Examining Reciprocal Relationships Between Boundaryless Career Orientations and Perceived Employability

Abstract

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This study investigates the reciprocal relationship between boundaryless career orientations and perceived employability, aiming to expand beyond prevailing unidirectional models in the literature. Utilizing a time-lag structural model with longitudinal data collected three months apart from a cohort of white-collar Spanish workers, the initial sample at Time 1 comprised 261 individuals, primarily females (57%) with an average age of 41.8 years. At Time 2, 134 responses were collected, with 80 from women and an average age of 41.5 years. Findings support a reciprocal link between organizational mobility preference and perceived external employability. A boundaryless mindset appears to precede external employability, though reverse causation is not substantiated in the short term. Both sub-dimensions of a boundaryless orientation are associated with heightened perceptions of external employability but not internal employability. This suggests that managing boundaryless workers should vary based on their career orientation sub-dimensions, providing valuable insights for practitioners and career counselors.