The vanishing flexible: ambition, self-realization and flexibility in the career perspectives of young Belgian adults

• Published in: Work, employment and society Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 243 - 262
• Main Authors: Elchardus, Mark, Smits, Wendy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.06.2008; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Ambition; Aspirations; Belgium; Career development; Careers; Culture; Employment; Ethics; Family relations; Flexibility; Labor markets; Life Plans; Men; Modeling; Occupational achievement; Occupational Aspiration; Occupations; Protestant Ethic; Self Actualization; Self realization; Studies; Unemployment; Work ethic; Working women; Young Adults; Belgium; ethic of self-realization; flexibility; career perspective; career model; work ethic; life course
• ISSN: 0950-0170; 1469-8722
• DOI: 10.1177/0950017008089103

The cultural interpretation of career models, that links a preference for the flexible career to the quest for self-realization, and a preference for the linear; stable to the traditional work ethic, turns out to be empirically correct for the population considered in this analysis (inhabitants of Belgium, 19 to 36 years old). In contrast to what is posited by many authors, the traditional work ethic is, however; still quite strong. Moreover the career model that is both flexible and ambitious appears as a projection of the quest for self-realization onto the future career; but does not withstand experience with work and family life. As a consequence, many of the young people with a flexible career model shift towards either a traditional linear perspective or an ambitionless flat and rigid perspective as more life transitions are completed.