Managing Careers

Learning Objectives:
-Concept of career -Career anchors -Elements of career planning programme -Benefits of career planning programme -Issues in career planning --Career Development Cycle --Career objectives and career path --Model for planned self-development --Succession planning

Concept of Career
A career can be defined as a sequence of positions, roles or jobs held by one person over a relatively long span A career represents an organized path taken by an individual across time and space with a horizon A career path is a sequential pattern of jobs that form a career. Career goals are the future positions that an individual strives to reach as part of a career. Career planning refers to the process by which an individual selects career goals and the path to these goals Individual career planning is the process by which each employee personally plans career goals. Organizational career planning is the process whereby the organization plans career goals for its employees Career management is the process of designing and implementing goals ,plans, and strategies that enable HR managers to to satisfy work force needs and allow employees to achieve their career objectives Career development programmes help in the achievement of career objectives

Career Anchors
Career anchors are the basic attitudinal characteristics that guide people throughout their careers They act as a foundation of basics, with deep sense of convictions, competence and mental preparedness for pursuing a path These characteristics are composed of a combination of needs and serve to anchor the person to a few related types of careers. Edgar Schein developed the idea of career anchors and came up with 8 career anchors

Some of the career anchors are:

Autonomy/independence Security/stability Technical/functional competence General Management Entrepreneurial creativity Service Pure challenge Life style

Elements of a Career Planning Programme

Individual Assessment and Need Analysis Organizational assessment and Opportunity Analysis Need Opportunity Alignment Career Counseling

Benefits of Career Planning to an Organization

Ensures future availability of resources Enhances organizational ability to attract and retain talent Ensures growth opportunities for all Handles employee frustration.

Benefits of Career Planning to an Individual/employee

Helps the employee understand his strengths and weaknesses Helps the employee to have better knowledge of available career opportunities Enables to choose a career that suits his life-style, preference, self development, family environment Helps plan his career in a long-term perspective Provides opportunity to change career plans according to changing needs and changing environment Success in achieving career objectives gives a sense of satisfaction and achievement that motivates him further.

Issues in Career Planning

Dual family careers Low ceiling careers Declining opportunities Career stages Restructuring Career plateaus Work-family issues

Career Development Cycle

Career development is the process by which employees progress through a series of stages characterized by a different set of developmental tasks, activities and relationships Different career development models are :

Life-cycle model
Based on different stages that an individual grows through his career . The employee undertakes different developmental tasks at these different stages

Organizational-based model
States that careers progress through different stages and a different sets of activities are attached to each stage

Direction-pattern model
Talks of different perspectives of employees about their careers and their plans to progress. -Linear Approach: Continue in the same post or occupation for life -Spiral Approach: Shifting job areas/occupation for various reasons

The four Stages of the Career Development Cycle

Exploration Stage: -Individuals try to identify their likes and dislikes -Discover their inclination towards different kinds of work -They seek information about jobs, careers and occupations -Based on their own analysis they start pursuing the required education or training Establishment Stage: -An individual is able to identify his job, satisfied with it and tries to settle down. -Takes more responsibility, -Makes independent contribution to the organization, -Achieves financial success, -Establishes a desirable life cycle

Contd.
Maintenance Stage:
An employee strives to maintain a reputation and likes others to perceive him. Have enough job experience, good knowledge and sound understanding Tries to update his knowledge and skills. The organization should try to gain maximum experience from the experience and expertise of these employees. The employee could be good trainer or mentor for the new employees.

Disengagement Stage
The individual equips himself for a change, to balance work and non-work activities. Normally he reaches this stage after spending time and energy for his career goals. Disengagement for an old employee is normally retirement but some employees pursue their career and continue working consultants, part time workers etc. Irrespective of age or service employees can choose to change career tracks or occupations. They may even decide to quit their career and devote the time for family life, hobbies etc. Those who have made enough money prefer to quit early.

Career Objectives and Career Path

Some of the important changes that can take place in an employees career are:

1.Promotion:
Reassignment of an employee to a higher level job Promotion are of three kinds:

Merit-based
Awarded to those employees who have consistently produced excellent performance

Seniority-based
Given to employees who have been loyal to the organization for a longer period

Seniority and merit-based

Rewarded for both performance and loyalty Two other types of promotion are: -Time-bound -Vacancy-based

Contd.
2.Transfer It involves horizontal movement from one job to another, at the same level of the organizational hierarchy Transfers can be due to two reasons: -Employee needs -Organizational needs Basically transfer is of three types: -Employee-initiated transfers -Company-initiated transfers -Public-initiated transfers

Model for Planned Self-Development

Steps for planned self-development (6 Steps)
1.Self Assessment 2.Opportunity Analysis 3.Decision Making 4.Leverage Network 5.Venture 6.Continuous Assessment

Succession Planning
It helps identify specific individuals to fill future vacancies in key positions An organizational replacement chart forms the basis for the succession planning process It gives an overview of the present incumbents and prospective replacements.

Effective succession planning has the following elements: -Continuity -Long-term perspective -Organizational need perspective -Turnover management -Emphasis on results