Managing Career

Dr. Anupam Shukla

Principal, ICST, SHEPA, Varanasi
anupam.j.shukla@gmail.com

This is first part of two part article in which we will discuss:

 What are the need for career planning and its importance?
 What is the difference between career and job?

Career Planning: Need & Importance

Merriam Webster dictionary defined career as a “profession for which one trains and which is
undertaken as a permanent calling”. Further, Schermerborn et al defined career planning as a
process of systematically matching career goals and individual capabilities with opportunities for
their fulfilment. Analyzing both the definitions, we can say that career planning is related to
individual personality and it is a lifelong phenomenon. So let’s first understand what an
individual (human) do for the whole life.

Every human being or animal on planet earth has some life span or the time they have to spend
on it. Animals or human being are the same in terms of life span (varies in terms of length).
Both eat, sleep, reproduce, socialize and have some purpose in life. One thing which
differentiates human beings with animals is that humans have more than one purpose in life.
While animals have only one purpose of life and that is to survive, what Darwin has discovered
and become the principle of “survival of the fittest”. On the other hand, human lives not only
have the purpose of survival but also have other purposes. Dalai Lama, the great spiritual guru
says that the purpose of life is to be happy and have contentment, other purposes of human life
could be to leave a legacy, to love others, to create your own meaning, to make a positive
difference in others life, to create institutions or anything which is NOT limited to individual,
which affect and include others also. Purpose of life is the most difficult yet very foremost
question of a mature mind which has to start its life journey. So the need for career starts with
knowing the purpose of life. And the purpose of life not only helps an individual to plan its
career but also helps to develop one’s self-esteem so that it gives the confidence to achieve the
goals determined for a successful career.

Career is an instrument of life’s journey and it offers a sense of purpose in life by deciding on
different career goals in life. Attaining career goals and succeeding in a career gives a sense of
satisfaction to us. It also helps us to achieve unambiguous status in life and helps in getting
societal acceptance as a person with respect. Careers construct our journey of life, a structured
route with organized living and have a stable future. It also helps us in developing relationships
with society and other individuals in life whom we meet in our chosen profession (career).

Job vs. Career

In today’s scenario students gets confused with the aim of education as the means to get a job.
Yes, sometimes education helps an individual, to get a job and professional education
particularly prepares the individual for a specific job. But, still the aim of the education is not
only limited to getting a job, rather the real purpose is what Swami Vivekananda put forward as
“the manifestation of the perfection already in man”

Students passed out of schools & colleges are a result of the education system. Though what
is the effect of education on an individual is a separate topic of discussion. But directly or
indirectly it has some impact on them. That is why one can easily differentiate among students
(keeping IQ aside).

Since career is carved out of individuals’ life, opportunities & progress. It is the attitude
towards life which is the founding stone, laid in the personality of an individual through an
education system which creates a big difference for the magnificent building of the career.

The significant differences between job and career are indicated below:

• The job is defined as a task or duty performed by a person for getting a salary or wages.
Career refers to an occupation carried on by a person for his entire life.

• A job is a trip, but a career is a journey.

• In a job, you invest your time and skills to earn money, but when it is about career, you
invest your time in following your dreams.

• A job is when you work for a fixed time. Conversely, a career is when you don’t know
whether it is morning or afternoon or night, you sleep late at night and wake up early just to
learn and explore more and more.

• A job is a means for securing the needs of life, but a career is an end in itself, i.e. what a
person endeavors until he retires.

• People hold a job, for a short term while a career is seen as a long-term goal of an individual.

• The job requires education and skills. On the other hand, career needs specialization in a
specific field.

As we can make out that a job is different from the career. There is only one career in a person’s
life but there can be several jobs in an individual’s career. Various jobs are fitted into one’s
career, to achieve the purpose of life. A job takes your time, provides you with some work and
money. However, a career not only gives you money but also opportunities to do what you want
to achieve in life as well as satisfaction. One basic difference between job and career is that a
job is what you are doing at present, but career is what you have done so far and what you are
going to do next.

In the next part of article we will discuss career planning process and how to plan one’s career
Planning a Career