Chapter 17 Career Management Nelson Quick Why Understand

Chapter 17 Career Management Nelson & Quick

Why Understand Careers • If we know what to look forward to, we can be proactive in planning • As managers, we need to understand the experiences of our employees and colleagues • Career management is good business--It makes financial sense

Career/Career Management Career - the pattern of work-related experiences that span the course of a person’s life Career Management - a lifelong process of learning about self, jobs, and organizations; setting personal career goals; developing strategies for achieving

Career: Paradigm Shift New Career Paradigm Old Career Paradigm Discrete Exchange Mutual Loyalty Contract Occupational Excellence One Employer Focus Organizational Empowerment Top-down Firm Project Allegiance Corporate Allegiance

The New Career Discrete Exchange Occupational Excellence An organization gains productivity while a person gains work experience Skills are continually honed that can be marketed across organizations Power flows down to business Organizational Empowerment units and in turn to the employees Project Allegiance Both individuals and organizations are committed to successful project completion

Realistic mechanic stable restaurant server persistent mechanical engineer materialistic Personalities and Choices Artistic imaginative emotional impulsive architect voice coach interior designer Investigative curious analytical independent physicist surgeon economist

Enterprising ambitious energetic adventurous real estate agent human resource manager lawyer Personalities and Choices Conventional word processor efficient accountant practical data entry operator obedient Social generous cooperative sociable counselor social worker clergyman

Conflicts During Organizational Entry The individual’s attempt to attract the organization 2 4 The individual’s choice of an organization Organizational efforts to attract individuals 1 3 Organizational selection of individuals Figure in L. W. Porter, E. E. Lawler III, and J. R. Hackman, Behavior in Organizations, New York: Mc. Graw-Hill, Inc. 1975. Page 134. Reproduced with permission of the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies.

Realistic Job Preview (RJP) Realistic Job Preview - both positive and negative information given to potential employees about the job they are applying for, thereby giving them a realistic picture of the job RJP’s help promote the image of the organization as operating consistently and honestly

The Career Stage Model Withdrawal Career stage Maintenance Advancement Establishment Early adulthood (17 -40) Middle adulthood (40 -60) Life stage (age) Late adulthood (60+)

Establishment: tasks of the newcomer • Negotiate an effective psychological contract - an implicit agreement between an individual and an organization that specifies what each is expected to give and receive in the relationship • Manage the stress of socialization – Anticipatory socialization - gather information – Encounter phase - learn job demands – Change & acquisition phase - begin to master demands • Ease the transition through individual & organizational actions

Newcomer-Insider Psychological Establishment Contracts for Social Support Type of Support Function of Supportive Attachments Newcomer Concern Examples of Insider Response/ Action Protection from stressors Direct assistance What are the risks? Supervisor cues newcomer Informational Provision of information What do l need to know? Mentor gives advice Evaluative Feedback How am I doing? Supervisor offers feedback Modeling Evidence of standards Who do I follow? Newcomer is apprenticed Emotional Empathy, esteem, love Do I matter? Others (new) empathize

Advancement: Strive for Achievement Career Path - a sequence of job experiences that an employee moves along during his or her career Career Ladder - a structured series of job positions through which an individual progresses in an organization

Advancement: Mentoring Mentor - an individual who provides guidance, coaching, counseling, and friendship to a protégé Career functions provided by a mentor – Sponsorship – Facilitating exposure and visibility – Coaching – Protection

Advancement: Mentoring Psychosocial Characteristics of functions provided good mentoring by a mentor relationships – Role modeling – Acceptance and confirmation – Counseling – Friendship – Regular contact – Consistency with corporate culture – Training in managing the relationship – Accountability – Prestige for mentor

Advancement: Phases of Mentoring Initiation - relationship begins Cultivation - relationship gains meaning Separation - protégé asserts independence Redefinition - relationship has new identity

Advancement: Why Mentors are important • Mentored individuals earn higher salaries • Mentored individuals have higher promotion rates • Mentored individuals are better decision makers

Advancement: Dual-Career Partnerships - a relationship in which both people have important career roles Pressures of such partnerships – Time pressure – Jealousy – Precedence (which career)

Advancement: Work-Home Conflicts • Work-home conflicts more likely affect women • Organizations’ attempts to help – Flexible work schedule - a work schedule that allows employees discretion in order to accommodate personal concerns – Eldercare - assistance in caring for elderly parents and/or other elderly relatives

Maintenance: Time of Crisis or Contentment • Midlife crisis – Slowed or stalled career growth – Burn-out • Contentment – Sense of achievement – No need to strive for continued upward mobility

Maintenance: Issues of This Stage • Career plateau - a point in an individual’s career in which the probability of moving further up the hierarchy is low • Firms respond with – Lateral moves – Project teams – Affirmation – Mentoring roles for maintenance stage employee

Withdrawal: Planning for Change • Plan financially • Plan psychologically – hobbies and travel – volunteer work – extended family – temporary work (esp. top level executives)

Withdrawal: Retirement Issues Health Spouse Dual Careers Income

Career Anchors Managerial competence A network of self-perceived talents, motives, and values that guide an individual’s career decisions Technical/functional competence Creativity Autonomy & Independence Security. stability

Managing Your Career: Key Questions 1. Am I adding real value? 2. Am I plugged into what’s happening around me? 3. Am I trying new ideas, new techniques, new technologies?