Exploring career decision-making styles across three European countries

Career decisions are amongst the most important we make. Unsurprisingly, much published
research exists on this particular aspect of career behaviour. However, the overwhelming
majority of studies have been carried out on young people making initial career decisions.
This paper extends our understanding by examining how mid-career adults in three European
countries (Denmark, France and Italy) actually make career decisions. Characteristic patterns
of behavior recur when individuals approach points of transition or of crisis; each of these
transitioning styles is illustrated by an iconic case. Emergent findings support the growing
body of evidence that challenges the dominant policy and practice orthodoxy, which places
rationality at the center of the process, by recognising the importance of emotion and context.