Chapter 11Careers and Career Management

Copyright © 2010 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

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Introduction

Career development is important for companies to create and sustain a continuous learning environment.

The biggest challenge companies face is finding a balance between advancing current employees’ careers while simultaneously attracting and acquiring employees with new skills.

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Introduction (cont.)

The concept of careers is influenced by the growing use of teams to produce products and provide services.

Project careers – a series of projects that may not be in the same company.

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Why is Career Management Important?

It 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.

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Why is Career Management Important? (cont.)

From the company’s 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? (cont.)

From the employees’ perspective, lack of career management can result in:frustration due to lack of personal growth and

challenge at work.feelings of not being valued in the company.an inability to find suitable employment, in

case of mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, or downsizing.

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Why is Career Management Important? (cont.)

Career motivation refers to employees’:energy to invest in their careers.awareness of the direction they want their

careers to take.ability to maintain energy and direction

despite barriers they may encounter.

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Figure 11.1 - The Value of Career Motivation

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What is a Career?

It is the individual sequence of attitudes and behavior associated with work-related experiences and activities over the span of the person’s life.

The concept of careers can be described:as an advancement.as a profession.a lifelong sequence of jobs.a lifelong sequence of role-related

experiences.

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What is a Career? (cont.)

Protean career - based on self-direction with the goal of psychological success in one’s work.

Psychological success - the feeling of pride and accomplishment that comes from achieving life goals that are not limited to achievements at work.

Psychological contract - the expectations employers and employees have about each other.

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Table 11.1 - Comparison of Traditional Career and Protean Career

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Table 11.2 - Suggested Characteristics of Different Generations of Employees

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Table 11.2 - Suggested Characteristics of Different Generations of Employees (cont.)

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Table 11.2 - Suggested Characteristics of Different Generations of Employees (cont.)

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A Model of Career Development

Career development - process by which employees progress through a series of stages.Each stage is characterized by a different set

of developmental tasks, activities, and relationships.

Career development models:Life-cycle modelsOrganization-based modelsDirectional pattern model

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Table 11.3 - A Model of Career Development

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A Model of Career Development (cont.)

Recycling - changing one’s major work activity after having been established in a specific field.

Career management system - helps employees, managers, and the company identify career development needs.

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Career Management Systems

Self-assessmentUse of information by employees to determine

their career interests, values, aptitudes, and behavioral tendencies.

Involves psychological tests.

Reality checkInformation employees receive about how the

company evaluates their skills and knowledge and where they fit into the company plans.

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Career Management Systems (cont.)

Goal settingEmployees develop short- and long-term

career objectives usually related to desired positions, level of skill application, work setting, or skill acquisition.

Action planningEmployees determine how they will achieve

their short- and long-term career goals.May involve training courses and seminars,

informational interviews, employee volunteerism programs, etc.

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Table 11.5 - Design Factors of Effective Career Management Systems

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Table 11.6 - Elements of Career Management Web Sites

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Figure 11.4 – Shared Responsibility: Roles in Career Management

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Table 11.7 - Managers’ Roles in Career Management

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Table 11.8 - Characteristics Of Successful Career Discussions

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Evaluating Career Management Systems

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

Evaluation can be based on:reactions of the customers who use the career

management system.objective information related to the retention

rates of key employees or managers of the career management system.