145 | A D M 551

146 | A D M 551
147 | A D M 551
148 | A D M 551
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Explain how a career development program integrates individual
and organizational needs.
2. Describe the conditions that help make a career development
program successful.
3. Discuss how job opportunities can be inventoried and employee
potential assessed.
4. Compare the methods used for identifying and developing managerial
talent.
5. Cite the ways in which employers can facilitate the career
development of women.
6. Discuss the ways in which employers can facilitate the career
development of members of minority groups and of dual-career
couples.
7. Describe the various aspects of personal career development that
one should consider.
8. Explain the roles of parties concerned in career development.
9. Identify and explain the elements of career development program.

149 | A D M 551
150 | A D M 551
7.0 INTRODUCTION

Integrating career development with other HR programs creates synergies in which

all aspects of HR reinforce one another. HR structures relate to some of the essential
aspects of the career management process. To plan their careers, employees need
organizational information like strategic planning, forecasting; succession planning
and skills inventories. As employees obtain information about their selves and use it
in career planning, they also need to know the career paths within organization and
how management views their performance.

7.1 DEFINITIONS

What is Career?
Mondy and Noe (2009) stated that career is a general course that a person chooses
to pursue throughout his or her working life. Meanwhile, Gary Dessler (2007)
claimed that career is the occupational positions a person has had over many years.

Mathis and Jackson (2004) stated that career is the series of work related positions a
person occupies through-out life. Therefore in general, we can say that career is a
series of work related positions; paid or unpaid that help a person grow in job skills,
success and fulfillment.

What is Career Planning?

Gary Dessler (2009) stated that career planning is the deliberate process through
which someone becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivation
and other characteristics and establishes action plans to attain specific goals.
Meanwhile, according to Mondy and Noe (2009), career planning is an ongoing
process whereby an individual:
 Sets career goals.
 Evaluate their abilities and interest.
 Consider alternative career opportunities.
 Plan practical development activities.
 Identifies the means to achieve them.

Based on the above definitions we can conclude that career planning career planning
can be defined as self assessment or learning about oneself through the preparation

151 | A D M 551
 of strengths and weaknesses balance sheet or likes and dislikes survey. Career
planning is an action taken by the employees to achieve their career goals.

Activity 1 : Identify your own strengths and weaknesses using the strength
and weaknesses balance sheet.

Strength Weaknesses

What is Career Development?

Mondy and Noe (2009) defined career development as the planned succession of
jobs worked out by a firm to develop its employees. Meanwhile according to Snell
and Bohlander (2010) career development is the deliberate process taken by the
organization through lifelong series of activities that contributes to a person’s career
exploration, establishment, success and fulfillment. In general, we can say that
career development is a paths identified by an organization for employees to assist in
their development.

What is Career Management?

Snell and Bohlander (2010) defined career management as a combination of career
planning and career development which involves both parties (employees and the
organization). It is also a process for enabling employees to better understand and
develop their career skills and interests, and to use these skills and interests more
effectively.

152 | A D M 551
7.2 OBJECTIVES OF CAREER MANAGEMENT

The objectives of career management are as follows:

 More effective development of available talent.
 Self appraisal opportunities for employees considering new or non-traditional
career paths.
 More efficient development of HR within and among divisions and or
geographical locations.
 Satisfaction of employees’ personal needs.
 Improvement of performance through on the job training experience provided
by horizontal and vertical career moves.
 Increased employee loyalty and motivation leading to decreased turnover.
 A method of determining training needs.

7.3 HOW PEOPLE CHOOSE CAREERS?

There are several reasons that can be looked into on how people actually choose
their career.

 Interests
People tend to pursue careers that they believe match their interests. But
over time, interests change for many people and career decisions eventually
are made based on special KSA and which career paths are realistic for
them.

 Self Image
People follow careers they can see themselves doing and avoid careers that
do not fit their self image, perceptions, talents, motives and values.

 Personality
People tend to choose careers that concurrent with their personal orientation
and needs. For example, power, affiliation, realistic or artistic.

 Social Backgrounds
The views on parents’ job background do have an impact when people
choose a career.

153 | A D M 551
  Availability of Job
Timing and availability of jobs also have an impact when people choosing
their careers.

Activity 2 : Based on the above reasons on how people choose their career,
explain how you go about in choosing your career?

7.4 FACTORS AFFECTING CAREER PLANNING

There are several factors that can give an effect towards individual career planning.

1. Life Stage
An organization cannot function at optimum level unless a way is found to
develop the human potential of organization members. An individual
experience several career stages which follow the life pattern. Each career
stage is distinguished by differing needs, motives and tasks. Each individual
then will pass through a series of typical career stages, as described as
follows.
 Establishing identity (10 – 20).
During this stage, the adolescents and young adults are trying to
develop their work images from the mass media and personal
observations. After assessing their talents and limitations and develop
their self images of what they might be, their occupational choices are
gradually formed.

 Growing and getting established (21-40).

At this stage, a person chooses an occupational and establishes a
career path. As part of the establishment stage, young employees are

154 | A D M 551
 required to resolve conflicts between family and work in order to find a
comfortable level of accommodation and also required to form a
career strategy of how to succeed. For example, working hard, finding
mentors etc.

 Self maintenance and self adjustment (40-50 and above).

This occurs when individuals are in their mid and late careers. During
this period, they are given more responsibilities and important
assignments and expected to achieve their highest level of
productivity. At this stage, a person either accepts life as it is or makes
adjustments. During this phase also, career change and divorce might
occur because people seriously question the quality of their lives.

 Decline (50-retirement).
Individual are required to make preparations for formal retirement.
They must learn to accept reduced roles with less responsibility and
learn to manage less – structured lives. Due to this, a person may
have lower aspirations and less motivation resulting to additional
career adjustments. For instance, people typically develop new
activities and responsibilities combined with increased leisure pursuits.

2. Career Anchors
Career anchor is a concern or value that a person will not give up if a choice
has to be made.
 Managerial competence.
The career goal of managers is to develop qualities of interpersonal,
analytical and emotional competence. Individual, who is using this
anchor, will use this competence to manage his or her department and
subordinates.

 Technical / Functional Competence.

This type of competence is developed by a person who does not seek
for managerial position.

155 | A D M 551
  Autonomy & Independence.
The career anchor for independent people is a desire to be free from
organizational constraints. They value autonomy and want to be their
own boss and work at their own place and pace.

 Security.
A conscious people always seek for security to stabilize their career
situations. They often see themselves tied to a particular organization
or geographical location.

 Creativity.
This type of person has entrepreneur spirits and they want to create or
build something that is entirely on their own.

3. Environment
This refers to the work environments or situations in which career planning
takes place such as downsizing, organization decision to offer early
retirement or perhaps the chances of having second career or to be self
employed individual.

7.5 CAREER MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES

Employee career is mainly determined and planned by the individual itself. However,
employer or organization plays important roles to help their employees to achieve
their career planning. Both parties plays vital role to ensure that the employees get
what they want in their career life and at the same time, employer through its
employees also able to achieve organizational, goals. Figure 7.1 shows the roles of
employee and organization in career management.

156 | A D M 551
 Figure 7.1: The Career Management Perspectives

 Employees’ role
Although some firms play a role in the planning of their employees’ careers,
ultimately, employees are responsible for initiating and managing their own
career planning. Here are some roles that employees need to do in
successful career management.
 Accept responsibility for your own career.
 Assess your interests, skills and values.
 Seek out career information and resources.
 Establish goals and career plans.
 Utilize development opportunities.
 Talk with the manager about the career.
 Follow through on realistic career plans.

 Organization role
If career management is to success, it must receive the complete support of
top management. Line managers and HR department should work together to

157 | A D M 551
 design and implement a career development system that helps employees
excel in their careers. Here are some roles that organization can do in career
management.
 Provide timely performance feedback.
 Provide development assignments and support.
 Participate in career development discussion.
 Support employee development plans.
 Communicate mission, policies and procedures.
 Provide training and development opportunities.
 Provide career information and career programs.
 Offer a variety of career options.

7.6 HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT ROLES IN CAREER MANAGEMENT

In career management, you have made to understand that employees must be

responsible to their career planning. However, apart of employees alone,
organization through Human Resource Department also plays important roles to help
employees achieve their career goals. Figure 7.2 shows how Human Resource
Department can act as an important gear to help employees in their careers.

158 | A D M 551
 Figure 7.2: HR Roles in Employees Career
Source: Snell and Bohlander (2010)

Matching and Blending Individual and Organizational Needs.

Employees should understand that, a career development should be based on the
organization’s needs as well as shown in Figure 7.3. Organization’s needs should be
linked with the individual career needs of its employees in a way that improves the
effectiveness of workers and their satisfaction as well as achieving organizational
strategic objectives. Before employees can engage in meaningful career planning,
they must have an awareness of the organization’s vision and mission, but they must
also have a good understanding of the organization immediate goals. Otherwise they
might plan their career without knowing whether their own goals match with the
organization’ goals.

159 | A D M 551
 Figure 7.3: Matching and Blending Both Needs (Organizational and Employee)
Source: Snell and Bohlander (2010)

 Individual employee
Individual employee must have awareness of the organizational philosophy.
They must also have a good understanding of the organization immediate
goals. As employees, they are expected to be able to cope with the changes
in organization.

 Organizational
a) Management Participation:
 Provide top management support
 Provide collaboration between line managers and HR
managers.
 Train management personnel.
 Encourage employee ownership of career.
 Create a supportive context.

b) Setting Goals:
 Plan human resources strategy.
 Establish mutual goal setting & planning.

c) Changing HR Policies:
 Provide for job rotation.
 Provide outplacement service.

160 | A D M 551
 d) Announcing the Career Management Program:
• Explain its philosophy to all employees.
• Communicate direction of company.

Identify Career Opportunities & Requirements.

In helping to develop employees career, perhaps Human Resource Department
should anticipates and evaluate any career opportunities, the requirements needed
to success in their career as well as the possibilities that both parties might
encounter. Below are several factors that need to be taken into serious consideration
with regards HR Department roles on career development.

a. Competency Analysis
Hr Department shall measures three (3) basic competencies needed by
employees for each job such as know-how, problem solving, and
accountability. This information can be used to make certain that a transfer to
a different job is a move that requires growth on the part of the employees.

b. Identify job progression

HR Department must identify employee job progression through which the
hierarchy of jobs an employee might experience, ranging from a starting job
to jobs that require more knowledge and/or skill. A new employee with no
experience is typically assigned to a ‘starting job’. After the employees
become more experience, the employee can be promoted to a job that
requires more knowledge and or skill. This job progression can be developed
for all categories of jobs including managerial, professional and technical
jobs.

These job progressions serve as a basis for developing career path as

shown by figure 7.4 and figure 7.5. According to Gary Dessler (2009), career
path is a flexible line of progression through which an employee typically
moves during employment with a company. Snell and Bohlander (2010)
stated that career path is a line of advancement in an occupational field within
an organization.

161 | A D M 551
 Figure 7.4: Career Illustration of Traditional Career Path for Scientists & Managers
Source: Snell and Bohlander (2008)

Figure 7.5: Sample of Typical Line of Advancement in HR Management

Source: Snell and Bohlander (2010)

c. Recognize lots of possibilities

Career planning and development system usually focused on promotions and
hierarchical advancement. However, in today’s dynamic work environment,
an individual’s career advancement can occur along several different paths
such as promotion, transfers, demotions or even exits. HR Department must
be aware, alert as well as helpful enough to support about any possibilities
that might occur with regards employees’ career change and development as
shown in Figure 7.4.

162 | A D M 551
 Figure 7.4: Alternative Career Moves
Source: Snell & Bohlander (2010)

 Promotions
Promotion is a change of assignment to a job at a higher level in the
organization. Principal criteria for determining promotions are merit,
seniority, and potential. Promotions enable an organization to utilize
the skills and abilities of its personnel more effectively, and as an
incentive for good performance. Promotions means:
 More pay.
 Increase employee status.
 Extra responsibility.
 Job satisfaction.
 To reward good performance.
 To fill in the positions with tested and loyal employees.

Problems in promotion are as follows:

 Bias (gender, racists).
 Nepotism.
 Favoritism.
 Decision to promote based on seniority or competency.
 Discrimination

163 | A D M 551
  Transfer
Transfer is the placement of an individual in another job for which the
duties, responsibilities, status, and remuneration are approximately
equal to those of the previous job. In flatter organizations where there
are fewer promotional opportunities, many employees find career
advancement through transfer or lateral moves. Employees who look
forward to change or want a chance to learn more may seek out for
transfer where they can acquire new knowledge and skills. Normally
company will provide ‘Relocation services’ to an employee who is
transferred to a new location which might include help in moving,
selling a home, orienting to a new culture, and/or in learning a new
language

 Demotion
Demotion is a downward transfer in which the employee is moves into
a lower level job. Although demotion is usually considered
unfavorable, some individuals actually may request it in order to return
to their ‘technical root’ where they belong and expert at.

 Exits
Given limited career opportunities within firms plus the need for talents
by other companies, many employees are opting to accept career
changes that involve organizational exit. While some employees leave
the voluntarily, other employees are forced to leave. However, many
firms now provide ‘Outplacement services’ as to help terminated
employees find a new job elsewhere. If an organization cannot meet
its career development responsibilities, HR Department should
provide for assistance to help the employees in finding more suitable
career opportunities elsewhere.

d. Dual Career Path

A dual-career-path is a system that enables employees to remain in a
technical career path or move into a management career path as shown in
Figure 7.6. Advantages of dual career path are:
• Opportunities of career change mostly from technical and professional
areas to management line.

164 | A D M 551
 • Another way to compensate employees and part of career
advancement.
• It can be considered as promotion made out of their area of
specialization into management.
• Effective way to keep employees with valuable knowledge, skills and
abilities (KSA).

Figure 7.6: Illustration of Dual Career Path

Source: Snell and Bohlander (2008)

e. Consider the Boundary less Career

Employees pursuing boundary less careers may prefer to see themselves as
self-directed “free agents” who develop a portfolio of employment
opportunities by proactively moving from employer to employer,
simultaneously developing and utilizing their marketable skills. Employees
pursuing boundary less career, develop human capital along with industry
and occupational knowledge. Meanwhile, employees pursuing more
traditional careers develop their knowledge specific to a given firm.

Under the boundary less career, success depends on continually learning

new skills, developing new relationships and capitalizing on existing skills and
relationships. Employment security nowadays largely depends on marketable

165 | A D M 551
 skills (multi-tasking skills) rather than specific skills which offer limited
opportunities for career advancement as shown in Figure 7.7. Employees
who pursue boundary less career are very flexible and have the capacity to
do several different types of tasks, learn new jobs, adjust quickly to different
group settings and organizational cultures and move from one firm,
occupation or industry.

Figure 7.7: Human Capital Profiles for Two Different Careers

Source: Snell and Bohlander (2010)

f. Track Career Stages

Employees’ knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes as well as career
aspirations, change as they become matures. Employee has to know well
about their career stages. There are five (5) stages of career development as
follows.
 Stage 1: Preparation for Work (ages 0–18)
At this stage an individual should develop occupational self-image,
assess alternative occupations, develop initial occupational choice
and pursue necessary education. It is a period in which individuals
must acquire the knowledge, abilities and skills they will need in order
to compete in the marketplace. It is a time when careful planning,
based on sound information, should be the focus.

166 | A D M 551
  Stage 2: Organizational Entry (ages 18–25)
At this stage individual shall obtain job offer(s) from desired
organization(s) and select an appropriate job based on complete and
accurate information. Typically at this stage, individual is devoted to
soliciting job offers and selecting an appropriate job. During this
period, one may also be involved in preparing for work.

 Stage 3: Early Career (ages 25–40)

At this stage individual is expected to learn about job, learn
organizational rules and norms, fit into chosen occupation and
organization, increase competence and pursue goals.

 Stage 4: Midcareer (ages 40–55)

At this stage individual should reappraise their early career and early
adulthood goals, reaffirm or modify goals, make choices appropriate to
middle adult years and remain productive.

 Stage 5: Late Career (ages 55–retirement)

At this stage an individual is expected to remain productive in work,
maintain self-esteem and prepare for effective retirement.

Activity 3 : Which career stage are you now? Are you doing the right things as
stated in that particular stage where you are now?

167 | A D M 551
 g. Avoid the Plateau Trap
According to Snell and Bohlander (2010), a career plateau is a situation in
which the probability of moving up the career ladder is low due to
organizational or personal reasons. There are three (3) types of plateau
namely:
 Structural plateau
A structural plateau marks the end of promotions or the end of
advancement; therefore they have to leave the organization to find
new opportunities and challenges.

 Content plateau
It occurs when a person has learned a job too well and is bored with
day to day activities. Meaning to say, an individual is facing lack of job
challenges or the job already becomes stagnant (boredom in career).

 Life plateau
A life plateau is more profound and may feel like a midlife crisis.
People, who experience crisis of personal identity often allowed work
or other major factors become the most significant aspects of their
lives and they experience a loss of identity and self esteem when
there is no longer success in that area.

 What organization can do to avoid the plateaus trap?

Human Resource Department can help its employees’ cope with
plateaus by providing opportunities for lateral growth or allowing them
to choose their own assignments when opportunities for advancement
do not exist. For example, organization can encourage employees to
take abroad assignments to expand their horizon.

168 | A D M 551
 Activity 4 : Using your own judgment and experience, have you experienced
any of the plateaus?

Gauging Employee Potential

There are few ways that can be done by HR department to identify which employees
that have strong capabilities for career development.
 Using performance appraisal
Successful performers are often good candidates for a promotion. Poor
performing employees may be get transferred or even a demotion. As
managers that conduct formal appraisals, they should be concerned with their
subordinates’ potential for managerial or advanced technical jobs and
encourage their growth in that direction.

 Inventorying management talent

Organization should provide an indication of the skills, interests and
experiences employees have. It is the process of identifying high-potential
employees who may be groomed as replacement for managers who are
reassigned, retire or vacate a position.

 Using assessment centers

Organization can identify employee potential by providing a broad-based
testing of individuals in situations that are essentially work samples. For
example using in-basket training in which the participants are given
documents and asked to stimulate working through a series of activities in an
office setting.

 Leaderless group discussion

Through leadership group discussion, employee potential can be identified
through which participants are given an assigned topic without designated

169 | A D M 551
 roles. Natural leadership and interpersonal skills that emerge naturally shows
that the employees possess high skills as a leader.

Provide Career Development Initiatives

Although career management involves a good deal of analysis and planning,
however organization needs to provide a set of tools and techniques that help
employees gauge their potential for success in the organization. Amongst other
things that organization can do in career development are as follows.

 Career Planning Workbooks or Career Manual

This career workbooks is very useful to guide employees by stimulate thinking
about their careers, their strengths and limitations, as well as their
development needs.

 Career Planning Workshop or Seminars

Career planning workshops offer experiences similar to those provided by
workbooks by providing a chance to discuss and compare attitudes, concerns
and plans with other employees who have similar situations. This workshop
covers wide range of aspects such as discussion on current job performance
and development plans as well as broader life and career plans and values.

 Career Counseling
Career counseling is a process of discussing current job activities and
performance, personal and career interests and goals, skills, and career
development objectives. Career counseling is a voluntary service provided by
HR staff, managers and supervisors, specialized staff counselors or outside
consultants.

 Fast-track Program
The requirements of each position and the qualifications of each person are
different; therefore no two individuals will have identical developmental needs
especially the younger manager needs. Some organizations are attempting to
retain young managers with high potential by offering a fast track program. It
is a program that encourages young managers with high potential to remain
with an organization by enabling them to advance more rapidly than those
with less potential.

170 | A D M 551
 Career Self-Management Training
Since employees are being increasingly encouraged to take responsibility for
their own career management, many organizations are establishing programs
for employees on how they can engage in career self management. Career
self management training focuses on two (2) major purpose that are helping
employees learn to continuously gather feedback and information about their
careers as well as encouraging them to prepare for mobility. Employees
typically undertake self assessment to increase their awareness with regard
their own career attitudes and values.

 Networking
Career networking is the process of establishing mutually beneficial
relationships with other business people, including potential clients and
customers. The networks can be internal to a particular organization or
connected across many different organizations. This networking allows job
seekers to meet up with other people who have similar career interests. For
example, the use of social network such as face book, Twitter to interact
about their careers etc.

 Mentoring
It is common to hear people mention about individuals at work who influenced
them, very helpful and provided them with guidance and support such as their
immediate managers or executives at higher levels. Executives who coach,
advice, and encourage individuals of lesser rank are called mentor. Mentoring
functions is to be concerned with the career advancement and psychological
aspects of the person being mentored as shown in figure 7.8.

Not surprisingly, mentoring is also being done over the internet called e-
mentoring. E-mentoring brings experienced business professionals together
with individuals needing counseling through online systems. Forming a
mentoring relationship can be done by following these tips.
 Research the mentor’s background.
 Make contact with the mentor.
 Request help on a particular matter.
 Consider what you can offer in exchange.

171 | A D M 551
  Arrange a meeting.
 Follow up.
 Ask to meet on an ongoing basis.

Figure 7.8: Mentoring Functions

Source: Snell and Bohlander (2010)

Activity 2 : Do you have someone that you consider as your mentor? How
does he or she help you in your career development? Find out what he or she
can help you in your career.

172 | A D M 551
7.7 ISSUES IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT

There are many issues with regards career development opportunities. Some of the
issues are as follows:

Career Development of Women

Women constitute the largest workforce. However, women have the employment
disadvantage. A major obstacle for women, both skilled and unskilled, is the
stereotyped thinking within society. They were not given an equal chance to have
professional training and preparation for entrance or advancement into management
positions.

The proportion of women in top management position is still remains extremely low
due to ‘glass-ceiling’. ‘Glass-ceiling’ is defined as artificial barriers based on
attitudinal or organizational bias that prevents qualified individuals from advancing
upward in their organization into management level position. Amongst other action
that can be done to reduce this barriers are as follows:
 Provide special training for women to growth in career.
 Accept women as valued members of the organization.
 Provide mentors for women.
 Eliminate barriers to women advancement.
 Prepare women for upper-management position.
 Accommodate families’ facilities.

Career development for minorities

Employment opportunities and career advancement for minorities is still substantially
below and limited due to educational and societal disadvantages. Therefore, some of
the actions that can be done are as follows:
 Opportunities for career advancement (middle to top management positions
for those who eligible).
 Providing Internship through opportunities to learn on the job and gain hands
on experience to enrich their KSA.
 Organizing Training Courses by offering them training to improve
interpersonal, communication, leadership, problem solving skills etc.

173 | A D M 551
 Career Development for Dual-Career Couples
Economic necessity and social forces have encouraged this trend to the point that
majority of all marriages are now dual career partnership in which both members
follow their own careers and actively support each other’s career development. The
difficulties that dual career couples face include the need for quality child care, time
demands and emotional stress. Dual career couples also face the problems of
relocations especially when the couples work for two (2) different employers. Fewer
employees are willing to relocate without assistance for their spouses. Amongst other
solutions for these problems are:
 Flexible working schedules are the most frequent organizational
accommodation to these couple such as policies that allow work to be
performed at home and day care at organization premises.
 Organizations also developing networking relationships with other employers
to find jobs for the spouses of their relocating employees.

Career Development for Disabled People

There are only few organizations that willing to hire disabled people to work with
them. These individuals have often been rejected for employment because of
mistaken belief that there were no jobs within an organization that they might be able
to perform effectively. The lack of special facilities has been a further employment
restriction. Therefore, some of the actions that can be taken are:
 Hiring disabled workers is a good investment because they are very focus,
hardworking and talented.
 Offering them a job that can be performed at home.

Career Development for Older Worker

Some organizations are not willing to hire older workers as they belief that older
workers are not productive and contribute towards high rates of absenteeism.
However, the trend is changing where many organizations willing to hire older people
or retirees to work with them. This is probably because of older workers have proven
employment experience, job “savvy” and is reliable employees.

174 | A D M 551
 Activity 2 : Based on your experience at your workplace, have you
experienced the problems of glass ceiling? What is your comment on this
issue?

7.8 HOW TO DEVELOP VISIBILITY IN CAREER

There are some ways that should be taken into consideration if we wish to have a
better career advancement. It is important to make the employer notice about
ourselves thus can provide better chance for career advancement. Some of the
actions are:
 Having strong KSA.
 Acquiring new knowledge.
 Innovative and creative.
 Effective manner.
 Build a good relationship with superior manager.
 Being an active participant.
 Become a valuable resource person or subject matter expert in certain field.
 Challenge yourself.
 Show high performance.

7.9 HOW TO DEVELOP SUCCESSFUL CAREER MANAGEMENT P

Below are the actions that can be considered by a person who want to have a
successful career management such as:
 Placing clear expectations on employees.
 Giving employees the opportunity for transfer.
 Providing a clear and thorough succession plan
 Encouraging performance through rewards and recognition.

175 | A D M 551
  Giving employees the time and resources they need to consider short- and
long-term career goals.
 Encouraging employees to continually assess their skills and career direction.

7.10 INTERNAL BARRIERS TO CAREER ADVANCEMENT

There are few factors that have been identified as the barriers to career
advancement such as:
 Lack of time, budgets, and resources for employees to plan their careers and
to undertake training and development.
 Rigid job specifications, lack of leadership support for career management,
and a short-term focus.
 Lack of career opportunities and pathways within the organization for
employees.

7.11 HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT

There are few ways to develop your personal career development as follows:

Develop your personal skills and competencies

In addition to job know-how, one must achieve a high level of proficiency in
communication, time management, organization of work, interpersonal relationships
and broad area of leadership.

Choosing a career
You must do a lot of searching and changing to find a career path that is
psychologically and financially rewarding. When choosing a career, what you need to
do are:
 Use of available resources that you have.
 Prepare accurate self-evaluation.
 Knowing your significance of interest inventories (know what you want).
 Evaluate your long-term employment opportunities.

Choosing an employer
It is advisable for you to consider employment with an organization whose climate is
compatible with your personal needs. For example, if you are individuals with high

176 | A D M 551
 needs for achievement hence you should consider working with aggressive and
achievement-oriented organizations.

Becoming or being an entrepreneur

You are also suggested to starts, organize, manage and assume responsibility for a
business or other enterprise which can offers a personal challenge that many
individuals prefer over being an employee.

Keeping your career in perspective

While a job and work are important to an individual, it is advisable to keep balance
between your career and personal life. For example, develop your job interest,
balancing marital or family life as well as planning for retirement.

7.12 SUMMARY
Career management is the process of designing and implementing goals, plans and
strategies that enable HR professionals and managers to satisfy workforce needs
and allow individuals to achieve their career objectives. If management takes proper
care of the career management of their employees, it will not only benefit the
individual but organization too.

177 | A D M 551
 1. Define each of the following:
a. career
b. career planning
c. career development
2. Differentiate between organization career planning and individual career
planning.
3. Discuss issues faced by employees and employers in career development.
4. Discuss issues / problems in promotions.
5. Identify factors in choosing career.
6. Explain the employee and manager roles in career development.
7. Answer the question: How can career development foster employee
commitment?.
8. Discuss why organizational support is so important in career development.
9. Determine career development initiatives that should be provided by the
company as tools and techniques that help employees gauge their
potential for success in the organization.
10. Employers provide the tools, environment and skill development
opportunities for the employees, and then the employees are better
equipped to serve the company and build it to its potential. Elaborate any
FOUR (4) human resource’s roles in employee’s career development
process.
11. Explain how a career development program integrates individual and
organizational needs.
12. Describe the conditions that help make a career development program
successful.
13. Discuss how job opportunities can be inventoried and employee potential
assessed.

178 | A D M 551
Study Notes

179 | A D M 551
180 | A D M 551