Examining Reciprocal Relationships Between Boundaryless Career Orientations and Perceived Employability

Abstract

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.