Contemporary Career Theories in the Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Critical Literature Review

(Abdulrahman Alshaikhmubarak)

---

Abstract

This paper critically reviews and observes the nature of contemporary careers and the orientation in which careers research has advanced over the past decade. The contemporary concept of career refers to an individual’s pursuit of career advancement without being restricted to a single job in a single company. Specifically, career concepts that appeared in the 1990s, including the protean and boundaryless career frameworks, and the next generation of career concept, including integrative frameworks, hybrid careers, and the kaleidoscope career model, are discussed. These models and theories all focus on the change in the concept of career management for individuals. This change occurred because of the developments taking place in this era, including economic aspects, globalization, and technology. This review aims to improve our understanding of careers in today’s dynamic work environment, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid changes that Saudi Arabia is witnessing at all levels. The challenges facing individuals in career advancement during this period are different from previous ones, so researchers should study the effects of the pandemic on changing the behavior of individuals towards the concept of career management. This review provides a comprehensive discussion of current theories and offers major questions for future research.
KEYWORDS
Boundaryless career, career advancement, career models, career patterns, career success, protean career
PDF

References

Ackah, C. and Heaton, N. (2004). The reality of “new” careers for men and for women. Journal of European Industrial Training, 28(2–4), 141–58. DOI: 10.1108/03090590410527582/full/html 
Akkermans, J., Richardson, J. and Kraimer, M.L. (2020). The COVID-19 crisis as a career shock: Implications for careers and vocational behavior. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 119(n/a), 103434. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103434
Alshaikhmubarak, A., Da Camara, N. and Baruch, Y. (2020). The impact of high-performance human resource practices on the research performance and career success of academics in Saudi Arabia. Career Development International, 25(6), 671–90. DOI: 10.1108/CDI-09-2019-0209
Bagdadli, S. and Gianecchini, M. (2019). Organizational career management practices and objective career success: A systematic review and framework. Human Resource Management Review, 29(3), 353–70. DOI: 10.1016/j.hrmr.2018.08.001
Baruch, Y. (2004). Transforming careers: From linear to multidirectional career paths: Organizational and individual perspectives. Career Development International, 9(1), 58–73. DOI: 10.1108/00483480310460234
Baruch, Y. (2004). Managing Careers: Theory and Practice. Harlow, UK: Pearson Education.
Baruch, Y. and Rosenstein, E. (1992). Human resource management in Israeli firms. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 3(3), 477–95. DOI: 10.1080/09585199200000161
Baruch, Y. and Rousseau, D.M. (2019). Integrating psychological contracts and ecosystems in career studies and management. Academy of Management Annals, 13(1), 84–111. DOI: 10.5465/annals.2016.0103
Breitenmoser, A., Bader, B. and Berg, N. (2018). Why does repatriate career success vary? An empirical investigation from both traditional and protean career perspectives. Human Resource Management, 57(5), 1049–63. DOI: 10.1002/hrm.21888
Clarke, M. (2009). Plodders, pragmatists, visionaries and opportunists: Career patterns and employability. Career Development International, 14(1), 8–28. DOI: 10.1108/13620430910933556
De Vos, A., De Hauw, S. and Van der Heijden, B.I. (2011). Competency development and career success: The mediating role of employability. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79(2), 438–47. DOI:10.1016/j.jvb.2011.05.010
De Vos, A. and Soens, N. (2008). Protean attitude and career success: The mediating role of self-management. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73(3), 449–56. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvb.2008.08.007
Edwards, C., Robinson, O., Welchman, R. and Woodall, J. (1999). Lost opportunities? Organizational restructuring and women managers. Human Resource Management Journal, 9(1), 55–64.
El Baroudi, S., Fleisher, C., Khapova, S.N., Jansen, P. and Richardson, J. (2017). Ambition at work and career satisfaction: The mediating role of taking charge behavior and the moderating role of pay. Career Development International. 22(1), 87–102. DOI: 10.1108/CDI-07-2016-0124
Gander, M. (2019). Understanding Contemporary Careers-Choices and Consequences—For Higher Education Professional Staff. PhD Thesis, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.
Gander, M. (2021). The hybrid career concept: Creating hybrid career pathways. Career Development International, 26(7), 853–68. DOI: 10.1108/CDI-07-2020-0189
Guan, Y., Arthur, M.B., Khapova, S.N., Hall, R.J. and Lord, R.G. (2019). Career boundarylessness and career success: A review, integration and guide to future research. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 110(n/a), 390–402. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvb.2018.05.013
Hall, D.T. (1976). Careers in Organizations. Santa Monica, CA: Goodyear. 
Hall, D.T. and Mirvis, P.H. (1995). The new career contract: Developing the whole person at midlife and beyond. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 47(3), 269–89. DOI: 10.1006/jvbe.1995.0004
Hind, P. (2005). Making room for career change. Career Development International, 10(4), 268–74. DOI: 10.1108/13620430510609118
Hirschi, A. and Koen, J. (2021). Contemporary career orientations and career self-management: A review and integration. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 126(n/a), 103505. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103505
Khapova, S., Arthur, M.B. and Wilderom, C. P. (2007). A reexamination of the subjective career concept is timely, given the econo. In: H. Gunz and M.A. Peiperl (eds.) Handbook of Career Studies (pp. 114–130). Los Angeles: SAGE. 
Liebig, B. and Sansonetti, S. (2004). Career paths. Current Sociology, 52(3), 371–406. DOI: 10.1177/0011392104043084
McDonald, P., Brown, K. and Bradley, L. (2005). Have traditional career paths given way to protean ones? Career Development International, 10(2), 109–29. DOI: 10.1108/13620430510588310/full/html
Parry, J., Young, Z., Bevan, S., Veliziotis, M., Baruch, Y., Beigi, M., Bajorek, Z., Salter, E. and Tochia, C. (2021). The COVID-19 Lockdown: Transitions and Tensions [Monograph]. The UK: University of Southampton. 
Reitman, F. and Schneer, J.A. (2003). The promised path: A longitudinal study of managerial careers. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 18(1), 60–75. DOI: 10.1108/02683940310459592
Richtel, M. and Wortham, J. (2009). Weary of Looking for Work, Some Create their Own. New York, NY: The New York Times.
Rosenbaum, J.E. (1979). Tournament mobility: Career patterns in a corporation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24(2), 220–41. DOI: 10.2307/2392495
Rousseau, D.M. (1989). Psychological and implied contracts in organizations. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 2(2), 121–39. DOI: 10.1007/BF01384942
Sargent, L.D. and Domberger, S.R. (2007). Exploring the development of a protean career orientation: Values and image violations. Career Development International, 12(6), 545–64. DOI: 10.1108/13620430710822010
Seibert, S.E., Kraimer, M.L., Holtom, B.C. and Pierotti, A.J. (2013). Even the best laid plans sometimes go askew: Career self-management processes, career shocks, and the decision to pursue graduate education. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(1), 169–82. DOI: 10.1037/a0030882
Sullivan, S.E. (1999). The changing nature of careers: A review and research agenda. Journal of Management, 25(3), 457–84. DOI: 10.1016/S0149-2063(99)00009-4
Sullivan, S.E. and Baruch, Y. (2009). Advances in career theory and research: A critical review and agenda for future exploration. Journal of Management, 35(6), 1542–71. DOI: 10.1177/0149206309350082
Super, D.E. (1957). The Psychology of Careers; an Introduction to Vocational Development. New York, NY: Harper and Brothers.
Super, D.E. (1980). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 16(3), 282–98.
Wiernik, B.M. and Kostal, J.W. (2019). Protean and boundaryless career orientations: A critical review and meta-analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 66(3), 280–307. DOI: 10.1037/cou0000324
Wilensky, H.L. (1960). Work, careers and social integration. International Social Science Journal, 32(1), 49–60.