Designing a Life on Stage: Applying Career Construction Theory to Actors’ Vocational Narratives

Authors

  • Ioana Raluca Mânea Titu Maiorescu University, Bucharest, Romania Author
  • Andreea-Anda Radu Titu Maiorescu University, Bucharest, Romania Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37130/2d21z726

Keywords:

career construction theory, actors, narrative approach, professional identity, adaptability, agency, life design

Abstract

The professional trajectories of actors are marked by unpredictability and instability, unfolding within work contexts that often lack professional and financial security. This study explores the career development of actors through the narrative lens of Career Construction Theory (CCT) (Savickas, 2005, 2009), a framework particularly suited to understanding career paths in a constantly changing society. The research investigates the life themes that underlie and influence the career choices of actors and their professional evolution.

Adopting a qualitative design, the study employed content analysis of eight case studies, each consisting of two semi-structured interviews conducted using the Autobiographical Workbook: My Career Story (MCS) (Savickas and Hartung, 2012). The group of participants included eight actors representing different stages of professional development – undergraduate students, master’s students, and established professionals.

The thematic analysis revealed two overarching life themes: (1) the unique journey through which actors construct their career choice, encompassing internal and external influences, such as mentors, intrinsic motivation, and the sense of calling; and (2) the trajectory of career development, which reflects adaptability, perseverance, and identity reinvention across shifting artistic and economic contexts. Findings highlight the importance of constructing a coherent and meaningful personal narrative that provides actors with a sense of direction, purpose, and resilience amid uncertainty. By enabling individuals to author and reinterpret their professional stories, CCT offers a powerful framework for understanding how actors find continuity and agency within nonlinear, protean careers. The study contributes to extending the applicability of Career Construction Theory to the performing arts – an occupational domain that remains underexplored in career development research.

Author Biographies

  • Ioana Raluca Mânea, Titu Maiorescu University, Bucharest, Romania

    Radu Andreea-Anda is a psychologist under supervision, specializing in Educational Psychology and School Counseling, Clinical Psychology, and Special Education. She holds a degree from the Faculty of Psychology at Titu Maiorescu University (2004), a Master’s in Human Resources Psychology (2006), and a Master’s in School Psychology and Educational Counseling (2025) from the same Faculty. She works in a private psychology practice and collaborates with a recognized organization in autism therapy, providing individual assessment and intervention for children and adolescents, including those with special educational needs. She actively pursues advanced training in Dramatherapy, Expressive Arts Therapies, and Sandplay Therapy, integrating evidence-based and creative approaches in her work. Her experience combines clinical practice, educational counseling, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to support the development and well-being of children and adolescents.

  • Andreea-Anda Radu, Titu Maiorescu University, Bucharest, Romania

    Ioana Mânea, PhD
    As a scientist-practitioner in the field of career development, Dr. Ioana Mânea integrates her academic affiliation and research interests as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Psychology, Vice-Rector and Founder of the Career Counseling Center at Titu Maiorescu University with extensive practical experience in implementing career development interventions. Her work has supported over 3,000 teenagers and 12,000 students, employees, and entrepreneurs—both individually and through group facilitation—within private practice, as well as in local and national projects. As an International Master Trainer GCDF (Global Career Development Facilitator), Dr. Mânea has trained and supervised more than 300 career facilitators in both academic and business contexts, in Romania and internationally (Taiwan, Hungary, Singapore). She has also contributed significantly to the development of the counseling profession by increasing awareness and promoting professional standards through conferences, publications, and professional networks.
    Dr. Mânea is the author or co-author of several professional volumes, including: Career Development – A Handbook for Practitioners (Chiado Editora, 2017), Career Development – A Workbook for Practitioners (Chiado Editora, 2017), Career Counseling and Guidance: Intervention Programs for Students (Editura Universitară, 2015). She has also published various articles in the field of counseling and career interventions.

References

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Published

2025-12-26

Issue

Vol. 31 No. 2 (2025): Puppetry. Histories that shaped us / TabThePasT / Film and Theatre Pedagogy

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Mânea, I. R., & Radu, A.-A. (2025). Designing a Life on Stage: Applying Career Construction Theory to Actors’ Vocational Narratives. CONCEPT, 31(2), 210-231. https://doi.org/10.37130/2d21z726