Bursting the bubble from the inside: Individual and environmental barriers to upward mobility among Mexican immigrants

The career progression of Hispanic employees has received limited attention in organizational and counseling psychology research and no studies examined the special circumstances relevant to Hispanic immigrants. Additional career-related research with Hispanic immigrants is therefore necessary, and has been called for by specialists in the field (Arbona, 1995; Brown, 2002; Lent & Worthington, 1999; Leong & Brown, 1995; Super, 1991). Studying career progression of this group would enhance our knowledge regarding the ways in which cultural values and the overall immigrant experiences influence their desire for and actual pursuit of upward mobility. My study examined the barriers and motivators to career progression among Hispanic immigrant workers in the Las Vegas hospitality industry. As this was an exploratory study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seventeen Mexican immigrant hotel employees. Findings identify two main groups of variables influencing career progression among Hispanic immigrants: Individual and environmental variables. Individual variables include human capital, self-concept, ethnic identity, cultural values and stress. Environmental variables include the local job market, the organizational culture and climate, and the characteristics of the job itself. This study proposes a model explaining career progression among Hispanic immigrants and offers some recommendations for human resources professional to increase upward mobility within this employee group