Passing through the Unrealized Career Dream: Narrative Research of Individuals Who Haven't Accomplished Their Career Goals in Process of Advancing Toward a Happy Career

• Main Authors: Chih-Yuan Lin, 林智圓
• Other Authors: Hsiu-Lan Tien
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/94971890095941808404

碩士 === 國立臺灣師範大學 === 教育心理與輔導學系 === 99 === This research aimed to explore the psychological course of individuals who could possess a sense of well-being despite the fact that they had undergone the emergence of their career goals and the failures of their goals previously. Specifically speaking, the research explored individuals' experience of passing through their failures in career goals, the internal and external resources that they used to help adapt themselves to the experience of unrealized career goals, and the influence of unrealized career goals on their life development. The researcher used purposive sampling to choose three adults who had failed to achieve their career goals but still feel a sense of well-being at present. The narrative interview data were analyzed by “holistic-content” as well as “categorical-content” approach. The result showed that the psychological course of participants who had the experience of unrealized career goals has the following characteristics: (1). Participants found their value, and tried to realize their self-value by achieving their career goals. (2). In the process of realizing the career goals, participants usually struggled with the influence from inner and outer factors, and decided to adjust their career decisions. (3). When participants decided not to realize their original career goals, they thought that they couldn’t realize their self-value, and the experience of unfinished emotions emerged. (4). Participants chose not to indulge in the emotionally-negative experiences, and tried to look for outlets. Thus the resources which could help participants adapt emerged. (5). Participants perceived that their career identity through exploring their career paths. When participants advanced on the direction of their own career identity or life theme, they started to step on the road to a happy career. In regard to the resources that participants used to adapt the experience of their unrealized career goals, the internal resources include: (1). adopting positive strategies; (2). having reality orientation and remaining flexible; (3). aggressively exploring one's career path; (4). having a positive and grateful attitude. The external resources include: (1). faith; (2). serendipitous events; (3). the role models nearby; (4). the social support. The study also found that the experience of passing through the unrealized career goals could bring the participants positive influences, including: (1). making them aware of what they really want and cherish what they have possessed; (2). broadening their vision of career choices and promoting their own career self-efficiency. According to the results of this study, individuals who adapted to the impact of unrealized career goals well can often step on the road to a happy career if they could face the situation with positive attitude and explore their personal career identity or life theme further. In the end, according to the research process and findings, the limits of this study and suggestions were also proposed.