Choices and Challenges: A Qualitative Exploration of Professional Women's Career Patterns.

WOMEN'S employment; CAREER changes; OCCUPATIONAL mobility; CAREER development; EMPLOYEE transfers; JOB rotation; WORKING class women; VOCATIONAL guidance for women; LEGAL status of women

With the rapid changes occurring in the role of work in women's lives, this research project was designed to examine the career planning, career decision making, and work history of women in both female-dominated and gender-neutral careers (U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.-a). A qualitative analysis of structured interviews identified 6 emerging themes: variations of career/family patterns, career encouragers, career obstacles, personal compromises, career changes, and career decision-making patterns. Insights for strengthening the exploration process and strategies for sup- porting career management are presented based on the emerging themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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