Background: Investigating individuals' sequences of occupations and identifying suitable patterns is a complex task. Most research focuses on single time-points, single jobs and single transitions and only few longitudinal studies have investigated career paths over a long period of time. The aim of this study is to describe occupational career patterns (OCP) over a period of 30 years using longitudinal data from a representative sample of Swiss men and women. Based on a contextualist perspective of career development (Vondracek et al. Career development: a life-span developmental approach, 1986) potential antecedents such as characteristics of the family of origin and consequences of occupational career are examined. Methods:The database is the Zurich Longitudinal Study "From School to Middle Adulthood" (ZLSE), which includes eleven surveys and covers the age span from 15 to 52 years. Our sample consists of 597 persons. The vocational activity was surveyed with the aid of a "life graph" and the occupational career patterns were categorized with the help of the "International Standard Classification of Occupations" (ISCO-08). In addition information about the family of origin, roles over the life course, highest degree of education, intelligence, satisfaction in different areas of life, income and working conditions were collected.Results: Patterns of "upward mobility" and "fluctuating patterns" (upward and downward movements) were prevalent in the men's OCPs. For women, the "family pattern" with several interruptions and the "stability pattern" were most frequently observed. Men's and women's OCP were only weakly related to family of origin, but more strongly to their overall life career (e.g. multiple role constellations, such as family and investment in work and education). The results also show that the individual career development matters in terms of later career success and well-being. Conclusions:The study confirms the overall assumption of more beneficial consequences (for both genders) for "upward mobility", followed by "fluctuating patterns", whereas changing patterns such as "downward" and "horizontal changes" show negative effects. In conclusion the study shows that for career counseling practice it is important to look into the future and talk about long-term perspectives.
The Zurich Longitudinal Study 'From School to Middle Adulthood' (ZLSE)
Welches sind mögliche Gründe für persistierende Geschlechtsunterschiede beim Berufserfolg (z.B. beim Berufsstatus)? Anhand einer repräsentativen Deutschschweizer Stichprobe bei 485 Personen konnte die berufliche Entwicklung vom 15. bis ins 49. Altersjahr verfolgt werden. Bei den Karriereschritten fallen markante Geschlechtsunterschiede auf: Frauen starten ihre Laufbahn zwar mit einem höheren Berufsstatus als Männer, zeigen danach aber deutlich weniger vertikale Mobilität. Dies hängt stark mit einer traditionellen Rollenteilung zusammen: Familienbedingte Unterbrüche wirken sich negativ auf den Berufsstatus aus, die Aus- und Weiterbildungsaktivitäten der Männer in dieser Phase dagegen positiv. Aber auch Faktoren aus der Jugendzeit (wie Intelligenz und Persönlichkeitseigenschaften) zeigen einen nachhaltigen Einfluss.
It is an open empirical question whether occupational trajectories are better described as linear or non-linear. We analysed occupational career patterns (OCPs) over a period of 36 years using longitudinal data from a representative sample of men and women of the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The participants were mostly born in 1963; the data collection spans from 1978 until 2015. For 584 persons, information about the occupational development from age 16 to 52 years was available. Each year’s activity was categorised using the International Standard Classification of Occupations. We conducted sequence analysis (optimal matching analysis) to find clusters and ANOVAs to compare group differences. The results showed six plausible and differentiated OCPs for both genders which support linear career models. For women, OCPs were generally stable. In contrast, men showed more change and upward mobility in OCPs. These patterns were influenced by indicators collected from participants when they were age 15, such as the family’s socio-economic status, the individual’s performance on intelligence measures and attitudes toward gender equality. Furthermore, we found several consequences of OCPs at age 52 on objective indicators of career success (status, income) and subjective indicators (work perception, life satisfaction and health status).<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>We studied career development over a period of 36 years (from adolescence to midlife) in Switzerland.</li><br /><li>Six plausible occupational career patterns supporting a linear model were found for both genders.</li><br /><li>In women’s career patterns, considerable stability can be observed, while men show more upward mobility.</li><br /><li>Patterns of upward mobility are related to objective and subjective career success.</li></ul>
ZusammenfassungVorliegende Studie hatte zum Ziel aufzuzeigen, wie Laufb ahnen von der ersten berufl ichen Entscheidung bis zum 49. Lebensjahr verlaufen. Dabei wurde zum einen die horizontale und die vertikale Mobilität untersucht und zum anderen danach gefragt, welche Merkmale der Person und des Umfeldes sich auf den späteren Berufsstatus auswirken. Datenbasis bildet die Zürcher Längsschnitt-studie "Von der Schulzeit bis zum mittleren Erwachsenenalter", welche die Lebensspanne vom 15. bis zum 49. Altersjahr umfasst. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, dass berufl iche Mobilität bis in die Lebensmitte zwar vorkommt, jedoch in einem eingeschränkteren Ausmass als oft angenommen wird. Berufl iche Veränderungen fi nden zum einen oft im gleichen Berufsfeld statt und treten zum anderen oft in jüngeren Jahren auf: Mit zunehmendem Alter werden Wechsel seltener und die berufl iche Kontinuität nimmt über den Laufb ahnverlauf noch zu. Laufb ahnmuster im Sinne von "upward career mobility" kommen bei den Männern häufi ger vor als bei den Frauen. Positive Einfl üsse für den späteren Berufserfolg sind kontinuierliche Aus-und Weiterbildung, keine lang dauernden Unterbrüche in der Berufslaufb ahn (z.B. wegen Mutterschaft ) und AbstractTh e aim of the present study was to demonstrate the course of careers from the fi rst occupational decision to the 49th year of life. 1) horizontal and vertical mobility were analysed; 2) the characteristics of the person and of the environment that might infl uence vertical mobility (especially professional advancement) were focused. Th e data base is the Zurich Longitudinal Study "From School to Middle Adulthood" which covers the span of life from the 15th to the 49th year of life. Our results show that occupational mobility up to the middle years may occur, however in a more restricted dimension than it is oft en assumed. Occupational changes frequently take place in the same occupational fi eld and they oft en happen in younger years. With advancing age changes become more seldom and the occupational continuity increases. Career patterns in the meaning of "upward career mobility" occur more oft en with men than with women. Positive infl uences on the later occuptional success are a continuous training and a continuous education, occupational activity and a higher occupational status already at the beginning of the career. Considering these factors of infl uence, implications for the practice (e.g. careers guidance for women) can be won. Th e current career course plays a comparatively clearly stronger part for the occupational success than factors of the adolescence, such as personality ("Big Five") or social background.
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