Getting Started and Getting Ahead: Career Dynamics of Immigrants

Abstract

While immigration has continued to change demographic patterns in the United States and other countries, there has been little theory and research on the psychological processes underlying immigrants' adjustment to new careers. This article models the stress immigrants' experience from the demands, opportunities, and constraints they encounter as they embark on careers in their host country and the role that social support plays in facilitating acculturation. Immigrants' intercultural effectiveness, coping skills, and career motivation are considered as important moderators between acculturation stress and career outcomes. Directions for future research on the career dynamics on immigrants are discussed.