The political nature of the colloquialism, “a real job”: Implications for organizational socialization

This study of the colloquialism, “a real job,” challenges previous assumptions about work socialization. It extends theoretical approaches by situating the stage model of work socialization within a larger context of communication. In the current study, college students explain the meaning of the colloquialism by writing personal narratives. An interpretive analysis probes the ontology of work and the political socializing nature of the colloquialism.