Abstract
Though the words job, occupation, and career are often used interchangeably, for the purpose of this chapter, occupation is viewed as a job that pertains to a person’s career or calling. For many individuals, the job they hold may be one of the key areas from which they derive social identity (Becker & Strauss, 2017). For some, there is a greater degree of choice with work identity than many other areas of identity such as race, nationality, and gender. However, not all people have the same freedom or opportunity to choose careers and may find themselves in a particular job based on convenience or necessity. Whether a job is chosen as the result of careful planning and assessment, because of inherent calling, or simply accepted because it pays the bills, some positions more naturally lend themselves to faith and work integration (FWI) than others. Therefore, job characteristics or occupational factors can play a significant role in determining whether and how much an individual integrates faith in the workplace. For this second sphere in our Faith and Work Integration Spheres of Influence model (FWSI), the various occupational factors that can facilitate or present challenges for FWI are discussed. Also included is the particular role of leadership because it cuts across most occupational categories, has been studied in areas related to FWI, and has the capacity to impact others’ FWI. This chapter also discusses the help Christian career guidance can provide to navigate the FWI challenges and opportunities presented by occupation. The role of occupational factors within the FWSI is depicted in Fig. 10.1.
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- 1.
This is not to suggest that Buford did not also experience inherent pleasure (OAE) in doing this or use the other forms of FWI.
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Buszka, S.G., Ewest, T. (2020). Occupational Influences and Strategies. In: Integrating Christian Faith and Work. Palgrave Studies in Workplace Spirituality and Fulfillment. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22914-6_10
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