Resumo

Immediacy, technology, connectivity, economic transformation and the complexity of the world of work influence the construction of professional careers in the contemporaneity, settling new career configurations which modify and expand the working relationship. Assuming that workers seek meaning at work, the career development is prioritized in this research, under the perspective of an individual, believing that the ideal worker is aware of his/her responsibility in the career development and yearns through a meaningful work to build his/her career in the world.

The key question arises: do understanding and acceptance of personal responsibility drive the development of the ideal worker’s career in the contemporaneity? The general objective of this research project is us to understand career construction in today’s world and the acceptance of personal responsibility, through the challenges faced and the models constructed by the professionals surveyed.

A career may be defined as a process of self-construction (identity construction) through ongoing experiences and behaviors that, associated with work, are transformed through psycho-social perceptions, resulting in the development of competencies that allow people to deal with increasingly complex situations in the personal, professional and social spheres, constantly adapting to unforeseeable life circumstances (adaptability competency) and recounting their track-records and experiences in ways that are meaningful for themselves and for others.

A qualitative research with the technique of semi-structured interview was carried out with 20 Brazilian workers, aged between 26 and 38 years. The selection of participants was intentional, they were working formally or not, and faced a period of questioning about career development, demonstrating lack of knowledge, concern and dismay regarding the labor market. For data collection, we had a sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. We chose content analysis for interpretation, which included the definition of 7 categories of analysis on careers building.

2/3 of the respondents demonstrated a preference for contemporary careers that offer greater freedom, autonomy and responsibility, with more subjective success and greater insecurity of personal construction strategies. And 1/3 of the respondents opted to build up careers in more traditional ways, requiring companies to accept some responsibility for this process which on the one hand prompts feelings of continuity and stability, while on the other curtailing the possibilities of personal career control and autonomy, possibly leading to stagnation and feelings that work is meaningless.

When work has new meanings and the main challenge is reorganizing professional development, despite the new economy, workers understand that developing their careers means growing through their own experiences, enhancing their personal value to companies through positive results while striving to expand their potential as individuals through jobs that make a difference, making life better for everyone. Workers should accept responsibility for their own careers, surmounting challenges with flexibility and autonomy, and coping with the unpredictably labor world through strong relationships.

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