Career adaptability and job outcomes: a moderated mediation model of proactivity and job content plateau in educational sector

PurposeVery little research has examined how adaptivity, adaptability resources, adapting responses and adaptation results are interlinked with each other. The current research aims to investigate whether career adaptability influences job outcomes via job content plateau. Taking career construction theory (Savickas, 2005) as a base, the research model of this study posited that employee's favorable job outcomes, i.e. job satisfaction and performance depend upon their psychosocial meta-capacities (career adaptability) and job content plateau. Further, the study is the first to examine the moderating role of proactivity among career adaptability, job content plateau and job outcomes relationship.Design/methodology/approachIt is a two-wave longitudinal study, quantitative in nature and has collected data from 357 faculty members of Indian universities. The hypotheses have been empirically tested through the structural equation modeling technique.FindingsThe moderated mediation model was supported, and as predicted, (1) career adaptability was positively related to job outcomes and (2) the mediated relationship between career adaptability and job outcomes via content plateau was stronger for individuals with high levels of proactivity.Practical implicationsThe study encourages career management practitioners and counselors to integrate proactive behaviors and career adaptability into counseling techniques to equip clients with necessary skills and deal with unfavorable job experiences, thereby engendering favorable job outcomes.Originality/valueThe current study is the first to test the intervening effect of proactivity in career adaptability and job outcomes relationships via job content plateau.