ABSTRACT
A career is defined as the sequence of work experiences that evolve over the individual’s life course (Arthur et al., 1989) and, obviously, is highly subjective and complex, unique to each individual, and dynamic over time (Khapova and Arthur, 2011). As outlined later in this book (see Chapter 15 on career patterns), research on career dynamics has often focused on career stages that were interpreted to occur in parallel with adult development or life stages (e.g., Dalton et al., 1977; Hall, 1976; Nicholson and West, 1989; Super, 1957). In this traditional view, occupational choice was almost exclusively concerned with the preparation stage of career development (Super, 1957) and was conceived as a single event usually occurring in adolescence or in one’s early twenties, which was then enacted for the rest of one’s career, assuming a linear career path and stable future performance.
