Thanks for the article Gwen.
Angela I think whether people go for or take a job can depend on a number of factors including financial, attitude to work (strength of motivation/"work ethic"), welfare benefits availabe, family responsibilities, housing status (do you have to pay the mortgage, are you prepared to live in a caravan?),ethical, skills match, whether their face "fits" with the organisation etc. In the current economic climate in the UK a lot of people do not know if their jobs are secure, or how long they will be secure. I am seeing people make compromises they did not need to make in the past re. career to ensure they have money coming in.
I also think portfolio careers (several different jobs) are more common, and that career direction is more fluid, sometimes based more on transferrable skills than a straight "direction".