ABSTRACT
In making use of E.C. Hughes' approach to the study of work and occupations, preceding chapters have emphasised the extent to which a person's sense of self and identity is derived from their occupational position in the overall division of labour in society. The concepts of occupation and career have been employed to examine the dynamic nature of the relationship which exists between individual subjective experience of social processes and wider, more objective, social structures and patterns. In examining the impact of work upon the individual, it has been recognised that it is important to have some knowledge of personal 'biography', together with knowledge of the social, historical and organisational context of their work situation. The ways in which people 'make sense of their lives' is a central feature in the Hughesian approach to the study of work and occupations. From this perspective it is recognised that, far from passively experiencing an 'external world', individuals are actively involved in constructing and reconstructing aspects of their experience and understanding. Earlier chapters have examined aspects of the wider structural and historical contexts in which the occupations of full-time officer and industrial relations manager are located. Interviewees' perceptions of significant and influential factors in their work histories and career entry have also been considered. The present chapter now moves on to examine their personal recollections of their experiences on entering their new roles and the meaning and significance attached to their work at the present stage in their work career.
