What Role Do Visions About Future and Vocational Outcome Expectations Have on Proactive Career Behaviors? Examining a Mediation Model on University Students

Oct 15, 2026

Adapting to a rapidly changing business and working world requires proactive career behaviors. This study examines how visions about the future (hope, optimism, pessimism) relate to proactive career behaviors through vocational outcome expectations, framed within Social Cognitive Career Theory. A sample of 442 university students (ages 18–27) was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results show positive associations, with vocational outcome expectations acting as a partial mediator.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Abstract

Introduction

Visions About Future: Relation to Proactive Career Behaviors

What Role Do Visions About Future and Vocational Outcome Expectations Have on Proactive Career Behaviors? Examining a Mediation Model on University Students Ozan KORKMAZ1 Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University Faruk Caner YAM2 Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Abstract Adapting to the rapidly changing business and working world today is a behavior that every individual needs, no matter what stage of their career. One of the important variables that make it easier for individuals to adapt to these changes is proactive career behaviors. Addressing the roles of the variables that strengthen proactive career behaviors within a certain approach (i.e., Social Cognitive Career Theory) will produce results that will contribute to adapting to the change that the individual needs. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the mediating role of vocational outcome expectations in the relationship between the visions about future (hope, optimism, pessimism) and proactive career behaviors. 442 university students participated in the research. The ages of the participants vary between 18-27. The structural equation modeling method was used in the analysis of the data. Results indicated that visions about future and vocational outcome expectations were positively associated with proactive career behaviors. The results also indicated that vocational outcome expectations have been shown to have a partial mediating role in the relationship between the visions about future and proactive career behaviors. Keywords: Visions About Future, Hope, Optimism, Pessimism, Proactive Career Behaviors, Vocational Outcome Expectations, Social Cognitive Career Theory DOI: 10.29329/epasr.2023.548 .5 Submitted:27 March 2023 Accepted: 18 May 2023 Published: 01 June 2023 1Dr., Faculty of Education, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Karaman, Türkiye, ORCID: 0000-0002-0541-200X [Correspondence](Correspondence: pd.ozankorkmaz@gmail.com)[: pd.ozankorkmaz@gmail.com](Correspondence: pd.ozankorkmaz@gmail.com) 2 Dr., Justice Vocational School, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Tokat, Türkiye, ORCID: 0000-0001-8392-9576, Email: [farukcaneryam@hotmail.com](farukcaneryam@hotmail.com) Introduction Due to the rapid technology developing in the 21st century, there is a rapid change in the business and working world. This change is transforming many business environments, required employee qualifications, and business structures. In such an environment, the world of work is unstable and volatile (Akkermans et al., 2013; Direnzo & Greenhaus, 2011) . An unstable and volatile environment decreases job security for employees (Ginevra et al., 2020) . It is considered important for individuals to be more active and self-directed in their careers in order to increase job security and reduce the disadvantages of an unstable and volatile work environment (Fay & Kamps, 2006; Ginevra et al., 2018) . One of the active and self-directed attributes in career development and transitions is proactive career behavior, an important career behavior. Proactive career behaviors have recently become one of the most important concepts needed in the uncertain world of work. Proactive career behavior is ‘the degree to which somebody is proactively developing his/her career as expressed by diverse career behaviors.’ (Hirschi et al., 2014) . Descriptions of proactive career behaviors indicate that proactive career behaviors are comprised of diverse career behaviors (Korkmaz, 2023) . It includes career behaviors such as career planning, career exploration, networking, career initiative, career consultation, and skill development (Hirschi & Freund, 2014) . Proactive career behaviors are a concept that facilitates the individual to successfully cope with career problems (Jackson & Tomlinson, 2019) and is therefore considered an important key to a successful career (Herrmann et al., 2015) . Visions about Future: Relation to Proactive Career Behaviors Another important bas

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the research?

To investigate the mediating role of vocational outcome expectations in the relationship between visions about the future and proactive career behaviors.

How were the data analyzed?

The study used structural equation modeling to analyze the collected data.

What do the results indicate about vocational outcome expectations?

Vocational outcome expectations have a partial mediating role between visions about the future and proactive career behaviors.

Oct 15, 2026

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