Career identity

In career development, our work - aka vocational or career - identity influences how we think about, approach, change and make career decisions (Creed et al., 2020; Praskova et al., 2015). This identity has been defined our having "a clear and stable picture of one’s goals, interests, and talents" (Creed et al., 2020, p. 132, citing Holland, Gottfredson, & Power, 1980, p. 1191). Our identity affects how we see our employability - our agency - which is effectively our confidence or doubt in our own abilities (Praskova et al., 2015, citing Fugate, Kinicki, & Ashforth, 2004): how much we can or can't affect an outcome.

Interestingly, our work identity develops over time, as we gain experience in who we are, and what we are good at. The more we gain experience - in different roles, workplaces, making decisions, and setting and achieving our goals - usually the more motivated we become (Creed et al., 2020). We can explore our vocational identity using a number of tried and tested theories. For example, there is the circumscription and compromise theory (Gottfredson, 2005; read more here); Holland's "person–environmental fit" (read more here); Savickas's "career construction" (read more here); Burke's "identity control"; and Lent's "social cognitive career theory" (aka SCCT, here) (Creed et al., 2020, p. 132).

Exploration at secondary school helps us to create a future work identity that will hopefully be meaningful to us, which we then 'commit' to until it is challenged. Arising out of work by Erikson (1959, as cited by Steinberg & Lerner, 2004) the diagram accompanying this post has two axes: those of commitment, and crisis (Steinberg & Lerner, 2004). From an application of Erikson's work by Marcia (1980, as cited by Steinberg & Lerner, 2004), and renamed with what I think are more 'sensible' names, these axes give rise to four identity types, "in the presence and absence of crises and commitment related to important life decisions" (p. 94):

• Lost "identity diffusion (no current crisis or commitment)" where we have done the career work but still have no idea who we are or what we want to be. Even though we may have done lots of exploration, we remain at sea;
• Seeking "moratorium (current crisis, no commitment)" where we are in an identity crisis, are struggling right this minute with who we are, and what we want to be;
• Told "foreclosure (commitment, no apparent former crisis)" where others - our parents or partners - have decided and planned our direction for us... and we are following their plan; and
• On Track "identity achievement (commitment, previous crisis resolved)" where we have made lots of decisions, know where we want to go, and are getting on with actioning and achieving our plan (Steinberg & Lerner, 2004, p. 94).

When considering identity crises, we might consider the impact of deciding from a myriad of professions; being unsure who we are as young people; having one idea and then experiencing the workplace and not finding a philosophical, social or skills fit; the news about technology advance; having to change location; being refused a place on our desired course and having no fall-back plan; worry about the friend group breaking up post-school; or unplanned teenage parenthood. The urgency inherent in each of these situations will provoke us to take some type of action to protect, build or to shed an identity.

While in Western societies we are considered to be the person in charge of "our own career trajectories" (Greco & Kraimer, 2020, p. 41), our cultural or social identity may mean we need to take notice more of our family wishes, requiring us to navigate and negotiate family and personal values (Creed et al., 2020). This may fit with the "Told" identity (cf foreclosure, Steinberg & Lerner, 2004). Providing we can be active rather than passive, compromise may be key to us gaining a career identity we are comfortable with and can commit to.

Identity is a very interesting area of career development!

Sam

References:

Creed, P. A., Kaya, M., & Hood, M. (2020). Vocational identity and career progress: The intervening variables of career calling and willingness to compromise. Journal of Career Development, 47(2), 131-145. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845318794902

Greco, L. M., & Kraimer, M. L. (2020). Goal-setting in the career management process: An identity theory perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 105(1), 40-57. http://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000424

Praskova, A., Creed, P. A., & Hood, M. (2015). Career identity and the complex mediating relationships between career preparatory actions and career progress markers. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 87, 145-153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2015.01.001

Steinberg, L. D., & Lerner, R. M. (Eds.). (2004). Handbook of Adolescent Psychology. John Wiley & Sons.