The transition from school to work is a central developmental task with long-term implications for the financial and social status of individuals. We argue that dynamic adjustments of aspirations play a decisive role for a successful outcome of the school to work transition, particularly in the context of the German vocational training system.…

This article discusses the disconnect between industrial-organizational (I-O) and vocational psychology in the context of Donald Paterson's career, an applied psychologist who bridged both disciplines. Paterson's interests in "both" vocational guidance and personnel selection suggest that these fields are interwoven, despite the prevailing gap…

This article presents the Chaos Theory of Careers with particular reference to the concepts of "attraction" and "attractors". Attractors are defined in terms of characteristic trajectories, feedback mechanisms, end states, ordered boundedness, reality visions and equilibrium and fluctuation. The identified types of attractors (point, pendulum,…

Stories can be a valuable tool for the career researcher. Questions arise, though, about how best to approach stories analytically such that their insights can be fully realised. In this paper I apply cultural theorist Raymond Williams' analysis of cultural processes as dominant, residual and emergent (1977) to the narratives generated in a recent…

In this paper we discuss and analyze the model of career that has been associated with the academic environment and compare that with past and present career contracts in the corporate environment. We also trace the evolution of the career model in the two institutions. We argue that the recent boundaryless or protean model of the corporate career…

In this article I argue that we need a greater understanding of the role of emotion in career development and career management. Notions of careers as sequences of events and experiences and new relational approaches to organizational career development suggest opportunities for exploring the experience, expression, and management of emotion…

This paper reflects on the need to re-examine cultural and cross-cultural psychology with a view to re-invigorating them and placing them at the center of discourse in career psychology. One perspective that can be employed to achieve these goals is social constructionism in that it questions the centrality of post-positivism in cultural and…

In this article we consider the contribution of a social constructionist perspective to our understandings of career. We examine this approach in relation to two studies: a study of women's career transition from organizational employment to portfolio work, and a study of the careers of research scientists. Within the career literature a dichotomy…

Career theory proposes the importance of role models as helping to guide individual development. Furthermore, the media often depict role models as essential to career success. However, research on role models as a construct distinct from developmental relationships with mentors and behavioral models has waned. This article makes the case for…

We examine the idea that an individual's "employability" subsumes a host of person-centered constructs needed to deal effectively with the career-related changes occurring in today's economy. We argue that employability represents a form of work specific (pro)active adaptability that consists of three dimensions--career identity, personal…

Includes two commentaries on the special section. Spokane, Fouad, and Swanson emphasize the importance of two dimensions of clients' cultural context: dominant/subordinate and individual/collective. Walsh highlights research needs related to career intervention and personality, culture, process, and socioeconomic status. (Contains 15 and 11…

Includes two commentaries on the special section. Allen notes concerns about back translation of measurement instruments and highlights the need for more research on normative commitment. Vandenberghe addresses issues of factor structure, means comparison, and moderating effects. (Contains 10 references.) (SK)

To improve vocational psychology research, researchers should reconsider the meaning of career, adopt longitudinal designs for research on career development, and concentrate first on developmental processes and then on the context of careers. (SK)

Expressed interests are specific intentions; measured interests are what are commonly known as vocational interests. Research on how intentions and attitudes predict behavior suggests that expressed interests are better predictors of career choice. Clear distinctions between the two constructs should be preserved. (Contains 27 references.) (SK)

Uses a sociopolitical framework to develop an inclusive and integrative psychology of working. Key elements emerging from strengths of vocational psychology include a focus on diversity and application of feminist thought. (Contains 45 references.) (SK)