Same same but different: Changing career expectations in Germany?

Contemporary career research assumes more flexible career patterns implying increased job mobility. However, there is growing doubt that the proclaimed change is as drastic as has been suggested. We provide empirical evidence on career expectations in Germany between 1999 and 2009, arguing that objective career mobility is both a) mirrored by and b) a consequence of such expectations. Using data from the German socio-economic panel, we test for a general shift in subjective career expectations, job insecurity, and turnover intention among male and female white collar employees and managers. The major finding is that career expectations remain quite stable over time. Managers and professionals have more positive career expectations than other white collar employees but there is not a growing gap. Regarding the impact of explaining factors on job expectations, there is again no detectable trend. With this in mind, changes in workforce composition and characteristics of specific occupational groups prove to be more relevant for career expectations than a shift towards boundaryless aspirations.