ABSTRACT
This chapter engages with the dynamic between structure and agency in the development and progress of graduate careers, using the concept of possible selves alongside Bourdieu’s conceptual tools in order to examine the transition from undergraduate study to the labour market. The chapter is based on data from a longitudinal qualitative study of young people’s transitions into and through higher education in England (the Paired Peers project) and focuses on the experience of three participants who aspired to work in the finance and accountancy sectors. Our analysis provides insights into the interaction of cultural, structural and social processes that contributed to the development of the career identity and future work selves of these young graduates. We propose that a strong possible career self could be viewed as a form of capital in its own right, which, however, is not equally accessible to all.
