Protean Career Orientation: Behavioral Antecedents and Employability Outcomes

Contemporary unstable business environment is challenging the concept of the ‘traditional’ organizational career in favor of a protean career attitude, which characterizes individuals with a strong sense of identity and personal values in guiding their career decisions. Despite the relevance of the protean career concept, empirical research has provided limited evidence on its determinants and outcomes with regards individuals who are at the early stage of their career path. The purpose of this study is to shed light on the behavioral antecedents of protean career orientation (PCO) and to investigate the effect of PCO on individual’s employability. Data were collected on a sample of graduate students that were just completing their academic path and were entering the labor market. Results provides new insights on the determinants of PCO, showing that - contrary to prior research that primarily focus on two competencies “self-awareness” and “adaptability” – other behavioral competencies shape the protean approach. Moreover, the findings found a positive relationship between PCO and subjective and objective measures of employability, as well as it provides a preliminary insight on the role of job search in mediating the relationship between PCO and employability. Implications for the career management and competency-based literatures are provided.