Motivational Career Resources and Subjective Career Success: A Test of Mediation and Moderation

Changes in the global economic environment in which careers unfold have made the development and use of various career-related resources essential for one’s career success. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study unpacks the relationship between motivational career resources and subjective career success, by detailing a mediating role of job crafting and a moderating role of age. Hypotheses are tested using data gathered in two waves separated by a six-month interval. Results indicated that (a) motivational career resources were positively related to job crafting; (b) job crafting was positively related to subjective career success; (c) job crafting mediated the linkage between motivational career resources and subjective career success; and (d) age moderated the relationship between motivational career resources and job crafting. This study provides novel insights into the intervening mechanism (i.e., job crafting) that elucidates how motivational career resources relate to job crafting. Furthermore, the findings enrich the existing literature by introducing a substantive moderator (i.e., age) in the relationship between motivational career resources and job crafting.