The impacts of psychological resilience and lack of alternatives on career satisfaction and career change intentions

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating and moderating roles of career satisfaction and the lack of alternatives on the relationship between resilience and career change intention. To examine these relationships, two models were proposed. In the first model, the mediating role of career satisfaction on the relationship between psychological resilience and career change intention was examined. The second model aims to explore the moderating role of the lack of alternatives on the relationship between psychological resilience and career change intention. The data of the study has been collected from 218 white-collar workers working in different sectors and different occupational groups. In order to collect data, Career Change Intention Scale (Başkurt, 2017), Connor-Davidson Psychological Resilience 10 Scale (Karaırmak, 2010), Career Satisfaction Scale (Greenhaus, 1990), and The Lack of Alternatives Scale (Wasti, 2003) were utilized. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 23 and AMOS 23 and Process Macro (Hayes, 2018) programs. According to linear regression analysis, psychological resilience was found to increase the career change intention. According to mediation analysis, it has been found that psychological resilience increases career satisfaction, and increased career satisfaction decreases career change intention. With this result, it has been revealed that career satisfaction has a partial mediator role in the relationship between resilience and career change intention. Finally, in the second model, it was suggested that lack of alternatives weaken the positive relationship between resilience and career change intention. However, it was found that lack of alternatives did not have a moderating role on the relationship between resilience and career change intention. In the light of the findings obtained from the study, suggestions were made for future studies.