What makes a career successful? | Jos Akkermans | TEDxVUAmsterdam

Lessons from research on career success and career sustainability. What does career success mean in today’s world of work? If you think it’s all about making money and obtaining promotions, you’re certainly not the only one. But, according to career researcher Jos Akkermans, you’re only half right. In this talk, based on decades of research on career success, he discusses the importance of focusing on both objective and subjective elements of career success. He also shares three key lessons about how you can become successful. Finally, he talks about shifting our perspectives from successful to sustainable careers that offer happiness, health, and productivity as we go through life. Dr. Jos Akkermans is an Associate Professor of Careers and Organizational Behavior at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. In his research, he aims to answer questions related to how people can develop successful and sustainable careers. For example, he studies how career shocks, employability, and HRM contribute to shaping career success and sustainability. He also has a specific interest in early-career and non-standard workers. Jos is also actively engaged in various educational activities, for example, serving as the program director of the VU Master’s program in Business Administration. More information about his research and teaching projects is available on his website: . This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at