Celebrating 30 years of Career Development International: nine key topics among 1,186 abstracts (1996–2025)

Purpose This study maps the conceptual structure of Career Development International (CDI) over its 30-year history. It identifies the principal topics based on published works between January 1996 and June 2025, tracing the shifting prevalence of these topics over time. Design/methodology/approach Structural topic modelling was applied to a dataset of 1,186 CDI abstracts. Model selection and interpretability checks supported a nine-topic solution that maximised thematic distinctiveness and coherence. The analysis tracks longitudinal variation in topic prevalence, profiles 18 influential authors and 12 high-impact articles to distinguish specialist and generalist patterns of contribution and links thematic clusters to citation impact. Interpretive depth was further enriched through reflections from seven scholars with strong connections to CDI. Findings The nine topics identified capture the journal’s evolving emphases and reveal both enduring interests and emerging priorities in the field. Temporal patterns highlight phases of growth and decline across topics, while author and article profiling distinguish between concentrated expertise and broad engagement. Citation analysis demonstrates how particular topics have influenced scholarly and practical impact. Insights from seven scholars contextualise these dynamics and suggest promising directions for future inquiry. Originality/value Extending earlier bibliometric work undertaken at CDI’s 25th anniversary, this study offers similar findings but with greater granularity and a multi-dimensional perspective that integrates computational text analysis with expert reflection. The findings provide an empirical foundation for current and future editors, broader editorial team members and prospective contributors to understand the journal’s trajectory and to shape its future development.