This study conceptualizes and investigates career-relevant parent-child con
versations and other actions over time as a family project. Dyads composed
of a parent and an adolescent from 20 families participated in a videotaped
career-related conversation to determine a family career-development proje
ct that was subsequently monitored for a 6-month period and followed up wit
h a 2nd videotaped conversation. On the basis of a systematic qualitative a
nalysis, several dimensions were identified as facilitating the family care
er-development project, including joint goals, communication, goals-steps c
ongruence, and individuation. These family career-development projects were
organized as part of broader relationship, identity, parenting, and cultur
al projects that also played a decisive role in the success of the family c
areer-development projects themselves.