Exploring the “inner compass”: How career strivings relate to career self-management and career success

Abstract

This research investigates the relations between career strivings, career self-management behaviors, and career success. Examining 312 German workers with two measurement waves, Study 1 reveals that career strivings significantly positively relate to engagement in various career behaviors, extending beyond the scope of established motivational variables. Specifically, we observed that self-enhancement strivings correlate with self-promotion activities, self-transcendent strivings with helping behaviors, and personal growth strivings with continuous learning. In Study 2, incorporating three measurement waves and involving 299 German workers, examines how these career strivings differentially relate to objective career success and career satisfaction. Our findings indicate that self-enhancement strivings are associated with higher leadership positions and workplace status, while self-transcendent and personal growth strivings are linked to greater career satisfaction. Additionally, self-enhancement strivings indirectly relate to career satisfaction through increased recognition. In contrast, self-transcendent and personal growth strivings relate to satisfaction through experiences of meaningful work and personal development. This research underscores the significance of career strivings in influencing career self-management behaviors and success, providing novel insights into the complex interplay between individual aspirations and professional outcomes.