Career Development

An overview
Definition:
Career Development is the lifelong process of managing learning, work, leisure, and transitions in order to
move toward a personally determined and evolving preferred future.
In educational development, career development provides a person, often a student, focus for selecting
a carrer or subject to undertake in the future. Often educational institutions provide  career consular to
assist students with their educational development. Career development is a long term process and
consist on defferent stages.

Adult life development:

Adult development encompasses the changes that occur in biological, psychological, and interpersonal
domains of human life from the end of  adolense until the end of one's life. These changes may be
gradual or rapid, and can reflect positive, negative, or no change from previous levels of functioning.
Changes occur at the cellular level and are partially explained by biological theories of adult
development and aging. Biological changes influence psychological and interpersonal/social
developmental changes, which are often described by stage theories of human development. Stage
theories typically focus on “age-appropriate” developmental tasks to be achieved at each stage.  Erik
Erikson and Levinson proposed stage theories of human development that encompass the entire life
span, and emphasized the potential for positive change very late in life.

Erikson’s Approach to life development:

Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, as articulated by Erik Erikson, is a psychoanalytic
theory which identifies eight stages through which a healthily developing human should pass
from infancy to late adulthood. In each stage, the person confronts, and hopefully masters, new
challenges. Each stage builds upon the successful completion of earlier stages. The challenges
of stages not successfully completed may be expected to reappear as problems in the future.

Stage1:Hopes: trust vs. mistrust (Ifancy)

The first stage of Erik Erikson's theory centers around the infant's basic needs being met by the parents
and this interaction leading to trust or mistrust. If the parents expose the child to warmth, regularity,
and dependable affection, the infant's view of the world will be one of trust. if the parents fail to provide
a secure environment and to meet the child's basic needs a sense of mistrust will result. Development of
mistrust can lead to feelings of frustration, suspicion, withdrawal, and a lack of confidence.
Stage2: Will: autonomy vs. shame and doubt (Ages 1-3)
Child begin to explore their surroundings. The parents' patience and encouragement helps foster
autonomy in the child. Children at this age like to explore the world around them and they are
constantly learning about their environment.

Stage3: Purpose: initiative vs. guilt(Ages 4-5)

At this stage, the child wants to begin and complete their own actions for a purpose. Guilt is a confusing
new emotion. They may feel guilty over things that logically should not cause guilt. They may feel guilt
when their initiative does not produce desired results.

Stage4: Competence: industry vs. inferiority (Ages 6-11)

Children at this age are becoming more aware of themselves as individuals. At this stage, children are
eager to learn and accomplish more complex skills: reading, writing, telling time. If children are
encouraged to make and do things and are then praised for their accomplishments, they begin to
demonstrate industry by being diligent but If children are instead ridiculed or punished for their efforts
or if they find they are incapable of meeting their teachers' and parents' expectations, they develop
feelings of inferiority  about their capabilities.

Stage5:  identity vs. role confusion (puberty 12-16)

 Superego development stage. Children are apt to experience some role confusion mixed ideas and
feelings about the specific ways in which they will fit into society and may experiment with a variety of
behaviors and activities (e affiliating with certain political or religious groups).

Stage6: intimacy vs. isolation (Young Adulthood)

Young adults are still eager to blend their identities with friends. They want to fit in. Once people have
established their identities, they are ready to make long-term commitments to others.The fear of
rejection develop the feelings of isolation.

Stage7: generativity vs. stagnation (Middle Adulthood)

generativity is the concern of guiding the next generation.Guiding the next generation about values
norms social responsibilities and how to move with family life.

Stage8: ego integrity vs. despair (Maturity)

As we grow older and become senior citizens we tend to slow down our productivity and explore life as
a retired person. It is during this time that we contemplate our accomplishments and are able to
develop integrity  if we see ourselves as leading a successful life. If we see our life as unproductive, or
feel that we did not accomplish our life goals, we become dissatisfied with life and develop despair ,
often leading to depression and hopelessness.

Levinson approach to adult life development:

Levinson's theory is a set of psychosocial 'seasons' through which adults must pass as they move through early adulthood
and midlife. Each of these seasons is created by the challenges of building or maintaining a life structure, by the social
norms that apply to particular age groups, particularly in relation to relationships and career. The process that underlies all
these stages is individuation - a movement towards balance and wholeness over time. The key stages that he discerned in
early adulthood and midlife were as follow

 Early Adult Transition (Ages 16–24)

 Forming a Life Structure (Ages 24–28)
 Settling down (Ages 29–34)
 Becoming One’s Own Man (Ages 35–40)
 Midlife Transition (Early forties)
 Restabilization, into Late Adulthood (Age 45 and on)

Early adulthood:
Early adulthood period start from the age of 17 and ends at 45.In early adulthood 17-22 individuals try
to make their identity in the society which how they make themselves fit in the society.Individuls start to
be independent. Individuals perform different roles i.e. jobs while some people perform exploratory
tasks22-28.At the age of 30 the individual have reappraisal of one’s life and modify or exclude things.
From 30 to 40 individuals have to create self worth at work place and have to make efforts for a better
life. Generational shifts occur at the age of 40.

Middle adulthood:
This stage start from 45 to 50 in which person must try to fashion a satisfactory life structur.The
individuals pursue “protean career”. More chances of horizontal growth because of increased
competencies and experience.

Late adulthood:
Start from the age of 60 to 65.bodily decline may appear illness less productivity.Retirment loss of
power and status.
Evaluation of Levinson Model:
Levinson proposed the existence of four eras of human life cycle In which a number of stable and
transitional periods enable the individual to work on the major developmental tasks of each era.Despite
the plausibility of the of the model,a number of questions become evident.

Stages of career development:

Career development is an ongoing process by which individuals progress through a series of
stages.Career development model includes 5 stages.

Stage1: Occupational choice

This stage mainly exploring the qualities of alternative occupations then develop a occupational choice
and pursue the type of education or training required to implement the choice.Self exploration is the
basic need in career development so it must be done at first stage.The time frame for this stage is25.

Stage2: Organizational entry

Select a job and organization at this stage.A positive outcome of this stage is the choice of a job that can
satisfy ones career values and ones talents.

Stage3: The early career

It includes 2 steps one is to make ones identity in society and striving to make it right.Creation of self
worth with in a field to become more and more comptent.Getting experience n becoming the
outstanding contributer with in the organization by learning culture norms etc.

Stage4: The mid career

At this stage individual reappraise the life structure.Mid career is also tremd as maintaince stage.

Stage5: Late career

Two major tasks dominate this stage.first individuals become more productive by increasing job
involvement just to maintain the self worth and dignity.second plans for retirement cause
disenagagment from work.