Applied Psychology and Careers in the 21st Century. Challenges and Opportunities

Applied Psychology has been characterized as a paradigm of scientific psychology. The main features concern the type of science, the object of study, and the nature of professional practice. In this context, two research programs that tackle relevant issues for the development of a career paradigm aiming for sustainable careers are presented. The first study examines the reciprocal influence on enhancing well-being and performance at work, aiming for sustainability. The second study examines the role of digital and digitalized competences in the transforming nature of work, as well as the impact of reskilling and upskilling, which may have either positive or dysfunctional effects depending on the approach to implementing and managing digital technology, either deterministic or human-centric. The implications for the research on careers, especially from the recently developed paradigms, are considered.