Foreword

Abstract

The interaction between individuals and the world of work offers the potential for both the fulfilment of one’s dreams as well as disappointment, anguish and pain. On one hand, people who are in jobs that are stable and have some degree of meaning may experience feelings of accomplishment and connection that can define the best moments of their lives. However, work is the primary location in our lives where we come up against barriers, frustration and marginalisation—indeed, the full gamut of social and economic problems that pervade our societies. The field of career guidance has evolved as a tool for people to obtain support in planning, implementing and adjusting to work. For many decades, scholars and practitioners in career guidance have focused on the dreams aspect of career development, relegating concerns about painful experiences in relation to work to the margins. Fortunately, this rather privileged view of career guidance is changing, thanks to many brave scholars and activists, such as the editors and chapter authors of this brilliant new book.