David Starr-Glass MBA, M.Sc., M.Ed.
Mentor, International Programs (Prague), State University of New York — Empire State College
Career has multiple meanings and multiple perspectives. Traditionally, a career has been defined as the progression of accomplishments and advancements through which an individual progresses in his or her work-life.
In this traditional understanding, a career was usually linked with long-term associations with stable organizations: people progressed from one level of the organization’s hierarchy to a higher one. Several issues were important:
This was the framework within which career development took place; however, the traditional model has been seriously disrupted in the last twenty years. Business organizations are facing considerable turbulence and rapid change. They appreciate that things change quickly and are constantly in the process of redefining themselves in ways that provide strategic advantages. They are no longer interested in people successfully fitting into their cultures and operations, because they are preoccupied with short-term goals – people can be easily disposed of, or replaced. Downsizing and lean organizational structures have become the norm. Organizations have also increasingly defined psychological contracts in ways that give them maximum advantage – they are (and always have been) the dominant partner in the employee relationship. Organizations are increasingly unwilling to invest in human capital, because the time horizon and anticipated returns of those investments are no longer predictable.
The shifts in the ways in which businesses do their business are hardly surprising: everybody in the work-world – or unable to enter the work-world – is acutely aware of the changes. We have entered an era where high levels of marketplace instability, increased levels of unemployment, and economic instability are evident. This is not likely to change in the near future. These significant changes in the external environment of business – and in the reconfiguration of their internal dynamics – have completely changed the notion of the career. Traditional careers and career development no longer make sense; indeed, some have spoken of the death of the career job.
Two alternative visions of career have emerged. These have been around for some time, but in the current climate they are now seen as much more appealing, realistic, and necessary.
Those who pursue either boundaryless or protean careers pathways have taken charge of their work-world and personal progression. They have drawn the maps, they are navigating the new territory, and they are explorers. Research on the origins and results of these newer approaches to career are divided: some see them as being personally assumed, others as being forced onto people because of the decline of traditional career opportunities.
So what should we take away from any discussion on careers and career development?
Developing career has always been important, but it is even probably even more critical in the highly competitive world in which we live. Developing a career pathway that will be satisfying and fulfilling is one of the most significant challenges that we face. Naturally, it does not just depend on the individual – by definition career involves an interaction with a surrounding world that is neither fully predictable nor totally within our control. The challenge is to understand what we want and to move in that direction. Begin by thinking about your future and then start taking charge of your own career. The time to start thinking is today, not tomorrow; the time to start taking charge is now, not later. The attached bibliography provides a selection of essential reading that will be useful.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Arthur, M. B., Khapova, S. N., & Wilderom, C. P. M. (2005). Career success in a boundaryless career world. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26, 177-202.
Arthur, M. B., & Rousseaue, D. M. (1996). The boundaryless career: A new employment principle for a new organizational era. New York: Oxford University Press.
Briscoe, J. P., Hall, D. T., & Demuth, R. L. F. (2006). Protean and boundaryless careers: An empirical exploration. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69(1), 30-47.
Hall, D. T. (2004). The protean career: A quarter-century journey. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65(1), 1-13.
Hall, D. T., & Chandler, D. E. (2005). Psychological success: When the career is a calling. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(2), 155-176.
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