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High-skilled female immigrants: career strategies and experiences

Colakoglu, Saba; Yunlu, Dilek G.; Arman, Gamze

High-skilled female immigrants: career strategies and experiences Thumbnail


Authors

Saba Colakoglu

Dilek G. Yunlu



Abstract

© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to uncover career-related issues that high-skilled female immigrants face and their strategies for rebuilding their careers upon migration for a diverse range of reasons including following a spouse, furthering education and self-initiated expatriation. Design/methodology/approach: Using grounded theory to explore this topic, the authors performed 14 in-depth interviews with female immigrants that fit pre-determined inclusion criteria for high-skilled (e.g. educated, gainfully and professionally employed). The study context of immigration is the USA, and the authors performed interviews with high-skilled immigrants from Turkey – an underrepresented nation in the US migrant population. Findings: Content analysis of in-depth interviews revealed five primary theoretical themes that captured the career experiences of these individuals: non-linear career entry, career orientation, strong commitment and will to succeed, socialization patterns at work and support network. Integrating these findings with theories on adult learning, the authors developed an experiential learning model of career reconstruction among high-skilled immigrants. Originality/value: This study contributes to the global mobility literature by developing an experiential learning theory of careers and taking a gendered perspective to the career experiences of high-skilled female immigrants. It answers the questions: what are the individual and situation factors associated with career success among high-skilled female immigrants? and what is the process that high-skilled immigrants go through to rebuild their careers?

Citation

Colakoglu, S., Yunlu, D. G., & Arman, G. (2018). High-skilled female immigrants: career strategies and experiences. Journal of Global Mobility, 6(3-4), 258-284. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-10-2017-0039

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jun 17, 2018
Publication Date Dec 10, 2018
Deposit Date Aug 13, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Journal of Global Mobility
Print ISSN 2049-8799
Electronic ISSN 2049-8802
Publisher Emerald
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 6
Issue 3-4
Pages 258-284
DOI https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-10-2017-0039
Keywords immigration, female careers, skilled migration, high-skilled immigrants
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/863189
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JGM-10-2017-0039

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