1285 - INVOLUNTARY CAREER CHANGE TRIGGERED BY HEALTH ISSUES: CROSSING THE PERSPECTIVES OF CHANGERS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT ONES

Session: D16S008 - Career Transitions
AUTHORS:
Coquoz Roxane (University of Lausanne ~ Lausanne ~ Switzerland) , Brazier Caroline Éliane (University of Lausanne ~ Lausanne ~ Switzerland) , Masdonati Jonas (University of Lausanne ~ Lausanne ~ Switzerland)
Abstract text:
Research has highlighted the disruptive nature of involuntary career changes resulting from chronic health conditions, also suggesting that this form of transition necessitates substantial adjustments both on the part of the career changers and their social environment. Yet, while the influences of relational processes on careers are well established, the career change literature has focused exclusively on the perspective of individuals in transition, overlooking the experiences of their entourage. Anchored in the Systems Theory Framework, the present study provides an in-depth understanding of the interconnected experiences of individuals undergoing involuntary career change due to chronic health conditions and those of their close relatives. Adopting a dyadic research design, we conducted eight individual semi-structured interviews with career changers and their significant others (e.g., partners, family members, close friends). We performed a Multiple-Perspective Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to capture participants' meaning-making of their lived experiences. Preliminary results reveal both shared and distinctive features of career change experiences within dyads. On the one hand, for example, career changers and significant others coordinate their adjustments to institutional expectations and elaborate a common vision of a dignified career. On the other hand, they can diverge in their perceptions of the diversity, intensity, and impacts of the support provided by their significant others. Results also suggest that career change experiences are shaped by relational patterns that are either complementary or imbalanced. This includes, in particular, the career changers' internalization of the perspectives and career expectations introduced by their significant others. The present study offers unique insights into the complexity of the relational processes at play and their influence on the career change trajectory, experience, and meaning. Consistent with a systemic and relational perspective of career counseling, results inform the support provided to adults in career transition and their significant others, and advocate for integrative counseling practices.