Review of The future of career.

Reviews the book, The future of career edited by Audrey Collin and Richard A. Young (see record 2000-16337-000). In this book on the future of career, the editors intend to clarify the themes, issues, and implications that are likely to be characteristic of career in the new century. In general, the authors raise the question of whether the construct of career has a future, most particularly within North American and European countries, and Australia. The editors' rationale for this focus centres around the notion that career is a unifying construct that gives purpose and meaning to individuals' experience and helps them to construct their perceptions of the future. Audrey Collin and Richard Young bring together a collection of essays which were written by a number of academics of diverse perspectives and from different countries. These essays, which can be used individually or together, examine the broad changes in the work contexts, analyze new constructions which appear to be emerging from work contexts, and suggest some ways to conceptualize career so that it has a future in the next century. In this volume, the editors have done an excellent job of assembling information and perspectives to accomplish their purpose. The book is set against the background of career developing out of the industrial revolution, the rise of individualism, the bureaucratic career, and career guidance as a social movement. It includes both modernist and postmodernist perspectives and addresses the future of career in its diversity. As such, this volume represents a process perspective on the changes in the workplace and what is happening to individuals as a result. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Calling and vocation in career counseling: Recommendations for promoting meaningful work.

Clients presenting with career-related concerns often desire a greater sense of meaning in their work. Therefore, incorporating the constructs of calling and vocation into the career counseling process may have utility. An overview of conceptual and empirical work on these constructs is provided. Drawing from recent integrated definitions of calling and vocation, the authors present suggestions for incorporating these constructs in practice. Counselors are encouraged to explore the extent to which clients feel a transcendent summons to a particular career, the extent to which clients’ careers bring meaning to their lives, and the extent to which clients’ careers serve society. For clients who wish to view their career as a calling or vocation, the authors provide strategies to help bring meaning and social purpose to their work lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Succeeding against the odds: An examination of familial influences on the career development of professional African American women.

In spite of racism, African American women have pursued career goals, entered the workplace, and maintained successful careers. This persistence by African American women can be connected theoretically to several phenomena—the most notable being the family experience. The purpose of this study was to describe how 14 African American women in the midpoint of their careers perceived their family's influence on their career development. Consensual qualitative research (C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, and E. Nutt-Williams, 1997) was used to analyze the interview responses of these women. The most salient variables related to career development included family emphasis on education, relationships with family members, and family's social and economic resources. Other variables that shaped the career development of this sample included family gender role socialization and values toward work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward a theory of discontinuous career transition: Investigating career transitions necessitated by traumatic life events.

Career researchers have focused on the mechanisms related to career progression. Although less studied, situations in which traumatic life events necessitate a discontinuous career transition are becoming increasingly prevalent. Employing a multiple case study method, we offer a deeper understanding of such transitions by studying an extreme case: soldiers and Marines disabled by wartime combat. Our study highlights obstacles to future employment that are counterintuitive and stem from the discontinuous and traumatic nature of job loss. Effective management of this type of transitioning appears to stem from efforts positioned to formulate a coherent narrative of the traumatic experience and thus to reconstruct foundational assumptions about the world, humanity, and self. These foundational assumptions form the basis for enacting future-orientated career strategies, such that progress toward establishing a new career path is greatest for those who can orientate themselves away from the past (trauma), away from the present (obstacles to a new career), and toward an envisioned future career positioned to confer meaning and purpose through work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

What do students find attractive about the practice of medicine? A pattern of stability over time

There is little consensus about the stability or instability of medical students career preferences during their time in college. These two studies found little change in their perception of the attractiveness of aspects of medical work which may be related to their final career choice. In the first study three successive cohorts of students in a London medical school completed questionnaires about the attractiveness of various medical job-attributes. Each cohort was tested twice such that the pattern of testing covered the entire course. Only data from students who were present at both test sessions were used for the longitudinal study. Comparisons with students in other London schools indicated that the study groups were representative of all London medical students. The second study was cross-sectional comparing final year data from 1983 and 1991 at three London medical schools. The first study results suggest that students enter medical school with values and opinions about their work which remain, on the whole, unchanged until they leave. There were significant decreases in the attractiveness of four attributes, but none became significantly more attractive. The second study revealed little change, five attributes were significantly less attractive 8 years later. In both studies most of the changes related to organisational rather than patient-related attributes. This may reflect greater realism about doctors' work. Comparison of final years students' data with published data from the mid-seventies confirms the overall stability of these values. It is suggested that specialists could use this information to highlight the desirable aspects of their work and so 'sell' their discipline to students and newly qualified doctors.     

Career counseling as a mental health intervention.

Discusses career counseling aimed at work adjustment or job change as a potential intervention for many individuals suffering from job stress and argues that, in certain instances, career counseling should be used instead of traditional psychotherapy and/or as an alternative to stress management. Assessment strategies for determining the appropriate intervention for individuals suffering from job stress are generated from work adjustment theory. The implications of utilizing career counseling as a mental health intervention are also presented. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of Men's and Women's Careers in U.K. Construction Industry

This paper reports on a study of the factors and interrelated decisions that influence the career dynamics of female and male construction professionals. The research involved the collection of detailed career history profiles of matched pairs of male and female informants, at different stages of their careers. These data were used to establish the disparity between men's and women's career progression and to explore the determinants of women's organizational and occupational mobility patterns. It was found that problems existed for women at every career stage, where pressures created by the demanding work environment were compounded by inflexible working arrangements and overt resentment from their male colleagues. The findings suggest that ingrained attitudes and operating practices of large U.K. construction organizations will be difficult to change to the extent that they will encourage more female participation. Nevertheless, addressing the equality issue is essential if the industry is to develop a skilled workforce in the millennium, which taps the talents of all within society.     

Personal integration: An N of 1 study.

The term 'integration' deliberately embraces a dual meaning: the integration of the major systems of psychotherapy and the integration of the clinician. In this article, I address the origins of my integrative orientation and explicate several ways in which I embody that orientation in my personal life and professional career. My ordinal position and family of origin predisposed me to integration from the "get go." My integrative leanings were crystallized by formal training, which modeled the transtheoretical spirit and were subsequently strengthened by early research and friendships in the integration movement. I sketch how my ongoing research and practice continue in the integrative tradition, though not always invoking that term, and advance several directions for rejuvenating the movement. Pluralism, pragmatism, and customizing to the individual circumstance characterize not only my theoretical orientation but also my personal life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attachment, separation, and women's vocational development: A longitudinal analysis.

This study tested a proposed model investigating the relations among attachment to and separation from parents, career self-efficacy, and career aspiration over a 5-year period with a sample of 207 young women. Results suggested that being attached to parents may lead to the development of confidence in pursuing career-related tasks, which in turn influences career aspiration. Separation from parents did not have direct effects on career self-efficacy. Results also indicated that women's career plans changed over a 5-year period with young women selecting more traditional and less prestigious careers than those to which they aspired in their senior year of high school. In addition, these women chose careers that underutilized their abilities. Finally, this sample of young women intended to have both careers and families, and the majority of these women ranked family as more important than career. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

American Indian perspectives on the career journey.

This exploratory qualitative study was conducted to examine the meaning of career and related concepts for adult American Indians. Eighteen Northern Plains American Indians were interviewed, and the resulting data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research strategies (C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, and E. N. Williams, 1997). Five major topic areas emerged from the data: the meaning of career, definitions of success, supportive factors, obstacles, and living in 2 worlds. Within these domains, several categories emerged, with differences noted between those participants with postsecondary education and those with secondary education in 3 of the domains. Following discussion of and comparison of the categories across the 2 groups, implications for future research and theory development are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Men and women in optometry. II. Attitudes toward career and family

BACKGROUND: Optometry has experienced a dramatic upward shift in the percentage of women entering the profession during the past 20 years. Our survey assessed the mechanisms for sustaining balance in professional and personal roles used by women optometrists and how these mechanisms may differ from those of their male colleagues. METHODS: A survey questionnaire was mailed to a large nationwide random sample of optometrists, composed of equal numbers of men and women. RESULTS: Data were analyzed from 353 men and 358 women; margin of error was +4%. Most of the respondents indicated they derived personal satisfaction from their career. A majority of both groups did not indicate that lack of time for their career was a source of frustration. However, significantly more women than men indicated some frustration in pursuing those activities that lead to career advancement. There were significant differences in response patterns of men and women about the effect of family, child care, and household work on their careers. CONCLUSIONS: Both men and women optometrists are satisfied with their careers and neither group feels compelled to choose between career and family. Optometrists do not fit into one pattern, but instead make individualized career choices on the basis of needs.     

Explaining sex differences in managerial career satisfier preferences: The role of gender self-schema.

Using survey data from 400 managers, the authors examined whether gender self-schema would explain sex differences in preferences for status-based and socioemotional career satisfiers. Female gender self-schema, represented by femininity and family role salience, completely mediated the relationship between managers' sex and preferences for socioemotional career satisfiers. However, male gender self-schema, represented by masculinity and career role salience, did not mediate the relationship between managers' sex and preferences for status-based career satisfiers. As expected, male managers regarded status-based career satisfiers as more important and socioemotional career satisfiers as less important than female managers did. The proposed conceptualization of male and female gender self-schemas, which was supported by the data, enhances understanding of adult self-schema and work-related attitudes and behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reconceptualizing the work–family interface: An ecological perspective on the correlates of positive and negative spillover between work and family.

Ecological theory was used to develop a more expanded conceptualization of the work–family interface and to identify significant correlates of multiple dimensions of work–family spillover. Using data from employed adults participating in the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (N?=?1,986), negative spillover from work to family, positive spillover from work to family, negative spillover from family to work, and positive spillover from family to work were found to be distinct work–family experiences. Analyses indicated that work and family factors that facilitated development (e.g., decision latitude, family support) were associated with less negative and more positive spillover between work and family. By contrast, work and family barriers (e.g., job pressure, family disagreements) were associated with more negative spillover and less positive spillover between work and family. In some cases, results differ significantly by gender. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal study of social support and meaning in life.

The purpose of this study was to see whether 3 types of social support (enacted support, negative interaction, and anticipated support) are associated with change in meaning in life. Data from a nationwide longitudinal survey of older people suggested that greater anticipated support (i.e., the belief that others will provide assistance in the future if needed) is associated with a deeper sense of meaning over time. The same was true with respect to emotional support received from family members and close friends. In contrast, the findings revealed that, at least initially, negative interaction lowers an older person's sense of meaning in life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Career momentum in midlife women: life context, identity, and personality correlates

Women (N = 83) in their early 50s indicated whether they were increasing, maintaining, or decreasing momentum in their career. On the basis of their career momentum, women were classified into 3 groups and compared on work and family patterns, the importance of work to their identity, personality characteristics, and psychological well-being. Women with high career momentum were in higher status jobs and viewed their work as more central to their identity than women who were maintaining or decreasing their career momentum. Also, women with high career momentum scored higher on measures of self-acceptance, independence, and effective functioning in their early 50s and also rated their physical health higher than the other groups. Prospective longitudinal analyses showed that personality and life context patterns differentiated among the career momentum groups as far back as 30 years before the assessment of career momentum. The significance of the results for women's career development in midlife and coping with retirement is discussed.     

The dynamics of masculine-agentic and feminine-communal traits: Findings from a prospective study.

A reciprocal impact hypothesis posits an influence of gender-related traits (agency and communion) on role enactment and a reciprocal impact of role enactment on gender-related traits, for both men and women. Specifically, in this study it was predicted that agency influences career success and career success influences agency. In addition, the reciprocal influence of communion and family roles was examined. A prospective study with almost 2,000 university graduates, who were tested after graduation and 1.5 years later, clearly supported the reciprocal impact hypothesis for agency and career success. Communion influenced family roles, but there was no reciprocal influence. Implications for theories of career success and of sex and gender are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Career counseling: A narrative approach.

Reviews the book, Career counseling: A narrative approach by Larry Cochran (2000). This book introduces a narrative approach to career counselling. The author specifically makes the distinction that this is a counselling approach, not a career development theory. A narrative approach invites counsellors to make their career interventions with clients more personal. In contrast to the traditional objective emphasis in career counselling, this is a subjective approach that emphasizes meaning and meaning-making. Cochran characterizes the central task of career counselling as "emplotment" rather than matching. Emplotment involves casting the individual as the main character in a career narrative that is meaningful, productive, and fulfilling. The book is intended for scholars, professionals, and graduate students who already have some familiarity with counselling and career development. It is presumed that the reader has at least some knowledge and skill in counselling. At the end of each chapter, there are exercises that enable the reader to apply the principles and concepts outlined in the chapter. A client situation is described, and several questions are used to guide the reader. Overall, this book is a welcome addition to the career literature. Indeed, the approach need not only be used in counselling involving work or occupational problems. Meaning-making and narrative concepts can be applied to any and all issues in people's lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

All the right stuff: A comparison of female and male managers' career progression.

Examined the career progression of male and female managers employed by 20 Fortune 500 corporations. All study participants had been geographically transferred for career advancement during the 2 yrs preceding the study. Nevertheless, the women lagged behind the men with respect to salary progression and frequency of job transfers. Although the women had done "all the right stuff" (getting a similar education as the men, maintaining similar levels of family power, working in similar industries, not moving in and out of the work force, not removing their names from consideration for a transfer more often) it was still not enough. There were still significant disparities in men's and women's salary progression and geographic mobility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Management of work and personal life: Problems & opportunities.

Reviews the book, Management of work and personal life: Problems & opportunities edited by Mary Dean Lee and Rabindra N. Kanungo (1984). Management of work and personal life is a timely book that breaks new ground in a much neglected but increasingly important area for research and problem solving. This book represents a distillation of selected symposium contributions from several participants from various disciplines. The purpose of this symposium, held at McGill University in April 1983, was "to stimulate, develop, and diffuse new ideas that might help individuals and organizations adapt to a changing society in which the traditional idealized models for coordinating work and personal life are passé." This book will also be of considerable interest to professionals involved in such activities as life-style counselling and career planning. In general, the editors have selected symposium contributions that attempt to summarize what is known in six different areas related to management of work and personal life, and then suggest directions for future research. The six areas are work and family roles, work and leisure, quality of life, occupational stress, career and adult development, and behavioural patterns of structuring daily life. Overall, the reviewer feels that this book is important reading for scholars who wish to study or do research in the general area of improving quality of life through integrated management of different life facets. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived Barriers to and Supports of the Attainment of Career and Family Goals Among Academically Talented Individuals.

Perceived barriers to and supports of the attainment of career and family goals were examined. Participants were adults taking part in a longitudinal study of academically talented students. Qualitative data yielded information regarding participants' goals as well as perceived barriers to and supports of goal attainment. Quantitative data were used to test 2 path models. The 1st path analysis provided information on relationships among perceived barriers to career goal attainment, coping efficacy, social support, and career goal outcome expectations; the 2nd path analysis tested relationships among perceived barriers to family goal attainment, coping efficacy, social support, and family goal outcome expectations. Results indicated adequate fit for the 1st model and mixed results for the 2nd. Implications for counselors and directions for future research were discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)