Qualitative Research in Career Development: Exploring the Center and Margins of Discourse About Careers and Working

Abstract

This article explores the contributions of qualitative research to the study of career development and the psychology of working. Epistemological perspectives (logical positivism, postpositivism, and social constructionism) are discussed as they relate to historical context, career theories, and the various methods used within qualitative research. Prevailing qualitative methods within career development and the psychology of working, such as consensual qualitative research, grounded theory, and narrative analysis, are reviewed. The article examines exemplary lines of qualitative research on women’s achievements, school-to-work transitions, work and relationships, and the constructions of school and work. Finally, the article concludes with an example of an assessment tool that is derived from research on constructions of work and school.

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