Changes that take place in a job environment, job structure, job perception, as well as in the sphere of features, meanings and values ascribed to work are constituents of changes in the contemporary world, particularly of the development of the free market economy. It is difficult to overestimate the significance of these changes for the quality of career construction, its development and modification of its individualized paths. The contemporary study of career requires taking into account multicontextual changes in the world of work, that make employees face new challenges. In the economy based on knowledge, which in turn determines the orientation of the modern society to knowledge, the career development of its members and investing in their „portfolio” become the key elements of such an economy. The development of a career “portfolio” means the investment and renewal of the career capital on the path of proactivity.

In knowledge based economy, which actually reflects the knowledge oriented modern society, career development of its members becomes the key factor, same as investing in career “portfolio”. In the article a career construct is invoked as an individual’s property considering individual career choices, individual career development planning and monitoring strategies. When addressing career related matter, one cannot overlook the issue of subjective meaning given to a career in the context of satisfactory outcome and success achievement experienced by the subject. Cognitively interesting issue addressed by the author are the results of research into evaluation of one’s own chances to succeed from the perspective of university students who are in the transition period from academic education to entering a job market.