Linking protean career orientation and career decidedness: The mediating role of career decision self-efficacy

This study examines the linkage between protean career orientation and career decidedness. It also explores the possible mediating roles of career decision self-efficacy and career adaptability in the above relationship. Several hypotheses are developed and tested with data collected from university students in Hong Kong and the United States. Results of structural equation modeling and bootstrapping indicate that protean career orientation is positively related to career decision self-efficacy and career adaptability. Career decision self-efficacy, but not career adaptability, is found to mediate the relationship between protean career orientation and career decidedness. The two samples show the same structural model results, based on cross-cultural equivalence test.