Introduction to Human Resource Management

Chapter 9 : Managing Careers

Concept of Career, Career Anchors, Autonomy, Security, Technical, General Management, Entrepreneurial Creativity, Service, Pure Challenge, Lifestyle, Elements of a Career Planning Programme, Individual Assessment and Need Analysis, Organizational Assessment and Opportunity Analysis, Need Opportunity Alignment, Career Counseling, The Benefits of Career Planning to an Organization, Ensures Availability of Resources for Future, Enhances Organizational Ability to Attract and Retain Talent, Ensures Growth Opportunity for All, Handles Employee Frustration, The Benefits of Career Planning to an Individual, Issues in Career Planning, Dual Family Careers, Low Ceiling Careers, Declining Opportunities, Career Stages, Restructuring, Career Plateaus, Work Family Issues, Career Development Cycle, Exploration Stage, Establishment Stage, Maintenance Stage, Disengagement Stage, Career Objectives and the Career Path, Promotion, Transfer, Model for Planned Self-Development, Self Assessment, Opportunity Analysis, Decision Making, Leverage Network, Venture, Continuous Assessment, Succession Planning, Continuity, Long-term perspective, Organizational Need Perspective, Turnover Management, Emphasis on Results

Chapter Summary

A career is the sequence of jobs held during one's working life. Career planning refers to the process by which an individual determines his/her career objectives and plans the path to achieve these objectives. The process of an employee planning his/her career goals is known as individual career planning. The process by which the management plans career goals for its employees is known as organizational career planning.

Several positive results can accrue from good career planning. An effective career planning and development program improves the ability of the organization to attract and retain talented personnel. A well-designed career planning program includes evaluation of career needs and career opportunities, and alignment of needs with opportunities. Employees go through certain career problems, despite planning.

Some of these problems are caused by dual-career families, low ceiling careers, declining career opportunities, issues of career stages and downsizing/delayering. Career development is the process by which employees'progress through a series of stages, each characterized by a different set of developmental tasks, activities, and relationships.

There are three types of career development models – the life-cycle model, the organization-based model and the directional-pattern model. The career development model incorporates the key contributions made by each of these models to understanding careers. The career path of an individual progresses through promotions and transfers, towards its final objective. Promotion is the reassignment of an employee to a higher-level job.

The different bases for promotion are merit, seniority and merit-cum-seniority. Transfer refers to the assignment of an employee to another position with similar pay, status, duties and responsibilities. The model for planned self- development consists of six stages: self-assessment, opportunity analysis, decision-making, leveraging network, venturing and continuous assessment.

A well-planned and well-executed career development program is beneficial for the organization as well as the employees in a number of ways. Organizational planning of employee career paths to fill up future vacancies with the best replacements from within the organization is termed as succession planning. Succession planning helps in identifying future incumbents of key positions in an organization.

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