Occupational callings in a context of structural restrictions

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the moderating effect of structural constraints on the relationship between the perception of a calling, living a calling, and life satisfaction. Originality/value: This is the first attempt to discuss the role of structural restrictions on the consequences of perceiving a calling in the context of a developing country. Design/methodology/approach: We conducted quantitative research with 165 Brazilian professionals (structural equation modeling). Findings: The results showed that perceiving a calling is positively associated with living a calling and satisfaction with life, in general. However, both relationships were moderated by structural constraints, so that the stronger the constraints, the weaker the relationships described above. This result indicates that seeing a job as an occupational calling does not always lead to desirable outcomes, as it is often advocated by the vocational and career literature and career guidance professionals. Thus, it is suggested that the limitations on access to resources should be taken into account in career guidance processes so that individuals are more aware that, in cases of resource constraints, occupational calling may not provide the much-acclaimed positive career outcomes. Implications for theory and practice and suggestions for future research are presented.