Career Callings and Career Development

Abstract

The construct of “calling” has become a topic of growing interest in the career development literature, and also among educators, career counseling professionals and organisations seeking to help others foster a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in work and life. While there are some measurement and conceptualisation differences in the literature, researchers generally agree that perceiving a calling involves feeling drawn to a meaningful career for transcendent and prosocial reasons (Dik and Duffy, Couns Psychol 37(3):424–450, 2009). There is also a key distinction between perceiving a calling, and finding or creating opportunities to live out one’s calling, although both are associated with a plethora of positive career-related and well-being outcomes. The purpose of this chapter is to review the diverse research on calling, highlight important conceptualisation differences, and articulate a theoretical framework for understanding how perceiving and living a calling relate to career and well-being outcomes. We also explore future directions for research on calling and offer recommendations for readers seeking to apply the construct in their personal lives and in their work with students, career counseling clients, or employees within organisations.