ABSTRACT
A major shift in the nature of employment patterns and relationships has occurred on a global scale. This shift involves the movement from jobs and careers based on the assumption of some level of permanence in the employment relationship to one where there is an expectation of low permanence. The proliferation of impermanent work positions carries both negative and positive implications for individuals as they attempt to manage their careers and their responsibilities across work and non-work domains. “At-will” employment practices offer no assurances a worker will be able to continue on a set career path within any one employer or industry, and prolonged lack of employment stability can be seen as a sign of career indecision or lack of ability. The longstanding organizational career concepts of entry and exit apply across more and more diverse employment arrangements, and not in a uniform or even comparable way.
