a sample of 1180 young adults at five time points, spanning their final year of higher education and the first 10 months at the labor market. Data were analyzed using latent growth curve and latent growth class analyses. Results demonstrated that (1) career competencies on average increased during education and remained stable after labor market entrance: Our interpretation along COR theory is that the transition triggers investment in career competencies and that excess resources are then stalled. (2) Three profiles of change in career competencies were identified, described according to their starting values and change pattern after graduation: high-stable, medium-steadily increasing, and low-late increasing. (3) Individuals in the high-stable profile reported higher education-job fit, whereas individuals in the low-late increasing profile were less likely to be employed four months after graduation. Hence, by including multiple time points, by accounting for within-person dynamics and by taking two contexts (education and labor market) into account, this study was able to increase understanding of change in resources in transition periods. © 2021 Elsevier Inc.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Conservation of resources Career competencies Stalled resources Transition to the labor market

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

Research Unit Occupational & Organizational Psychology and Professional Learning, KU Leuven, Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Funding & Acknowledgements

Grant: 11V7616N

Funding text 1: This work was supported by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen, Belgium [11V7616N] and Interne Fondsen KU Leuven, Belgium [PDM/19/049]. We would like to thank the associate editor and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. The research project was approved by the Social and Societal Ethic Committee of KU Leuven [G-2015 303 08].; Funding text 2: This work was supported by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen , Belgium [ 11V7616N ] and Interne Fondsen KU Leuven , Belgium [ PDM/19/049 ].

Grant: PDM/19/049

Funding text 1: This work was supported by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen, Belgium [11V7616N] and Interne Fondsen KU Leuven, Belgium [PDM/19/049]. We would like to thank the associate editor and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. The research project was approved by the Social and Societal Ethic Committee of KU Leuven [G-2015 303 08].; Funding text 2: This work was supported by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen , Belgium [ 11V7616N ] and Interne Fondsen KU Leuven , Belgium [ PDM/19/049 ].

KU Leuven

Grant: G-2015 303 08

Funding text 1: This work was supported by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen, Belgium [11V7616N] and Interne Fondsen KU Leuven, Belgium [PDM/19/049]. We would like to thank the associate editor and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. The research project was approved by the Social and Societal Ethic Committee of KU Leuven [G-2015 303 08].; Funding text 2: This work was supported by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen , Belgium [ 11V7616N ] and Interne Fondsen KU Leuven , Belgium [ PDM/19/049 ].

KU Leuven

Funding text 1: This work was supported by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen, Belgium [11V7616N] and Interne Fondsen KU Leuven, Belgium [PDM/19/049]. We would like to thank the associate editor and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. The research project was approved by the Social and Societal Ethic Committee of KU Leuven [G-2015 303 08].; Funding text 2: This work was supported by Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen , Belgium [ 11V7616N ] and Interne Fondsen KU Leuven , Belgium [ PDM/19/049 ].

References 10 References

1 Akkermans, Jos, Competencies for the Contemporary Career: Development and Preliminary Validation of the Career Competencies Questionnaire, Journal of Career Development, 40, 3, pp. 245-267, (2013)

2 Akkermans, Jos, The role of career competencies in the Job Demands - Resources model, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83, 3, pp. 356-366, (2013)

3 Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen, Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties, American Psychologist, 55, 5, pp. 469-480, (2000)

4 Asparouhov, Tihomir, Auxiliary Variables in Mixture Modeling: Three-Step Approaches Using Mplus, Structural Equation Modeling, 21, 3, pp. 329-341, (2014)

5 Baert, Stijn, Overeducation at the start of the career: Stepping stone or trap?, Labour Economics, 25, pp. 123-140, (2013)

6 Berntson, Erik, Predicting perceived employability: Human capital or labour market opportunities?, Economic and Industrial Democracy, 27, 2, pp. 223-244, (2006)

7 Blokker, Rowena, Building a sustainable start: The role of career competencies, career success, and career shocks in young professionals’ employability, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 112, pp. 172-184, (2019)

8 Bridgstock, Ruth, The graduate attributes we've overlooked: Enhancing graduate employability through career management skills, Higher Education Research and Development, 28, 1, pp. 31-44, (2009)

9 Brzinsky-Fay, Christian, The Measurement of School-to-work Transitions as Processes: About events and sequences, European Societies, 16, 2, pp. 213-232, (2014)

10 Structural Equation Modeling with Amos Basic Concepts Applications and Programming, (2001)

Career competencies in the transition from higher education to the labor market: Examining developmental trajectories

How to Cite