Career development in the context of self-construction during adolescence

This longitudinal qualitative study examines the process adolescents undertake as they socially construct their career ideations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cross-section of 60 adolescents living in economically disadvantaged urban and rural communities twice a year from seventh through the twelfth grade. Using constructivist grounded theory analysis, six self-concept groups are presented: (a) self-in-the-larger-world, (b) self-creation, (c) self-absorbed, (d) angry, (e) detached, and (f) overwhelmed self. For each of these groups, descriptions are provided, followed by a discussion of the process of their career exploration and the characteristics of the group. Findings contribute to our understanding of some of the determining factors that influence readiness for career counseling.