The relation between career anchors, occupational types and job satisfaction of midcareer employees

Abstract

The objective of this research was to determine the value of the career anchor model in career decision-making. Career models that can provide the individual with greater self-insight can serve as an important guide when making career choices in todays turbulent working environment. Two hundred and ninety-five midcareer employees (managerial and non-managerial) completed questionnaires to determine their career anchor, occupation type and levels of general, intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. The differences in job satisfaction between employees with a fit between career anchor and occupational type and those with no such fit were compared. It was found that respondents with a fit had a significantly higher level of general and intrinsic job satisfaction than those with no such fit. It is therefore suggested that the career anchor construct could probably serve as a useful tool for midcareer employees to make career choices. Opsomming Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om die waarde van die loopbaanankermodel in loopbaanbesluitneming te bepaal. Loopbaanmodelle wat individue van groter insig kan voorsien kan as n belangrike riglyn in vandag se turbulente werksomgewing dien. Tweehonderd vyf-en-negentig middelloopbaan-werknemers (bestuur en nie-bestuur) het vraelyste voltooi om hulle loopbaanankers, beroepstipe en vlakke van algemene, intrinsieke en ekstrinsieke werkstevredenheid te bepaal. Die verskille in werkstevredenheid tussen werknemers met n passing tussen loopbaananker en beroepstipe en die sender n sodanige passing, is vergelyk. Daar is bevind dat respondente met n passing 'n beduidende hoer vlak van algemene en intrinsieke werkstevredenheid het as die sender so 'n passing. Daar word derhalwe voorgestel dat die loopbaanankermodel waarskynlik as n nuttige instrument by middelloopbaan-werknemers gebruik kan word om loopbaanbesluite te neem.