Career indecision: an integrative review and research agenda

Purpose

The current review sought to bring light to the issue of an underexplored career phenomenon – career indecision. Career indecision is a significant developmental stage in one’s career life and has been a prominent topic in vocational psychology research in the past decades. However, it has received scant scholarly attention in the human resource development (HRD) field. Besides, the career indecision literature, in general, is lacking theoretical refinement and analytical review. The present study aims to stimulate HRD scholars’ interests by providing an introductory context for understanding the richness and potentialities of researching career indecision in the HRD area.

Design/methodology/approach

To address the gap, the author conducted an integrative review (Torraco, 2005, 2016) of 60 peer-reviewed articles and synthesized the existing knowledge of career indecision. More importantly, antecedent and outcome factors associated with career indecision were identified and analyzed.

Findings

A nomological network about career indecision was provided. Besides, the results of the integrative review revealed several omissions in the career indecision literature. Building upon that, implications for HRD research and practice are presented and discussed.

Originality/value

As an initial attempt to synthesize career indecision literature, this study sought to stimulate HRD professionals’ interest in examining this underexplored career phenomenon.

Building a solution-focused career counselling strategy for career indecision

The literature contains quite a few theoretical and case study articles with respect to the development and use of solution-focused brief therapy. However, very few of these studies focus on the effects of using solution-focused therapy principles and techniques in career counselling. This study is aimed to examine the effect of a five-session solution-focused brief career counselling on reducing a university student’s career indecision. A university student who had a career indecision problem participated in the research. The career counselling process was assessed by using pre- to post-test result changes of the counselee. In order to measure the career indecision level of the counselee, Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire was used. The Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire was administrated before the beginning of the first session and after the termination session as a pre- and post-test. At the end of the five-session solution-focused brief career counselling process, the results demonstrated that the client’s career decision-making difficulty level was reduced. The findings of the study were discussed based on the results of the research in the relevant literature.

Reciprocal Associations Between Career Self-Efficacy and Vocational Identity: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

We examined the changes in career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE) and vocational identity (VI) and their reciprocal associations among 1,026 senior high school students, comprising 493 from Hong Kong (age in 10th grade: M = 16.31, SD = 0.65; 238 girls) and 533 from Shanghai (age in 10th grade: M = 16.50, SD = 0.56; 237 girls). They completed measures for assessing their CDSE and VI annually from 10th to 12th grades. Latent growth curve analyses indicated that both CDSE and VI significantly increased over time in the Hong Kong sample. Cross-lagged path analyses indicated that the reciprocal positive effects between CDSE and VI over time were supported in both samples. These findings indicated that CDSE and VI are generally dynamic and interrelated dimensions for Chinese adolescents’ career development with some regional differences.

Career choice status among undergraduates and the influence of work-integrated learning

This study examines how work-integrated learning (WIL) influences career choice status among undergraduates ( N = 91). Career choice status has documented effects on well-being, career satisfaction, career success and, more broadly, organisational performance. Quantitative ratings gauge undergraduate satisfaction with their career choices and structured reflections explore how WIL influenced choices. Findings indicate career choice status is relatively strong among those who have completed WIL as part of their academic studies, more specifically a work placement in their degree specialisation. The placement experience influenced career choice status in four ways: provision of professional networking and expanded career choice opportunities; information and insight into one’s intended career; assistance with the decision-making process on precisely which career to pursue; and identification of strategies to pursue one’s targeted profession. The study develops our understanding of WIL’s contribution to career management and how educators and professional practitioners can encourage informed career choice among undergraduates on work placement.