Moral struggles, subtle shifts : narrative practices of identity works in career transitions

This thesis examines the practices, resources and constraints of identity work in unpredictable career transitions. It aims to problematize individualistic views of career change and identities by focusing on the mundane, gendered and culturally situated activities of identity work. Based on dialogical narrative analysis of interviews among Finnish business graduates, this study specifies three practices of doing identity work: 1) positioning as the main character of a career change narrative, 2) temporal ordering of multiple identity positions, and 3) negotiating identity conflicts. Moreover, it identifies three master narratives used to account for career transition - disruption, mismatch and life renewal. In addition to these narratives, the study illustrates the variety of resources that come to play in identity work and analyzes how identity work is gendered via the identity positions available. Based on follow-up interviews, this study also describes practices of identity work in career transitions over time as well as the resources, constraints and actions influencing changes in identity work. This research contributes to the literature on identity work and career transitions by showing how identity work is done in situated interaction and empowered or constrained by the cultural and habitual resources available in given contexts. In contrast to idealized images of heroic, individualistic career identity changes, this study argues that identity work in transitions involves moral negotiation and struggle among conflicting culturally situated notions of what good careers and lives mean. However, it also points to the possibilities for reflexivity and change through subtle shifts of repositioning by engaging with alternative cultural practices and resources.