The changing nature of employment relations between individuals and organisations has increased the role of individuals in maintaining their careers. Today’s era is characterised by ‘modern and boundary less’ careers, indicating the need for an in-depth analysis of perceived employability. For a long time, this multidisciplinary concept has captured the attention of scholars. However, holistic retrospection of this research is missing to date. Under this gap, this study aims to comprehensively analyse the literature on perceived employability through bibliometric tools. Therefore, a contextualised systematic literature review is presented in this study using citation analyses, co-citation analyses and bibliographic coupling. Relying upon the Scopus database, bibliometric techniques are used to map thematic and intellectual structures latent in 356 articles published on perceived employability. The top authors, countries, journals and major themes are identified, followed by bibliographic network-based content analysis. Five significant clusters identified by thematic analyses are extensively reviewed. Finally, the study revealed key research gaps that could guide future research. This study contributes by providing thematic clusters latent in the literature on perceived employability in combination with an extensive review.
AkkermansJ., & TimsM. (2017). Crafting your career: How career competencies relate to career success via job crafting. Applied Psychology, 66(1), 168–195.
2.
AkkermansJ., TimsM., BeijerS., & De CuyperN. (2019). Should employers invest in employability? Examining employability as a mediator in the HRM–commitment relationship. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 717.
3.
ArthurM. B. (1994). The boundaryless career: A new perspective for organizational inquiry. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 15(4), 295–306.
4.
AshfordS. J., & TaylorM. S. (1990). Adaptation to work transitions: An integrative approach. In FerrisG. R. & RowlandK. M. (Eds.), Research in personnel and human resources management (Vol. 8, pp. 1–39). JAI Press.
5.
AtitsogbeK. A., MamaN. P., SovetL., PariP., & RossierJ. (2019). Perceived employability and entrepreneurial intentions across university students and job seekers in Togo: The effect of career adaptability and self-efficacy. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 180.
6.
BallewB. S. (2009). Elsevier’s Scopus® database. Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries, 6(3), 245–252.
7.
BaruchY., BhaskarA. U., & MishraB. (2020). Career dynamics in India: A two-wave study of career orientations and employability of graduates. Personnel Review, 49(3), 825–845.
8.
BerntsonE. (2008). Employability perceptions: Nature, determinants, and Implications for health and well-being. Thesis, Stockholm University. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:198489
9.
BerntsonE., & MarklundS. (2007). The relationship between perceived employability and subsequent health. Work & Stress, 21(3), 279–292.
10.
BerntsonE., SverkeM., & MarklundS. (2006). Predicting perceived employability: Human capital or labour market opportunities?Economic and Industrial Democracy, 27(2), 223–244.
11.
BlokkerR., AkkermansJ., TimsM., JansenP., & KhapovaS. (2019). Building a sustainable start: The role of career competencies, career success, and career shocks in young professionals’ employability. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 112, 172–184.
12.
BricoutJ. C., & BentleyK. J. (2000). Disability status and perceptions of employability by employers. Social Work Research, 24(2), 87–95.
13.
BroadusR. N. (1987). Toward a definition of ‘bibliometrics’. Scientometrics, 12, 373–379.
14.
CalvoJ. C. A., & GarcíaG. M. (2021). The influence of psychological capital on graduates perception of employability: The mediating role of employability skills. Higher Education Research & Development, 40(2), 293–308.
15.
ChenD. J., & LimV. K. (2012). Strength in adversity: The influence of psychological capital on job search. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(6), 811–839.
16.
ChinW. S. (2015). Predictors of Protean career behavior and moderating role of career strategies among professionals in the Malaysian electrical and electronics industry. Thesis, University Putra, Malaysia. http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/59762/1/FPP%202015%2033IR.pdf
17.
ClarkeM. (2018). Rethinking graduate employability: The role of capital, individual attributes and context. Studies in Higher Education, 43(11), 1923–1937.
18.
De BattistiF., GilardiS., GuglielmettiC., & SilettiE. (2016). Perceived employability and reemployment: Do job search strategies and psychological distress matter?Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 89(4), 813–833.
19.
De CuyperN., & De WitteH. (2008). Job insecurity and employability among temporary workers: A theoretical approach based on the psychological contract. The Individual in the Changing Working Life, 88–107.
20.
De CuyperN., & De WitteH. (2010). Temporary employment and perceived employability: Mediation by impression management. Journal of Career Development, 37(3), 635–652.
21.
De CuyperN., & De WitteH. (2011). The management paradox: Self-rated employability and organizational commitment and performance. Personnel Review, 40(2), 152–172.
22.
De CuyperN., BaillienE., & De WitteH. (2009). Job insecurity, perceived employability and targets’ and perpetrators’ experiences of workplace bullying. Work & Stress, 23(3), 206–224.
23.
DeFillippiR. J., & ArthurM. B. (1996), Boundaryless contexts and careers: A competency-based perspective. In ArthurM. B. & RousseauD. M. (Eds.), The boundaryless career: A new employment principle for a new organizational era (pp. 116–131). Oxford University Press.
24.
De VosA., & SoensN. (2008). Protean attitude and career success: The mediating role of self-management. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73(3), 449–456.
25.
De VosA., De HauwS., & Van der HeijdenB. I. (2011). Competency development and career success: The mediating role of employability. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79(2), 438–447.
26.
DinhN. T., Dinh HaiL., & PhamH. H. (2022). A bibliometric review of research on employability: Dataset from Scopus between 1972 and 2019. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 13(1), 1–21.
27.
Di FabioA., & KennyM. E. (2015). The contributions of emotional intelligence and social support for adaptive career progress among Italian youth. Journal of Career Development, 42(1), 48–59.
28.
DonaldW. E., BaruchY., & AshleighM. (2019). The undergraduate self-perception of employability: Human capital, careers advice, and career ownership. Studies in Higher Education, 44(4), 599–614.
29.
DriesN., ForrierA., De VosA., & PepermansR. (2014). Self-perceived employability, organization-rated potential, and the psychological contract. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 29(5), 565–581.
30.
ErgünM., & ŞeşenH. (2021). A Comprehensive study on university students’ perceived employability: Comparative effects of personal and contextual factors. Sage Open, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211036105
31.
FabbrisL., & ForneaM. (2020). Psychological capital and locus of control as determinants of graduate employability beyond human and social capital. Statistica Applicata–Italian Journal of Applied Statistics, 31(1), 29–50.
32.
FinnD. (2000). From full employment to employability: A new deal for Britain’s unemployed?International Journal of Manpower, 21(5), 384–399.
33.
ForrierA., & SelsL. (2003). The concept employability: A complex mosaic. International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 3(2), 102–124.
34.
ForrierA., VerbruggenM., & De CuyperN. (2015). Integrating different notions of employability in a dynamic chain: The relationship between job transitions, movement capital and perceived employability. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 89, 56–64.
35.
FugateM., KinickiA. J., & AshforthB. E. (2004). Employability: A psycho-social construct, its dimensions, and applications. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65(1), 14–38.
36.
GasperszJ., & OttM. (1996). Management of employability new opportunities in labour relations. Management Studies, Netherlands.
37.
GoodellJ. W., KumarS., LimW. M., & PattnaikD. (2021). Artificial intelligence and machine learning in finance: Identifying foundations, themes, and research clusters from bibliometric analysis. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, 32, 100577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbef.2021.100577
38.
GuilbertL., BernaudJ. L., GouvernetB., & RossierJ. (2016). Employability: Review and research prospects. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 16, 69–89.
39.
HallD. T. (2004), The protean career: A quarter-century journey. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 65(1), 1–13.
40.
HeijdeC. M. V. D., & Van Der HeijdenB. I. (2006). A competence-based and multidimensional operationalization and measurement of employability. Human Resource Management, 45(3), 449–476.
41.
HillageJ., & PollardE. (1998). Employability: Developing a framework for policy analysis. https://www.academia.edu/download/43539201/Employability_Developing_a_framework_for20160309-24658-1ix1nw2.pdf
42.
HodzicS., RipollP., LiraE., & ZenasniF. (2015). Can intervention in emotional competencies increase employability prospects of unemployed adults?Journal of Vocational Behavior, 88, 28–37.
43.
HoedemakersJ., VanderstukkenA., & StoffersJ. (2023). The influence of leadership on employees’ employability: A bibliometric analysis, systematic literature review, and research agenda. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1092865.
44.
JacksonD., & WiltonN. (2017). Perceived employability among undergraduates and the importance of career self-management, work experience and individual characteristics. Higher Education Research & Development, 36(4), 747–762.
45.
JudgeT. A., IliesR., & DimotakisN. (2010). Are health and happiness the product of wisdom? The relationship of general mental ability to educational and occupational attainment, health, and well-being. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(3), 454.
46.
JudgeT. A., KlingerR. L., & SimonL. S. (2010). Time is on my side: Time, general mental ability, human capital, and extrinsic career success. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(1), 92.
47.
KirschenbaumA., & Mano-NegrinR. (1999). Underlying labor market dimensions of ‘opportunities’: The case of employee turnover. Human Relations, 52(10), 1233–1255.
48.
KluytmansF., & OttM. (1999). Management of employability in the Netherlands. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 8(2), 261–272.
49.
KnightP. T., & YorkeM. (2006). Employability: Judging and communicating achievements (Vol. 2). LTSN Generic Centre.
50.
KumarS., PandeyN., BurtonB., & SurekaR. (2021). Research patterns and intellectual structure of Managerial Auditing Journal: A retrospective using bibliometric analysis during 1986–2019. Managerial Auditing Journal, 36(2), 280–313.
51.
KuncelN. R., OnesD. S., & SackettP. R. (2010). Individual differences as predictors of work, educational, and broad life outcomes. Personality and individual differences, 49(4), 331–336.
52.
LinY. C. (2015). Are you a protean talent? The influence of protean career attitude, learning-goal orientation and perceived internal and external employability. Career Development International, 20(7), 753–772.
53.
LinnM. C., & EylonB. S. (2000). Knowledge integration and displaced volume. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 9, 287–310.
54.
López-MiguensM. J., CaballeroG., & Álvarez-GonzálezP. (2021). Responsibility of the university in employability: Development and validation of a measurement scale across five studies. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 30(1), 143–156.
55.
MagnanoP., SantisiG., ZammittiA., ZarboR., & Di NuovoS. (2019). Self-perceived employability and meaningful work: The mediating role of courage on quality of life. Sustainability, 11(3), 764.
56.
MasdukiN. A., MahfarM., & SeninA. A. (2022). A bibliometric analysis of the graduate employability research trends. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 11(1), 172–181.
57.
MgaiwaS. J. (2021). Fostering graduate employability: Rethinking Tanzania’s university practices. Sage Open, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/215824402110067
58.
NaumerC., FisherK., & DervinB. (2008, April). Sense-making: A methodological perspective. In Sensemaking workshop, CHI (Vol. 8, pp. 506–513).
59.
NooriM. I., & AzmiF. T. (2021). Students perceived employability: A systematic literature search and bibliometric analysis. Eurasian Journal of Business and Economics, 14(28), 37–56.
60.
NorrisM., & OppenheimC. (2007). Comparing alternatives to the Web of Science for coverage of the social sciences’ literature. Journal of Informetrics, 1(2), 161–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2006.12.001
61.
PattnaikD., KumarS., & VashishthaA. (2019). Research on trade credit–A systematic review and bibliometric analysis. Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, 12(4), 367–390.
62.
PintoL. H., & RamalheiraD. C. (2017). Perceived employability of business graduates: The effect of academic performance and extracurricular activities. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 99, 165–178.
63.
QenaniE., MacDougallN., & SextonC. (2014). An empirical study of self-perceived employability: Improving the prospects for student employment success in an uncertain environment. Active Learning in Higher Education, 15(3), 199–213.
64.
RicciA., CrivellaroF., & BolzaniD. (2021). Perceived employability of highly skilled migrant women in STEM: Insights from labor market intermediaries’ professionals. Administrative Sciences, 11(1), 7.
65.
RothwellA., & ArnoldJ. (2007). Self-perceived employability: Development and validation of a scale. Personnel Review, 36(1), 23–41.
66.
RothwellA., HerbertI., & RothwellF. (2008). Self-perceived employability: Construction and initial validation of a scale for university students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73(1), 1–12.
67.
RothwellA., JewellS., & HardieM. (2009). Self-perceived employability: Investigating the responses of post-graduate students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 75(2), 152–161.
68.
SandersJ., & De GripA. (2004). Training, task flexibility and the employability of low-skilled workers. International Journal of Manpower, 25(1), 73–89.
69.
SigalaM., KumarS., DonthuN., SurekaR., & JoshiY. (2021). A bibliometric overview of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management: Research contributions and influence. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 47, 273–288.
70.
SillaI., De CuyperN., GraciaF. J., PeiróJ. M., & De WitteH. (2009). Job insecurity and well-being: Moderation by employability. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10, 739–751.
71.
SmallH. (1973). Co-citation in the scientific literature: A new measure of the relationship between two documents. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 24(4), 265–269.
72.
SullivanS. E., & BaruchY. (2009). Advances in career theory and research: A critical review and agenda for future exploration. Journal of Management, 35(6), 1542–1571.
73.
TamkinP., & HillageJ. (1999). Employability and employers: The missing piece of the jigsaw. Institute for Employment Studies.
74.
ThijssenJ. G., Van der HeijdenB. I., & RoccoT. S. (2008). Toward the employability—link model: Current employment transition to future employment perspectives. Human resource development review, 7(2), 165–183.
75.
ValtakoskiA. (2020). The evolution and impact of qualitative research in journal of services marketing. Journal of Services Marketing, 34(1), 8–23.
76.
Van BurenH. (2003), Boundaryless careers and employability obligations. Business Ethics Quarterly, 13(2), 131–149.
77.
VanherckeD., De CuyperN., PeetersE., & De WitteH. (2014). Defining perceived employability: A psychological approach. Personnel Review, 43(4), 592–605.
78.
WetzelR., & DievernichF. E. (2014). Mind the gap. The relevance of post-change periods for organizational sensemaking. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 31(2), 280–300.
79.
WilliamsS., DoddL. J., SteeleC., & RandallR. (2016). A systematic review of current understandings of employability. Journal of Education and Work, 29(8), 877–901.
80.
WittekindA., RaederS., & GroteG. (2010). A longitudinal study of determinants of perceived employability. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31(4), 566–586.
