Career Pattern Determinants of Career Success for Mature Managers

This study investigates career process variables as predictors of two objective indices of career success for a large, organizationally heterogeneous sample of managers (N = 499). Specifically, career pattern data were used to predict current salary and hierarchical level among a cross-organizational cohort of 45 to 50 year-old managers. Independent variables included various measures of mobility, job tenure, job function, and career interruption. Education and employer characteristics were statistically controlled. Results indicated that hierarchical level was negatively related to interfirm mobility, while salaries were positively related to interindustry mobility and negatively related to entrepreneurship.