Psychological dynamics of overqualification: career anxiety and decision commitment in STEM

Women's career progression and empowerment in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) sectors are critical to attaining SDG 5: Gender Equality because they promote equal access to education, job prospects, and leadership roles, building a more inclusive and equitable society. The purpose of this study is to look into the impact of perceived overqualification (POQ) on career anxiety and career decidedness (CD) among women in STEM disciplines while also considering the function of career identity (CI) and leadership support. With a total sample size of 1,045 participants, two distinct investigations were conducted, one in the educational field (N = 530) and one in an industry setting (N = 515 time-lag). To test the model, the analysis was carried out using the AMOS-24 software program. Our findings show a favorable association between women's perceptions of overqualification in STEM and their CI. Furthermore, our research shows that a stronger CI among women in STEM corresponds to decreased career anxiety and increased CD. Additionally, we find that a CI is a mediator between POQ and both career anxiety and CD. Our findings also highlight the moderating effect of leadership support in this mediation process. We discuss the theoretical and practical ramifications of these findings.