Career competencies: a meta-analysis of their antecedents and outcomes

Purpose Despite growing empirical interest in and conceptual overviews of research career competencies, the field remains incomplete due to the absence of a cumulative, quantitative synthesis of findings. This lack of integration hampers theoretical development and limits practical guidance for organizations and career development professionals. To address this gap, we conduct the first meta-analysis of career competencies, aiming to clarify their key antecedents and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Using a random-effects meta-analytic approach, we synthesize evidence from 32 empirical studies (total N = 13,153) to examine the relationship between antecedents, career competencies and various career-related and work-related outcomes. Findings Our findings reveal robust positive associations between antecedents such as protean career orientation and organizational career management practices and career competencies, which in turn are strongly related to outcomes, such as work engagement, work performance, subjective and objective career success, perceived employability (both internal and external) and lower turnover intention. Originality/value By systematically mapping these relationships, our study consolidates fragmented insights and provides a foundation for theory building and practical interventions to foster career development in both educational and organizational contexts.