Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Career Management
Career Management
Career Management
CAREER MANAGEMENT
After studying this chapter, students should be able to understand the following:
L. Career
LESSON OVERVIEW
In this lecture, we first discuss the concept of career, career planning and development. Next, we distinguish
between job security and career security. Then, we identify several factors that affect career planning and
discuss both individual and organizational career planning. We next address career paths and discuss career
development, then, career planning and development methods are described. We devote the last part of the
L. Career:
Career can be defined as a general course of action a person chooses to pursue throughout his or her
working life
I. Career planning:
Career planning is an ongoing process through which an individual sets career goals and identifies the
means to achieve them. The process by which individuals plan their life’s work is referred to as career
planning. Through career planning, a person evaluates his or her own abilities and interests, considers
alternative career opportunities, establishes career goals, and plans practical developmental activities.
Usually, career planning programs are expected to achieve one or more of the following objectives:
3. More efficient development of human resources within and among divisions and/or geographic
locations.
a. Individual career planning — Career planning begins with self-understanding. Then, the
person is in a position to establish realistic goals and determine what to do to achieve these
goals. Learning about oneself is referred to as self-assessment. Some useful tools include a
b. Career Assessment on the Web — The Web has numerous tests and assessments sites
firm.
Career paths have historically focused on upward mobility within a particular occupation. One of four types
b. Network Career Path—A method of career pathing that contains both a vertical
c. Lateral Skill Path—Traditionally, a career path was viewed as moving upward to higher
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levels of management in the organization. The availability of the previous two options has
diminished considerably in recent years. But this does not mean that an individual has to
remain in the same job for life. There are often lateral moves within the firm that can be
d. Dual-Career Path— A career-path method, that recognizes that technical specialists can
e. Adding Value To Retain Present Job—Regardless of the career path pursued, today’s
workers need to develop a plan whereby they are viewed as continually adding value to the
organization. If employees cannot add value, the company does not need them, and much
of the evolving work environments cannot use them either. Workers must anticipate what
tools will be needed for success in the future and obtain these skills. These workers must
look across company lines to other organizations to determine what skills are transferable,
and then go and get them. Essentially, today’s workers must manage their own careers as
never before.
f. Demotion—Demotions have long been associated with failure, but limited promotional
opportunities in the future and the fast pace of technological change may make them more
A formal approach taken by an organization to help its people acquire the skills and experiences needed to
perform current and future jobs is termed as career development. Company’s policies especially policies
regarding promotion, counseling the employees, opportunities to excel in future help employees to develop
their career. Career development consists of skills, education and experiences as well as behavioral
modification and refinement techniques that allow individuals to work better and add value.
Career development is an ongoing organized and formalized effort that recognizes people as a vital
organizational resource. It differs from training in that it has a wider focus, longer time frame, and broader
scope. The goal of training is improvement in performance; the goal of development is enrichment and
Recently, career development has come to be seen as a means for meeting both organizational and
employee needs, as opposed to solely meeting the needs of the organization as it had done in the past.
Now, organizations see career development as a way of preventing job burnout, providing career
information to employees, improving the quality of work lives and meeting affirmative action goals. That is,
career development must be seen as a key business strategy if an organization wants to survive in an
There are numerous methods for career planning and development. Some currently utilized methods, most
and subordinate may jointly agree on what type of career planning and development
activities are best. In other instances, psychologists and guidance counselors provide this
service. In an academic setting, colleges and universities often provide career planning and
advice.
workers in career planning and development. Such material is tailored to the firm’s special
needs. In addition, job descriptions provide valuable insight for individuals to personally
determine if a match exists with their strengths and weaknesses and specific positions
considered.
c. Performance Appraisal System—The firm’s performance appraisal system can also be a
valuable tool in career planning and development. Noting and discussing an employee’s
strengths and weaknesses with his or her supervisor can uncover developmental needs. If
d. Workshops—Some organizations conduct workshops lasting two or three days for the
purpose of helping workers develop careers within the company. Employees define and
match their specific career objectives with the needs of the company. At other times,
workshops are available in the community that the company may send the worker to or
development needs and an action plan to achieve them. Workers are encouraged to analyze
g. Career Planning Web Sites—There are numerous Web sites available that provide career
While most business people today agree that their organizations should invest in career development, it is
not always clear exactly what form this investment should take. Before putting a career development
Many modern organizations have concluded that employees must take an active role in planning and
implementing their own personal development plans. Situations have led companies to encourage their
employees to take responsibility for their own development; these may include mergers, acquisitions,
downsizing, and employee empowerment. However, employees need at least general guidance regarding the
steps they can take to develop their careers, both within and outside the company.
Too much emphasis on career enhancement can harm an organization's effectiveness. Employees with
extreme career orientation can become more concerned about their image than their performance. Some
warning signs a manager should be on the lookout for include a heavy focus on advancement opportunities,
Serious side effects of career development programs include employee dissatisfaction, poor performance,
and turnover in the event that it fosters unrealistic expectations for advancement.
Companies need to break down the barriers some employees face in achieving advancement in order to
meet the career development needs of today's diverse work force. In 1991, a government study revealed
that women and minorities are frequently excluded from the informal career development activities like
Perhaps the best way a company can ensure that women and minorities have a fair chance at managerial and
Another employee group that may need special consideration consists of dual-career couples. Common
organizational approaches that are becoming increasingly popular in dealing with the needs of dual career
couples are flexible work schedules, telecommuting, and the offering of child-care services. Some
Creative decision making is a must in designing and implementing an effective development program. The
three phases of development often blend together in a real _life program. These three phases include the
The assessment phase involves activities ranging from self-assessment to organizationally provided
assessment. The goal of both of these types of assessment is to identify employees' strengths and
weaknesses.
This involves determining the type of career that employees want and the steps they must take to make their
The development phase is taking actions to create and increase skills to prepare for future job opportunities
and is meant to foster this growth and self-improvement. The methods are
1. Mentoring & Coaching : It has become increasingly clear over the years that employees who aspire
to higher management levels in the organization often need the assistance and advocacy of someone higher
up in the organization. When senior employee takes an active role in guiding another individual, we refer to
this activity as mentoring and coaching. This can occur at any level and can be most effective when the two
2. Job Rotation: Involves moving employees from one job to another for the purpose of providing
3. Tuition Assistance Programs: To help individuals plan their careers, organizations try to provide
• Self-Development
When an employer does not routinely offer development programs, it is essential that employees work out
their own development plan. Planning for your career should include a consideration of how you can
• Development Suggestions
Development suggestions focus on personal growth and direction. These suggestions include statements
• Advancement Suggestion
Advancement suggestions focus on the steps that employees can take to improve their chances of being
considered for advancement. These suggestions include statements such as "Remember that performance
Each person’s career goes through stages that influence an individual’s knowledge of, and preference for,
various occupations. People change constantly and, thus, view their careers differently at various stages of
their lives. Some of these changes result from the aging process and others from opportunities for growth
and status. The main stages of the career cycle include the growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance,
and decline.
a. Growth Stage: The growth stage is roughly from birth to age 14 and is a period during
people. Basically, during this stage an individual establishes his or her identity.
b. Exploration Stage: The exploration stage is the period roughly from ages 15 to 24, during
attempts to match these occupational alternatives with his or her own interests and abilities
c. Establishment Stage: The establishment stage is roughly from ages 25 to 44 and is the
primary part of most people’s work lives. Hopefully, during this period, a suitable
occupation is found and the person engages in those activities that help earn a permanent
career. During this period, the individual is continually testing personal capabilities and
d. Maintenance Stage: Between the ages of 45 to 65, many people move from the
stabilization sub stage into the maintenance stage. During maintenance, the individual has
usually created a place in the work world, and most efforts are directed at maintaining the
e. Decline Stage: As retirement becomes an inevitable reality, in the decline stage, there is
frequently a period of adjustment, where many begin to accept reduced levels of power
and responsibility.
Key Terms
Career: Career can be defined as a general course of action a person chooses to pursue throughout his or
Career planning: Career planning is an ongoing process through which an individual sets career goals and
Career Paths: Career paths have historically focused on upward mobility within a particular occupation.
Career Development: A formal approach taken by an organization to help people acquire the skills and
experiences needed to perform current and future jobs is termed as career development.
Mentoring & Coaching: When senior employee takes an active role in guiding another individual, we refer
Dual-Career Path: A career-path method, that recognizes that technical specialists can and should be
allowed to continue to contribute their expertise to a company without having to become managers.