Career Paths, Images and Anchors: A Study with Brazilian Professionals

This article analyses career anchors changes associated to images and professionals trajectories. Its main question: Do anchors careers change through time? We conducted twelve interviews involving professionals from the Administration Area, applying Schein's Career Anchors Inventory (1993). We did the same two years later. In both of them, the Lifestyle anchor was the most found, reflecting the need of a balance between family life and work. It was observed that the main anchors tend to remain as such, but in some cases, it is possible to observe changes which are associated to career transitions. The reapplication of the Inventory supports the use of this tool mainly due the relative stability founded in the career anchors, in different moments.