Choices and Challenges: A Qualitative Exploration of Professional Women's Career Patterns

Abstract

With the rapid changes occurring in the role of work in women's lives, this research project was designed to examine the career planning, career decision making, and work history of women in both female-dominated and gender-neutral careers (U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.-a). A qualitative analysis of structured interviews identified 6 emerging themes: variations of career/family patterns, career encouragers, career obstacles, personal compromises, career changes, and career decision-making patterns. Insights for strengthening the exploration process and strategies for supporting career management are presented based on the emerging themes. Although the study of gender differences in career behavior was limited in seminal career development theories, Cook, Heppner, and O'Brien (2002) suggested that current career development concepts continue to reflect male worldviews. These basic assumptions include a separation of work and family roles in people's lives; a reverence for individualism and autonomy; the centrality of work in people's lives; a linear, progressive, and rational nature of the career development process; and the structure of opportunity. Many contemporary researchers have called for new theoretical models to be developed to adequately address the uniqueness and complexity of women's career development (Astin, 1984;Betz & Fitzgerald, 1987;Fassinger, 1990). Gottfredson (2005) has provided an alternative view of career development with an emphasis on gender appropriateness and status as critical developmental factors in career decision making. She asserted that young children initially hold positive attitudes toward all occupations. However, as the self-concept and accompanying gender identity develop, children begin to restrict occupational preferences to those identified as appropriate for men or women,

Sex Differences in Delaying Family: Effects on Job and Life Satisfaction

“…Sewell, Hauser, and Wolf (1980) found that having family negatively impacted women's careers but not men's. A qualitative analysis of women's careers found that women often choose careers, which allow greater flexibility in work family conflict (Whitmarsh, Brown, Cooper, Hawkins-Rodgers, & Wentworth, 2007). Whitmarsh et al (2007) found that women plan pregnancy and other family events around work schedules, and in turn, report difficulties in trying to maintain both family and career responsibilities.…”

The Career Development of Black Female Chief Nurse Executives

“…In a study that addressed the career planning, career decision making, and work history of women in both female-dominated and gender-neutral careers, Whitmarsh (2007) found that women in the female-dominated group of that study experienced positive reinforcement for their career choices from family members, while those in the gender-neutral group experienced support and mentoring from outside the family. Like the participants in the current study, the participants in the female-dominated group of that study did not identify any significant obstacles to career advancement.…”

“…Some of the studies reviewed in this section were qualitative in nature (Kuo-Rice, 2005;Madsen, 2007aMadsen, , 2007bMayer, 2001;Whitmarsh, 2007), and others were quantitative (ACHE, 2002;Courtney et al, 2001;Lane, 1998). The results of both types of studies showed, researchers can agree on the barriers to career advancement of women.…”

“…Women leaders, although not university presidents, were the participants in a qualitative study of 20 women conducted by Whitmarsh (2007). This study addressed the career planning, career decision making, and work history of women in both femaledominated and gender-neutral careers.…”

Women in intercollegiate athletics : an exploration of the career development of female senior administrators.

“…As such, barriers and supports (Table 4) play an influential role in the careers of women in intercollegiate athletics. (Albert & Luzzo, 1999;Astin, 1984;Betz & Fitzgerald, 1987;Lent et aI., 1994;Savickas, 2002) Sagas & Cunningham, 2004;Whitmarsh, 2007). Additionally, Kanter (1977) suggested that the primary function of a mentor was "to make introductions or train a young person to move effectively through the system" (p. 181).…”