Motivations of post-baccalaureate students seeking teacher certification: A context for appropriate advising strategies

Changing careers is more commonplace today than in the past when adults remained in the same job throughout their working lives. Individuals may move through different careers dispelling the myth that there is only one right career (Lemme, 1995). Change is becoming a natural part of the adult career pattern and commonplace for both men and women (Evans & Laumann, 1983; Jacobs, 1983; Keating, N., & Jeffrey, B., 1983; Treiman, 1985). An overview of research reveals several of the following themes related to changing careers: (a) individuals often reevaluate life during a transition period at about the age of 30 (Levinson, 1978; Ornstein, & Isabella, 1990; Phillips, 1982) (b) this transition period often prompts changes in lifestyle or career (Dean, Eriksen, & Lindamood, 1987; Schlossberg, 1984); (c) adults in transition explore the job market, take stock of skills, and identify a career matched to the exploration (Riverin-Simard, 1988); and (d) adults begin to place great value on the relationship between their personal identity and career identity (Perosa & Perosa, 1987). For individuals choosing to make a career change specifically to teaching, the transition can be precipitated by various motivators including but not limited to evaluation of personal lifestyle, desire to