Competing voices: a Figured Worlds approach to theorising graduate perspectives on career success

ABSTRACT

Becoming a university graduate has long been considered the route to individual occupational and social mobility, while educating more citizens has been assumed to add to a nation’s human capital and competitiveness. University education has come to be associated with individual and societal aspiration. However, changes in the labour market associated with globalisation, technology, and fears of graduate underemployment have served to question this. This paper seeks to uncover the meaning that individuals construct about their early careers as they navigate such uncertain contexts. It reports on a study based on the graduate population of one university in England. Analysis tests the value of Figured Worlds theory. Using the construct of ‘self-authoring’, this paper identifies competing voices around employability and career success. Findings reveal how graduates orchestrate varied voices, in order to find ways to figure their experience and what it means to be a successful graduate.

KEYWORDS:

• Career
• employability
• graduate
• Figured Worlds
• success

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge my PhD supervisors at Lancaster University (Dr Nicola Ingram, Prof. Murray Saunders, and the late Dr Steve Dempster) and members of the Manchester University Social Learning Theories’ Figured Worlds reading group. Thanks are also due to the participants who contributed to this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Figured Worlds written in uppercase refers to the theory as a whole.

2. The Paired Peers research project tracked an initial cohort of 90 undergraduate students from different socio-economic backgrounds at two British universities from October 2010 to July 2013. For more information, go to http://www.bristol.ac.uk/spais/research/paired-peers/.

3. Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic.

4. ‘figured worlds’ written as lowercase refers to one of the four main constructs of the theory.

5. Matthew – Business Management, white British, social background – unskilled.

6. Rachel – Law and Criminology, white British, social background – professional.

7. Alice – Media Production, white British, social background – skilled manual.

8. Charlie – Theatre and Performance, white British, social background – unskilled.

9. Anna – Fashion, Black Caribbean, social background – skilled non-manual.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fiona Christie

Fiona Christie is a Researcher, Careers Consultant, and Writer. Her experience includes extensive advice and guidance, teaching, and management in Higher Education and she has also worked in Secondary/Further Education. She has recently moved into an academic post having completed her PhD in Educational Research (Higher Education) with a focus on graduate transitions, careers and employability.