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My Brilliant Career: Characterizing the Early Labor Market Trajectories of British Women From Generation X

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Anyadike-Danes

    (ERINI, Belfast, United Kingdom)

  • Duncan McVicar

    (Queen's University, Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom, d.mcvicar@qub.ac.uk)

Abstract

This article uses longitudinal data from the British Cohort Study to examine the early labor market trajectories—the careers—of more than 5,000 women aged 16 to 29 years. Conventional event history approaches focus on particular transitions, the return to work after childbirth, for example, whereas the authors treat female careers more holistically, using sequence methods and cluster analysis to arrive at a rich but readily interpretable description of the data. The authors’ typology presents a fuller picture of the underlying heterogeneity of female career paths that may not be revealed by more conventional transition-focused methods. Furthermore, the authors contribute to the small but growing literature on sequence analysis of female labor force participation by using their typology to show how careers are related to family background and school experiences.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Anyadike-Danes & Duncan McVicar, 2010. "My Brilliant Career: Characterizing the Early Labor Market Trajectories of British Women From Generation X," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 38(3), pages 482-512, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:somere:v:38:y:2010:i:3:p:482-512
    DOI: 10.1177/0049124110362968
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

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    2. Paolo Lucchino & Dr Richard Dorsett, 2013. "Visualising the school-to-work transition: an analysis using optimal matching," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 414, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    3. Fiona Carmichael & Christian K. Darko & Nicholas Vasilakos, 2022. "Well‐being and employment of young people in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam: Is work enough?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 40(2), March.
    4. Paolo Lucchino & Dr Richard Dorsett, 2013. "Visualising the school-to-work transition: an analysis using optimal matching," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 414, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    5. Zhelyazkova, N., 2014. "Discovering and explaining work-family strategies of parents in Luxembourg," MERIT Working Papers 2014-022, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    6. Zhelyazkova N., 2013. "Parental leave within the broader work‐family trajectory : What can we learn from sequence analysis?," MERIT Working Papers 2013-049, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    7. Alexandra Killewald & Xiaolin Zhuo, 2019. "U.S. Mothers’ Long-Term Employment Patterns," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(1), pages 285-320, February.
    8. Serah Shin & Hyungsoo Kim, 2018. "Health Trajectories of Older Americans and Medical Expenses: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study Data Over the 18 Year Period," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 19-33, March.
    9. Carmichael, Fiona & Ercolani, Marco G., 2016. "Unpaid caregiving and paid work over life-courses: Different pathways, diverging outcomes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 1-11.
    10. ALBERT VERDÚ, Cecilia & DAVIA, María A., 2010. "Education And Labour Market Transitions Amongst Compulsory Education Graduates And School Dropouts," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 10(3).

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