Putting AI into career coaching: The effectiveness of a career coaching intervention conducted by a chatbot

Advancements in technology have introduced chatbots as a promising tool in the coaching context. While predominantly studied in clinical settings, they also show promise in supporting career concerns. However, whether chatbot career coaching can enhance clients' career adaptation process as conceptualized in Career Construction Theory (CCT), remains a fundamental and unanswered question. Grounded in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy principles, a career coaching script was developed and implemented as a chatbot using respective technology. Within a randomized waitlist control group design ( N = 82), residualized change-regression analyses demonstrated the effectiveness of the chatbot career coaching in reducing negative affect over a three-week period compared to a control group. Moreover, lower negative affect after the chatbot career coaching intervention was significantly associated with greater career goal clarity. The results provide initial, theory-informed evidence of the effectiveness of career coaching chatbots and address the urgent need to evaluate the benefits of this technology for career-related interventions.