COMPETENCIES FOR THE CONTEMPORARY CAREER

Jos Akkermans

HAN University of Applied Sciences & Utrecht University

EAPRIL Conference, Jyväskylä, November 29th 2012

Conceptualizing Career Competencies Formulating a comprehensive framework using various research methods

Measuring Career Competencies with the CCQ Developing and testing a measurement instrument

Practical Value of CCs Value of career competencies for interventions of HR departments and educational institutions

Overview of Presentation

Young employees aged 16-30

Finished intermediate vocational training

OR

Were about to finish IVT

RQ 1: Which career competencies may be relevant for young employees who are starting their career?

RQ 2: How can we measure these CCs?

Conceptualizing CC

RQ 1: Which career competencies may be relevant for young employees who are starting their career?

1) Literature review of career competencies

2) Interview study among 47 stakeholders e.g., Labor unions

HR and line managers

Researchers

Young employees

Conceptualizing CC

Outcomes of review and interviews:

Career competencies pertain to the individual’s career

as a whole and may therefore be clearly distinguished from job skills and work competencies

Career competencies are conceptually related to, but different from dispositional characteristics and contextual variables

Career competencies are malleable; they can be developed by the individual

Conceptualizing CC

Outcomes of review and interviews:

Career competencies: “knowledge, skills, and abilities central to career development, which can be influenced and developed by the individual”

1) Reflective Career Competencies

2) Communicative Career Competencies

3) Behavioral Career Competencies

Conceptualizing CC

Reflective Career Competencies

Reflection on Motivation

Reflection on Qualities

Communicative Career Competencies

Networking

Self-profiling

Behavioral Career Competencies

Work Exploration

Career Control

Conceptualizing CC

RQ 2: How can we measure these CCs?

1) Initial 32-item version of the Career Competencies Questionnaire (CCQ)

2) Pilot Study & Panel of Experts

3) Exploratory Factor Analysis (N = 219)

4) Confirmatory Factor Analysis (N = 212)

Measuring CC

32-item version was reduced to final 21-item version based on pilot study, panel of experts, and EFA.

EFA: factor loadings of final version all on their expected factor, between .72 and .91

CFA: six-factor model showed the best fit to the data (vs. one-factor & three-factor model)

CFA: six individual CCs constitute a multidimensional construct of career competencies

Cronbach’s alphas between .77 and .82

Measuring CC

Factorial Validity

The framework of six CCs had the best fit to the data

Discriminant Validity

CCs are related to, but different from: Career motivation

General self-efficacy

Perceived performance

Perceived employability

Incremental Validity

CCs have unique added value up-and-above these concepts

Measuring CC

Career competencies may be especially important for young employees who have recently entered, or are about to enter the labor market

Using quantitative and qualitative research methods, we formulated a comprehensive framework and we developed and tested the CCQ

Empirical testing supported the reliability and the validity of the CCQ

RECAP

Value for organizations and educational institutions:

CCQ as a Diagnostic Tool Monitoring progress; identifying potential obstacles; starting point for further interventions

CCs as personal resources in internships and work Associations with motivational processes and wellbeing

CCs as the basis of career development interventions Career competencies are assumed to be malleable young individuals may be trained to develop them

Practical Value of CCs

CCs as the basis of career development interventions Career competencies are assumed to be malleable young individuals may be trained to develop them

CareerSKILLS Intervention Career development intervention for young employees and interns; based on framework of CCs

Empiral Support for Effectiveness Increase in CCs, resilience against setbacks, GSE, perceived employability, career-related behaviors and work engagement (only for intervention group)

Practical Value of CCs

Can these results be generalized to other countries? i.e., is this is a framework that would also apply in other countries with their own educational systems and labor markets?

Which potential international differences may exist? What may be the causes of these differences?

In what ways could/should career competencies be integrated in HR policies and curricula of schools? Is it desirable? Is it feasible? How and why?

DISCUSSION

QUESTIONS?

Email: jos.akkermans@han.nl

Akkermans, J., Brenninkmeijer, V., Huibers, M., & Blonk, R.W.B. (in press). Competencies for the Contemporary Career: Development and Preliminary Validation of the Career Competencies Questionnaire. Journal of Career Development

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