Making Sense Of One's Career: An Analysis And Typology Of Supervisor Career Stories

摘要

This study examines career development from a sensemaking perspective. Previous research in career theory identifies individual and social factors in individuals' career development. Communication theory and research demonstrate the importance of interactions and actions within contexts. These bodies of literature suggest that accounts for one's career constitute a valuable resource for understanding how people make sense of their professional lives. Supervisors from two companies provided stories of how their careers began and developed. A typology of story features was derived and indicates that participants made sense of their careers by utilizing topoi of agency, organizational and task features, and supportive relationships.