Career Adaptability and Career Success

Abstract. In this study, we contribute to the ongoing incremental validation efforts of the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS). Using primary personality and cognition data from 164 German athletes in vocational careers, we intended to replicate Zacher’s (2014) seminal work in an alternative Western environment while also extending it in two significant ways: first, by adding two components of cognitive ability, and second, by introducing an alternative outcome variable – objective career success. In line with Zacher, we observe a significant role of career adaptability in predicting subjective career success. However, we also note that this initially robust relationship stems from a different psychosocial resource than expected. Interestingly, employing CAAS seems not to possess further incremental validity when predicting objective career success.