Development and validation of the Career Inaction Scale

Abstract Career inaction is the phenomenon in which people do not take sufficient action to realize a desired change in their career. Despite recent theoretical advancements and strong indications that career inaction is a prevalent phenomenon that brings along important risks to both individuals and organizations, there is no reliable and valid scale to accurately measure it. Therefore, we developed and validated an eight‐item scale of career inaction (CARINAS) across four studies. In Study 1 ( N = 258), we pilot‐tested the reliability and factor structure of the Dutch CARINAS among Belgian workers. In Study 2 ( N = 799), we tested the reliability, measurement invariance across groups, and construct validity of the scale and started exploring the nomological network of the Dutch CARINAS among Belgian career counseling clients. In Study 3 ( N = 170), we tested the reliability and validity of the English CARINAS and reran the correlation tests from Study 2 among US workers. Finally, in Study 4 ( N = 198), we re‐tested the factor structure and reliability of our scale and further explored the nomological network of the Dutch‐ CARINAS in a two‐wave dataset collected with Belgian workers. The results of these four studies revealed that the CARINAS has high reliability and a good factor structure across different groups. Furthermore, the tests of the nomological network yielded interesting insights regarding the assumptions underlying the theory of career inaction. By developing and validating the CARINAS, our study adds to the research on (barriers to) career transitions, paves the way for further empirical research on career inaction, and provides a diagnostic tool for professionals guiding people in their career decision‐making process.