Looking for a route in turbulent waters

Abstract

The labour market has changed dramatically in the last few decades; in particular, lifetime employment within the same organization is now less frequent and careers have increasingly become boundaryless and unpredictable. Therefore, individuals need to take charge of their career development and try to increase their chances in the labour market. This is why employability has become a key and urgent concept for employees and employers, policy makers, scholars, and practitioners. Despite this increasing interest, employability still lacks a mainstream definition and a comprehensive theoretical model. To address this void, the present integrative review aims to (a) provide a new definition of employability contrasting it with previous contributions, (b) depict accurately the current body of evidence, and based on gaps in research published to date, (c) provide a heuristic model to inspire future research and address unresolved issues.