Development of a career meta-competency model for sustained employability

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to construct a career meta-competency model for sustained employability in the contemporary world of work. This study explored a convenience sample (N = 304) of early career employees’ personality preferences (measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), self-esteem (measured by the Culture-free Self-esteem Inventories for Adults) and emotional intelligence (measured by the Assessing Emotions Scale), as a composite set of their personality attributes, in relation to their employability attributes (measured by the Employability Attributes Scale). The participants comprised 81% blacks and 64% females employed in the business management field in managerial/supervisory (53%) and staff (28%) level positions. Their ages ranged between 25 and 40 years (early adulthood and establishment phase) (79%). The correlations, canonical correlations and multiple regression results indicated that the participants’ personality attributes were significantly and positively related to their employability attributes. Structural Equation Modelling indicated a moderate fit between the theoretically hypothesised career meta-competency model and the empirically tested structural model. The results indicated job level as a significant moderator of the relationship between the participants’ personality and employability attributes. Middle management level was associated with an inverse relationship between the personality and employability attributes. Staff and middle managers did not significantly differ regarding their mean scores on these variables. On a theoretical level, the study deepened understanding of the cognitive, affective, conative and interpersonal behavioural dimensions of the hypothesised career meta-competency model. On an empirical level, the study produced an empirically tested career meta-competency model in terms of the various behavioural dimensions. On a practical level, career v counselling and development interventions for guiding employees’ sustained employability in terms of the career meta-competency behavioural dimensions were recommended.