My brilliant career ? Using stories as a methodological tool in careers research

Abstract

This article is Restricted Access. It was published in the journal, International Studies of Management and Organization [© M.E. Sharpe]. The definitive version is available at: http://www.mesharpe.com/mall/results1.asp?ACR=IMO Within organizational research, stories are increasingly recognised as a powerful research tool. In this article we argue that stories can likewise be a valuable research instrument in analyzing "career". In particular, they illuminate the ways in which individuals make sense of their careers as they unfold through time and space, attending to both the holistic nature of career as well as to specific career transitions. Further, stories as discursive constructs provides insights into individual sense-making. Through such insights, the story-based researcher can build a rich, complex, multifaceted, and integrated picture from the perspective of situated individuals. Restricted access