The aim of this review was to present the most recent evidence on the interaction of hope with academic and work variables, since hope is increasingly recognized as an important psychological resource for academic achievement, career development and job performance. This paper included peer-reviewed research papers of the past five years, which were identified through searching Healink, Scopus and Google Scholar databases. We applied several combinations of relevant search terms (e.g. hope, academics, university, work, students and employees). Only English language studies were selected. Twenty-three research papers matched the inclusion criteria. Overall, the review found that hope plays a predictive role in academic and job performance, while hope correlates positively with several variables related to task accomplishment and well-being. The practical value of the findings in academics and the workplace is discussed and further recommendations are provided based on the review.