Career Development and Trajectories

Career development is an overarching concept that describes the evolution of work and personal activities and commitments over time. It is a lifelong process with particular implications for trans individuals. Career trajectories are one element of overall career development, typically describing the sequence of an individual’s education and work. Career development and trajectories are not limited to discussion of paid employment but rather the processes and pathways through which individuals explore and make decisions about their futures.

Career development and trajectories are specific to individuals, and there are professional fields whose goals include assisting individuals with career planning and decision making. Career or vocational psychologists focus on individual factors such as education, personality, opportunity, and agency in the processes of career development. Gender identity and systems ...