Abstract:

The present study focuses on the relationship between critical thinking and career competencies among university students. The aim was to examine the extent to which critical thinking is related to the development of career competencies. Critical thinking represents rational and reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or what to do, whereas career competencies include knowledge, skills, and abilities important for career development that an individual can actively influence. Examining the relationship between these constructs is important because critical thinking may play a significant role in career decision-making, the evaluation of opportunities, the planning of professional direction, and adaptation to changing labour market conditions. We approached critical thinking both as a disposition and as the ability to think critically. In the case of critical thinking skills, two conceptions were examined in relation to career competencies: critical thinking understood in terms of cognitive reflection and critical reasoning. Career competencies can be grouped into reflective, communicative, and behavioral dimensions. Reflective competencies involve reflection on motivation and reflection on qualities; communicative competencies include networking and self-profiling; and behavioral competencies refer to work exploration and career control. The research sample consisted of 173 respondents aged 19 to 25 years (M = 22.84; SD = 1.86), including 129 women (74.6%) and 44 men (25.4%). To measure dispositions toward critical thinking, we used the Critical Thinking Disposition Assessment; critical thinking skills were measured using the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the Verbal Cognitive Reflection Test. Career competencies were examined using the Career Competencies Questionnaire. The results showed significant relationships between dispositions toward critical thinking and all dimensions of career competencies, with the strongest associations found for the overall level of career competencies and the dimension of engagement. In the case of critical thinking skills conceptualized as critical reasoning, a significant positive, although weak, relationship with reflective career competencies was confirmed, while no relationships were found for the other dimensions. When critical thinking skills were measured in terms of cognitive reflection, only a weak negative relationship emerged between cognitive reflection and behavioral competencies, while the remaining relationships were non-significant. The findings suggest that, in relation to career competencies, dispositions toward critical thinking may be more important than critical thinking skills themselves. Thus, a willingness to approach information reflectively, consider alternatives, and apply critical judgment may be more important for the development of career competencies than the level of cognitive performance in tasks measuring critical thinking. A better understanding of this relationship may contribute to more effective support for individuals in developing the competencies necessary for successful self-management of their careers.

Acknowledgement:
This work was supported by the national grant agency (VEGA no. 1/0336/24: Critical thinking in relation to academic success and decision-making in specific areas of students’ lives) and the university grant agency (UGA no. IX/3/2025: Critical thinking in the context of career counseling and work psychology).

Keywords:

Critical thinking, career competencies, university students.