A phenomenological exploration of the motivational factors underlying the career transitions of midlife career women /

This research project explores the motivations of women's voluntary career transitions at midlife. Participants for this study consisted of 14 women who at the time of their transition were between 40 and 51 years of age. All women had maintained an active career throughout their adult life and were either negotiating or had already experienced a career transition. This voluntary transition was initiated for reasons other than an upward mobility within the same occupation. The data were analysed and reported using the six step phenomenological approach described by Moustakas (1994). Themes important to transition that emerged from the data were: self-actualization, generativity, authenticity, self-care, timing, and the changing role of work