CAREER EMPOWERMENT: Building Meaningful Careers

Professional empowerment is similar to psychological empowerment in its conceptualization as a cognition that embodies intrinsic motivation. This term implies not only the existence of internal and external resources but also the conscious recognition of these resources, which motivates people to take action. It is crucial to distinguish that professional empowerment, as a cognitive construct, involves awareness of available resources rather than the resources themselves: a person may possess resources, but if he or she is not aware of them, he or she will not feel motivated to act proactively in his or her career. On the other hand, awareness of existing resources is expected to actively motivate and shape career-related decisions and actions.

This concept is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct that includes seven main dimensions:

1. Competence: An individual's belief in his or her ability to perform job-related activities with skill and mastery.
   

2. Influence: The degree to which an individual can influence external outcomes, such as situations or people, through his or her career.
   

3. Meaning: The fit between one's career and one's beliefs, values, and purpose.
   

4. Self-Determination: The autonomy to make one's own decisions.
   

5. Focus: The clarity of a person's vision for what they want their career to be.
   

6. Growth: The pursuit of personal challenge and achievement, learning, and diverse experiences.
   

7. Relationships: The meaningful connection with another person that includes support for career development.

In addition, optimism and self-efficacy are postulated as potential antecedents of career empowerment. Optimism is defined as a generalized expectation that good rather than bad things will happen and is associated with coping strategies that facilitate effective management of career change. On the other hand, self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her ability to perform in specific situations, which strengthens the link between goals and goal attainment.

Recent research indicates that both optimism and self-efficacy are significant predictors of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, highlighting their importance in the modern work context. These findings underscore the need to develop strategies that promote both professional empowerment and organizational well-being.

Therefore, understanding and fostering professional empowerment is essential to cultivating dynamic and equitable work environments. By taking deliberate steps to strengthen these cognitive dimensions, organizations can not only improve employee satisfaction and engagement but also foster a climate conducive to innovation and continued growth.

References

• Hieu, Vu. (2020). Employee empowerment and empowering leadership: A literature review. Technium. 2. 20-28. 10.47577/technium.v2i7.1653. R. Treviño Reyes and J. F. López Pérez (2022). Impact of empowerment on job satisfaction,organizational commitment, and burnout in teachers in Mexico. Contaduría y Administración 67 (3), 1-29 http://dx.doi.org/10.22201/fca.24488410e.2022.3173
  

• R. Treviño Reyes and J. F. López Pérez (2022). Impact of empowerment on job satisfaction,organizational commitment, and burnout in teachers in Mexico. Contaduría y Administración 67 (3), 1-29 http://dx.doi.org/10.22201/fca.24488410e.2022.3173
  

• Shwartz-Asher, D., Grabarski, M., Tziner, A., & Shkoler, O. (2023). Career don’t stop believing: Career empowerment as a mediator between hope and organizational outcomes. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. Ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.5093/jwop2023a1