The role of mentoring support and self-management strategies on reported career outcomes

This study examined the contribution of self-management strategies to job o utcomes for employees involved in mentoring relationships. Participants (n = 158) reported their use of three types of self-management strategies, the level of support functions provided by their mentors, and their job satisf action and perceived career success. Results showed that individuals who us ed self-set career goals reported greater job satisfaction and perceived ca reer success; those who engaged in positive cognitions also had higher job satisfaction; and those who used behavioral self-management strategies repo rted greater perceived career success. Mentoring and self-management strate gies each contributed uniquely to satisfaction and perceived career satisfa ction. After controlling for amount of instrumental support provided by the mentors, positive cognitions remained predictive of perceived career succe ss, and participation in self-set career goals were related to higher level s of job satisfaction. Moderator analysis showed that the self-management s trategies appeared to be useful in the absence of certain types of mentor s upport.