Developing my career identity is a long road paved by many different outcomes which can lead to both success and failure. Finding my true career identity is not supposed to be a straight-line concept because of the never-ending change and organization of the world – which means that I’m constantly finding a new direction in each stage of life (Meijers,1998). Building on from that, part of developing my career identity means having to always question if I’m truly enjoying what I’m doing or if it’s just the result of the industry changing again. Do I also for example need a stable environment or a dynamic environment in order to discover myself? (Boyle, 2021) The reason for this question is because I want to “navigate through uncertain labour markets while staying true to a sense of self” (Boyle, 2021). The moment that I stop navigating is the moment that I lose my whole identity, because I have given up my whole self in order to be comfortable in an environment that does not challenge me as a person.

In order to develop my career identity, I need to be able to explore the breadth and depth of the world through work experience – whether it’s a part time job or an internship (Boyle,2021). Simply speaking, I won’t be able to realize what I truly love to do – or what my values stand for – if I haven’t put myself in multiple working positions. What goes hand in hand with work experience is “having confidence in oneself to make decisions about a career on the basis of information about the self, goals, and career options” otherwise known as career decision self-efficacy (Stringer & Kerpelman, 2010). Career decision self-efficacy is really important in developing a career identity because as a university student, I’m not fully decided on what I want to do yet career wise but I’m still in the process of making and exploring my career choices (Stringer & Kerpelman, 2010).  

Figuring out my career identity also involves emotions because work is an emotional issue, especially when career identities are shifting (Law, B. Et al, 2002). Due to the uncertainty of today’s world it would make sense for me to have anxiety as a natural result, but anxiety will only make my life career choices more difficult because of clouded judgement. On the opposite end of anxiety, I’ll feel more confident about my identity when my career development: is linked to (or separated from) some important need or value, is applauded or rejected by significant others, or confirms (or challenges) prior learning – taking people into or out of their ‘comfort zone’ according to Career-learning theory (Law, B. Et al, 2002). Building on from that, the emotional side of career identity development is important because it helps me realize who I am deep down as a person too – if my personality truly resonates with the career I want in mind for example. It’s about asking myself what makes me similar to or different to another person.

References:

• Boyle, K. A. (2021). Career identities and Millennials’ response to the graduate transition to work: lessons learned. Journal of Education and Work, 35(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2021.2009782
• Law, B., Meijers, F., & Wijers, G. (2002). New Perspectives on Career and Identity in the Contemporary World. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 30(4), 431–449. https://doi.org/10.1080/0306988021000025637
• Meijers, F. (1998). The development of a career identity. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 20(3), 191–207. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1005399417256
• Stringer, K. J., & Kerpelman, J. L. (2010). Career Identity Development in College Students: Decision Making, Parental Support, and Work Experience. Identity, 10(3), 181–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/15283488.2010.496102