CAREER MANAGEMENT

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INTRODUCTION

Restructuring of organizations makes it essential that companies reconsider the concepts of career and career management in order to retain and motivate employees. Companies successful at managing employee growth that accompanies business expansion emphasize that employees are to be responsible for career management.

INTRODUCTION

These companies do provide resources supporting careers such as development opportunities, mentoring, and training managers in how to coach employees. A major challenge is how to balance advancing current employees careers with simultaneously attracting and acquiring employees with new skills

WHAT IS A CAREER?

A career is a pattern of work-related experiences that span the course of a persons life.

is a persons chosen profession or occupation. The general course or progression of your working life or your professional achievement. A career may include several jobs.

reflects

any work, paid or unpaid. is a broad definition helpful in todays work environment where employees and organizations have diverse needs

Traditional Career Stages

Exploration Establishment Mid career Late Career Decline

High
Job Performance

Will performance increase or decline?

Low
Transition from school to work Getting first job and being accepted

The elder statesperson

Preparing for retirement

10

15

20

25

30

35 Age

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 10/e, DeCenzo/Robbins

Traditional Career Stages

Exploration

includes school and early work experiences, such as internships. involves:

trying out different fields discovering likes and dislikes forming attitudes toward work and social relationship patterns
this stage is least relevant to HRM because it occurs prior to employment

Traditional Career Stages

Establishment includes: searching for work getting first job getting evidence of success or failure takes time and energy to find a niche and to make your mark

Traditional Career Stages

Mid-career

challenged to remain productive at work

employee may:

continue to grow plateau (stay competent but not ambitious) deteriorate

Traditional Career Stages

Late career

successful elder states persons can enjoy being respected for their judgment. Good resource for teaching others those who have declined may experience job insecurity

plateauing is expected; life off the job increases in importance

Traditional Career Stages

Decline

may be most difficult for those who were most successful at earlier stages todays longer life spans and legal protections for older workers open the possibility for continued work contributions, either paid or volunteer

Plateauing

Plateauing means that the likelihood of the employee receiving future job assignments with increased responsibility is low Mid-career employees are most likely to plateau Plateauing becomes dysfunctional when the employee feels stuck in a job that offers no potential for personal growth Such frustration results in poor job attitude, increased absenteeism, and poor job performance

Reasons Employees Can Plateau

Discrimination based on age, gender, or race

Lack of ability
Lack of training Low need for achievement Unfair pay decisions or dissatisfaction with pay raises Confusion about job responsibilities Slow company growth resulting in reduced development opportunities

Possible Remedies for Plateaued Employees

Employee understands the reasons for plateauing Employee is encouraged to participate in development activities Employee is encouraged to seek career counseling Employee does a reality check on his or her solutions

Special Challenges in Career Management

Dealing With Older Workers
Socialization and Orientation Dual-Career Paths Plateauing

Coping With Job Loss

Balancing Work and Life Work and Non-work Policies

Skills Obsolescence

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Career management is the process through which employees:

Become aware of their own interests, values, strengths, and weaknesses. Obtain information about job opportunities within the company. Identify career goals. Establish action plans to achieve career goals.

Why Is Career Management Important?

From the companys perspective, the failure to motivate employees to plan their careers can result in:
A shortage of employees to fill open positions Lower employee commitment Inappropriate use of monies allocated for training and development programs

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Why Is Career Management Important?

(continued)

From the employees perspective, lack of career management can result in:
Frustration Feelings of not being valued by the company Being unable to find suitable employment should a job change be necessary due to mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, or

11 - 17

downsizing.

Career Motivation

Career motivation refers to:

Employees energy to invest in their careers Their awareness of the direction they want their careers to take

The ability to maintain energy and direction despite barriers they may encounter

Career motivation has three aspects:

Career resilience Career insight Career identity

The Value of Career Motivation

Components of Career Motivation Career Resilience Company Value Innovation Employees adapting to unexpected changes Commitment to Company Pride in Work

Career Insight

Employee Value Be aware of skill strengths and weaknesses Participate in learning activities Cope with less than ideal working conditions Avoid skill obsolescence

Career Identity

Components of the Career Management Process

Self-Assessment

Use of information by employees to determine their career interests, values, aptitudes, and behavioral tendencies. Often involves psychological tests.

Reality

Check

Information employees receive about how the company evaluates their skills and knowledge and where they fit into company plans.

Goal Setting

Components of the Career Management Process

The process of employees developing short- and longterm career objectives.

Usually discussed with the manager and written into a

development plan.

Action Planning

Employees determining how they will achieve their shortand long-term career goals.

The career management process:

SelfAssessment

Reality Check

Goal Setting

Action Planning

Shared Responsibility: Roles in Career Management

Employees

Manager HR Manager

Company

EmployEEs RolE in CaREER managEmEnt

Take the initiative to ask for feedback from managers and peers regarding their skill strengths and weaknesses.

Identify their stage of career development and development needs.

Seek challenges by gaining exposure to learning opportunities.

Interact with employees from different work groups inside and outside the company.

Create visibility through good performance.

HR managERs RolE in CaREER Management

Provide information or advice about training and development opportunities.

Provide specialized services such as testing to

determine employees values, interests, and skills.

Help prepare employees for job searches. Offer counseling on career-related problems.

Companys RolE in CaREER managEmEnt

Companies are responsible for providing employees with the resources needed to be successful in career planning:

Career workshops

Information on career and job opportunities

Career planning workbooks Career counseling Career paths

Design factors of Effective Career Management Systems:

System is positioned as a response to a business need. Employees and managers participate in development of the system.

Employees are encouraged to take an active role in career

management.

Evaluation is ongoing and used to improve the system.

Design factors of Effective Career Management Systems:

Business units can customize the system for their own purposes.

Employees need access to career information sources. Senior management supports the career system. Career management is linked to other human resource practices such as training, recruiting systems, and performance management.

Evaluating Career Management Systems

Career management systems need to be evaluated to ensure that they are meeting the needs of employees and the business.

Two types of outcomes can be used to evaluate:

Reactions of the customers (employees and managers) who

use the career management system

Results of the career management system

Evaluation of a career management system should be based on its objectives.

Career Planning & Development Framework

Career Planning

Career Paths

Career Development

Career Goals

Career path, Career Ladder

A career path is a sequence of job positions involving similar types of work and skills that employees move through in the company Career Ladder - a structured series of job positions through which an individual progresses in an organization Career education development of skills, knowledge and attitudes through planned program of learning experiences in education, training and work settings

Characteristics of Effective Career Paths

Salary, status, and incentives for technical employees compare favorably with those of managers Individual contributors base salary may be lower than managers, but they are given opportunities to increase their total compensation through bonuses The individual contributor career path is not used to satisfy poor performers who have no managerial potential

Characteristics of Effective Career Paths

The career path is for employees with outstanding technical skills Individual contributors are given the opportunity to choose their career path
The company provides assessment resources Assessment information enables employees to make comparisons between their interests and abilities with those of employees in technical and managerial positions

Career Planning
Career Planning includes: 1. Assessment of an employee's abilities and potential 2. Determination of logical paths of movement between

jobs
3. Efforts to channel individual career interests in directions compatible with the organizations future human resource needs.

Reasons for Career Planning

Desire to develop and promote employees from within Shortage of promotable talent Desire to aid individual career planning Strong expression of interest by employees

Desire to improve productivity

Employment equity/diversity program commitments

Concern about turnover

Desire for a positive recruiting image

Career Planning: Relation to Other HRM Functions

Human Resource Planning

Job Analysis

Organizational Entry

Performance Appraisal

Career Planning

Training and Development

Individual Career Development

Job Performance Exposure

Networking
Resignations Organizational Loyalty Mentors and Sponsors Key Subordinates Growth Opportunities International Experience

Model of Career Development

Career development is the process by which employees progress through a series of stages.

Each stage is characterized by a different set of developmental tasks, activities, and relationships.

There are four career stages:

Exploration Establishment Maintenance Disengagement

The Career Development Cycle

Self Awareness & Assessment

The Career Development Cycle

Career Decision Making

Stages of Career Development

Five Stages

Self-Assessment Research Decision-Making Networks and Contacts Work

Stage 1: Self-Assessment

Personality Values Skills Career interests Knowledge and learning style Self-employment

Stage 2: Research

Career trends Information search Information interviews Job shadowing Gaining experience

Stage 3: Decision-Making

Career objectives Personal objectives Lifelong learning Goal setting

SMART Goal Setting

Specific Measurable Action oriented Realistic Time framed

Stage 4: Networks & Contacts

Work search Resumes and letters Interviews

Stage 5: Work

Offers and acceptance Success at work

tHE EmployERs RolE in Career Development

Realistic Job Previews

Networking and Interactions

Challenging First Jobs

Employers Role
Mentoring Career-Oriented Appraisals

Job Rotation

Career Goals and career path

Career goals are the future positions one strives to reach as part of a career. These goals serve as benchmarks along ones career path.

A career path is the sequential pattern of jobs that forms ones career.

Job Sculpting

Job sculpting involves aligning career goals with deeply embedded life interests

Career Anchor

Indicates

an

area

of

such

paramount

importance to a person that he or she would not give it up. A network of self-perceived talents, motives, and values that guide an individuals career decisions

Career Anchor

Technical/functional competence

Intrinsic challenge/expertise in specialty

General managerial competence

Get ahead, value responsibility, varied work

Autonomy/independence

Masters of own ship, do your own thing

Security/stability

Future is predictable and stable, job security

Career Anchor

Entrepreneurial creativity

Create new businesses, products, services

Service/dedication to a cause

Central values you want to embody in work; desire to improve the world

Pure challenge

Success is doing impossible, overcoming odds

Lifestyle

Lifestyle more important than career

Identify Your Career Anchors

Technical/ Functional Competence

Security

Managerial Competence

Autonomy and Independence

Creativity

Career Counseling

Have trained counselors in the department Can assist with guidance on realistic goals and plans Often self & environmental assessments required