Navigating career uncertainty: the role of proactive decision-making, sense of emptiness and constructivist beliefs in professional fulfillment

Purpose This study explores how proactive decision-making influences constructivist career beliefs and how a sense of emptiness moderates this relationship. It explores how proactive strategies impact job performance, stress reduction and well-being in Kazakhstan’s evolving labor market, particularly across different age groups. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was used, collecting survey data from 391 working adults in Kazakhstan via convenience sampling. Proactive decision-making, sense of emptiness and constructivist beliefs were measured using established multidimensional scales. Analyses included descriptive statistics, reliability and correlation tests, regression analysis in SPSS and structural equation modeling (SEM) in R-Studio. Findings Proactive decision-making negatively correlates with a sense of emptiness, particularly among older employees, suggesting experience helps manage career uncertainties. It also positively correlates with constructivist beliefs, reinforcing agentic career strategies. A negative link between sense of emptiness and constructivist beliefs indicates younger employees struggle more with proactive strategies when facing psychological distress. These findings emphasize integrating psychological well-being into career counseling, especially for early-career professionals. The findings offer practical implications for career counselors and educators seeking to support individuals navigating uncertainty in career development. Originality/value This study contributes to career development research by examining the interplay of proactive decision-making, sense of emptiness and constructivist beliefs in Kazakhstan’s labor market. Identifying age as a moderating factor provides novel insights into career strategies and underscores the role of psychological well-being in professional fulfillment.