Supporting Career Navigation with an Online Occupational Information-Sharing Platform

Abstract

Rapid changes to the nature of work and the workplace have shifted responsibility for career success from organizations to individual workers. Successful navigation of one’s career requires a proactive perspective where individuals anticipate training needs and make decisions for achieving both short- and long-term career goals. Relevant and accurate occupational information is an essential component of career success; yet few sources of reliable and targeted information exist for adult workers. This article provides a conceptual overview of an online system (eMPACT) that provides personalized occupational information for selected health care professionals. The contributions and benefits of key stakeholders—employees, trainers, employers—in providing and using occupational information are described. The eMPACT system provides tailored occupational information for working adults using professional competencies, labor market demands, and desired career path.

Introduction

Rapidly advancing technologies continue to fundamentally change the nature of work. One example is the greater responsibility individuals must assume for actively navigating their career paths. Successful career navigation requires planning for and engaging in tasks such as career exploration and decision-making, seeking and securing employment, balancing multiple life roles, and adjusting to life transitions (Ireland & Lent, 2018). A number of scholarly perspectives have addressed the challenges posed by emerging work realities such as protean career orientation (Hall, 2004), career adaptability (Savickas, 2005), and career self-management (CSM; Lent & Brown, 2013). Importantly, each of these viewpoints emphasizes both career outcomes (e.g., content) and decision-making processes (e.g., adaptive behaviors, personal agency, coping skills) to explain the career development needs and outcomes of working adults (Lent, 2013; Savickas, 2005).

Role of Information-Sharing in Career Navigation

Successful career navigation requires the ability to recognize and act on relevant information and events that impact work and career (De Vos & Soens, 2008). Access to and use of reliable, timely information (e.g., knowledge of self and the world of work, career-related experience, exploration; Gore & Leuwerke, 2020) is key to career success. Even so, relatively limited attention has been devoted to the role of occupational information-seeking and its use by adults (Pesch et al., 2018). Rather, the bulk of scholarship on occupational information-seeking focuses on the career decision-making behavior of adolescents and young adults. Primary concerns of younger groups typically include identifying initial career interests and potential careers, as well as determining plans to acquire the necessary skills and training to enter a chosen job or career. While adults often seek occupational information to identify a new career path, it is more common and equally important when making decisions about how to maintain or upgrade knowledge and skills to remain in current roles or to advance within an established career.

Career theories tend to devote relatively limited attention to the roles and uses of occupational information, especially for working adults. One exception is the cognitive information processing (CIP) theory. The CIP theory provides a framework for understanding how individuals acquire, process, and store career information. A primary emphasis of the theory (and subsequent career counseling efforts) is on how people process and apply information in the career decision-making process (Sampson et al., 2020).

Milosheva et al. (2021) argued that the importance of occupational information in addressing career developmental tasks is often implicit in career theories and interventions. A common, albeit incorrect, assumption is that most problems with career decision-making can be resolved with appropriate information. While locating occupational information used to be a formidable challenge due to limited communication options, myriad sources now exist that provide career-related information, including online resources (e.g., career-specific websites, LinkedIn, social media), professional networks, and organizationally directed career development programs (Jenkins & Jeske, 2017). Rather than being viewed as an advantage, the sheer size and scope of potential information can pose problems such as information overload or questioning the validity of available information. Individuals can easily become discouraged or simply overwhelmed by the bewildering array of websites and other resources that can be accessed from a simple web search. A lack of awareness about what to look for or how to use information is another common barrier. Working adults may face additional challenges when seeking occupational information as their needs are usually specific compared to more general information gathering by adolescents or young adults; thus, requiring more detailed, nuanced, or tailored information.

Shared Responsibility for Information Sharing

Individuals require reliable and timely career-related information about themselves and the world of work to anticipate and counteract less predictable and more volatile career patterns they are likely to experience (De Vos & Soens, 2008). In response, organizational psychology and human resources literature have placed considerable attention on the concept of career management. However, much of this literature reflects an organizational perspective that emphasizes maximizing recruitment and training competent employees to meet organizational, not individual, goals (King, 2001). As a result, the role of information seeking is often minimized for working adults since information is delivered through structured organization-based programs. Most organizational career management efforts reflect one or more salient features including (a) organizational control (top-down directives), (b) a bounded range of concerns defined by seeking and securing work opportunities within a particular institution, (c) influencing and positioning strategies to successfully navigate organizational advancement structures, and (d) a basic desire to enhance employees’ organizational loyalty and encourage greater productivity (Baruch, 2006; Boudreaux, 2001; King, 2001).

Two differing perspectives can explain the role of information-seeking in the career navigation of working adults, including (a) organizational oversight of information and opportunities that can either facilitate or hinder employees’ sense of agency, and (b) a system of information sharing among selected organizational stakeholders that supports an individual’s unique career development (Eylon & Bamberger, 2000). Efforts that reflect an organizational perspective provide access to opportunities, information, support, and resources to further organizational goals, not necessarily individual ones. The importance of integrating workers’ career goals was noted by Conger and Kanungo (1988). They explained that the success of organizational career management efforts requires shared power between superiors and subordinates. Indeed, most people assume some level of personal agency in determining their career paths, making empowerment a potentially important component of seeking occupational information used to guide career decisions.

Positive connections exist between employee empowerment and a host of outcomes related to physical and mental health, job satisfaction, and general well-being (Spreitzer, 2008). In a career context, empowerment refers to individuals’ perceptions of and ability to exert control over career-related decisions. Several elements contribute to our understanding of employee empowerment, including impact (influence over work outcomes), competence (self-efficacy directed toward task performance), self-determination (a sense of autonomy over work behavior and processes), and meaning (degree that work matches personal values and goals). Career-related empowerment reflects a capacity to (a) set goals, (b) develop and use resources, and (c) negotiate with environmental or social contexts (Kong et al., 2016; Spreitzer, 2008).

Contemporary perspectives of career management (Hall, 2004; Lent & Brown, 2013; Savickas, 2005) acknowledge that individuals, not organizations, must accept responsibility for guiding their career path by engaging in a continual process of career exploration and decision-making, locating and securing employment, determining desired work-life balance, and adjusting to both planned and unplanned transitions (Ireland & Lent, 2018). Rather than viewing responsibilities for career navigation from an either/or perspective, recommendations have been made to integrate elements of both individual and organizational career management approaches. Baruch (2006) pointed out that an organization’s role in shaping an individual’s career path should not be underestimated and is represented by training opportunities that are routinely offered by employers to ensure a competent and productive workforce. However, instead of a command-and-control approach, he suggested that organizations adopt an approach that supports, enables, and develops individuals’ career development.

Integrating the expectations and interests of both organization and individual into a shared workforce training and development effort poses both potential benefits and constraints. An individual-orientation toward career navigation reflects organizational commitment to empower employees in activities related to information-seeking, decision-making, and pursuit of career goals. Individual career goals and organizational goals for maintaining a competent workforce do not have to be mutually exclusive or in opposition. In fact, a shared responsibility among key stakeholders (viz., employees, training, hiring) can generate relevant information about individual career development needs, organizational training needs (opportunities), and local labor market conditions. When sustained, this integrated effort represents a continuous form of career support that can enhance both organizational capacity and employee career well-being. Empowering individuals to navigate their career paths more directly may also counter a common organizational practice of using career advancement as a form of tournament designed to eliminate lesser-qualified or capable employees (Ishida et al., 2002).

Occupational Information Sharing Platform

A number of computer-assisted career systems have been developed over the years, focusing primarily on the career needs of adolescents and young adults. Typical components found in most of these systems include an integrated set of career assessments, guidance in linking assessment results to career options, and general occupational information (Sampson & Osborn, 2015). Two examples of existing online platforms include O*NET and LinkedIn.

The Occupational Information Network, viz., O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Administration, 2002), is perhaps the most well-known and widely used online career system. The O*NET system is a self-directed online platform that contains various assessment tools to gauge career interests, values, and skills. This information can then be used to explore occupations of interest contained in a comprehensive database (Rounds et al., 1999). While the assessment and information systems within O*NET are conceptually connected, the systems are separate and not interactive (Leung, 2022).

A popular platform for managing working adults’ career issues is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is an online social network that allows professionals to connect with colleagues, increase professional networks, search for jobs and locate potential employees. User-created profiles detail business background, areas of expertise, professional development, and organization memberships, among other things (Peek, 2023).

Despite availability of computer-assisted career systems, few descriptions exist of efforts that support the occupational information seeking needs and behaviors of working adults, especially from a collaborative approach intended to address both individual and organizational needs (Jung & Takeuchi, 2018). Therefore, a self-directed, web-based program was designed and implemented to support individuals’ career navigation through information sharing. Our emergent paradigm highlighted individual career needs as a means for seeking occupational information while achieving both employee and organizational goals. The emerging nature of the workplace dictates that employees be integral collaborators with other key organizational stakeholders (viz., individuals responsible for hiring and training), especially in an era where concerns about employment stability have been replaced with concerns about employability stability.

The web-based career information sharing platform—eMPACT (eMpowering Purposeful Advancement of Careers and Training in the Research Workforce)—supports the self-directed career information seeking and professional development of select health care professionals (viz., Clinical Research Professionals, CRPs) through collaborative information sharing. Individuals’ self-regulated career activities are supported by creating and accessing information about personal competence, professional development (training), currently available jobs, and their qualifications among a consortium of institutions (Choi et al., 2024).

Conceptual Framework and System Design

Design Principles

The changing nature of work and the workplace provides a strong rationale for encouraging working adults to routinely refine, implement, and maintain their desired career goals using reliable occupational information. Jung and Takeuchi (2018) asserted that individuals should be the primary, active agents of their career development, especially as work and career become increasingly dynamic, nonlinear, and individualized processes that challenge our traditional understanding, experiences, and approaches to work and career. The eMPACT system was conceptualized as a digital hub or infrastructure providing users with (a) professional and occupational information useful in career planning (e.g., training or experiences needed to maintain current job or pursue new position), and (b) networking opportunities between primary stakeholders. Seven key principles served to inform and guide system development (see Table 1).

Table 1.

Key Principles Guiding eMPACT Development

1. Self-assessment Periodic, sustained self-assessment is necessary to understand personal values, interests, and competencies. This knowledge is used in developing career goals and plans (London, 1983; Super, 1980). eMPACT users are provided with resources to assess professional competencies, personal attributes, and career orientation.

2. Knowledge of the world of work Maintaining a current understanding of the job market (e.g., availability, required qualifications, work demands, industry trends, and connections to career goals) is essential to inform career goals and planning (Lent et al., 1994; Solberg, 2017). eMPACT users have access to available job openings (inc., qualifications/required competencies) within the consortium.

3. Lifelong learning Lifelong learning and continual skill development are necessary to remain up to date with emerging or projected work demands and trends. Professional development opportunities (e.g., advanced education degrees or certificates, workshops or seminars, conferences) within the consortium are provided for users seeking to enhance professional competencies and/or establish connections to career opportunities (Candy, 1991).

4. Planning and goal setting Knowledge of self and the world of work is important when identifying potential gaps in skills or knowledge necessary to attain short- and long-term career goals. Plans are developed to achieve those goals (Lent et al., 1994; Super, 1980). The eMPACT system identifies gaps in users’ current knowledge or skills and those competencies required for desired jobs.

5. Networking Building and maintaining a professional network is important for successful career navigation (e.g., joining professional associations, connecting with colleagues, mentors, experts) (Higgins & Kram, 2001). eMPACT provides a digital format for supporting the networking of three primary stakeholders—employees, trainers, and employers.

6. Flexibility Increasingly, career success requires that individuals are adaptable, resilient, and able to successfully cope with changes in work (Savickas, 2005). Such flexibility is regarded as a cornerstone of sustainable career development, with the eMPACT system enabling individuals to continually realign their competencies and career goals in response to evolving organizational and societal demands.

7. Well-being Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, viz., balance between personal and professional priorities, is becoming increasingly important as the lines between work and personal life blur. Ultimately, the goal should be to establish and maintain a way of life that results in personal fulfillment and overall well-being (Blustein, 2013).

Design Philosophy and Theoretical Foundation

eMPACT was designed to empower adult workers by providing access to relevant occupational information. Key stakeholders—employees, trainers, and employers—are responsible for sharing relevant information and benefit from collaborating on issues pertaining to local workforce training needs and job availability. For employees, the system facilitates opportunities to acquire self-knowledge, access training, and pursue employment within the local labor market. Another important aspect of the system is recognition by stakeholders that an emphasis on individual career information gathering does not disregard or negate organizational needs for a trained and competent workforce.

Implementation of the eMPACT system demonstrates the efficacy of an integrated approach to workforce preparation based on mutual responsibilities of and benefits for key stakeholders. Data available to system users can enhance stakeholders’ understanding of existing worker characteristics, expressed training needs, and available work opportunities. This awareness can lead to more meaningful and strategic in-house training that reflects workers’ specific training needs. In addition, the information accessed through eMPACT can support individuals as they develop or refine career goals, understand work requirements for career advancement, and identify gaps between current and needed competencies.

The eMPACT system reflects selected aspects of CIP theory (Sampson et al., 2020). The CIP model identifies four components considered essential for effective career decisions, including (a) self-knowledge, (b) knowledge of career options, (c) decision-making, and (d) metacognitive processes involved in thinking about career decisions. The process of career choice and decision-making is depicted by the CASVE cycle which is comprised of five phases, including communication (i.e., awareness of a gap [problem] between existing and desired states), analysis (i.e., understanding of how knowledge of self and the world of work, as well as gaps preventing desired outcomes, relate to possible options), synthesis (i.e., generating and narrowing options), valuing (i.e., prioritizing options), and (e) execution (pursuing selected option). The cycle is iterative as feedback from the execution phase informs the individual about changes in the gap originally identified.

Target Stakeholder Groups and Implementation Context

We implemented the system with a group of clinical research professionals (CRPs) employed among a consortium of universities located in the southeastern U.S. Individuals in charge of coordinating and managing clinical research trials were selected for several reasons. CRPs are critical to the success of clinical trials in a variety of ways, including day-to-day administrative tasks, operating clinical trials, acting as liaison between principal investigators and patients, and providing direct patient care and follow-up (Scala et al., 2016). The critical nature and importance of coordinators’ work are often complicated by variation in specific duties and the sometimes-tentative nature of these positions (e.g., time-limited projects based on grant funding). As a result, recruiting and maintaining highly qualified professionals can be complicated. This situation is further exacerbated by relatively high levels of employee turnover, job stress or burnout, gaps between existing competencies and demands of emerging technologies, and a lack of targeted, purposeful training programs (Calvin-Naylor et al., 2017). Thus, a critical need exists for mechanisms that support individuals’ career advancement, job satisfaction, and professional well-being, yet remain sensitive to organizational concerns for a competent workforce.

Training plays a key role in helping individuals maintain or upgrade their work knowledge and skills. And, while it is true that training can facilitate individuals’ career advancement, training is usually initiated in a hierarchical fashion (i.e., top-down) and designed to support organizational goals rather than individual career plans. In addition, most training efforts are administered with assumptions that learners share the same base level of competence before training and that they acquire the same degree of learning after training has been completed. Thus, the full benefits of training for career planning or attainment are often not realized. Conversely, the efforts of organizational training could be enhanced by (a) current and ongoing information about perceived employee training needs and (b) a platform to announce and access training opportunities. Real-time information about employees’ current and desired competencies would also enable training developers to target and individualize training programs.

Employers represent the third key stakeholder. The nature of consortium activities presented us with multiple employers across participating institutions (e.g., principal investigators of research grants and clinical trials). eMPACT provides a central location where current information about job opportunities and requirements can be accessed. Job requirements (qualifications) posted by employers are keyed to a standardized metric used by all stakeholders to describe work competencies. This information can help users identify current labor market requirements and gaps in professional competencies when compared with desired job requirements. The hiring process can be facilitated further by providing employers with anonymized information about the nature of the local workforce and opportunities to contact prospective employee candidates (with users’ expressed permission).

Core Development Process

A systematic process was used to design and implement eMPACT. First, the research team identified career support needs and resources for working adults in general and health professionals in particular. These needs were integrated with several development principles including a commitment to employee empowerment in the career navigation process, the active involvement and shared responsibility of three stakeholder groups—employees, training program coordinators, and employers (PIs/HR)—and access to current, relevant organizational information.

A detailed understanding of our intended employee group was obtained using a qualitative persona development process, which provided detailed descriptions of job duties, roles, and responsibilities of clinical research professionals with varying levels of experience and expertise (see Hill et al., 2019). Second, an exhaustive task analysis of CRP job duties was conducted. An initial pool of 263 job tasks associated with clinical research coordinators was identified from several sources including persona development, a competency framework developed by the group’s professional association (Sonstein et al., 2014), and local job listings that detailed job qualifications and responsibilities. Two subject-matter experts sorted, combined, deleted, and, ultimately, organized tasks into a final set of 44 essential (or core) job duties. Third, six proficiency levels were employed to indicate the degree of employee proficiency on each task (National Institutes of Health, 2019). Efforts to understand our clientele and their job duties were critical for (a) developing a measure of professional competence and (b) establishing a common metric with standardized descriptors for describing training or employment opportunities. This information was also necessary for developing matching algorithms used to calculate gaps between an employee’s current work competencies and those needed for a targeted job, as well as recommending training opportunities to reduce identified competency gaps.

System Components and Functions

The eMPACT system provides occupational information relevant to individual competencies and attributes, training availability, and employment opportunities (see Figure 1). System users complete several measures representing perceived competencies, psychological attributes, and career planning and orientation. This knowledge of self provides a base profile that can be used in subsequent short- and long-term goal setting, career decision-making, and planning efforts. For example, knowledge of personal abilities and future career goals can be compared with current organizational information about training and job opportunities. Gaps in qualifications can be detected and addressed with system information about training availability and local labor market conditions (e.g., types of jobs available, requirements).

Figure 1.

Conceptual Model of eMPACT Career Information Sharing Platform

Once a profile is completed, various personalized reports provide information to users about their current knowledge and skills, as well how they compare with established group norms calculated from all users. Individual and comparative information allows users to identify their strengths, as well as determine areas in need of additional training. Figure 2 (left side) displays aggregated data of users in the system and depicts the average scores of each competency domain for three CRP levels (i.e., Level 1–early career, Level 2–mid-career, Level 3–advanced expertise/experience). Mean scores are plotted for these three levels on each of the 8 Joint Task Force (JTF) domains (Sonstein et al., 2014), providing a snapshot of the local workforce. Within the same competency report, users can also drill down to examine their scores and those of peers on specific tasks that align with the 8 JTF domains (see Figure 2, right side).

Figure 2.

Example of Personalized Competency Report

Users are also encouraged to complete an assessment of personal traits obtained from the Big 5 Inventory (John & Srivastava, 1999). The personal traits assessment includes (a) openness to experience, (b) conscientiousness, (c) extraversion, (d) agreeableness, and (e) neuroticism. A report similar to the professional competencies report is available to users.

A primary function of eMPACT is to provide information about available training and job opportunities within the research consortium. Relevant information is determined by an algorithm that calculates a standardized ratio between an individual’s current competency levels (based on 44 job tasks) and competency levels required of a select job or career path. When competency gaps exist, individuals receive tailored recommendations about existing training opportunities designed to address those gaps. The same algorithm provides similar data to employers about qualified job applicants and to trainers about potential trainees and areas of needed training. See Choi et al. (2024) for a technical description of algorithm development and validity.

Organizational training coordinators contribute to eMPACT by entering new or future training program profiles. Trainers are prompted to indicate the content and level of training (e.g., entry-level or advanced) and expected learning outcomes using the competency survey, which is also used by employees to generate a worker profile. A training profile is generated that reflects specific work competencies addressed by the training. Trainers and training coordinators can also generate anonymized reports that detail the training needs expressed by employees. Recruitment emails can be disseminated anonymously to candidates who opt for this feature. The training program profile can be used to announce training opportunities, identify employees expressing compatible training needs, and forecast future training needs.

Employers (e.g., HR representatives, Principal Investigators) contribute by posting job profiles for available positions. Positions are described using the same competency survey completed by employees and trainers, along with standard information about required or preferred education and experience levels. An anonymized list of qualified candidates meeting posted job requirements can be generated along with professional reports detailing each candidate’s education background, work experience, and task competency levels. Employers can send recruitment letters to candidates who opt for this feature without knowing their identities. Aggregated data can also provide employers with a broader perspective of the local labor pool in relation to desired qualifications for a specific job position (e.g., insight into qualifications of the local labor pool, identification of prospective job applicants).

Preliminary Implementation

The eMPACT website was initially launched in mid-October 2022 and promoted primarily to Clinical Research Professionals who were employed or affiliated with the Georgia CTSA network. During an early dissemination period, Choi et al. (2024) reported 2,509 visits to site. Interestingly, over 60% of those visits originated from places outside the Georgia CTSA network. Since that time through the end of February 2025, a total of 5,903 visits were recorded. Average duration per visit was approximately 2 minutes. Returning users tended to stay on the site almost twice as long as new visitors.

System activity data obtained via web analytics provide indirect evidence of user engagement with the platform. The eMPACT landing page, where visitors are first introduced to the system, received the highest number of views (n=5,921), suggesting interest and sustained traffic over time. The dashboard, where individuals can view their tailored recommendations for training and job opportunities, was the most frequently visited page for registered users (n=1385 visits). Users also visited pages that posted all available training (n=352 visits) and job opportunities (n=346 visits). The personalized professional competency report page was visited 154 times, allowing users to review and reflect on their professional competency in 8 core domains, either individually or in comparison to the average of other users at a similar level. Future investigations will examine user engagement and satisfaction, and analyze how user characteristics and system activity influence career-related outcomes.

Limitations

While preliminary data reveal promising outcomes, several considerations warrant discussion. We positioned employee self-managed career development as the focal point or hub of system activities, which contrasts with most traditional approaches that reflect organizational concerns with workforce training and development outcomes. This approach capitalizes on the critical role of information sharing and decision-making for personal and organizational success. While the system offers mutual benefits to key stakeholders, some employers may be reluctant to fully participate for fear of losing talented employees. However, existing research suggests just the opposite, i.e., career empowerment contributes to positive outcomes for individuals and organizations such as lower turnover and higher job engagement (Kraimer et al., 2011). Regardless, the success of the eMPACT system requires the active participation of all stakeholder groups. System users (i.e., employees) must keep their basic profile and task survey up to date to identify and access opportunities that match current needs and goals, as well as accurately reflect current workforce statistics. Without inputs about training opportunities and job openings that correspond to existing data from employees, the navigation system would have limited value.

During initial development and implementation phases, eMPACT was designed as a relatively closed system, i.e., bound to clinical research professionals and partners in a relatively large and dispersed, albeit bounded, consortium of health-related institutions in the southeastern U.S. Further, we selected health care professionals who coordinate clinical research trials to serve as our initial user group. This group was selected for several reasons, including a structured but limited path for career advancement and the increasingly complex nature of clinical trials that requires consistent upgrading of knowledge and skills. The bounded nature of the system allowed concepts and processes to be designed, implemented, and refined in the early stages of system development.

Given its restricted scope, eMPACT is currently most beneficial to employees who (a) wish to stay abreast of current job demands by monitoring and maintaining their job competencies through access to appropriate training opportunities and a general awareness of local labor market demands, or (b) are interested in advancing their current career path within the consortium by acquiring necessary training to be qualified for jobs that represent advancement or promotion. Current efforts are focused on expanding the framework to incorporate additional occupations (career paths) and locations. Eventually, system access and relevance will not be limited by occupational type or location.

Conclusion

Given reduced organizational responsibility for employees’ career advancement (McDonald & Hite, 2005, 2023), alternative approaches that support information seeking and sharing (and, ultimately, career navigation) among working adults are needed. The use of digital platforms that support career navigation, especially access to online training and labor market information, is becoming increasingly important (Hirschi, 2018). The approach adopted by eMPACT shifts the paradigm from a top-down, organizationally driven model to one that reflects collaborative information-sharing efforts between three organizational stakeholder groups. Organizational training and hiring functions benefit from active participation in the system. However, the primary emphasis of the platform is on information sharing that employees can use to navigate their career paths.

Our initial results suggest that a platform like eMPACT can successfully promote individual career navigation behaviors while also addressing organizational needs for a trained, competent workforce. In order to provide long-term, sustained benefits future versions of the system will provide employees with more tools (e.g., career measures that provide knowledge of career decision-making, job satisfaction, the role of work in one’s life, burnout/stress) to identify and understand work-related strengths and needs, as well as ways to maximize organizational information in the career navigation process (e.g., goal setting, planning).