Employment selection and identity development in emerging adulthood

Identity in Emerging Adulthood

Identity

Title an exploration of employment selection behaviors and the link to identity development.

Area of study

This study considers the employment selection behaviors of emerging adults. Employment selection is a critical element of the development process. It influences and structures the ability to take care of oneself in the present and the future. However, more significantly employment is an indicator of independence and display of the ability to commit to a usually a long-term experience. Independence and commitment are skills that in adulthood can establish the way in which one lives. In this framework, employment can be viewed as one of the indicators that reflect an individual's development in these areas. This is beyond the individuals self-perception that they are not adults (Nelson et al. 2000).

In the modern context, self-determination requires the individual to have some form of employment and access to legitimate forms capital not for developmental or social reasons but for survival. One of the ways in which an individual can acquire capital is through employment. The mechanism of employment selection has traditionally been tied to academic success, societal experiences to include familial, exposure to specific work options, and life opportunities. These elements can function both independently and interdependently influences the choice of the individual (Vander, Crandall & Crandall 2007). This implies that an individual is shaped and ultimately influenced by external factors as well as internal considerations in decision-making processes.

For emerging adults however, the choice of type of employment includes other elements that are not actively considered in the literature. The emerging adult is surrounded with a myriad of employment opportunities (Arnett, 2000). This occurs as previously mentioned because of the intersection of multiple factors simultaneously in the experience of emerging adults. Employment selection then becomes not only a question of available options but may also be a statement of identity. As was alluded to earlier employment can be seen as a developmental milestone for an individual.

Study design/methodology

This study will employ a qualitative methodology. A case study will be used as the research design for this work. The sample size for this study will be 1 (Strauss & Corbin 1990).The individual for the case study will be selected using purposive sampling which is noted to produce data rich cases and very suitable for this type of work. The participant will be 22-24 years of age; this is the age group that demographically, demonstrates the maximum effect of the phenomenon. In this age group, the individual will have finished their bachelor's degree in some specific discipline, and is actively seeking employment. The data will be collected using a semi-structured interview of the participant. The data will then be analyzed using ground theory, in an attempt to provide an adequate understanding of the phenomenon that could subsequently be used in further study designs.

Interview protocol

INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

Name ____ Date

Current Employment Status ____ Type of Job held

Contact Information

Interviewed by Employment is an important aspect of an individual's life experience. To understand this experience we are attempting to determine through this interview what factors have influenced your employment selection process and the ways in which employment have effected your development of identity. Ultimately, we are attempting to understand they ways in which identity and employment are linked and how they affect each other in terms of development.

There are three themes that will be explored in this interview and under each theme, there are corresponding questions.

This interview will last no longer than 2 hours.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Question 1.

Please tell me they type of work experience you have engaged in during the last 5 years.

What were your reasons for engaging in this type of employment?

Why did you want to become employed?

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AN D. EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Question 2.

How did you feel during this period of employment? (independent, happy, fulfilled) Please explain why you had these feelings.

Did employment affect your identity development? Please discuss your answer selection ( If yes explain, if no explain).

Did friends or family influence the type of employment you selected?

EMPLOYMENT IDENTITY PERCEPTION

Question 3.

If you were not employed would that matter in your life?

How do you feel about people that are not employed?

Do you feel employment is an important part of who you are as an individual? Please discuss.

Justification of Question Selection

Question 1.

WORK EXPERIENCE

These questions attempt to understand employment experience and the reasons behind type of employment selection. It provides a framework in which to understand historically the individual's employment as well as thought processes as they relate to employment selection.

Question 2

EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AN D. EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

These questions are designed to extract what feelings and attitudes about the employment experience as well as the social factors that influenced employment.

Question 3

EMPLOYMENT IDENTITY PERCEPTION

These questions attempt to show the link between identity and employment. The perception of self is explored both with directing as well as using other perception of people external to the individual.

Summary

The employment challenges faced by emerging adults are unique and require further explication. This is a necessary consideration because of the societal and individual consequences of this problem. Additionally, how the individual responds to these challenges may shape their identity.