Working while Black: examining the career development gap in the Black workforce and investigating the racist roots of professionalism

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to investigate the challenges and barriers negatively affecting the career development of Black professionals. The research consisted of two cycles of data collection and analysis. In Cycle 1, I collected data from 15 Black professionals who were participating in a career accelerator mentoring program. This revealed instances of racism, discrimination, and bias along their career development journeys. These experiences were linked to a lack of access to career development resources, opportunities, and supportive guidance. Based on the Cycle 1 findings, in Cycle 2 I introduced a career development course for Black professionals as an educational resource and strategy to enhance the working experiences and promotional opportunities of Black professionals within their organizations. The 4-week course comprised two sections: Self-Advocacy: How to Advocate for Yourself at Work and Career Advancement: Increasing Your Value. The curriculum featured a nine-module career development course, a two-part workshop series on module subjects, coaching sessions to help participants navigate new learnings and challenges, and interviews to further explore their career experiences. The study demonstrates that the career development curriculum was impactful in enhancing the career development of Black professionals. Additionally, the research emphasized the significant influence of systemic and institutional racism on the career development and advancement of Black professionals. This research indicates the need for intentional efforts by organizations and academic institutions to support the career development of Black professionals, especially as they navigate predominantly White corporate cultures. The recommendations include implementing tailored career development educational experiences for Black individuals in both academic and organizational settings.