Using visual research techniques in careers research

Career is an important part of our identity; our sense of who we are and who we strive to be. The nature of careers has changed leading to career paths which are characterised by disruption and change. Change is not always positive, and at times career disruptions can be appraised as stressful and emotional experiences which can have a dramatic impact on our identity. Researching such emotive issues requires a methodology which enables this emotion and complexity to be captured. Based on a research project on the impact of career disruptions on identity, this paper puts forward the case for the use of a visual methodology in careers research of this nature. For the participants, the construction of a visual timeline enabled them to understand their careers in the context of other life events, and to make sense of their career decisions. For the researcher, the timeline provided rich, multifaceted data which gave a deeper understanding of how career disruptions are ‘felt’ and coped with.