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Self-Identity.html

Self-Identity

As you learned in Week 2, for many people, career plays a major role in self-identity. Some people are defined by what they do for a living; doctors, police officers, and teachers all have jobs that impact how they relate to the world at large. Not everyone has a job that reshapes self-identity. Still, for a great number of people, careers are intertwined with personal and family life. Thus, leaving a career, either due to unanticipated job loss or retirement, can be a traumatic experience. For many, the loss of a job is comparable to divorce or the death of a friend. Just the fact of changing a routine that had been part of a person's life for several years has a significant impact on the decision to leave a job or continue working. Finally, for some work is an enjoyable experience that is part of their self-fulfillment or personal needs. Others who need to be considered in this discussion are those individuals who are not ready to take advantage of full retirement, but want a change in how they work. There are several options available to those who seek a change before retirement. These choices include:

• Flexible work schedules within a company
• Contract employment for a former company
• Consultant work within the same field
• Work outside the current field of employment, or bridge employment

Bridge employment is a term used to describe work that fills the gap between the time when a person leaves his or her primary career and the time when that person begins full retirement (Zhan, Wang, Liu, & Shultz, 2009). It is usually work not related to a former career, and usually at a lower rate of pay.