Contemporary Careers and Occupational Fields

Occupations play a crucial, yet often overlooked, role in shaping careers. As organizational boundaries become more fluid and careers increasingly involve transitions between employers, or between employment and self-employment, traditional career structures are weakening. In this evolving context, occupational fields, as communities of practice, offer structure and identity for career actors. This book explores career stories from sports, science, and religion, showing how these fields shape and sustain careers in diverse ways. Drawing on rich empirical material, the authors present an innovative framework explaining the influence of occupational fields on career trajectories. In-depth interviews bring the framework to life, offering vivid examples of careers shaped within distinct occupational contexts. An important contribution to the sociology of work and careers, this book will be invaluable to scholars and students in career studies, work and employment, human resource management, and organizational sociology.

Michael Meyer is Full Professor at the Department of Management and Head of the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Governance at WU Vienna, Austria. His research focuses on nonprofit governance, civic participation, social entrepreneurship, and urban civil society. Astrid Reichel is Full Professor at the Department of Business and Head of the HRM group at the University of Salzburg, Austria. Her research focuses on how context (institutional and material) shapes work, the management of work and people, and careers. Thomas M. Schneidhofer is Full Professor of Human Resource Management and Organization at Seeburg Castle University, Austria, where he currently serves as Dean of the Faculty of Management. His research interests include career studies, the sociology of work, and gender.

Part I: Introduction.- Chapter 1 Occupational fields, career fields, and the fields in question.- Part II: Science.- Chapter 2: An occupational field in the intersection between the career field for scientists and the field of universities.- Chapter 3: The incredible journey of a steeplejack stumbling along and becoming a famous scientist - Chris Brewster-s Career.- Chapter 4: From Academic Freedom to Market Metrics? Reflections on the Academic Career of Dr Werner Nienhüser.- Chapter 5: "I lived my life more organically.“ Between rules and the freedom to explore their boundaries - Mila Lazarova-s Career.- Chapter 6: ‘I used fortunate circumstances… and I did it my way’: Narrating Marion Festing-s established academic career.- Chapter 7: “Once you-re a scientist, you-re a scientist for life” Elizabeth Badley-s Career.- Part III: Sports.- Chapter 8: My body is my capital, isn’t it? The field of sports.- Chapter 9: Dual Career at its Transitions: The Sailing World Champion and Entrepreneur Hans Spitzauer.- Chapter 10: A Sunset in Hawaii- Nik Berger-s Career.- Chapter 11: Between Profession and Passion: Becoming a Female President – The Career of Roswitha Stadlober.- Chapter 12: A Career in the Vertical: Kilian Fischhuber.- Chapter 13: The science of sailing - Lara Vadlau-s Career.- Part IV: Religion.- Chapter 14: Paths of faith and leadership: Five careers shaped by and aligned with religion.- Chapter 15: Reaching top management in church: Michael Chalupka’s career in the Lutheran church.- Chapter 16: A monk’s calling: Probst Maximilian Fuernsinn.- Chapter 17: A female leadership career in the Catholic Church – Nora Tödtling-Musenbichler.- Chapter 18: A Buddhist career path beyond the expected - Erwin Glatter-s career.- Chapter 19: A Career with many Facets - Foreign correspondent, anchor woman, director of the Jewish Museum, entrepreneur.- Part V: Conclusion.- Chapter 20: How occupational fields impact careers- an integrated model.