A metaBUS-enabled meta-analysis of career satisfaction

Purpose In this study, the authors revisit the meta-analytic correlates of career satisfaction and demonstrate the use of metaBUS – a database repository of meta-analytic effect sizes and related information from the field of applied psychology. The purpose of this paper is to extend prior meta-analytic research on the topic of career satisfaction and compare the results from the metaBUS-enabled meta-analysis, with the results from meta-analyses that do not build on the repository. Design/methodology/approach A multilevel meta-analysis was conducted on all correlates available in the metaBUS database and the approach was described in a step-by-step fashion. Findings The demonstration reiterated some of the findings of prior meta-analyses, but also revealed considerable incongruity between the sample taken from the metaBUS database and the meta-analytic sample from studies that relied on non-metaBUS-based literature searches. Nevertheless, the results are similar in terms of the directions of the effects and the relative sizes of the effects. Research limitations/implications The paper demonstrates the use of the metaBUS database. In addition, results suggest that meta-analyses on career satisfaction might have suffered from sample selection issues, but further research is required in order to establish the source of the sample selection incongruence. Originality/value This is the first step-by-step demonstration of the use of metaBUS specifically for meta-analyses.