Career Narratives Research Articles

The emergence of feminist technoscience in the nordics

Our second interviewee for this special issue is Professor is Cecilia Åsberg, a leading figure in Feminist STS. She is a professor at the Department of Thematic Studies (TEMA) at Linköping University (https://liu.se/en/organisation/liu/tema) and the founder of the Posthumanities Hub (https://posthumanitieshub.net). Her research revolves around the natural or non-human as opposed to the human, in a world shaped by technoscience and environmental change. Her career narrative was incredibly engaging, prompting us to collaborate with her on editing the interview to give it a more cohesive and speech-like flow. Our pleasant one-hour conversation revolved around the themes of Feminist STS in the Nordics and academia as a community.

Deconstructing discourse to reconstruct career possibilities for gifted learners

In examining dominant discourses affecting their career development, this article explores the deconstruction and reconstruction of career narratives for gifted learners. Leveraging career construction theory and especially the associated intervention of deconstruction, this article emphasizes childhood career development with holistic approaches to develop gifted individuals’ narratives, and proposes practices to enhance their career adaptability. Furthermore, this article calls for reconceptualizing career success for gifted individuals to facilitate their ability to construct authentic and fulfilling career paths.

The holding pattern of the worker Bs: how bifurcation of consciousness impacts female academic career progression

PurposeThis paper examines an identified but unexplored career gap evidenced at a mid-level classification in the academic career path for women in Australia. This career-stalling effect or holding pattern, is examined to determine underlying causes of career trajectory interruption.Design/methodology/approachGuided by the epistemological stance of standpoint theory, this exploratory abductive study employs a novel arts-based method, draw, write, reflect, to access experiences that may be difficult to convey verbally. The obtained drawings and reflections were thematically analysed.FindingsDrawing on Bourdieu’s concept of illusio this article finds support for female academics’ bifurcated consciousness. Results demonstrate how opposing social role prescriptions result in the deliberate avoidance of work-life conflict, a nuanced lack of confidence in work tasks in combination with other, often competing responsibilities, and the uneven distribution of administrative duties known as “academic housework”, which combine to stall careers. Female academics feel pressure to prioritise their domestic role and eschew career progression.Research limitations/implicationsDespite the small sample size, the findings provide rich career narratives and experiences of female academics in Australia providing additional impetus for increased gender equity efforts.Originality/valueThis study is the first to explore the previously unidentified holding pattern for female academics in Australia. Findings suggest there is a range of previously unexplored impediments resulting in a gendered stalling at a mid-level classification interrupting female academic career progression.

Entrepreneurial identity as a career compass – An exploration of the career narratives of entrepreneurial education graduates

PurposeSince there are limited role models and career templates for entrepreneurship education (EE) graduates in the labour market, their careers are largely based on personal preferences, aspirations and values. Few studies have investigated how EE impacts graduates’ career aspirations. The present study addressed this gap by exploring how entrepreneurial identity (EI) manifestations act as career identities for EE graduates.Design/methodology/approachFive graduates from two EE programmes in Norway were purposefully selected based on their career histories. They were interviewed using a life story approach, and the narratives were analysed to explore how their EIs were developed and how the EIs acted as career identities.FindingsThe study findings revealed three EI manifestations that directed the participants’ careers: change agent, career seeker and maverick specialist. Additionally, the findings showed how EI is developed through EE: by connecting previous aspirations to realistic career alternatives, by being a place where individuals can experiment with provisional selves and by gaining social acceptance and affirmations for a claimed identity. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated how EI manifestations act as career identities that give direction to graduates’ careers.Originality/valueThis study has important implications regarding the broader impact of EE on graduates’ careers. Furthermore, by exploring EE graduates’ narratives, this study provides a richer and more nuanced view of how aspirations and career preferences are developed than previous studies.

Transition to work: A qualitative exploration of Australian-trained international dietetic graduates' career trajectories.

Interest in the role of employability in student-dietitian transitions is increasing. However, little is known about the cross-cultural transition-to-work experience of Australian-trained dietetic graduates of international backgrounds, as well as strategies to optimise work-readiness. The present study aimed to explore graduates' career narratives and identify employability capitals that enabled successful transitions to work. A qualitative interpretive approach was employed via a cultural lens. Eighteen participants from five Asian countries who had graduated from an Australian university within 3-15 years, with work experience in Australia or in their respective home countries, took part in in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was performed, guided by the graduate capitals based approach. Transition-to-work was dynamic and non-linear; four themes and 12 subthemes identified: (1) upon graduation, participants felt ambivalent about their decision to either stay in Australia or return home, influenced by graduate visa restrictions, and individual perceptions of their ability to mobilise cultural strengths to gain employment; (2) to get a foot in the door, participants demonstrated resilience, embraced uncertainty and utilised social networks to increase employment opportunities in Australia and their home countries; (3) regardless of which country they worked, graduates reported struggling with their cross-cultural identities in the workplace; and (4) eventually, these graduates appreciated their ethnic capital, thrived in their work and extended a helping hand to their junior cross-cultural dietitians. Initiatives facilitating connections to the host country and supporting cultural and ethnic capital development, along with ongoing research reviewing employability capital applications, will benefit cross-cultural dietetic graduates and the communities they potentially will serve.

Alternative career pathways of skilled migrants: looking for new meanings amid starting again

ABSTRACT This qualitative study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of skilled migrants’ lived experiences of alternative careers. We explore identity work and meaning-making processes of career actors for whom alternative career options often meant “beginning again”. While focusing on psychological, temporal, and contextual dimensions of alternative career transitions, our findings identify three unique alternative career pathways: provisional, experimental, and reformist; each characterized by a unique form of identity work and accompanying types of meaning-making. We find that alternative career pathways differ in terms of their temporary and at times provisional nature as well as career actors’ (in)ability to engage in the present search for meanings and purpose in alternative careers. This study advances existing literature on major career transitions and specifically migrant career trajectories inside of local organizations and through unique forms of alternative careers. We also build on the existing meaning-making literature by highlighting the career narratives of those who must search for new meanings while pursuing “less than ideal” career opportunities. Finally, our findings provide practical implications related to outcomes of alternative career opportunities on migrant career success but also more broadly for employers and policymakers.

Competency articulation at the intersection of happenstance and experiential learning

This study explored how university students in North America acquired the ability to express their career-related competencies in the context of a pre-professional career education program. We examined the intersection of happenstance learning theory (HLT) and experiential learning theory (ELT) to facilitate significant experiences that inspired students and helped them connect with a profession. Through qualitative interviews with 19 students, we discovered three key insights. First, catalyzing experiences improved competency articulation, as planned experiences provided opportunities for pivotal educational moments and unexpected events that inspired and motivated students. Second, catalyzing experiences sparked action and transformative insights, enhancing students’ career readiness and ability to act on future opportunities. Third, transformation through catalytic experiences occurred through reflection, consolidating the significance of experiences and their personal career narratives. We discuss the practical implications of our findings for program leaders, including creating planned career-related experiences and guiding students toward effective competency articulation.

Exploring Career Construction: A Single Narrative Case Study Guided by the Systems Theory Framework of Career Development (STFCD)

This narrative case study explores the career story of a single female medical professional in Pakistan and how the integration of the systems theory framework of career development (STFCD), the narrative approach and a constructivist worldview can help individuals in constructing or shaping careers within the unique Pakistani context. The study uses case study and narrative inquiry as merged methodological framework. Through conversational interviews and document analysis of the participant, the study examines the participant’s career experiences, choices and meaning-making processes. The findings shed light on the influence of various systems (individual, social and contextual) on the participant’s career trajectory, the construction of her career narrative and her active role in career decision-making. Additionally, these insights can inform how STFCD can help construct a person’s career journey. The career issues highlighted in the narrative of the participant may not be attributable to all women working in the same field or may be in commonality with other women regardless of their profession. Overall, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of career construction using STFCD in the Pakistani context and offers theoretical implications for women career development using a narrative approach.

Gendered Constructions of Luck at Work: The Case of Career Narratives of Female and Male Managers

There is a ubiquitous assumption that luck is a gender-neutral and equally distributed phenomenon. Drawing on 50 interviews with female and male managers, we examine their constructions of luck at work and demonstrate the gendered construction of luck in career narratives. Despite the dearth of attention to luck in the career literature, luck often features in the career narratives of professional workers. In line with the literature, we define the construct of luck as something outside the locus of control of individuals. Yet, we identify that luck is a gendered construct in career narratives. We demonstrate that while female managers define luck as receiving equality of opportunity in the process of their careers, male managers define luck as structures of support that offer them opportunities above and beyond their merit at work, which is a privilege that men appear to enjoy. The perception and interpretation of luck have far-reaching effects on addressing and comprehending gender disparities in career advancement, decision-making, negotiation and organisational leadership. Recognising the gender-specific impact of luck is vital in promoting gender equality and offering equitable chances for the career progression of women and non-privileged employees. It offers a persuasive option to challenge the dominant meritocratic assumptions on equality of chances, structures and the distribution of resources.

Exploring the Structure of Career Narratives: The Application of the Narrative Identity Assessment Model

In career construction theory, career narratives play a central role in establishing vocational identity. This study investigated the factor structure of career narratives by applying the narrative identity assessment model. In total, 521 young adults participated in the job search. They completed an online survey comprising self-reported measures of career adaptability and job search intensity. Career narratives were also collected, with a career-turning point as a prompt. Career narratives were rated based on exploratory processing, meaning-making, change connections, affective tone, contamination, agency, communion, elaboration of facts, contextual coherence, and chronological coherence. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized three-factor structure. Three factors were differentially associated with career adaptability. Only the motivational and affective themes were related to job search intensity. These findings suggest that the factor structure model of career narratives provides a complementary understanding of vocational identity.

Research Methodology of Mompreneurs’ Career Narratives in China’ Social Media Context

This paper began with an overview of the philosophical assumptions and frameworks behind qualitative research. Since this study aims to get a deeper insight into the entrepreneurial career experience of mothers within the context of social media, the researcher discusses narrative inquiry method. This method focuses on interpretating and understanding the meaning of stories, as well as presenting transitional periods in people’s lives. The paper then details the data collection process, including interviews and data analysis. Both a demographic questionnaire and in-depth individual interviews were utilized to collect data on the experiences and perceptions of mothers. Finally, ethical considerations and the potential impact of the researcher’s role on participants’ interviews and narratives are addressed

Developing STEM Career Identities among Latinx Youths: Collaborative Design, Evaluations, and Adaptations during COVID-19.

In response to the low representation of Latinx adults in STEM occupations, this community-based participatory action research study aims to increase the number of middle school youths developing STEM career identities and entering high school with the intention to pursue STEM careers. The students were provided with summer and after-school activities focusing on network science and career development curricula. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design and career narratives, this study examined the changes in STEM and career self-efficacy, as well as career identity. The results show improvements in self-efficacy, an increased number of youths with intentions of pursuing future STEM career opportunities, and deeper reflections on their talents and skills after program participation. This paper also describes the program development and implementation in detail, as well as the adaptations that resulted from COVID-19, for scholars and educators designing similar programs. This study provides promising evidence for the quality of STEM and career development lessons in supporting the emergence of a STEM career identity and self-efficacy.

中国社交媒体环境下“宝妈创业者”的职业叙述：自我、孩子与生意

In the past decades, women-owned businesses have increased significantly. A large portion of these entrepreneurs are mothers who combine entrepreneurship with raising their children and are also known as ‘mompreneurs’. Researchers have highlighted the impact of changes at critical life stages on mothers’ career decisions, and noted that the unique way that entrepreneurial mothers coordinate roles, relationships, and domain involvement has an important influence on their career patterns. Despite a growing interest in women’s career-life development and entrepreneurship, relatively few researches have been conducted on the entrepreneurial career of self-employed mothers with dependent children. This research seeks to understand how mompreneurs perceive the relationship between self, business, and children. Adopting a career narrative perspective, this study applies a qualitative interview research design, the data were collected through open-ended, semi-structured interviews by face to face or Skype, supplemented by questionnaire. The twelve mothers’ interviews were a small sample of the most ordinary mompreneurs in China, they were recruited by purposive sampling and snowball sampling method. The study proposes ‘six entrepreneurial career types’ to explain why mother mothers’ transit into entrepreneurship, and is dedicated to providing theoretical and practical references for researchers and practitioners engaged in female entrepreneurship and career counseling.

‘I’m Just a Big Teddy Bear’: An Analysis of Men’s Professional Identity Narratives in Caring Occupations

ABSTRACT Professionals in gender atypical occupations can face challenges throughout their careers. This qualitative study applies narrative theory to investigate how men in caring professions made sense of their career progression and professional identity in occupations composed primarily of women. Data were collected through 30 semi-structured interviews with men currently working in a caring profession. Findings showed men in caring professions constructed their career narratives around 3 major thematic elements: early socialization experiences, gender misplacement, and affirmation of professional identity. These narrative elements provided insight into participants’ choices to remain in the field, perceptions of the work they do, and ability to overcome occupational challenges. Additionally, this study exemplifies the value of coherent and meaningful narratives and advances the discussion in narrative identity literature by combining the concept of professional identity and narrative identity theory.

Re-authoring career narratives: exploring identity in contemporary careers practice

ABSTRACT Narrative Career Therapy (NCT) is recognised in this paper as having relevance for career practitioners who are working to create meaning for their clients in complex work life situations. Re-authoring Career Narratives is described as a practice that involves principles of NCT and these principles contribute to the exploration of agentive development. Re-authoring Career Narratives is demonstrated to support clients to navigate the reality that career learning is lifelong and evolving. We propose that a NCT requires practitioners to place emphasis on the contexts in which discourse is developed which can facilitate greater awareness of a client’s career identity and capacity to navigate uncertainty. We use a narrative research approach to explore how re-authoring practices assist clients to make career decisions. We recommend that re-authoring practices assist clients to reconstruct their stories and to gain insight into career identity as an evolving contextual phenomenon responsive to changing career and work landscapes.

The meaning of difficulties in career narratives: the case of sports graduates

AbstractAs the careers of today are no longer typically stable and predictable, people should expect to encounter many challenges during their working life. The present study aimed to explore the meaning of difficulties in modern career-themed life narratives. A total of 54 Finnish sports graduates’ narratives were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify the meanings attributed to difficulties. Findings revealed that difficulties both shaped the plot and initiated multiple types of reflections in the narratives. The paper suggests that difficulties should be considered as a meaningful part of career narratives and discusses the application of the findings in career counselling.

Career development to construction site managerial positions in the construction field

This research explores career development in the construction industry. By showcasing the career narratives of managers of construction sites (N=21), the research unfolds which elements are significant in influencing career development and aims to increase the possibilities for construction workers to flourish in their careers and help make such careers more attractive. The career narratives were analyzed in two phases. First, the analysis of narratives showed that except for the various career experiences, the proximity of construction sites in the interviewees’ managerial career goals differentiated the narratives. Second, as a result of narrative analysis, three construction managerial career paths were identified: I) devotion to construction site management, II) interest in versatile construction projects, and III) passion for leadership. Career development could be viewed from the perspective of various capitals which emerge in the narratives. The interviewees brought up societal and economic changes that challenged or boosted their careers or even caused them to change direction. Career goals might not have been achieved as such if they were not enabled by external factors, such as organizational, economic, societal, or location-related issues or favorable coincidences. The participants found favorable options and solutions for career development by drawing on their social and psychological resources. Social capital supported career choice and career development, whereas psychological capital appeared as, for example, optimism, perseverance, and an ability to follow one’s calling.

Working-class gay dads: Queer stories about family and work

Existing research with gay dads has focused almost exclusively on those in the upper middle-class. Given the financial barriers to gay fatherhood and that parenting and work experiences often differ based on class, research at the work-family interface with working-class gay dads holds promise for advancing the field of vocational psychology. Using the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT) as a framework, the present study explored work and family experiences with working-class gay dads living on the West Coast of the United States. We collected and analyzed data using a narrative inquiry methodology, which involved a three-stage interview process, co-construction of narratives with participants, and generation of seven themes (e.g., Importance of Both Structural Economic Support and Structural LGBTQ+ Support, Many Valid Ways to Form Families). Situating these findings within the PWT model, we demonstrate how economic constraints and marginalization shaped these dads' experiences of decent paid (and unpaid) work, and how their adaptability and volition buffered these impacts and offered pathways to meaningful roles as workers and fathers. The stories of working-class gay dads and related themes counter the grand career narrative and provide helpful guidance for structural recommendations that attend to LGBTQ+ inclusion and more equitable access to decent work.

Navigating the Paradox of Promise through the Construction of Meaningful Career Narratives

Navigating the Paradox of Promise through the Construction of Meaningful Career Narratives

‘Such emotional sterility proves ideal for the role’: Hugh Grant’s proto-celebrity and its media (self-)construction around Maurice

ABSTRACT Resumés of Hugh Grant’s career routinely note his performance as the repressed, upper-class Clive Durham in James Ivory’s groundbreaking gay Edwardian drama Maurice (1987) as his breakthrough role. However, Grant’s subsequent rise to global romcom stardom and celebrity since Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) has gradually occluded this earlier career phase from consideration as a significant moment in the formation of the ‘Hugh Grant’ persona. This research interrogates this interpretative gap by exploring the mediated self-/construction and sense-making interpretation of Grant’s persona in and around Maurice as manifested in the film’s 1987 media coverage. Also drawing on Ivory’s casting files, and comparatively on media which focused on all three of Maurice’s young ‘unknown’ male stars, the study explores how the ‘Hugh Grant’ of the late 1980s prefigures, denaturalises and unsettles later understandings of romcom ‘Hugh Grant’, including problematising his relation to New Man masculinities and foregrounding questions of class. The recent career narrative of Grant’s ‘new’ turn towards serious roles is likewise challenged by attention to his tragicomic performance in Maurice, which his Jeremy Thorpe in A Very English Scandal (2018) would reflexively echo 31 years later.