Independent Professionals Working in the Higher Education Sector: Career Choices, Motivations and Satisfaction

Independent Professionals Working in the Higher Education Sector: Career Choices, Motivations and Satisfaction | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Independent Professionals Working in the Higher Education Sector: Career Choices, Motivations and Satisfaction Roslyn Cameron, Aaron Wijeratne, Diane Kalendra, Samaneh Soleimani, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6857172/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 12 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract One of the fastest growing groups of portfolio workers is highly skilled independent professionals (IPros). Portfolio working is one way to remain agile in response to an increasingly dynamic labour market. Despite the rise of portfolio work globally, necessitating a deeper exploration of this contemporary form of employment, very little research has been conducted in this area. This study advanced our understanding of IPro employment by exploring key factors influencing their career motivations, choices, job satisfaction and desired organisational support. It used the conceptual lenses of protean and boundaryless careers and employed an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design utilising two phases. Phase I collected qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with a sample of casual teaching staff at a higher education institution in Australia. Phase II collected quantitative data from a sample of casual teaching staff from three higher education institutions (n = 206). The findings indicate that career decisions for IPros often involve a blend of free and forced choices influenced by personal aspirations and external market dynamics, along with a strong desire for autonomy and flexibility. These nuanced findings enrich our understanding of career agency in the modern workforce; policymakers in higher education can use these practical insights to manage and support their IPro staff more effectively. We recommend that HE institutions commit to managing the needs of IPros while integrating organisational expectations to deliver positive, sustainable outcomes for all. Business and commerce/Business and management Social science/Business and management independent professionals (IPros) portfolio careers gig economy protean careers boundaryless careers career motivations career choices organisational support higher education Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 INTRODUCTION Since the beginning of the twentieth century, a significant transformation in work and employment dynamics has occurred. Prioritising adaptability over stability, a shift from traditional, structured careers to more independent career paths has gradually challenged conventional perceptions about the nature of work (Arthur & Rousseau, 1996 ; Hall, 1996 ). The persistent acceleration of technology has enabled rapid digitisation and automation, in turn disrupting the nature of work, further challenging assumptions about employment arrangements and employment terms, and continuing to shape individual career choices (Hirschi, 2018 ; Lent, 2018 ). A new category of independent workers has emerged, often labelled contingent, atypical or nonstandard employment (McKeown & Cochrane, 2017 ). These new forms of independent work and associated employment relationships are now permeating the traditional confines of regular full-time employment; further, they have been amplified since the COVID-19 pandemic (Watson et al., 2021 ). In the contemporary workforce, professional work does not always mean being employed (Miller, 2020 ). The rise of independent work has led to an increase in gig work, with nearly a quarter of American workers participating in this kind of employment (McKinsey Global Institute, 2022 ). Upwork’s 2022 survey reveals that 60 million Americans are involved in professional freelancing, with university-educated freelancers comprising a quarter of that workforce: a figure that has increased by 20% since 2021. In Australia, over 1.1 million people are operating as independent contractors, or 8% of those employed (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022 ). In New Zealand, the number of independent contractors has also increased, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic (Hnry, 2020 ). However, despite these increases, the specifics of independent work and contracting remain ambiguous. As the number of independent workers grows, it is essential to understand the needs, motivations and choices of this self-employed group of workers. Embracing portfolio work offers a strategy for maintaining agility in the labour market. Portfolio working refers to how an individual organises their work and career and entails multifaceted employment, multiple income streams and flexible self-employment forms. One of the fastest growing groups of portfolio workers is highly skilled independent professionals (IPros) (Leighton & Brown, 2013 ; Leighton & McKeown, 2015 ). These types of workers are variously referred to as ‘freelancers’, ‘sole traders’ and ‘contractors’. These self-employed experts in knowledge-intensive work who temporarily sell their expertise to organisations are neither employees nor consultants (Burke, 2015 ; van den Groenendaal et al., 2023 ). The ambiguous role of the IPro worker requires both a new approach to career development and a more inclusive approach to managing IPros than the traditional employer–employee relationship (van den Groenendaal et al., 2023 ). Additionally, there are concerns that organisations are failing to respond to and manage these new forms of employment relationships effectively (Cross & Swart, 2022 ). This study explores the nature of portfolio careers and the associated motivations, choices, satisfaction levels and organisational support for IPros employed in the Australian higher education (HE) sector. Academia as an industry has experienced widespread change due to the increased casualisation of academic labour (Richardson, 2019). The availability of a highly knowledgeable and agile workforce of IPros represents a growing shift in how HE institutions deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching (Richardson et al., 2021 ). These individuals engage in portfolio careers, with short-term engagement with multiple institutions in addition to other work, often within the private sector. The paper is organised into five sections. The following section reviews the extant literature on careers in the changing world of work and defines key terms used in this paper. It discusses the theoretical grounding in protean and boundaryless careers and presents a conceptual model of the driving forces that lead to IPro career satisfaction. Next, the research methodology is reported, followed by a discussion of the findings. The study utilises an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach as described by (Clark et al., 2021 ) to explore the career paths of casual teaching staff in terms of the following factors: motivations, choices, satisfaction levels and organisational support. The paper concludes with implications of the study, limitations and recommendations for future research. LITERATURE REVIEW The Changing Nature of Work The concept of career has transformed from the relatively simple and linear traditional career model to more complex and diverse contemporary careers (Sullivan, 1999 ). Traditional careers were defined by organisational career management, limited mobility and progression up the corporate ladder. In contrast, contemporary terms and definitions emphasise the importance of individual mobility and personal career control (Arthur, 1994 ; Leighton & Brown, 2013 ). Individuals are now expected to be more mobile and self-determined in their career approach (Huđdek et al., 2021 ). Many individuals are creating their own career paths in a changing and fluid labour market (Sullivan & Baruch, 2009 ). McKeown and Hanley ( 2009 ) suggest that contracting lies on a continuum from ‘the contractor in name only, to the contractor who works for an employment agency through to the independent, self-employed contractor’ (p. 296). The traditional linear career progression ladder no longer exists. This is evidenced by a shift from loyalty, job security and long-term contracts towards self-motivation and individual responsibility for professional training, with individuals seeking more intrinsic satisfaction (Miller, 2020 ). Non-financial elements—including quality of life, flexibility, work–life balance and the need to do meaningful work—are critical drivers for IPros (Huđdek et al., 2021 ). Huđdek et al. ( 2021 ) found that traditional notions of working hard, flexibility and regular employment do not contribute to the satisfaction of independent workers. Notably, IPros remain relatively under-researched in the literature (Leighton & Brown, 2013 ). Understanding the challenges and opportunities created by these work trends is crucial to adapt to the evolving workforce (McKeown & Cochrane, 2017 ; van den Groenendaal et al., 2023 ) and manage the employment dynamics of IPros (Cross & Swart, 2022 ). Independent workers, whether self-employed, affiliated with an organisation or employed by outsourcing or temp firms, have been provided labels such as ‘free agents’, ‘freelancers’ and ‘e-lancers’ (Cascio, 2019 ). The literature on solo self-employment spans multiple disciplines, including industrial relations, sociology, entrepreneurship, human resource management (HRM) and career development. Each discipline area describes the phenomenon differently. The industrial relations and sociology literature refers to precarious and vulnerable employment or multiple job holders (Bamberry, 2012 ). Terms such as ‘solopreneurs’ and ‘solo self-employed’ are evident in entrepreneurial research (Piccoli et al., 2021 ) and human resources (HR) research (van den Groenendaal et al., 2022 ; van den Groenendaal et al., 2023 ). Meanwhile, the HRM literature describes them as gig workers; IPros; freelancers; and contingent, atypical or nonstandard workers; it also emphasises their growth in the workforce (Burke et al., 2020 ). We have chosen to use the term ‘IPros’ throughout this paper because it most resonates with the focus of this study as it refers to university-qualified professionals. The continuing rise of IPros in contemporary HE requires employers and HR researchers to identify the implications of work for this group and the role employers must play in addressing their employment and career needs. Portfolio Work: Exploring IPro Careers Handy ( 1989 ) used the term ‘portfolio working’ to refer to how individuals organise their work and careers. This notion is characterised by a multifaceted entrepreneurial and knowledge-based employment environment with multiple income streams and flexible work engagements. IPros are one of the fastest growing groups of portfolio workers, providing organisations with access to a highly skilled workforce. Freelancers, sole traders and contractors work independently across various knowledge sectors, including design, journalism, marketing, information communication technologies and medicine (Leighton & Brown, 2013 ). While IPros are not currently a dominant group of workers, McKeown and Cochrane ( 2017 ) argue that it is crucial to understand the challenges and opportunities associated with their rise in the contemporary workforce. Miller’s ( 2020 ) sociological perspective on IPros explored how they perceive and interpret their daily work experiences. Miller identified that IPros tended to adopt a freelance ideology, with the notions of ‘working for myself’ and ‘not having a boss’ forming essential components of their professional identity (p. 97). In line with this independent approach, there seemed to be no particular hierarchy of professions or types of work. Additionally, Miller ( 2020 ) discovered that stability is a core concern for this worker group; in fact, success is measured in terms of the stability of the work portfolio. This need for stability may appear at odds with the desire for freedom and flexibility; however, stability for IPros is very much defined on their terms. This is consistent with a particular mindset that Miller found to characterise IPros as ‘being inner-driven, proactive, enterprising, and most of all: autonomy-oriented and self-determined’ (p. 98). Various contemporary career models have been developed to reflect how individuals create careers to balance their work and lives and seek meaning and purpose. Such models include the portfolio career (Handy, 1989 ), protean career (Hall, 1996 ), boundaryless career (Mirvis & Hall, 1994 ), post-corporate career (Peiperl & Baruch, 1997 ) and kaleidoscope career (Mainiero & Sullivan, 2005 ). This study focuses on two key non-traditional career development theories: protean careers (Hall, 1996 , 2004 ) and boundaryless careers (Arthur, 2014 ; Arthur & Rousseau, 1996 ). Protean and boundaryless career models are complementary and involve overlapping concepts (Briscoe & Hall, 2006 ). Both models assume that contemporary careers require a self-directed, values-driven approach, flexibility in working in various jobs and for various organisations, and psychological and physical mobility between and within organisations (Briscoe & Hall, 2006 ; Hirschi, 2018 ). Additionally, these models highlight the independent nature of career orientation and career progression linked to an individual’s power to control their goals and destiny (Lo Presti & Elia, 2020 ; Wiernik & Kostal, 2019 ). However, regarding both protean and boundaryless career models, little research has examined the nature of these career forms and associated motivations, choices, levels of satisfaction and organisational support. Protean Careers The concept of protean careers represents a paradigm shift in understanding career development. Contrary to the traditional career development model of lifelong employment and progressive career advancement, a protean career is defined as a process where an individual manages their career to create career options and achieve their personal goals (Hall, 2004 ). Protean careers focus on self-directedness, adaptability and the pursuit of personal values and growth (Gubler et al., 2014a ), shaped by an individual’s career choices (Hall, 2004 ). Protean careers are comprised of an individual’s diverse experiences of working in various organisations and occupations. Protean careers emphasise aligning career choices with personal values and identity (Hall, 1996 ). This model prioritises psychological success over organisational success, where job satisfaction is intrinsically linked to personal growth, learning and fulfilling one’s evolving career identity (Hall & Moss, 1998 ). Self-directedness or autonomy is crucial for those seeking a protean career (Hall et al., 2018 ). Whether guided by an inner desire (unforced) or through necessity (forced), protean careers emphasise the intrinsic satisfaction derived from pursuing work aligned with one’s passions and values (Wiernik & Kostal, 2019 ). Unlike traditional careers driven by external factors like financial rewards or societal expectations, individuals pursuing protean careers are also guided by their desire for personal growth, self-expression and to fulfill their innate needs (Volmer & Spurk, 2011 ). Therefore, according to this model, we contend that both forced and unforced individual career choices are crucial in shaping IPro career trajectories. We argue that various factors can influence IPro career self-management decisions, including psychological, organisational and lifestyle factors. While protean careers offer opportunities for personal growth and fulfillment, they also present challenges related to adaptability, work–life integration and psychological wellbeing. Developing resilience, embracing ambiguity and seeking out novel experiences are all attributes of the protean career attitude required of individuals to successfully navigate transitions, seize new opportunities and effectively manage uncertainty (Lo Presti et al., 2018 ). Protean careers underscore the importance of adaptability in navigating an increasingly dynamic work environment; embracing change and proactively addressing new challenges are critical skills. However, a protean career’s flexibility can also create challenges for individuals regarding managing numerous factors at the intersection of the work–life domain (Direnzo et al., 2015 ). For example, blurring boundaries between work and personal life can create complexities in maintaining a healthy work–life balance (Segers et al., 2008 ). The pursuit of a protean career can have significant impacts on an individual’s psychological wellbeing. Aligning career choices with personal values and passions can lead to greater job satisfaction, a sense of purpose and higher levels of self-esteem (Hall et al., 2018 ). However, the lack of traditional career paths and the need for constant adaptation may generate feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. Thus, job satisfaction is not always guaranteed for individuals pursuing this career path. Boundaryless Careers Like protean careers, boundaryless careers are a response to changing employment arrangements. Boundaryless careers are ‘sequences of job opportunities that go beyond the boundaries of single employment setting’ (Defillippi & Arthur, 1994 , p. 307). In this way, employment and career are not ‘bounded’ by organisations (Arthur, 1994 ; Defillippi & Arthur, 1994 ). This notion of boundarylessness extends to a state of mind (Sullivan & Arthur, 2006 ), across disciplines (Arthur, 2014 ) and across the globe (Baruch & Reis, 2016 ). Rather than a focus on dependence on traditional organisational career structures and employment arrangements, boundaryless careers prioritise an individual’s independence (Arthur, 1994 ; Arthur & Rousseau, 1996 ). There are two key dimensions of a boundaryless career: organisational mobility and geographical mobility. Organisational mobility focuses on individuals’ mobility and networking within and across organisations (Wiernik & Kostal, 2019 ). Geographic mobility—whether through international assignments, telecommuting or freelancing—represents another dimension of boundaryless careers. Thus, boundaryless careers are independent of, rather than dependent on, traditional organisational career values. For a boundaryless career, career success and opportunities go beyond a single employer (Arthur & Rousseau, 1996 ); they may extend to lateral moves, job rotations and project-based work, enhancing skill development and broadening experiences. While many scholars have emphasised organisational mobility, little research has explored the true nature of boundaryless work (Gubler et al., 2014b ). The ability to work when and where one wants is a clear example of career-self management, where an individual can navigate different roles, industries and geographical locations based on personal interests and goals. This is supported by research undertaken by van den Groenendaal et al. ( 2022 ), who studied a diverse group of solo self-employed Dutch workers reporting a relationship between self-management and career sustainability. Therefore, we propose that IPros’ career self-management abilities are essential factors that contribute to their overall career satisfaction. Boundaryless careers empower individuals with a high degree of agency and autonomy regarding shaping their career trajectories (Briscoe & Hall 2006 ; Enache et al., 2011 ; Lo Presti & Elia, 2020 ). This is in contrast to the traditional psychological contract where informal beliefs, expectations and obligations, imply long-term job security and loyalty to a single employer (Cross & Swart, 2022 ; Greenhaus et al., 2008 ). For IPros the increased sense of ownership fosters a proactive mindset that encourages the exploration of opportunities beyond traditional organisational boundaries (Segers et al., 2008 ). Such a self-driven approach encourages individuals to seek opportunities, acquire new skills and cultivate networks, further contributing to their employability and adaptability (Greenhaus et al., 2008 ). The need to embrace new challenges, and build a wide-ranging skills portfolio are key elements of boundaryless career success (Tams & Arthur, 2010 ). It is, thus, proposed that the organisational environment, the variety of work performed and the available support network are key drivers in IPros’ employment decisions and overall career satisfaction. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF IPROS IPros represent a growing and vital part of the modern workforce. Understanding IPro workers and their drivers and career choices will assist organisations in managing this significant segment of the workforce. The work of IPros lies outside the assumptions of traditional organisational and employee-focused employment arrangements. The different interests of independent workers and organisations are not yet clearly understood (van den Groenendaal et al., 2023 ). Theory and practice have predominantly neglected this significant yet seemingly invisible group of individuals (Cross & Swart, 2022 ; Leighton & McKeown, 2015 ; McKeown & Cochrane, 2017 ). We argue that individuals who seek IPro careers are driven by a myriad of factors that define not only the type of work they perform but also the type of person they are. As individuals increasingly seek careers that align with their values, facilitate continuous learning and allow for flexibility, organisations and individuals alike must adapt to this paradigm shift in career development to foster success and wellbeing in the ever-changing world of work. These factors underscore the dynamic and self-directed nature of protean and boundaryless careers, reflecting the ongoing evolution of the modern workplace. Figure 1 provides a conceptual overview of the lifestyle factors and motivational drivers reported in the literature to shape career satisfaction for those engaged in protean and boundaryless careers. While these factors have been reported to a minor extent in the literature, this study sought to understand the degree to which each informs the career choices of IPros in today’s workforce. Further, we examined how these driving forces shape IPros’ careers by choice or by force (see Method and Discussion for further details). This conceptual model highlights the four key research questions that this study sought to answer: RQ1: What factors influence independent professional career self-management decisions? RQ2: What motivates independent professionals and their career choices? RQ3: How satisfied are independent professionals with their independent professional status and work quality? RQ4: What types of organisational support do independent professionals seek and receive from those contracting their services? METHODS Research Design An exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was employed across two phases. Phase I involved a qualitative exploratory approach to develop a theoretical model for this under-researched field of inquiry (Cross & Swart, 2022 ; Leighton & McKeown, 2015 ; McKeown & Cochrane, 2017 ; van den Groenendaal et al., 2023 ). Phase I collected qualitative data through semi-structured interviews of casual teaching staff from an accredited HE provider in Australia. The interviews were conducted by all four research team members across the sample. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using NVivo software. The thematic analysis used a priori codes based on the key concepts from the conceptual framework outlined in Fig. 1 to answer the research questions. Phase II involved the development of a quantitative data collection instrument (online survey) that was distributed to casual teaching staff from three HE providers in Australia. Phase I Sample Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten IPro’s; the interviews employed a purposive sampling technique on subject matter expertise in the areas of operations management, HRM, marketing and finance. There were equal numbers of female and male participants. Four participants had a PhD or DBA qualification (33%; see Table 1 ). The research team agreed that saturation was reached at ten participants. As stated by Vasileiou et al. ( 2018 ), we argue that sample size sufficiency is based on data adequacy and is related directly to this study’s unique and intrinsic features. The data collected from the sample was very ‘usable’ and rich, given the parameters and scope of this study (Morse, 1995 ). Table 1 Sample for Semi-Structured Interviews (Phase I) Participant Gender PhD/DBA Teaching Discipline OMGT1 Female Yes Operations Management OMGT2 Male No Operations Management OMGT3 Male No Operations Management HRM1 Male Yes Human Resource Management HRM2 Female No Human Resource Management MKT1 Male No Marketing MKT2 Female Yes Marketing MKT3 Female No Marketing FIN1 Female Yes Finance FIN2 Male No Finance Semi-Structured Interviews The semi-structured interviews investigated the critical lifestyle factors influencing IPros’ career choices, motivations for engaging in IPro work, whether career choices were free or forced, satisfaction with their IPro role and status, and whether the organisations they worked for provided support for them in their respective IPro work. The audio files from the semi-structured interviews were sent to an external transcription service, and participants were later invited to make any amendments or corrections (member checking). The transcripts were then de-identified, and a pseudonym was given to each participant, as outlined in Table 1 above. Analysis Thematic analysis was then undertaken under the main themes derived from the research questions developed from the literature review. Sub-themes for each of the main themes were identified during the coding process. Four research team members interviewed and coded three participants each (except for one team member who interviewed and coded two participants). Research team members interviewed and coded participants from different disciplines to their own. For example, the participants who taught in HRM were interviewed by a marketing researcher, and an HRM researcher interviewed the participants who taught in operations management. Table 2 provides details of the number of transcripts and number of references coded against each theme. Table 2 Summary of Coding Across Themes and Sub-Themes (Phase I) Main Theme Sub-Themes # of Files # of References Career satisfaction Challenges/barriers Enjoyment Downsides Benefits 8 6 6 4 42 26 17 14 Organisational support (OS) Types and forms of OS OS received OS expectations 7 7 6 33 22 11 Career self-management Lifestyle influencing factors 6 22 Organisational mobility and choices Free choice Forced choice Combination of free and forced choice 7 1 1 19 4 2 Career motivations Entry into IPro work motivations 3 3 6 5 Phase II Sample and Data Collection The survey instrument was an online questionnaire informed by the findings of the semi-structured interviews (Phase I) and the broader academic literature. A convenience sample of 206 IPro’s participated in the study. Respondents were academics working in casual or sessional roles from three HE institutions. A link to the research survey was sent to participants’ email addresses for completion. Measures Career Motivation was measured with fifteen items taken from Grezda and Prince’s (1997) integrated career motivation scale. Items were adapted to suit the IPro context. For example, the item ‘to what extent have you kept current on company affairs?’ was amended to ‘to what extent have you kept current on employer/client/sector affairs?’ Participants responded on a 5-point Likert-type scale, from 1 ‘not at all’ to 5 ‘to a large extent’. Career Self-Management was assessed using seven items from Noe (1996) Career Management Scale. We utilised items most representative of career self-management behaviours: networking and creating opportunities. Items were modified to suit the context, such as “To what extent do you attempt to interact with influential people in your division or department” was changed “To what extent do you attempt to interact with influential people in your industry or profession.” Participants were required to respond on a 5-point Likert scale the extent to which they engaged in these behaviours. Organisational Mobility was measured using twelve items from the PSYCONES measure developed by Isakson et al (2003). Participants were asked to indicate their level of agreement with four items regarding their perception of their current contract and eight items relating the reasons for having a non-permanent contract Career Attitudes was measured with a seven item scale that adapted two dimensions of the Short-Form Protean and Boundaryless Career Attitudes scale (Porter Woo & Tak, 2016). The focal attitude constructs from this scale were self-directed and values driven . Participants responded on a 5-point Likert-type scale, from 1 ‘strongly disagree’ to 5 ‘strongly agree’. The reliability of the sub-scale is higher to those that were reported in prior research. Self-direction (α = .90) and value-drive (α = .81) were significantly higher than the average alpha coefficient reported in Hall et al. ( 2018 ). Career Satisfaction was assessed using Hofmans et al. ( 2008 ) Career Satisfaction scale, where participants indicated on a 5-point Likert scale the level of agreement on questions to which they felt satisfied with their career achievements, career goals, income goals, advancement goals and developmental goals. Data Analysis To analyse the quantitative data, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 29) and SMARTPLS 4 were used. SPSS 29 was used to clean the data and conduct exploratory factor analysis. As the Career Motivation construct was derived from the qualitative results of this research, exploratory factor analysis was conducted to understand the underlying construct, assess item dimensionality and to ensure scale validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was then used to evaluate each construct’s validity and to test the measurement model. Finally, structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationships between career motivation, career attitudes, organisational mobility, career self-management and career satisfaction. RESULTS Phase I Results The interviews were thematically coded, as depicted in Table 2 , against the five main themes and associated sub-themes. Due to word length limitations, the qualitative data from this phase are provided in five Supplementary Tables aligned to each of the main themes and sub-themes. The findings suggest potential relationships between the variables of interest in this study. Figure 2 provides an overview of the key variables that were supported during Phase I. As a result of these findings, the following hypotheses were proposed: H1: There is a positive relationship between career attitudes and career satisfaction H2: There is a positive relationship between career motivation and career attitudes H3: There is a positive relationship between career motivation and career satisfaction H4: There is a positive relationship between career motivation and career self-management H5: There is a positive relationship between career self-management and career satisfaction H6: Organisational mobility motives moderate the relationship between career motivation and careersatisfaction. Phase II Results Profile of Participants The profile of participants in Phase II is shown in Table 3 . The majority (1) were female (57.8%); (2) were aged 46–55 (25.7%); (3) had a master’s degree (52.9%); (4) were part of senior management (54.1%); (5) had 8–11 years of work experience (61.2%); (6) worked in the education and training industry (99%); (7) were working with up to 99 employees (54.8%); (8) did not have their own business (56.8%); (9) were working on multiple contracts (24.3%), and (10) were independent professionals (21.8%). Table 3. Profile of Phase II Participants ( n = 206) Demographic n % Demographic n % Gender Female Male 85 119 41.3 57.8 Own business: Yes No 89 117 43.2 56.8 Age (years) 25–35 36–45 46–55 56–65 66–75 76–85 8 36 53 51 48 9 3.9 17.5 25.7 24.8 23.3 4.4 Employment status: Part-time Full-time Multiple contracts Combination of consulting and contracts Employment Types: Full-time employee elsewhere casual employee with the higher education provider 47 34 50 47 37 22.8 16.5 24.3 22.8 18 Education PhD Professional doctorate Masters Graduate diploma Graduate certificate Bachelor 55 9 109 9 12 11 26.7 4.4 52.9 4.4 5.8 5.3 Business owner Consultant Freelancer Independent professional Independent contractor Unemployed Working experience (years): 1–3 4–7 8–11 12–15 19 17 11 45 32 3 27 52 126 1 9.2 8.3 5.3 21.8 15.5 1.5 13.1 25.2 61.2 0.5 Measurement Model First, the measurement model was examined to test the convergent validity, as shown in Table 4 . Based on a suggestion by Hair et al. (2021), indicators with outer loadings of less than 0.40 were deleted. Following this modification, as shown in Table 5 , all item loadings exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.60; Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability values exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.70; and the average variance extracted (AVE) exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.50. Therefore, based on the results, the indicator of each variance was captured by its relevant construct, providing evidence of convergent validity and suggesting that all items were measured by the underlying latent construct (Chin et al., 2008 ; Hair et al., 2021). Next, as shown in Table 6 , discriminant validity was examined, which showcased that the square root of the AVE of each construct was larger than the correlation coefficient of that construct compared to the other constructs in the measurement model (Hair et al., 2021). Based on the discriminant validity test, each construct had the strongest relationship with its own indicators (Fornell & Larcker, 1981 ). Table 4 Construct Validity Items Loadings Variance inflation factor A_SD_independent <- Self-directed 0.869 2.014 A_SD_independent <- Career Attitudes 0.869 2.014 A_SD_myown_person <- Self-directed 0.886 2.141 A_SD_myown_person <- Career Attitudes 0.882 2.141 A_SD_responsible <- Career Attitudes 0.808 1.537 A_SD_responsible Self-values Driven 0.829 1.187 A_VD_personal_priorities -> Self-values Driven 0.842 1.187 M_CAD_courses <- Career Advancement 0.830 1.430 M_CAD_organisation_membership <- Career Advancement 0.770 1.476 M_CAD_work_uptodate <- Career Advancement 0.801 1.377 M_CAW_realistic_goals <- Career Awareness 0.937 1.984 M_CAW_specific_goals <- Career Awareness 0.908 1.984 M_NR_recognised_leadership <- Need Recognition 0.748 1.296 M_NR_recognised_others <- Need Recognition 0.897 2.927 M_NR_recognised_supervisors <- Need Recognition 0.883 2.787 M_SA_aware_abilities <- Self Awareness 0.879 2.121 M_SA_aware_abilities <- Career Motivation 0.879 2.121 M_SA_aware_strengths <- Career Motivation 0.833 1.690 M_SA_aware_strengths <- Self Awareness 0.831 1.690 M_SA_aware_weaknesses <- Self Awareness 0.890 2.228 M_SA_aware_weaknesses <- Career Motivation 0.887 2.228 OM_M_Freedom <- Organisational Mobility Motives 0.904 2.638 OM_M_Suits <- Organisational Mobility Motives 0.793 1.418 OM_M_supplementary <- Organisational Mobility Motives 0.842 2.296 SM_CO_develop_critical_skills <- Creating Opportunities 0.834 1.891 SM_CO_develop_skills <- Creating Opportunities 0.796 1.799 SM_CO_leadership <- Creating Opportunities 0.823 1.315 SM_CO_leadership <- Career Self-Management 0.716 1.595 SM_N_influential_people <- Networking 0.850 2.252 SM_N_influential_people <- Career Self-management 0.844 2.342 SM_N_network_WorkRange <- Career Self-management 0.835 2.300 SM_N_network_WorkRange <- Networking 0.854 2.299 SM_N_network_career <- Career Self-management 0.901 3.407 SM_N_network_career <- Networking 0.914 3.389 SM_N_network_info <- Career Self-management 0.895 3.210 SM_N_network_info <- Networking 0.900 3.058 Sat_satisfied_advancement <- Career Satisfaction 0.870 2.438 Sat_satisfied_goals <- Career Satisfaction 0.903 4.438 Sat_satisfied_income <- Career Satisfaction 0.802 1.844 Sat_satisfied_success Organisational Mobility Motives x Career Motivation 1.000 1.000 Table 5 Construct Reliability Construct Cronbach’s alpha rho_A Composite reliability R-square Average variance extracted Career Advancement 0.724 0.738 0.843 0.641 Career Attitudes 0.813 0.814 0.889 1 0.729 Career Awareness 0.826 0.847 0.920 0.851 Career Motivation 0.834 0.835 0.901 1 0.751 Career Satisfaction 0.897 0.899 0.929 0.36 0.766 Career Self-management 0.895 0.904 0.923 0.98 0.707 Creating Opportunities 0.759 0.782 0.858 0.669 Need Recognition 0.796 0.796 0.882 0.715 Networking 0.903 0.904 0.932 0.774 Organisational Mobility Motives 0.802 0.807 0.884 0.718 Self-awareness 0.834 0.836 0.901 0.751 Self-directed 0.813 0.816 0.889 0.729 Table 6 Discriminant Validity (Fornell-Larcker Criterion) Career Advancement Career Attitudes Career Awareness Career Motivation Career Satisfaction Career Self-Management Creating Opportunities Need Recognition Networking Organisational Mobility Motives Self-awareness Self-directed Career Advancement 0.801 Career Attitudes 0.233 0.854 Career Awareness 0.444 0.080 0.923 Career Motivation 0.318 0.280 0.399 0.867 Career Satisfaction 0.248 0.560 0.125 0.288 0.875 Career Self-management 0.569 0.248 0.346 0.277 0.277 0.841 Creating Opportunities 0.579 0.278 0.408 0.404 0.279 0.725 0.818 Need Recognition 0.299 0.061 0.445 0.328 0.035 0.255 0.306 0.845 Networking 0.565 0.248 0.333 0.258 0.260 0.988 0.650 0.229 0.880 Organisational Mobility Motives –0.019 0.473 –0.098 0.045 0.318 0.099 0.096 –0.065 0.097 0.847 Self-awareness 0.318 0.280 0.399 1.000 0.287 0.276 0.404 0.328 0.258 0.045 0.867 Self-directed 0.232 1.000 0.080 0.281 0.559 0.248 0.278 0.061 0.248 0.471 0.281 0.854 Structural Model As suggested by Hair et al. (2021), following the assessment of the measurement model, the structural model was assessed by examining collinearity, R 2 , beta, t -values, predictive relevance (Q 2 ) and effect sizes ( f 2 ). Collinearity was assessed using the variance inflation factor (VIF), which should be below three to indicate that the structural model is free from collinearity issues (Hair et al., 2021). As shown in Table 4 , all indicators’ VIF values were less than two, thereby indicating no collinearity issues and enabling the study to proceed to its results. Figure 3 provides an overview of the key variables that were supported during Phase II. The results of the hypotheses testing are summarised in Table 7 . According to the results, the effect of career attitudes, career motivation and career self-management on career satisfaction were all supported. However, the impact of career motivation on career attitudes and self-management was not supported, and the organisational mobility motives did not play a moderation role in career motivation and career satisfaction. Table 7 Hypotheses Testing Results Hypothesis p -value Outcome H1. Career Attitudes → Career Satisfaction 0 Supported H2. Career Motivation → Career Attitudes 0.263 Not Supported H3. Career Motivation → Career Satisfaction 0.017 Supported H4. Career Motivation → Career Self-Management 0.065 Not supported H5. Career Self-Management → Career Satisfaction 0.050 Supported H6. Organisational Mobility Motives x Career Motivation → Career Satisfaction 0.102 Not Supported DISCUSSION This study aimed to explore the relationships between career attitudes, organisational mobility, career motivation, career self-management and career satisfaction among IPros working in the HE sector. The findings provide strong evidence of direct relationships between these factors and career satisfaction, reflecting broader trends in career development theories such as protean and boundaryless careers. The Multidimensional Nature of Career Self-Management The first research question focused on IPros’ career self-management decisions. The factors influencing these decisions are complex and multifaceted. Career self-management has been increasingly recognised as a critical factor in career wellbeing, particularly in environments characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (Greenhaus et al., 2019 ). In the context of IPros, these dimensions are more pronounced due to the self-driven nature of their career paths. This study identified a direct relationship between career self-management and career satisfaction, reinforcing the importance of autonomy and flexibility in modern career paths. Hypothesis 4, however, was not supported, with no relationship between career motivation and career self-management. This contrasted to the qualitative findings that suggested factors related to career-self management, such as a desire for autonomy and flexibility, alignment with personal values and lifestyle choices, responsiveness to changing market dynamics, and a commitment to continuous learning, were critical to career satisfaction. A potential explanation for the lack of support for hypothesis four is that IPros who actively manage their careers by seeking out opportunities for growth and aligning their work with their personal and professional goals experience higher levels of career satisfaction generally. Thus, do not view this as a motivating behaviour. Rather it is reflective of a general disposition to be better equipped to navigate the challenges of the gig economy and achieve long-term career success (Tams & Arthur, 2010 ). Understanding these underlying factors is crucial for comprehending the motivations and behaviours of IPros in the contemporary workforce, where traditional career paradigms are increasingly giving way to more dynamic and self-directed career paths. IPros in HE were often motivated to align their careers with personal values and lifestyle choices, reflecting a shift from external career rewards to intrinsic motivations. Echoing the sentiments of prior research, our findings highlight autonomy and flexibility as critical motivators for IPros (see Supplementary Table 1). This aligns with protean career dimensions, self-directedness and autonomy (Hall & Moss, 1998 ). Respondents indicated a likelihood to work independently to align their professional activities with their personal beliefs, goals and life circumstances, including family commitments and personal interests. This is consistent with many contemporary career orientations, which emphasise being self-directed, values-driven and flexible (Cross & Swart, 2022 ; Lee et al., 2014 ). This is also reflective of the broader gig economy, where maintaining relevancy and competitiveness in the job market is crucial (Chui et al., 2022 ). The Interplay of Personal Fulfillment, Professional Autonomy and Market Dynamics The second research question explored IPros’ motivations and career satisfaction. IPros’ motivations are deeply rooted in their personal and professional aspirations (Hall, 2004 ). This study found a direct relationship between career motivation and career satisfaction, highlighting the role of intrinsic motivators such as personal fulfillment, professional passion and the desire for continuous learning. The literature suggests that individuals who are motivated by intrinsic factors are more likely to experience psychological success, defined as the fulfillment of personal goals and the achievement of a sense of purpose in their work (Hall & Moss, 1998 ). In the context of IPros, the motivation to engage in work that aligns with personal values and passions contributes significantly to overall job satisfaction, supporting the notion that career satisfaction is closely tied to the fulfillment of intrinsic needs. These findings align with the protean career model, which emphasises the pursuit of personal values and growth as key drivers of career satisfaction (Gubler et al., 2014a ). The motivations driving IPros to pursue their particular career paths are multifaceted, encompassing a desire for flexibility, personal fulfillment and professional autonomy; an adaptive response to market dynamics; and a commitment to continuous learning. These motivations reflect a broader shift in the workforce towards more self-directed, fulfilling and dynamic career paths, where personal values and aspirations play a crucial role in shaping professional trajectories. A primary motivation for IPros is the flexibility of independent work, allowing for a balance between professional commitments and personal life. This is consistent with contemporary manifestations of the protean career, emphasising self-direction and adaptability in work arrangements (Enache et al., 2011 ; Gubler et al., 2014a ; Hall, 2004 ). Autonomy is a clear driver for individuals to work outside psychological, geographical and organisational confines (Greenhaus et al., 2008 ). The desire for flexibility extends beyond mere scheduling conveniences; it encompasses the need for a career that accommodates and aligns with individual life choices, such as family responsibilities or personal pursuits. Autonomy Versus Constraint in Career Decision-Making The third research question examined IPro’s career satisfaction, examining factors related to professional status and work quality. The direct relationship between career attitudes and career satisfaction (Hypothesis 1) underscores the importance of individual perspectives and orientations towards their careers. Career attitudes, as conceptualised in protean and boundaryless career theories, emphasise self-direction, adaptability and a values-driven approach to career management (Hall, 2004 ; Briscoe & Hall, 2006 ). These attitudes are crucial for IPros, who often operate in environments characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (Greenhaus et al., 2019 ). The findings of this study are consistent with existing literature, suggesting that IPros who adopt a positive and proactive attitude towards their careers are more likely to experience higher levels of career satisfaction. This is particularly relevant in the context of the HE sector, where the nature of work is increasingly dynamic and non-traditional (Richardson et al., 2019 ). The career choices of IPros are influenced by a complex interplay of personal agency and external pressures, reflecting the dynamic nature of contemporary careers (Hall, 1996 ; Arthur, 1994 ). For some IPros, career decisions involve a blend of free and forced elements. Factors such as industry changes, economic downturns and age-related discrimination in traditional employment can force professionals into independent careers (Huđdek et al., 2021 ). Personal circumstances, family commitments and life stages also significantly influence IPros’ career decisions. The career choices of IPros span a spectrum from free to forced, with many experiencing a combination of both. While the majority appear to make deliberate, free choice decisions driven by personal values and professional aspirations, a notable proportion are influenced by external factors such as market dynamics or personal circumstances, leading to forced choices. Such decisions often reflect the interplay between individual preferences, professional goals and the broader economic and labour market context. Organisational Support for IPros: Expectations and Realities The final research question examined the organisational support sought and received by IPros in their roles. The data did not support the influence of organisational support on career motivation and career satisfaction, despite initially being supported through the interviews conducted. There are several potential explanations for this lack of finding. First, the research site used for the qualitative study placed significant emphasis on the professional development of both the permanent and contingent workforces, which may represent an outlier in the broader market. The basic onboarding, orientation and meeting cadence of casual teaching staff, which were key factors of the participants in Phase 1, were not reflected in Phase 2, as they did not foster the sense of belonging needed for these individuals. Rather, they become ‘guns for hire’: fulfilling roles without allegiance to a particular institution. Available, relevant and adequate organisational support for IPros should include the essential operational tools and elements to foster a sense of belonging and professional growth (Cross & Swart, 2022 ). Second, the effort–reward structure that is presently utilised within the sector is largely based on a compensation driven system for sessional staff. However, IPros may seek more than financial compensation from their contracts; they may seek support that enhances their professional growth and aligns with their career aspirations. Khosa et al. ( 2024 ) revealed that there are motivational hygiene factors that influence casual academic job satisfaction. Specifically, they highlighted the important of practices linked to wellbeing in enhancing overall job performance. Access to professional development may thus be one of the support practices that institutions can implement to foster a sense of belonging. Theoretical Contributions By synthesising the study’s findings on IPros with the existing literature, we can now articulate the theoretical contributions of this study. Its contributions expand our understanding of contemporary career development theories, particularly protean, boundaryless and gig economy career models. The study’s insights into the motivations, attitudes and satisfaction levels of IPros generate a nuanced understanding of these emerging career paradigms. First, the study’s findings emphasise the critical role of autonomy and flexibility in IPros’ career choices, aligning with the core tenets of protean and boundaryless career theories (Hall, 1996 ; Arthur, 1994 ). These theories traditionally emphasise self-directed career paths and cross-organisational mobility. Our study enriches these theories by highlighting how personal motivations and external market dynamics shape these self-directed career paths in intricate ways, particularly in the gig economy context. These nuanced insights into IPros’ career choices, ranging from free to forced, generate a deeper theoretical understanding of career agency. The findings underscore the complexity of career decision-making in the modern workforce, where professionals navigate a spectrum of autonomy and constraint. This adds to the boundaryless career theory by illustrating the interplay of personal agency and market forces in career trajectories. Second, the study contributes to the growing body of literature on gig economy careers by delving into the specific motivations driving IPros. It revealed that factors such as personal fulfillment, professional passion and continuous learning are pivotal beyond financial incentives. This broadens the scope of gig economy research, which often focuses predominantly on economic factors, by integrating more intrinsic motivational aspects. The study’s findings on IPros’ satisfaction levels contribute to an emerging area of research concerned with the wellbeing of gig economy workers. By highlighting the interplay between professional autonomy, work quality and career-self-management, this study adds to understanding of how job satisfaction in non-traditional careers is multifaceted and influenced by personal values and organisational dynamics. Third, this research’s conflicting finding regarding organisational support has highlighted some further challenges to traditional views of employer–employee relationships. While hypothesis 4 was not supported in the quantitative data, the need still exists for organisations to rethink how they engage with and support IPros in HE. Adequate support can enhance the professional identity, loyalty and overall satisfaction of IPros, benefiting both the individuals and the organisations with whom they work. The qualitative findings do contribute to organisational theory by suggesting that traditional support mechanisms within the university sector may not align with the needs of IPros. This calls for re-evaluating how organisations engage with non-traditional workers, emphasising relational and developmental support over transactional interactions. Practical Implications The practical contributions of this study on IPros are significant for organisations and individuals navigating the contemporary employment landscape. First, the study highlights the importance of autonomy and flexibility in IPros’ career choices, suggesting that career development programs and policies should be tailored to accommodate these preferences. For individuals, this means prioritising roles and projects that offer control over work schedules and content. For organisations, it means creating flexible work arrangements and acknowledging the diverse needs of IPros regarding work–life integration. Second, understanding the evolving expectations of IPros regarding organisational support can aid in redefining the psychological contracts between organisations and non-traditional workers. Third, organisations should strive to create more inclusive and supportive environments that acknowledge the contributions of IPros, potentially leading to stronger loyalty and long-term collaboration. This study’s insights into the challenges faced by and motivations of IPros contribute to broader discourse on the gig economy’s regulatory needs. Policymakers can use these findings to develop frameworks that protect the rights of IPros, ensuring fair compensation, job security and access to professional development opportunities. Policymakers must link the human capital of IPros’ and their satisfaction with work, life and income; this is particularly true when considering how to support nonstandard workers’ productivity and quality of life in the gig economy. Limitations and Future Research This study is not without its limitations. In reference to Phase I, although saturation was reached for this particular sample population, the sample size was relatively small; therefore, it is not generalisable to the broader HE sector. Second, using a sample derived from a single institution may not have captured the diversity of perspectives and experiences of participants, potentially leading to a narrower understanding of the career choices, motivations and satisfactions of IPros. Regarding Phase II, the sample was derived from three institutions; again, the sample should be broadened to enable capturing more diverse institutions across the HE sector. However, future research could address these limitations by undertaking a larger cross-sectional sample and applying large scale quantitative methods (e.g., online survey) across a multitude of HE institutions. Similar research could then be undertaken with IPros from different comparable industry sectors in addition to the HE sector. CONCLUSION This study has illuminated the motivations, challenges and organisational dynamics that shape the experiences of IPros, offering valuable contributions to theoretical frameworks and practical approaches in modern work environments. Central to IPros’ career choices is the desire for autonomy and flexibility, which enable them to tailor their work to personal values and life circumstances. This aligns with protean and boundaryless career theories, which emphasise self-directed and adaptable career paths. The study highlights that career decisions for IPros often involve a blend of free and forced choices influenced by personal aspirations and external market dynamics. This nuanced understanding enriches our comprehension of career agency in the modern workforce. IPros generally report high levels of satisfaction, primarily driven by the quality of work and alignment with their professional identity. Understanding IPros better has the potential to deliver positive outcomes for both individuals and organisations; consequently, we recommend that HE institutions commit to managing the needs of IPros while integrating organisational expectations to deliver positive, sustainable outcomes for all. Declarations FUNDING This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. However, internal funding was provided by the Australian Institute of Business and Torrens University Australia. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Due to Ethical Approval data management conditions, the data is not available. ETHICAL APPROVAL STATEMENT Ethics Approval for this study was obtained from: Australian Institute of Business Ethics Committee which adheres to the National Code of Conduct: National Statement on the Ethical Conduct in Human Research (the National Statement). We confirm that all research was performed in accordance with relevant guidelines/regulations applicable when human participants are involved: National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023) as produced by the NHMRC on behalf of the Australian Government. Approval number or ID # AIB2019/L1/03: Independent Professionals and Portfolio Careers in the Higher Education Sector. Initial approval date: 27 March 2019 for 3 years Ethics Extension Granted for second wave of Surveys: Ethics Approval end date: 31 December 2025 INFORMED CONSENT STATEMENT The following information details the Informed Consent that was obtained for this study: For semi-structured interviews data collection participants were sent a Participant Information and Informed Consent (PICF) via email. This contains all information relating to the study, why the research is being conducted, how their data will be utilised, and if there are any risks to them of participating. Participants who agreed to the semi- structured interviews signed the PICF and returned this via email to the research team. Interviews were not conducted until after the signed PICF was received. For the online surveys the first page of the survey contained the PICF. Participants were then asked if they agreed to Consent to undertaking the survey. Options were: YES or NO. If they selected YES, then the survey appeared for them to complete. If they answered NO, then the survey was not presented and the link to the survey ended. Scope of the consent covers participation, aggregated anonymous data use, consent to publish. Vulnerable individuals were NOT participants in this study. The study utilised non-interventional research (e.g., semi-structured interviews and a survey). A Participant Information and Informed Consent (PICF) was used for both these data collection techniques. The PICF includes a clear statement that the anonymity of all participants is assured, why the research is being conducted, how their data will be utilised, and if there are any risks to them of participating. Competing Interests Lead author is a member of the Journal's Editorial Board Author Contribution RC and AW were involved in the original conception of the research project and Phase I data collection and analysis. RC, AW, DK and SS were all involved in the design, collection and analysis of Phase II data collection. DK coordinated the Ethics Applications and Ethics Extensions. CE undertook the original literature review. All authors were involved in the writing of the manuscript. Acknowledgement We acknowledge the contributions made to this research project by Dr Jacqueline Larkin and Dr Angie Shafei.This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. 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Porter, C., Woo, S. E., & Tak, J. (2016). Developing and validating short form protean and boundaryless career attitudes scales. Journal of Career Assessment , 24 (1), 162-181. Richardson, J., Suseno, Y. & Wardale, D. (2021). The paradoxical management of casual academics: An Australian case study. Higher Education Research & Development , 40 (2), 370–385. Richardson, J., Wardale, D. & Lord, L. (2019). The ‘double-edged sword’ of a sessional academic career. Higher Education Research & Development , 38 (3), 623–637. Segers, J., Inceoglu, I., Vloeberghs, D., Bartram, D. & Henderickx, E. (2008). Protean and boundaryless careers: A study on potential motivators. Journal of Vocational Behavior , 73 (2), 212–230. Sullivan, S. E. (1999). The changing nature of careers: A review and research agenda. Journal of Management , 25 (3), 457–484. Sullivan, S. E. & Arthur, M. B. (2006). The evolution of the boundaryless career concept: Examining physical and psychological mobility. Journal of Vocational Behavior , 69 (1), 19–29. Sullivan, S. E. & Baruch, Y. (2009). Advances in career theory and research: A critical review and agenda for future exploration. Journal of Management , 35 (6), 1542–1571. Tams, S. & Arthur, M. B. (2010). New directions for boundaryless careers: Agency and interdependence in a changing world. Journal of Organizational Behavior , 31 (5), 629–646. Upwork. (2022). Freelance Forward 2022. https://www.upwork.com/research/freelance-forward-2022 van den Groenendaal, S. M., Akkermans, J., Fleisher, C., Kooij, D. T., Poell, R. F. & Freese, C. (2022). A qualitative exploration of solo self-employed workers’ career sustainability. Journal of Vocational Behavior , 134 , 103692. van den Groenendaal, S. M., Freese, C., Poell, R. F. & Kooij, D. (2023). Inclusive human resource management in freelancers’ employment relationships: The role of organizational needs and freelancers’ psychological contracts. Human Resource Management Journal. 33 (1), 224–240 . Vasileiou, K., Barnett, J., Thorpe, S. & Young, T. (2018). Characterising and justifying sample size sufficiency in interview-based studies: Systematic analysis of qualitative health research over a 15-year period. BMC Medical Research Methodology , 18 , 1–18. Volmer, J. & Spurk, D. (2011). Protean and boundaryless career attitudes: Relationships with subjective and objective career success. Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung , 43 (3), 207–218. Watson, G. P., Kistler, L. D., Graham, B. A. & Sinclair, R. R. (2021). Looking at the gig picture: Defining gig work and explaining profile differences in gig workers’ job demands and resources. Group & Organization Management , 46 (2), 327–361. Wiernik, B. M. & Kostal, J. W. (2019). Protean and boundaryless career orientations: A critical review and meta-analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 66 (3), 280. Additional Declarations Competing interest reported. Lead author is a member of the Journal's Editorial Board Supplementary Files IPROsSupplementaryTable11.docx IPROsSupplementaryTable21.docx IPROsSupplementaryTable31.docx IPROsSupplementaryTable41.docx IPROsSupplementaryTable51.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 05 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 30 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 14 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 25 Jul, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 11 Jul, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 10 Jul, 2025 First submitted to journal 09 Jun, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Australia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Christine","middleName":"","lastName":"Edwards","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-06-09 19:53:21","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6857172/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6857172/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107560006,"identity":"d0a91200-d4f6-4184-a3e2-c7100c9e03de","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-22 15:42:03","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":119985,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConceptual overview of the driving forces that lead to IPro career 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Lead author is a member of the Journal's Editorial Board","formattedTitle":"Independent Professionals Working in the Higher Education Sector: Career Choices, Motivations and Satisfaction","fulltext":[{"header":"INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eSince the beginning of the twentieth century, a significant transformation in work and employment dynamics has occurred. Prioritising adaptability over stability, a shift from traditional, structured careers to more independent career paths has gradually challenged conventional perceptions about the nature of work (Arthur \u0026amp; Rousseau, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e; Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e). The persistent acceleration of technology has enabled rapid digitisation and automation, in turn disrupting the nature of work, further challenging assumptions about employment arrangements and employment terms, and continuing to shape individual career choices (Hirschi, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Lent, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). A new category of independent workers has emerged, often labelled contingent, atypical or nonstandard employment (McKeown \u0026amp; Cochrane, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). These new forms of independent work and associated employment relationships are now permeating the traditional confines of regular full-time employment; further, they have been amplified since the COVID-19 pandemic (Watson et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the contemporary workforce, professional work does not always mean being employed (Miller, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). The rise of independent work has led to an increase in gig work, with nearly a quarter of American workers participating in this kind of employment (McKinsey Global Institute, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Upwork’s \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e survey reveals that 60\u0026nbsp;million Americans are involved in professional freelancing, with university-educated freelancers comprising a quarter of that workforce: a figure that has increased by 20% since 2021. In Australia, over 1.1\u0026nbsp;million people are operating as independent contractors, or 8% of those employed (Australian Bureau of Statistics, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). In New Zealand, the number of independent contractors has also increased, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic (Hnry, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). However, despite these increases, the specifics of independent work and contracting remain ambiguous. As the number of independent workers grows, it is essential to understand the needs, motivations and choices of this self-employed group of workers.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmbracing portfolio work offers a strategy for maintaining agility in the labour market. Portfolio working refers to how an individual organises their work and career and entails multifaceted employment, multiple income streams and flexible self-employment forms. One of the fastest growing groups of portfolio workers is highly skilled independent professionals (IPros) (Leighton \u0026amp; Brown, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e; Leighton \u0026amp; McKeown, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). These types of workers are variously referred to as ‘freelancers’, ‘sole traders’ and ‘contractors’. These self-employed experts in knowledge-intensive work who temporarily sell their expertise to organisations are neither employees nor consultants (Burke, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; van den Groenendaal et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). The ambiguous role of the IPro worker requires both a new approach to career development and a more inclusive approach to managing IPros than the traditional employer–employee relationship (van den Groenendaal et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Additionally, there are concerns that organisations are failing to respond to and manage these new forms of employment relationships effectively (Cross \u0026amp; Swart, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study explores the nature of portfolio careers and the associated motivations, choices, satisfaction levels and organisational support for IPros employed in the Australian higher education (HE) sector. Academia as an industry has experienced widespread change due to the increased casualisation of academic labour (Richardson, 2019). The availability of a highly knowledgeable and agile workforce of IPros represents a growing shift in how HE institutions deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching (Richardson et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). These individuals engage in portfolio careers, with short-term engagement with multiple institutions in addition to other work, often within the private sector.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe paper is organised into five sections. The following section reviews the extant literature on careers in the changing world of work and defines key terms used in this paper. It discusses the theoretical grounding in protean and boundaryless careers and presents a conceptual model of the driving forces that lead to IPro career satisfaction. Next, the research methodology is reported, followed by a discussion of the findings. The study utilises an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach as described by (Clark et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) to explore the career paths of casual teaching staff in terms of the following factors: motivations, choices, satisfaction levels and organisational support. The paper concludes with implications of the study, limitations and recommendations for future research.\u003c/p\u003e "},{"header":"LITERATURE REVIEW","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eThe Changing Nature of Work\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe concept of career has transformed from the relatively simple and linear traditional career model to more complex and diverse contemporary careers (Sullivan, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e). Traditional careers were defined by organisational career management, limited mobility and progression up the corporate ladder. In contrast, contemporary terms and definitions emphasise the importance of individual mobility and personal career control (Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e; Leighton \u0026amp; Brown, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Individuals are now expected to be more mobile and self-determined in their career approach (Huđdek et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Many individuals are creating their own career paths in a changing and fluid labour market (Sullivan \u0026amp; Baruch, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). McKeown and Hanley (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) suggest that contracting lies on a continuum from ‘the contractor in name only, to the contractor who works for an employment agency through to the independent, self-employed contractor’ (p. 296).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe traditional linear career progression ladder no longer exists. This is evidenced by a shift from loyalty, job security and long-term contracts towards self-motivation and individual responsibility for professional training, with individuals seeking more intrinsic satisfaction (Miller, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Non-financial elements—including quality of life, flexibility, work–life balance and the need to do meaningful work—are critical drivers for IPros (Huđdek et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Huđdek et al. (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) found that traditional notions of working hard, flexibility and regular employment do not contribute to the satisfaction of independent workers. Notably, IPros remain relatively under-researched in the literature (Leighton \u0026amp; Brown, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Understanding the challenges and opportunities created by these work trends is crucial to adapt to the evolving workforce (McKeown \u0026amp; Cochrane, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; van den Groenendaal et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) and manage the employment dynamics of IPros (Cross \u0026amp; Swart, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndependent workers, whether self-employed, affiliated with an organisation or employed by outsourcing or temp firms, have been provided labels such as ‘free agents’, ‘freelancers’ and ‘e-lancers’ (Cascio, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). The literature on solo self-employment spans multiple disciplines, including industrial relations, sociology, entrepreneurship, human resource management (HRM) and career development. Each discipline area describes the phenomenon differently. The industrial relations and sociology literature refers to precarious and vulnerable employment or multiple job holders (Bamberry, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). Terms such as ‘solopreneurs’ and ‘solo self-employed’ are evident in entrepreneurial research (Piccoli et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) and human resources (HR) research (van den Groenendaal et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; van den Groenendaal et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Meanwhile, the HRM literature describes them as gig workers; IPros; freelancers; and contingent, atypical or nonstandard workers; it also emphasises their growth in the workforce (Burke et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). We have chosen to use the term ‘IPros’ throughout this paper because it most resonates with the focus of this study as it refers to university-qualified professionals. The continuing rise of IPros in contemporary HE requires employers and HR researchers to identify the implications of work for this group and the role employers must play in addressing their employment and career needs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePortfolio Work: Exploring IPro Careers\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eHandy (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1989\u003c/span\u003e) used the term ‘portfolio working’ to refer to how individuals organise their work and careers. This notion is characterised by a multifaceted entrepreneurial and knowledge-based employment environment with multiple income streams and flexible work engagements. IPros are one of the fastest growing groups of portfolio workers, providing organisations with access to a highly skilled workforce. Freelancers, sole traders and contractors work independently across various knowledge sectors, including design, journalism, marketing, information communication technologies and medicine (Leighton \u0026amp; Brown, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). While IPros are not currently a dominant group of workers, McKeown and Cochrane (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e) argue that it is crucial to understand the challenges and opportunities associated with their rise in the contemporary workforce.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eMiller’s (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) sociological perspective on IPros explored how they perceive and interpret their daily work experiences. Miller identified that IPros tended to adopt a freelance ideology, with the notions of ‘working for myself’ and ‘not having a boss’ forming essential components of their professional identity (p. 97). In line with this independent approach, there seemed to be no particular hierarchy of professions or types of work. Additionally, Miller (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) discovered that stability is a core concern for this worker group; in fact, success is measured in terms of the stability of the work portfolio. This need for stability may appear at odds with the desire for freedom and flexibility; however, stability for IPros is very much defined on their terms. This is consistent with a particular mindset that Miller found to characterise IPros as ‘being inner-driven, proactive, enterprising, and most of all: autonomy-oriented and self-determined’ (p. 98).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eVarious contemporary career models have been developed to reflect how individuals create careers to balance their work and lives and seek meaning and purpose. Such models include the portfolio career (Handy, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1989\u003c/span\u003e), protean career (Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e), boundaryless career (Mirvis \u0026amp; Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e), post-corporate career (Peiperl \u0026amp; Baruch, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e) and kaleidoscope career (Mainiero \u0026amp; Sullivan, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2005\u003c/span\u003e). This study focuses on two key non-traditional career development theories: protean careers (Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e) and boundaryless careers (Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e; Arthur \u0026amp; Rousseau, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e). Protean and boundaryless career models are complementary and involve overlapping concepts (Briscoe \u0026amp; Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). Both models assume that contemporary careers require a self-directed, values-driven approach, flexibility in working in various jobs and for various organisations, and psychological and physical mobility between and within organisations (Briscoe \u0026amp; Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e; Hirschi, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Additionally, these models highlight the independent nature of career orientation and career progression linked to an individual’s power to control their goals and destiny (Lo Presti \u0026amp; Elia, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Wiernik \u0026amp; Kostal, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). However, regarding both protean and boundaryless career models, little research has examined the nature of these career forms and associated motivations, choices, levels of satisfaction and organisational support.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eProtean Careers\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe concept of protean careers represents a paradigm shift in understanding career development. Contrary to the traditional career development model of lifelong employment and progressive career advancement, a protean career is defined as a process where an individual manages their career to create career options and achieve their personal goals (Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). Protean careers focus on self-directedness, adaptability and the pursuit of personal values and growth (Gubler et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014a\u003c/span\u003e), shaped by an individual’s career choices (Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). Protean careers are comprised of an individual’s diverse experiences of working in various organisations and occupations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProtean careers emphasise aligning career choices with personal values and identity (Hall, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e). This model prioritises psychological success over organisational success, where job satisfaction is intrinsically linked to personal growth, learning and fulfilling one’s evolving career identity (Hall \u0026amp; Moss, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e). Self-directedness or autonomy is crucial for those seeking a protean career (Hall et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Whether guided by an inner desire (unforced) or through necessity (forced), protean careers emphasise the intrinsic satisfaction derived from pursuing work aligned with one’s passions and values (Wiernik \u0026amp; Kostal, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Unlike traditional careers driven by external factors like financial rewards or societal expectations, individuals pursuing protean careers are also guided by their desire for personal growth, self-expression and to fulfill their innate needs (Volmer \u0026amp; Spurk, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, according to this model, we contend that both forced and unforced individual career choices are crucial in shaping IPro career trajectories. We argue that various factors can influence IPro career self-management decisions, including psychological, organisational and lifestyle factors. While protean careers offer opportunities for personal growth and fulfillment, they also present challenges related to adaptability, work–life integration and psychological wellbeing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDeveloping resilience, embracing ambiguity and seeking out novel experiences are all attributes of the protean career attitude required of individuals to successfully navigate transitions, seize new opportunities and effectively manage uncertainty (Lo Presti et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Protean careers underscore the importance of adaptability in navigating an increasingly dynamic work environment; embracing change and proactively addressing new challenges are critical skills. However, a protean career’s flexibility can also create challenges for individuals regarding managing numerous factors at the intersection of the work–life domain (Direnzo et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). For example, blurring boundaries between work and personal life can create complexities in maintaining a healthy work–life balance (Segers et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe pursuit of a protean career can have significant impacts on an individual’s psychological wellbeing. Aligning career choices with personal values and passions can lead to greater job satisfaction, a sense of purpose and higher levels of self-esteem (Hall et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). However, the lack of traditional career paths and the need for constant adaptation may generate feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. Thus, job satisfaction is not always guaranteed for individuals pursuing this career path.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eBoundaryless Careers\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike protean careers, boundaryless careers are a response to changing employment arrangements. Boundaryless careers are ‘sequences of job opportunities that go beyond the boundaries of single employment setting’ (Defillippi \u0026amp; Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e, p. 307). In this way, employment and career are not ‘bounded’ by organisations (Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e; Defillippi \u0026amp; Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e). This notion of boundarylessness extends to a state of mind (Sullivan \u0026amp; Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e), across disciplines (Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) and across the globe (Baruch \u0026amp; Reis, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Rather than a focus on dependence on traditional organisational career structures and employment arrangements, boundaryless careers prioritise an individual’s independence (Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e; Arthur \u0026amp; Rousseau, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are two key dimensions of a boundaryless career: organisational mobility and geographical mobility. Organisational mobility focuses on individuals’ mobility and networking within and across organisations (Wiernik \u0026amp; Kostal, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Geographic mobility—whether through international assignments, telecommuting or freelancing—represents another dimension of boundaryless careers. Thus, boundaryless careers are independent of, rather than dependent on, traditional organisational career values. For a boundaryless career, career success and opportunities go beyond a single employer (Arthur \u0026amp; Rousseau, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e); they may extend to lateral moves, job rotations and project-based work, enhancing skill development and broadening experiences. While many scholars have emphasised organisational mobility, little research has explored the true nature of boundaryless work (Gubler et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014b\u003c/span\u003e). The ability to work when and where one wants is a clear example of career-self management, where an individual can navigate different roles, industries and geographical locations based on personal interests and goals. This is supported by research undertaken by van den Groenendaal et al. (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e), who studied a diverse group of solo self-employed Dutch workers reporting a relationship between self-management and career sustainability. Therefore, we propose that IPros’ career self-management abilities are essential factors that contribute to their overall career satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoundaryless careers empower individuals with a high degree of agency and autonomy regarding shaping their career trajectories (Briscoe \u0026amp; Hall \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e; Enache et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e; Lo Presti \u0026amp; Elia, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). This is in contrast to the traditional psychological contract where informal beliefs, expectations and obligations, imply long-term job security and loyalty to a single employer (Cross \u0026amp; Swart, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Greenhaus et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). For IPros the increased sense of ownership fosters a proactive mindset that encourages the exploration of opportunities beyond traditional organisational boundaries (Segers et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Such a self-driven approach encourages individuals to seek opportunities, acquire new skills and cultivate networks, further contributing to their employability and adaptability (Greenhaus et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). The need to embrace new challenges, and build a wide-ranging skills portfolio are key elements of boundaryless career success (Tams \u0026amp; Arthur, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). It is, thus, proposed that the organisational environment, the variety of work performed and the available support network are key drivers in IPros’ employment decisions and overall career satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eCONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF IPROS\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIPros represent a growing and vital part of the modern workforce. Understanding IPro workers and their drivers and career choices will assist organisations in managing this significant segment of the workforce. The work of IPros lies outside the assumptions of traditional organisational and employee-focused employment arrangements. The different interests of independent workers and organisations are not yet clearly understood (van den Groenendaal et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Theory and practice have predominantly neglected this significant yet seemingly invisible group of individuals (Cross \u0026amp; Swart, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Leighton \u0026amp; McKeown, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; McKeown \u0026amp; Cochrane, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). We argue that individuals who seek IPro careers are driven by a myriad of factors that define not only the type of work they perform but also the type of person they are.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs individuals increasingly seek careers that align with their values, facilitate continuous learning and allow for flexibility, organisations and individuals alike must adapt to this paradigm shift in career development to foster success and wellbeing in the ever-changing world of work. These factors underscore the dynamic and self-directed nature of protean and boundaryless careers, reflecting the ongoing evolution of the modern workplace. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e provides a conceptual overview of the lifestyle factors and motivational drivers reported in the literature to shape career satisfaction for those engaged in protean and boundaryless careers. While these factors have been reported to a minor extent in the literature, this study sought to understand the degree to which each informs the career choices of IPros in today’s workforce. Further, we examined how these driving forces shape IPros’ careers by choice or by force (see Method and Discussion for further details).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis conceptual model highlights the four key research questions that this study sought to answer:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ1: What factors influence independent professional career self-management decisions?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ2: What motivates independent professionals and their career choices?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ3: How satisfied are independent professionals with their independent professional status and work quality?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRQ4: What types of organisational support do independent professionals seek and receive from those contracting their services?\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHODS","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eResearch Design\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was employed across two phases. Phase I involved a qualitative exploratory approach to develop a theoretical model for this under-researched field of inquiry (Cross \u0026amp; Swart, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Leighton \u0026amp; McKeown, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; McKeown \u0026amp; Cochrane, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; van den Groenendaal et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Phase I collected qualitative data through semi-structured interviews of casual teaching staff from an accredited HE provider in Australia. The interviews were conducted by all four research team members across the sample. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using NVivo software. The thematic analysis used a priori codes based on the key concepts from the conceptual framework outlined in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e to answer the research questions. Phase II involved the development of a quantitative data collection instrument (online survey) that was distributed to casual teaching staff from three HE providers in Australia.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePhase I\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eSample\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSemi-structured interviews were conducted with ten IPro’s; the interviews employed a purposive sampling technique on subject matter expertise in the areas of operations management, HRM, marketing and finance. There were equal numbers of female and male participants. Four participants had a PhD or DBA qualification (33%; see Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). The research team agreed that saturation was reached at ten participants. As stated by Vasileiou et al. (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e), we argue that sample size sufficiency is based on data adequacy and is related directly to this study’s unique and intrinsic features. The data collected from the sample was very ‘usable’ and rich, given the parameters and scope of this study (Morse, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample for Semi-Structured Interviews (Phase I)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipant\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhD/DBA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeaching Discipline\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOMGT1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOperations Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOMGT2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOperations Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOMGT3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOperations Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHRM1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHuman Resource Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHRM2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHuman Resource Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMKT1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarketing\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMKT2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarketing\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMKT3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMarketing\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFIN1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinance\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFIN2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinance\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eSemi-Structured Interviews\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe semi-structured interviews investigated the critical lifestyle factors influencing IPros’ career choices, motivations for engaging in IPro work, whether career choices were free or forced, satisfaction with their IPro role and status, and whether the organisations they worked for provided support for them in their respective IPro work. The audio files from the semi-structured interviews were sent to an external transcription service, and participants were later invited to make any amendments or corrections (member checking). The transcripts were then de-identified, and a pseudonym was given to each participant, as outlined in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e above.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eAnalysis\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThematic analysis was then undertaken under the main themes derived from the research questions developed from the literature review. Sub-themes for each of the main themes were identified during the coding process. Four research team members interviewed and coded three participants each (except for one team member who interviewed and coded two participants). Research team members interviewed and coded participants from different disciplines to their own. For example, the participants who taught in HRM were interviewed by a marketing researcher, and an HRM researcher interviewed the participants who taught in operations management. Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e provides details of the number of transcripts and number of references coded against each theme.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" class=\"colspec\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" class=\"colspec\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary of Coding Across Themes and Sub-Themes (Phase I)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMain Theme\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSub-Themes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e# of Files\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e# of References\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eChallenges/barriers\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnjoyment\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDownsides\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBenefits\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganisational support (OS)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTypes and forms of OS\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOS received\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOS expectations\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer self-management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLifestyle influencing factors\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganisational mobility and choices\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFree choice\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eForced choice\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCombination of free and forced choice\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer motivations\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEntry into IPro work motivations\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePhase II\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eSample and Data Collection\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe survey instrument was an online questionnaire informed by the findings of the semi-structured interviews (Phase I) and the broader academic literature. A convenience sample of 206 IPro’s participated in the study. Respondents were academics working in casual or sessional roles from three HE institutions. A link to the research survey was sent to participants’ email addresses for completion.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eMeasures\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCareer Motivation was measured with fifteen items taken from Grezda and Prince’s (1997) integrated career motivation scale. Items were adapted to suit the IPro context. For example, the item ‘to what extent have you kept current on company affairs?’ was amended to ‘to what extent have you kept current on employer/client/sector affairs?’ Participants responded on a 5-point Likert-type scale, from 1 ‘not at all’ to 5 ‘to a large extent’.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCareer Self-Management was assessed using seven items from Noe (1996) Career Management Scale. We utilised items most representative of career self-management behaviours: networking and creating opportunities. Items were modified to suit the context, such as “To what extent do you attempt to interact with influential people in your division or department” was changed “To what extent do you attempt to interact with influential people in your industry or profession.” Participants were required to respond on a 5-point Likert scale the extent to which they engaged in these behaviours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOrganisational Mobility was measured using twelve items from the PSYCONES measure developed by Isakson et al (2003). Participants were asked to indicate their level of agreement with four items regarding their perception of their current contract and eight items relating the reasons for having a non-permanent contract\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCareer Attitudes was measured with a seven item scale that adapted two dimensions of the Short-Form Protean and Boundaryless Career Attitudes scale (Porter Woo \u0026amp; Tak, 2016). The focal attitude constructs from this scale were \u003cem\u003eself-directed\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003evalues driven\u003c/em\u003e. Participants responded on a 5-point Likert-type scale, from 1 ‘strongly disagree’ to 5 ‘strongly agree’. The reliability of the sub-scale is higher to those that were reported in prior research. Self-direction (α = .90) and value-drive (α = .81) were significantly higher than the average alpha coefficient reported in Hall et al. (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCareer Satisfaction was assessed using Hofmans et al. (\u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e) Career Satisfaction scale, where participants indicated on a 5-point Likert scale the level of agreement on questions to which they felt satisfied with their career achievements, career goals, income goals, advancement goals and developmental goals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo analyse the quantitative data, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 29) and SMARTPLS 4 were used. SPSS 29 was used to clean the data and conduct exploratory factor analysis. As the Career Motivation construct was derived from the qualitative results of this research, exploratory factor analysis was conducted to understand the underlying construct, assess item dimensionality and to ensure scale validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was then used to evaluate each construct’s validity and to test the measurement model. Finally, structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationships between career motivation, career attitudes, organisational mobility, career self-management and career satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePhase I Results\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe interviews were thematically coded, as depicted in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, against the five main themes and associated sub-themes. Due to word length limitations, the qualitative data from this phase are provided in five Supplementary Tables aligned to each of the main themes and sub-themes. The findings suggest potential relationships between the variables of interest in this study. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e provides an overview of the key variables that were supported during Phase I.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs a result of these findings, the following hypotheses were proposed:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eH1: There is a positive relationship between career attitudes and career satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH2: There is a positive relationship between career motivation and career attitudes\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH3: There is a positive relationship between career motivation and career satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH4: There is a positive relationship between career motivation and career self-management\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH5: There is a positive relationship between career self-management and career satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH6: Organisational mobility motives moderate the relationship between career motivation and careersatisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePhase II Results\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eProfile of Participants\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe profile of participants in Phase II is shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. The majority (1) were female (57.8%); (2) were aged 46\u0026ndash;55 (25.7%); (3) had a master\u0026rsquo;s degree (52.9%); (4) were part of senior management (54.1%); (5) had 8\u0026ndash;11 years of work experience (61.2%); (6) worked in the education and training industry (99%); (7) were working with up to 99 employees (54.8%); (8) did not have their own business (56.8%); (9) were working on multiple contracts (24.3%), and (10) were independent professionals (21.8%).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp style='margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:150%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:justify;'\u003e\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style='font-size:16px;line-height:150%;font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eTable 3. Profile of Phase II Participants \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style='font-size:16px;line-height:150%;font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e(\u003cem\u003en\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e=\u0026nbsp;206)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"center\" style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:150%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\n \u003ctable style=\"border-collapse: collapse;border-width: medium;border-style: none;border-color: currentcolor;border-image: initial;width: 887px;\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 153.35pt;border-width: 1pt medium;border-style: solid none;border-color: black currentcolor;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;color:black;'\u003eDemographic\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 60.35pt;border-width: 1pt medium;border-style: solid none;border-color: black currentcolor;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;color:black;'\u003en\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 60.45pt;border-width: 1pt medium;border-style: solid none;border-color: black currentcolor;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;color:black;'\u003e%\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 285.2pt;border-width: 1pt medium;border-style: solid none;border-color: black currentcolor;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;color:black;'\u003eDemographic\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 52.95pt;border-width: 1pt medium;border-style: solid none;border-color: black currentcolor;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;color:black;'\u003en\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 53.1pt;border-width: 1pt medium;border-style: solid none;border-color: black currentcolor;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;color:black;'\u003e%\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 153.35pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eGender\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eFemale\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eMale\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 60.35pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e85\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e119\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 60.45pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e41.3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e57.8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 285.2pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eOwn business:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eYes\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eNo\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 52.95pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e89\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e117\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 53.1pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e43.2\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e56.8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 153.35pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 80.65pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eAge (years)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e25\u0026ndash;35\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e36\u0026ndash;45\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e46\u0026ndash;55\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e56\u0026ndash;65\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e66\u0026ndash;75\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e76\u0026ndash;85\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 60.35pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 80.65pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 60.45pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 80.65pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e3.9\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e17.5\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e25.7\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e24.8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e23.3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e4.4\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 285.2pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 80.65pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eEmployment status:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003ePart-time\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eFull-time\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eMultiple contracts\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eCombination of consulting and contracts\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eEmployment Types:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eFull-time employee elsewhere casual employee with the higher education provider\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 52.95pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 80.65pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 53.1pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 80.65pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e22.8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e16.5\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e24.3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e22.8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 153.35pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eEducation\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003ePhD\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eProfessional doctorate\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eMasters\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eGraduate diploma\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eGraduate certificate\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.45pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eBachelor\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 60.35pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e109\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 60.45pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e26.7\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e4.4\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e52.9\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e4.4\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e5.8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e5.3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 285.2pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eBusiness owner\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eConsultant\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eFreelancer\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eIndependent professional\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eIndependent contractor\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eUnemployed\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003eWorking experience (years):\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e1\u0026ndash;3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e4\u0026ndash;7\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e8\u0026ndash;11\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:12.6pt;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e12\u0026ndash;15\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 52.95pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e126\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 53.1pt;border-width: medium medium 1pt;border-style: none none solid;border-color: currentcolor currentcolor black;border-image: initial;padding: 0in 5.4pt;height: 1pt;vertical-align: top;\"\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e9.2\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e8.3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e5.3\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e21.8\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e15.5\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e1.5\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e13.1\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e25.2\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e61.2\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp style='margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:15px;font-family:\"Arial\",sans-serif;text-align:center;'\u003e\u003cspan style='font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e0.5\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style='font-size:16px;line-height:150%;font-family:\"Times New Roman\",serif;'\u003e\u003cbr clear=\"all\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eMeasurement Model\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirst, the measurement model was examined to test the convergent validity, as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e. Based on a suggestion by Hair et al. (2021), indicators with outer loadings of less than 0.40 were deleted. Following this modification, as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, all item loadings exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.60; Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha and composite reliability values exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.70; and the average variance extracted (AVE) exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.50. Therefore, based on the results, the indicator of each variance was captured by its relevant construct, providing evidence of convergent validity and suggesting that all items were measured by the underlying latent construct (Chin et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e; Hair et al., 2021).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNext, as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e, discriminant validity was examined, which showcased that the square root of the AVE of each construct was larger than the correlation coefficient of that construct compared to the other constructs in the measurement model (Hair et al., 2021). Based on the discriminant validity test, each construct had the strongest relationship with its own indicators (Fornell \u0026amp; Larcker, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1981\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConstruct Validity\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eItems\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLoadings\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariance inflation factor\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA_SD_independent \u0026lt;- Self-directed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.869\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.014\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA_SD_independent \u0026lt;- Career Attitudes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.869\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.014\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA_SD_myown_person \u0026lt;- Self-directed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.886\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.141\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA_SD_myown_person \u0026lt;- Career Attitudes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.882\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.141\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA_SD_responsible \u0026lt;- Career Attitudes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.808\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.537\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA_SD_responsible \u0026lt;- Self-directed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.804\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.537\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA_VD_others_evaluatuon -\u0026gt; Self-values Driven\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.829\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.187\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eA_VD_personal_priorities -\u0026gt; Self-values Driven\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.842\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.187\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_CAD_courses \u0026lt;- Career Advancement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.830\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.430\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_CAD_organisation_membership \u0026lt;- Career Advancement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.770\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.476\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_CAD_work_uptodate \u0026lt;- Career Advancement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.801\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.377\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_CAW_realistic_goals \u0026lt;- Career Awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.937\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.984\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_CAW_specific_goals \u0026lt;- Career Awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.908\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.984\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_NR_recognised_leadership \u0026lt;- Need Recognition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.748\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.296\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_NR_recognised_others \u0026lt;- Need Recognition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.897\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.927\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_NR_recognised_supervisors \u0026lt;- Need Recognition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.883\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.787\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_SA_aware_abilities \u0026lt;- Self Awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.879\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.121\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_SA_aware_abilities \u0026lt;- Career Motivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.879\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.121\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_SA_aware_strengths \u0026lt;- Career Motivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.833\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.690\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_SA_aware_strengths \u0026lt;- Self Awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.831\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.690\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_SA_aware_weaknesses \u0026lt;- Self Awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.890\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.228\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM_SA_aware_weaknesses \u0026lt;- Career Motivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.887\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.228\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOM_M_Freedom \u0026lt;- Organisational Mobility Motives\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.904\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.638\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOM_M_Suits \u0026lt;- Organisational Mobility Motives\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.793\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.418\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOM_M_supplementary \u0026lt;- Organisational Mobility Motives\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.842\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.296\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_CO_develop_critical_skills \u0026lt;- Creating Opportunities\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.834\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.891\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_CO_develop_skills \u0026lt;- Creating Opportunities\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.796\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.799\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_CO_leadership \u0026lt;- Creating Opportunities\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.823\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.315\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_CO_leadership \u0026lt;- Career Self-Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.716\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.595\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_N_influential_people \u0026lt;- Networking\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.850\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.252\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_N_influential_people \u0026lt;- Career Self-management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.844\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.342\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_N_network_WorkRange \u0026lt;- Career Self-management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.835\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.300\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_N_network_WorkRange \u0026lt;- Networking\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.854\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.299\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_N_network_career \u0026lt;- Career Self-management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.901\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.407\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_N_network_career \u0026lt;- Networking\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.914\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.389\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_N_network_info \u0026lt;- Career Self-management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.895\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.210\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM_N_network_info \u0026lt;- Networking\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.900\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.058\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSat_satisfied_advancement \u0026lt;- Career Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.870\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.438\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSat_satisfied_goals \u0026lt;- Career Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.903\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.438\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSat_satisfied_income \u0026lt;- Career Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.802\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.844\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSat_satisfied_success \u0026lt;- Career Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.920\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.697\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganisational Mobility Motives x Career Motivation -\u0026gt; Organisational Mobility Motives x Career Motivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConstruct Reliability\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConstruct\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003erho_A\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eComposite reliability\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eR-square\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAverage variance extracted\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Advancement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.724\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.738\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.843\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.641\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Attitudes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.813\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.814\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.889\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.729\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.826\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.847\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.920\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.851\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Motivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.834\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.835\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.901\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.751\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.897\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.899\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.929\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.766\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Self-management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.895\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.904\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.923\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.707\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCreating Opportunities\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.759\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.782\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.858\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.669\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNeed Recognition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.796\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.796\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.882\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.715\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNetworking\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.903\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.904\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.932\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.774\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganisational Mobility Motives\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.802\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.807\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.884\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.718\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.834\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.836\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.901\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.751\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-directed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.813\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.816\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.889\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.729\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscriminant Validity (Fornell-Larcker Criterion)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"13\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c11\" colnum=\"11\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c12\" colnum=\"12\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c13\" colnum=\"13\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Advancement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Attitudes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Motivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Self-Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCreating Opportunities\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNeed Recognition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNetworking\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganisational Mobility Motives\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-directed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Advancement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.801\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Attitudes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.233\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.854\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.444\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.080\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.923\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Motivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.318\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.280\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.399\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.867\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.248\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.560\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.125\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.288\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.875\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCareer Self-management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.569\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.248\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.346\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.277\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.277\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.841\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCreating Opportunities\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.579\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.278\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.408\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.404\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.279\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.725\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.818\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNeed Recognition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.299\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.061\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.445\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.328\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.035\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.255\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.306\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.845\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNetworking\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.565\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.248\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.333\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.258\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.260\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.988\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.650\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.229\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.880\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganisational Mobility Motives\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;0.019\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.473\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;0.098\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.045\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.318\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.099\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.096\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ndash;0.065\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.097\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.847\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-awareness\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.318\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.280\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.399\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.287\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.276\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.404\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.328\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.258\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.045\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.867\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-directed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.232\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.080\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.281\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.559\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.248\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.278\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.061\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.248\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.471\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c12\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.281\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c13\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.854\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eStructural Model\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs suggested by Hair et al. (2021), following the assessment of the measurement model, the structural model was assessed by examining collinearity, R\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e, beta, \u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e-values, predictive relevance (Q\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e) and effect sizes (\u003cem\u003ef\u003c/em\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e). Collinearity was assessed using the variance inflation factor (VIF), which should be below three to indicate that the structural model is free from collinearity issues (Hair et al., 2021). As shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, all indicators\u0026rsquo; VIF values were less than two, thereby indicating no collinearity issues and enabling the study to proceed to its results. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e provides an overview of the key variables that were supported during Phase II.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of the hypotheses testing are summarised in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e. According to the results, the effect of career attitudes, career motivation and career self-management on career satisfaction were all supported. However, the impact of career motivation on career attitudes and self-management was not supported, and the organisational mobility motives did not play a moderation role in career motivation and career satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab7\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 7\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHypotheses Testing Results\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHypothesis\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e-value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOutcome\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eH1. Career Attitudes \u0026rarr; Career Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eH2. Career Motivation \u0026rarr; Career Attitudes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.263\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Supported\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eH3. Career Motivation \u0026rarr; Career Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.017\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eH4. Career Motivation \u0026rarr; Career Self-Management\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.065\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot supported\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eH5. Career Self-Management \u0026rarr; Career Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.050\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSupported\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eH6. Organisational Mobility Motives x Career Motivation\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026rarr; Career Satisfaction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.102\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot Supported\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to explore the relationships between career attitudes, organisational mobility, career motivation, career self-management and career satisfaction among IPros working in the HE sector. The findings provide strong evidence of direct relationships between these factors and career satisfaction, reflecting broader trends in career development theories such as protean and boundaryless careers.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eThe Multidimensional Nature of Career Self-Management\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe first research question focused on IPros\u0026rsquo; career self-management decisions. The factors influencing these decisions are complex and multifaceted. Career self-management has been increasingly recognised as a critical factor in career wellbeing, particularly in environments characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (Greenhaus et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). In the context of IPros, these dimensions are more pronounced due to the self-driven nature of their career paths. This study identified a direct relationship between career self-management and career satisfaction, reinforcing the importance of autonomy and flexibility in modern career paths. Hypothesis 4, however, was not supported, with no relationship between career motivation and career self-management. This contrasted to the qualitative findings that suggested factors related to career-self management, such as a desire for autonomy and flexibility, alignment with personal values and lifestyle choices, responsiveness to changing market dynamics, and a commitment to continuous learning, were critical to career satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA potential explanation for the lack of support for hypothesis four is that IPros who actively manage their careers by seeking out opportunities for growth and aligning their work with their personal and professional goals experience higher levels of career satisfaction generally. Thus, do not view this as a motivating behaviour. Rather it is reflective of a general disposition to be better equipped to navigate the challenges of the gig economy and achieve long-term career success (Tams \u0026amp; Arthur, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). Understanding these underlying factors is crucial for comprehending the motivations and behaviours of IPros in the contemporary workforce, where traditional career paradigms are increasingly giving way to more dynamic and self-directed career paths.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIPros in HE were often motivated to align their careers with personal values and lifestyle choices, reflecting a shift from external career rewards to intrinsic motivations. Echoing the sentiments of prior research, our findings highlight autonomy and flexibility as critical motivators for IPros (see Supplementary Table\u0026nbsp;1). This aligns with protean career dimensions, self-directedness and autonomy (Hall \u0026amp; Moss, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e). Respondents indicated a likelihood to work independently to align their professional activities with their personal beliefs, goals and life circumstances, including family commitments and personal interests. This is consistent with many contemporary career orientations, which emphasise being self-directed, values-driven and flexible (Cross \u0026amp; Swart, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Lee et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). This is also reflective of the broader gig economy, where maintaining relevancy and competitiveness in the job market is crucial (Chui et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eThe Interplay of Personal Fulfillment, Professional Autonomy and Market Dynamics\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe second research question explored IPros\u0026rsquo; motivations and career satisfaction. IPros\u0026rsquo; motivations are deeply rooted in their personal and professional aspirations (Hall, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). This study found a direct relationship between career motivation and career satisfaction, highlighting the role of intrinsic motivators such as personal fulfillment, professional passion and the desire for continuous learning. The literature suggests that individuals who are motivated by intrinsic factors are more likely to experience psychological success, defined as the fulfillment of personal goals and the achievement of a sense of purpose in their work (Hall \u0026amp; Moss, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1998\u003c/span\u003e). In the context of IPros, the motivation to engage in work that aligns with personal values and passions contributes significantly to overall job satisfaction, supporting the notion that career satisfaction is closely tied to the fulfillment of intrinsic needs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese findings align with the protean career model, which emphasises the pursuit of personal values and growth as key drivers of career satisfaction (Gubler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014a\u003c/span\u003e). The motivations driving IPros to pursue their particular career paths are multifaceted, encompassing a desire for flexibility, personal fulfillment and professional autonomy; an adaptive response to market dynamics; and a commitment to continuous learning. These motivations reflect a broader shift in the workforce towards more self-directed, fulfilling and dynamic career paths, where personal values and aspirations play a crucial role in shaping professional trajectories.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA primary motivation for IPros is the flexibility of independent work, allowing for a balance between professional commitments and personal life. This is consistent with contemporary manifestations of the protean career, emphasising self-direction and adaptability in work arrangements (Enache et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e; Gubler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014a\u003c/span\u003e; Hall, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). Autonomy is a clear driver for individuals to work outside psychological, geographical and organisational confines (Greenhaus et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). The desire for flexibility extends beyond mere scheduling conveniences; it encompasses the need for a career that accommodates and aligns with individual life choices, such as family responsibilities or personal pursuits.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eAutonomy Versus Constraint in Career Decision-Making\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe third research question examined IPro\u0026rsquo;s career satisfaction, examining factors related to professional status and work quality. The direct relationship between career attitudes and career satisfaction (Hypothesis 1) underscores the importance of individual perspectives and orientations towards their careers. Career attitudes, as conceptualised in protean and boundaryless career theories, emphasise self-direction, adaptability and a values-driven approach to career management (Hall, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e; Briscoe \u0026amp; Hall, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). These attitudes are crucial for IPros, who often operate in environments characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (Greenhaus et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). The findings of this study are consistent with existing literature, suggesting that IPros who adopt a positive and proactive attitude towards their careers are more likely to experience higher levels of career satisfaction. This is particularly relevant in the context of the HE sector, where the nature of work is increasingly dynamic and non-traditional (Richardson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe career choices of IPros are influenced by a complex interplay of personal agency and external pressures, reflecting the dynamic nature of contemporary careers (Hall, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e; Arthur, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e). For some IPros, career decisions involve a blend of free and forced elements. Factors such as industry changes, economic downturns and age-related discrimination in traditional employment can force professionals into independent careers (Huđdek et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Personal circumstances, family commitments and life stages also significantly influence IPros\u0026rsquo; career decisions. The career choices of IPros span a spectrum from free to forced, with many experiencing a combination of both. While the majority appear to make deliberate, free choice decisions driven by personal values and professional aspirations, a notable proportion are influenced by external factors such as market dynamics or personal circumstances, leading to forced choices. Such decisions often reflect the interplay between individual preferences, professional goals and the broader economic and labour market context.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eOrganisational Support for IPros: Expectations and Realities\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe final research question examined the organisational support sought and received by IPros in their roles. The data did not support the influence of organisational support on career motivation and career satisfaction, despite initially being supported through the interviews conducted. There are several potential explanations for this lack of finding. First, the research site used for the qualitative study placed significant emphasis on the professional development of both the permanent and contingent workforces, which may represent an outlier in the broader market. The basic onboarding, orientation and meeting cadence of casual teaching staff, which were key factors of the participants in Phase 1, were not reflected in Phase 2, as they did not foster the sense of belonging needed for these individuals. Rather, they become \u0026lsquo;guns for hire\u0026rsquo;: fulfilling roles without allegiance to a particular institution. Available, relevant and adequate organisational support for IPros should include the essential operational tools and elements to foster a sense of belonging and professional growth (Cross \u0026amp; Swart, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Second, the effort\u0026ndash;reward structure that is presently utilised within the sector is largely based on a compensation driven system for sessional staff. However, IPros may seek more than financial compensation from their contracts; they may seek support that enhances their professional growth and aligns with their career aspirations. Khosa et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) revealed that there are motivational hygiene factors that influence casual academic job satisfaction. Specifically, they highlighted the important of practices linked to wellbeing in enhancing overall job performance. Access to professional development may thus be one of the support practices that institutions can implement to foster a sense of belonging.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eTheoretical Contributions\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy synthesising the study\u0026rsquo;s findings on IPros with the existing literature, we can now articulate the theoretical contributions of this study. Its contributions expand our understanding of contemporary career development theories, particularly protean, boundaryless and gig economy career models. The study\u0026rsquo;s insights into the motivations, attitudes and satisfaction levels of IPros generate a nuanced understanding of these emerging career paradigms.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirst, the study\u0026rsquo;s findings emphasise the critical role of autonomy and flexibility in IPros\u0026rsquo; career choices, aligning with the core tenets of protean and boundaryless career theories (Hall, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1996\u003c/span\u003e; Arthur, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1994\u003c/span\u003e). These theories traditionally emphasise self-directed career paths and cross-organisational mobility. Our study enriches these theories by highlighting how personal motivations and external market dynamics shape these self-directed career paths in intricate ways, particularly in the gig economy context. These nuanced insights into IPros\u0026rsquo; career choices, ranging from free to forced, generate a deeper theoretical understanding of career agency. The findings underscore the complexity of career decision-making in the modern workforce, where professionals navigate a spectrum of autonomy and constraint. This adds to the boundaryless career theory by illustrating the interplay of personal agency and market forces in career trajectories.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecond, the study contributes to the growing body of literature on gig economy careers by delving into the specific motivations driving IPros. It revealed that factors such as personal fulfillment, professional passion and continuous learning are pivotal beyond financial incentives. This broadens the scope of gig economy research, which often focuses predominantly on economic factors, by integrating more intrinsic motivational aspects. The study\u0026rsquo;s findings on IPros\u0026rsquo; satisfaction levels contribute to an emerging area of research concerned with the wellbeing of gig economy workers. By highlighting the interplay between professional autonomy, work quality and career-self-management, this study adds to understanding of how job satisfaction in non-traditional careers is multifaceted and influenced by personal values and organisational dynamics.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThird, this research\u0026rsquo;s conflicting finding regarding organisational support has highlighted some further challenges to traditional views of employer\u0026ndash;employee relationships. While hypothesis 4 was not supported in the quantitative data, the need still exists for organisations to rethink how they engage with and support IPros in HE. Adequate support can enhance the professional identity, loyalty and overall satisfaction of IPros, benefiting both the individuals and the organisations with whom they work. The qualitative findings do contribute to organisational theory by suggesting that traditional support mechanisms within the university sector may not align with the needs of IPros. This calls for re-evaluating how organisations engage with non-traditional workers, emphasising relational and developmental support over transactional interactions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePractical Implications\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe practical contributions of this study on IPros are significant for organisations and individuals navigating the contemporary employment landscape. First, the study highlights the importance of autonomy and flexibility in IPros\u0026rsquo; career choices, suggesting that career development programs and policies should be tailored to accommodate these preferences. For individuals, this means prioritising roles and projects that offer control over work schedules and content. For organisations, it means creating flexible work arrangements and acknowledging the diverse needs of IPros regarding work\u0026ndash;life integration. Second, understanding the evolving expectations of IPros regarding organisational support can aid in redefining the psychological contracts between organisations and non-traditional workers. Third, organisations should strive to create more inclusive and supportive environments that acknowledge the contributions of IPros, potentially leading to stronger loyalty and long-term collaboration. This study\u0026rsquo;s insights into the challenges faced by and motivations of IPros contribute to broader discourse on the gig economy\u0026rsquo;s regulatory needs. Policymakers can use these findings to develop frameworks that protect the rights of IPros, ensuring fair compensation, job security and access to professional development opportunities. Policymakers must link the human capital of IPros\u0026rsquo; and their satisfaction with work, life and income; this is particularly true when considering how to support nonstandard workers\u0026rsquo; productivity and quality of life in the gig economy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eLimitations and Future Research\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study is not without its limitations. In reference to Phase I, although saturation was reached for this particular sample population, the sample size was relatively small; therefore, it is not generalisable to the broader HE sector. Second, using a sample derived from a single institution may not have captured the diversity of perspectives and experiences of participants, potentially leading to a narrower understanding of the career choices, motivations and satisfactions of IPros. Regarding Phase II, the sample was derived from three institutions; again, the sample should be broadened to enable capturing more diverse institutions across the HE sector. However, future research could address these limitations by undertaking a larger cross-sectional sample and applying large scale quantitative methods (e.g., online survey) across a multitude of HE institutions. Similar research could then be undertaken with IPros from different comparable industry sectors in addition to the HE sector.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"CONCLUSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study has illuminated the motivations, challenges and organisational dynamics that shape the experiences of IPros, offering valuable contributions to theoretical frameworks and practical approaches in modern work environments. Central to IPros\u0026rsquo; career choices is the desire for autonomy and flexibility, which enable them to tailor their work to personal values and life circumstances. This aligns with protean and boundaryless career theories, which emphasise self-directed and adaptable career paths. The study highlights that career decisions for IPros often involve a blend of free and forced choices influenced by personal aspirations and external market dynamics. This nuanced understanding enriches our comprehension of career agency in the modern workforce. IPros generally report high levels of satisfaction, primarily driven by the quality of work and alignment with their professional identity. Understanding IPros better has the potential to deliver positive outcomes for both individuals and organisations; consequently, we recommend that HE institutions commit to managing the needs of IPros while integrating organisational expectations to deliver positive, sustainable outcomes for all.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFUNDING\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. However, internal funding was provided by the Australian Institute of Business and Torrens University Australia.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDue to Ethical Approval data management conditions, the data is not available.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eETHICAL APPROVAL STATEMENT\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthics Approval for this study was obtained from:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAustralian Institute of Business Ethics Committee which adheres to the National Code of Conduct:\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eNational Statement on the Ethical Conduct in Human Research (the National Statement).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cul type=\"disc\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eWe confirm that all research was performed in accordance with relevant guidelines/regulations applicable when human participants are involved:\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023) as produced by the NHMRC on behalf of the Australian Government.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul type=\"disc\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eApproval number or ID # AIB2019/L1/03: Independent Professionals and Portfolio Careers in the Higher Education Sector.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInitial approval date: 27 March 2019 for 3 years\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthics Extension Granted for second wave of Surveys:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthics Approval end date: 31 December 2025\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eINFORMED CONSENT STATEMENT\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe following information details the Informed Consent that was obtained for this study:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul type=\"disc\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eFor semi-structured interviews data collection participants were sent a Participant Information and Informed Consent (PICF) via email. This contains all information relating to the study, why the research is being conducted, how their data will be utilised, and if there are any risks to them of participating. Participants who agreed to the semi- structured interviews signed the PICF and returned this via email to the research team. Interviews were not conducted until after the signed PICF was received.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eFor the online surveys the first page of the survey contained the PICF. Participants were then asked if they agreed to Consent to undertaking the survey. Options were: \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;YES or NO. If they selected YES, then the survey appeared for them to complete. If they answered NO, then the survey was not presented and the link to the survey ended.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eScope of the consent covers participation, aggregated anonymous data use, consent to publish.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eVulnerable individuals were NOT participants in this study.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eThe study utilised non-interventional research (e.g., semi-structured interviews and a survey). A Participant Information and Informed Consent (PICF) was used for both these data collection techniques. The PICF includes a clear statement that the anonymity of all participants is assured, why the research is being conducted, how their data will be utilised, and if there are any risks to them of participating.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003eLead author is a member of the Journal's Editorial Board\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eRC and AW were involved in the original conception of the research project and Phase I data collection and analysis. RC, AW, DK and SS were all involved in the design, collection and analysis of Phase II data collection. DK coordinated the Ethics Applications and Ethics Extensions. CE undertook the original literature review. All authors were involved in the writing of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe acknowledge the contributions made to this research project by Dr Jacqueline Larkin and Dr Angie Shafei.This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. However, internal funding was provided by the Australian Institute of Business and Torrens University Australia's Centre for Organisational Change \u0026amp; Agility (COCA).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAustralian Bureau of Statistics. (2022, August). \u003cem\u003eWorking arrangements\u003c/em\u003e. ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/working-arrangements/latest-releas\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArthur, M. B. (1994). 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M. \u0026amp; Kostal, J. W. (2019). Protean and boundaryless career orientations: A critical review and meta-analysis. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Counseling Psychology\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e66\u003c/em\u003e(3), 280.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"humanities-and-social-sciences-communications","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"palcomms","sideBox":"Learn more about [Humanities \u0026 Social Sciences Communications](http://www.nature.com/palcomms/)","snPcode":"41599","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/41599/3","title":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Nature AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"independent professionals (IPros), portfolio careers, gig economy, protean careers, boundaryless careers, career motivations, career choices, organisational support, higher education","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6857172/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6857172/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the fastest growing groups of portfolio workers is highly skilled independent professionals (IPros). Portfolio working is one way to remain agile in response to an increasingly dynamic labour market. Despite the rise of portfolio work globally, necessitating a deeper exploration of this contemporary form of employment, very little research has been conducted in this area. This study advanced our understanding of IPro employment by exploring key factors influencing their career motivations, choices, job satisfaction and desired organisational support. It used the conceptual lenses of protean and boundaryless careers and employed an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design utilising two phases. Phase I collected qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with a sample of casual teaching staff at a higher education institution in Australia. Phase II collected quantitative data from a sample of casual teaching staff from three higher education institutions (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;206). The findings indicate that career decisions for IPros often involve a blend of free and forced choices influenced by personal aspirations and external market dynamics, along with a strong desire for autonomy and flexibility. These nuanced findings enrich our understanding of career agency in the modern workforce; policymakers in higher education can use these practical insights to manage and support their IPro staff more effectively. We recommend that HE institutions commit to managing the needs of IPros while integrating organisational expectations to deliver positive, sustainable outcomes for all.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Independent Professionals Working in the Higher Education Sector: Career Choices, Motivations and Satisfaction","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-22 15:38:30","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6857172/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-05-05T17:04:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-30T07:27:10+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-16T15:59:54+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"257693771992658838975128132536542145638","date":"2026-04-14T11:02:09+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"239956864952529782368572481110918792674","date":"2026-04-14T10:20:04+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"288010084316434096520084473522850268088","date":"2026-04-14T08:22:51+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"106322152065157960090811277814456297634","date":"2026-04-14T08:15:39+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-14T07:57:38+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-07-25T05:53:15+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-07-11T11:02:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-07-10T17:18:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications","date":"2025-06-09T19:48:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"humanities-and-social-sciences-communications","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"palcomms","sideBox":"Learn more about [Humanities \u0026 Social Sciences Communications](http://www.nature.com/palcomms/)","snPcode":"41599","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/41599/3","title":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Nature AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"e0587a57-36bc-41be-a373-4a8043070f46","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 22nd, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-05-05T17:04:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-30T07:27:10+00:00","index":110,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"in-revision","subjectAreas":[{"id":66464617,"name":"Business and commerce/Business and management"},{"id":66464618,"name":"Social science/Business and management"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-05T17:09:53+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-22 15:38:30","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6857172","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6857172","identity":"rs-6857172","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}