A career journey: an auto‐ethnographic insight

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the use of an auto‐ethnographic life history can provide rich, original data to critically analyse the interplay between the socially constructed self, a career journey over time and societal change.

Design/methodology/approach

A reflexive auto‐ethnography is used as a conduit to explore a career journey. The author draws on the fluidity of ageing to make visible gendered organizational processes. The setting is New Zealand.

Findings

To understand the interplay of a career journey through a life history approach and intersectional analysis reinforces the life‐long significance of gender with ageing.

Originality/value

The author suggests that by reflecting on the complex interplay of one's own life through an intersectional approach can add a further dimension to scholarly thinking on the “doing” of intersectionality when considering the career journey of others.

Citation

Ryan, I. (2012), "A career journey: an auto‐ethnographic insight", Gender in Management, Vol. 27 No. 8, pp. 541-558. https://doi.org/10.1108/17542411211279724