Career success in a boundaryless career world

TLDR

The paper highlights inconsistencies in current career success research, noting that it often ignores the interdependence of objective and subjective careers and the boundaryless career concepts of inter‑organizational mobility and extra‑organizational support. The paper offers new guidelines for reconciling career theory with career success research. The authors propose guidelines that improve research design adequacy, expand career success dimensions, broaden peer group comparisons, deepen focus on subjectively driven individuals, and link boundaryless career theory to career success research. © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract This paper compares contemporary career theory with the theory applied in recent career success research. The research makes inconsistent use of career theory, and in particular neglects the interdependence of the objective and subjective careers, and ‘boundaryless career’ issues of inter‐organizational mobility and extra‐organizational support. The paper offers new guidelines for bringing about a rapprochement between career theory and career success research. These guidelines cover adequacy of research designs, further dimensions of career success, broader peer group comparisons, deeper investigation of the subjectively driven person, and seeing new connections between boundaryless career theory and career success research. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.