Are you feeling stuck or uncertain about your career path? If this is the case, you might feel like an imposter in the world of type-A personality go-getters. However, you’re not alone in this. Making the “right” career choice can feel like a leap in the dark, especially if you’re still figuring out what drives you.
But what if there was a science-based way to make career decisions that fit your unique strengths, goals, and outcome expectations?
Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT theory) offers just that — a practical approach to understanding what you’re truly capable of and what you genuinely want.
In this article, we explore Social Cognitive Career Theory and give you actionable steps stemming from this powerful framework to clarify your path and discover career interests that are perfect for you (and give you the job satisfaction you deserve).
What is Social Cognitive Career Theory? Using Psychology to Shape Your Career
Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT theory) builds on Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory exploring personal agency.
In their seminal work (Lent et al., 1994), Robert Lent, Steven Brown, and Gail Hackett introduced the Social Cognitive Career Theory as a framework that looks at how people develop career interests, make choices, and achieve success.
There are three core components within the SCCT theory framework: self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal goals.
Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific tasks.
According to the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), people are more likely to pursue careers in fields where they feel confident in their abilities.
Therefore, you may be drawn to STEM careers if you have high self-efficacy in scientific tasks. On the other hand, if your self-efficacy beliefs in this area are low, you would, for example, work on arts-related career development.
Outcome Expectations
Outcome expectations are beliefs about what will happen if you engage in specific actions.
Regarding career outcomes, outcome expectations translate into what we believe we’ll gain from choosing specific career paths. These could be outcome expectations around job stability, income, work-life balance, or fulfillment.
Suppose you expect positive outcomes in terms of financial stability. In that case, you might prioritize a well-paid position over your vocational interests and passions if they come with lower-end pay.
Personal Goals
Personal goals provide direction and motivation.
SCCT emphasizes setting goals as a guide in career development. Clear target goals help people focus on achieving specific outcomes as stepping stones towards their final career choice.
For example, foreign-educated immigrants with medical career aspirations would need to focus on different steps to finding a job compared to graduates in the United States. Specifically, they would need to work on acquiring host country educational credentials, perfecting English terms used in medicine, and learning how the local system works.
Using Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) to Explore Career Paths: Actionable Steps
The work of Lent et al. (1994) marked the beginning of the theoretical framework commonly employed in career development to this date.
Understanding psychosocial determinants of behavior, contextual and experiential factors (including interpersonal factors), and factors such as gender or age is necessary to explain vocational interests and career outcomes comprehensively. The Social Cognitive Career Theory is a potent framework for such an understanding precisely because of its comprehensiveness and adaptiveness.
The Social Cognitive Career Theory offers a structured way to think about career decisions. The SCCT theory helps you choose a career and understand why specific paths may be more fulfilling for you in the long term and how they align with your vocational interests.
In this section, we explore the practical application of the three core components within the SCCT theory framework: self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals in all of your occupational activities.
SCCT Theory in Practice: Self-Efficacy and Career Development
When you correctly assess self-efficacy, you can better understand which careers align with your strengths and interests.
SCCT links self-efficacy and outcome within a person’s vocational interests because our confidence and success are, ultimately, closely linked. When you know where you feel confident, you can look for fields that match those strengths, creating a more fulfilling path.
How do we apply the concept of self-efficacy beliefs to career development in practice? We give you three practical ideas.
1. Side Projects
Based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory, self-efficacy grows stronger when actively engaging in a task. In other words, personal performance accomplishments feed into your self-assurance.
One of the most effective ways to gauge your confidence in a specific field is by experimenting with side projects. When you freelance or take on small projects in a field you are curious about, you test your abilities and assess how comfortable you feel in those tasks.
Suppose you are interested in digital marketing. You could start by managing social media for a small business, gaining experience that could eventually guide you toward more prominent roles in the field.
2. Skills-Building Exercises
Sometimes, the biggest obstacle to career exploration is the belief that you don’t yet have the necessary skills.
SCCT theory proposes that self-efficacy can be strengthened by gradual exposure to activities that challenge you at a manageable level. Therefore, try out small activities or projects relevant to careers you are interested in. For example, you can create a portfolio, write a short blog, or design a prototype.
These exercises help you incrementally build relevant skills, contribute to your self-efficacy beliefs, and, consequentially, boost your sense of mastery.
3. Feedback and Mentorship
Beliefs related to self-efficacy and outcome expectations tend to be associated with interpersonal factors. In other words, success often depends on more than our efforts. Other people can serve as influential factors alongside self-directed career development, influencing the road to success.
Lent et al. (2002) emphasized that supportive relationships can positively influence self-efficacy by providing role modeling, encouragement, and resources to overcome career barriers.
Get feedback from trusted mentors, supervisors, or peers to reinforce your capability, especially when exploring a new career. Constructive feedback can help you improve, gain confidence, and identify strengths you may have overlooked.
Seek mentorship to ensure you have a structured setting to ask questions, share doubts, and get guidance on building the specific skills required for your chosen career development path.
SCCT Theory in Practice: Outcome Expectations and Personal Values
When choosing a fulfilling career, understanding your outcome expectations — what you hope to achieve or experience in a role — is essential.
Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) emphasizes that your beliefs about potential outcomes influence your educational choices and career interests, whether you aim for long-term well-being, stability, or personal growth.
But there is more to it than what you think you might get from a career. It is also about valuing the outcome enough to strive for it. Here, the Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT) offers an additional perspective by suggesting that the value you place on an outcome affects your motivation to pursue it.
For example, consider international graduates’ work outcomes. A study of international students revealed that these individuals often weigh different positive outcome expectations against the likelihood of success in a foreign job market. For many international graduates, work integration can seem too challenging, and returning to their home country becomes tempting.
Let’s explore practical exercises to help you understand and align your outcome expectations with career paths that genuinely resonate with you.
1. Visualization Exercise
A powerful way to explore outcome expectations is through a day-in-the-life visualization.
Select a career you’re interested in or curious about, ideally one where you see the potential for positive outcome expectations (such as fulfillment, stability, or impact). Close your eyes and visualize a typical workday in this role from start to finish.
Take notes on how the day felt to you. Did the workday align with your personal work values? Did you feel a sense of well-being and purpose in this role?
2. Networking and Informational Interviews
Connecting with professionals through networking or informational interviews offers real-world insights into the day-to-day realities of careers that interest you.
This approach informs your outcome expectations and also strengthens self-efficacy as you gain confidence and clarity in making career choices based on firsthand knowledge.
Therefore, search for professionals in your chosen field through LinkedIn, alumni networks, or professional associations. Prepare meaningful questions to ask and pay attention to the aspects of the role they emphasize as you speak to them. This practical insight helps clarify whether the job will likely meet your positive outcome expectations.
SCCT Theory and Setting Personal Career Goals for Positive Career Outcomes
Setting clear, meaningful goals is essential to any successful career journey. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) reminds us that various external factors influence career-related goals. From economic conditions to family expectations, external influences can shape our career development.
Understanding how to set professional goals that align with our inner motivations and the realities of our world can help ensure positive career outcomes.
1. Incremental Goal-Setting
Start by identifying your ultimate career goal.
Next, break it down into smaller, actionable steps that are easy to accomplish. In 2006, Lent et al. demonstrated that experiencing small successes builds your self-efficacy.
Outcome expectations and goal-related behaviors are usually closely related. For example, if you aim for a managerial role that will secure your financial independence, the first step could be to develop time management skills to prevent stress that comes hand-in-hand with leadership positions.
2. Goal Flexibility
Career interests and paths can shift over time.
Remember how we spoke of the international university students who might decide that returning to their home country is a better option for them? A shift in career goals can happen for countless reasons. Sometimes, we are simply not sure what career we want or even what to do about our life in general.
Therefore, set aside time each quarter to review your progress and see if your current goals align with your evolving interests and circumstances. Adjust your goals if necessary and remain adaptable.
Beyond Lent et al. (1994): Combining SCCT with Other Career Models for a Tailored Path
The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) developed by Lent et al. (1994) provides a robust framework for understanding career decision-making through self-efficacy and outcome expectations, as well as personal goal-setting.
This section will go beyond the SCCT’s choice model. We explore how it can be effectively combined with another group of theoretical perspectives (Holland’s Career Theory, the Big Five personality traits, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) for a comprehensive career exploration experience.
Holland’s Theory, Self-Efficacy, and Career Interests
When self-efficacy aligns with vocational interests, you are more likely to succeed and feel satisfied in a given field.
Holland’s model helps you determine what career fits your personality traits and preferences. Combining this knowledge with focused self-efficacy allows you to make well-informed choices and excel in your career.
If you still don’t know your Holland Code, take BrainManager’s Career Test and find out if you are a Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, or Conventional type.
By considering tasks you feel confident in, you can evaluate which career fields highlight these skills.
Suppose you enjoy interacting with people and feel capable of performing supportive roles. In that case, Social careers can provide the satisfaction of meaningful work in helping professions.
Those with Investigative interests who feel confident in solving complex problems may find careers in science or research incredibly fulfilling because analysis and inquiry are daily activities.
Artistic careers are ideal for those who feel competent in self-expression and enjoy creating new, innovative projects. High self-efficacy in these skills can lead to fulfilling work in creative roles.
Big 5 Personality Traits and Outcome Expectations
Understanding your personality through the Big 5 traits can help you anticipate the outcomes you will likely find rewarding in a career.
Combining these traits with outcome expectations from SCCT allows you to identify careers that fit your personality and are more likely to provide the rewards and fulfillment you seek.
Take BrainManager’s Personality Test to understand your profile and connect it to your vocational interests and career development.
For example, people high in Openness will likely expect their careers to deliver innovation, variety, and intellectual challenges.
Outcome expectations for Conscientious individuals would be rewards for persistence and structure, meaning they will enjoy administration, accounting, project management, and law.
If you are high in Extraversion, your outcome expectations will involve social recognition, collaboration, and active, people-centered work.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Goals
While Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) highlights the importance of professional goals in driving career development, the Myers-Briggs framework offers insights into how personality preferences can shape these goals.
BrainManager’s test based on the MBTI will tell you which of the 16 personality types you are and what mental processes shape your attitude toward the world.
Using MBTI to guide career-related goals helps align external influences, such as job roles and work cultures, with SCCT’s emphasis on personal satisfaction, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations.
For INTJs, for example, careers that allow for independence, strategic vision, and long-term project involvement align with their personality and provide opportunities for meaningful accomplishment.
On the other hand, career goals that emphasize dynamic, relationship-based work environments are more likely to engage ENFPs and keep them motivated.
SCCT Theory: Leverage Your Strengths to Discover the Perfect Job!
The Social Cognitive Career Theory offers an insightful way to uncover career paths aligned with your strengths and aspirations, regardless of externally imposed influences. The three core components within the SCCT theory framework—self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal goals—developed by Lent et al. (1994) help you build confidence in your abilities, clarify what you expect from a career, and set meaningful goals to guide your journey.
Remember, career exploration isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about understanding your unique strengths, motivations, and values. This comes through self-reflection and self-awareness.
As you use these insights, allow BrainManager’s resources to support you. Whether you’re delving deeper into personality traits, assessing your career interests, or honing in on the goals that truly drive you, BrainManager offers the tools to turn your self-discovery into actionable steps.
So, take the leap, leverage the SCCT Theory, and discover the perfect job that brings you fulfillment and success!
