DEFINATION

Career – A career is a series of work related positions, paid or unpaid, that help a

person grow in job skills, success, and fulfillment.

Career Planning – Career Planning is the deliberate process through which a person

becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivations, characteristics,

career – related attributes and the lifelong series of stages that contribute to his or

her career fulfillment.

Career Development – Career Development is the lifelong series of activities that

contribute to a person’s career exploration, establishment, success and fulfillment.

The main characteristics of career planning are as follows:

Career planning is a process of developing human resources rather than an event.

It is not an end in itself but a means of managing people to obtain optimum results.

Career  planning  is  a  continuous  process  due  to  an  ever 

changing environment.

The basic aim of career planning is integration of individual and organizational

needs.

CAREER PLANNING AND MANPOWER PLANNING

Career planning is an integral part of manpower planning which in turn is an

important part of corporate planning Manpower planning cannot be effective without

proper career planning. Similarly, manpower planning provides valuable information

to facilitate career planning. However, they are important differences between career

planning and manpower planning.

First, Manpower planning provides an inventory of skills and potentials available

within an organization. On the other hand, career planning determines who (on the

basis ofperformance and potential) could be groomed for higher level assignments,

where when and how (i.e., after what kind of training)

Secondly, manpower planning provides information on the human resource

available within the organization for expansion, growth and technology innovations.

But career planning only tells us who could succeed in case retirement, death,

resignation, etc. of existing personnel.

OBJECTIVES OF CAREER PLANNING

To attract and retain the right type of persons in the organization.

To map out careers of employees suitable to their ability, and their willingness to be

trained and developed for higher positions.

To ensure better use of human resources through more satisfied and productive

employees

To have a more stable workforce by reducing labour turnover and absenteeism

To increasingly utilize the managerial talent available at all levels within the

organization.

To improve employee morale and motivation by matching skills to job requirements

and by providing opportunities for promotion.

To ensure that promising persons get experiences that will equip them to reach

responsibility for which they are able.

To provide guidance and encouragement employees need to fulfill their potentials.

To achieve higher productivity and organizational development.

WHY CAREER PLANNING IS IMPORTANT?

Let’s suppose you choose a field.  Career planning is not planning for that field on

a one-time only basis, but it’s a continuing process; in fact, you can call it a lifetime

process.  We are always learning and growing, and as we do, our interests and needs

also change. Career planning is not just making plans to obtain your “perfect†job�

or career, but to help you make the many adjustments there will be along the way as

you learn about you and your world or work.

Career planning is estimating, predicting and calculating all the steps necessary to

achieving your goals.  Career planning is a process and is always ongoing and often

runs in cycles.  When you desire change in your career, the process can be repeated

many times. The reason most people do not turn their wishes and dreams into reality

is because they don’t take these wishes and dreams and make them goals. A goal

is a dream with a deadline.

There are many reasons why people don’t make goals for themselves.  The

biggest reason is they don’t understand that the process of goal setting is a skill. 

All of us have made some goals in our life and achieved them.  But most of these

were not large or life changing goals like going into business, changing careers,

becoming wealthy, writing a novel, going from office clerk to a top executive or

becoming an expert in your field.

The successful people set goals; they plan and follow the plan.  Goal setting is a

process and a learned skill with many parts to it.  Simple, short-term goals may be

done in your head, but more complex, long-term goals, should be written, evaluated

and monitored frequently.  The longer it takes to achieve your goal, the more you will

encounter problems, changes and frustration.

Goal seeking is growth building.  Goal planning is life planning.  As you define your

goal, it will define you.

Life presents us with unexpected events all the time.  So when we set out a goal we

must understand that there may be many roadblocks to reaching a goal. Barriers that

come up often cause a person to abandon a goal.

Many people think that by writing down their goals, they fear they will lose their

spontaneity or flexibility. Goals aren’t rigid and once it’s written it’s cast in

stone and one can’t change it.  No one knows the future.  What you plan today

can change dramatically in an instant.

Suppose you want to go from a clerical worker to a manager.  Before you do anything

further, ask yourself “Why do I want to achieve this goal?â€Â�   You may say, “I

want to achieve this goal because I want to have more status†or “I want to�

increase my salary†or “I believe I can be a good leader and this can help me�

achieve my long term goal of becoming a top executive in my present company or

another company.†�Now ask yourself “Why is this important to me?†You may say, “It’s�

important to me because I want to go as high up the corporate ladder as my talents

and abilities will carry me.†Then ask yourself, “Why is this important to me?â€Â� �  

You might say, “Because I want to prove to myself and to others I’m an

achiever and I want to have the prestige and status of a corporate executive.†�Ask yourself again, “Why is this important to me?â€Â�   Try doing this for as long as

you can.  What you are attempting to do is get to the core reason of why you want to

do something.  This exercise will help you to clarify your intentions and goals.

It’s sometimes easy to say, “I want this†when it might actually be something�

else you want.  This can help you save wasted effort by making sure you truly want to

pursue this goal.  It will also help you with your motivation and determination when

you can positively say to yourself, “Yes, this is truly what I want,†and you will be�

more committed to this pursuit

In summary, many people are dissatisfied in their jobs and career.  Career

planning will help maximize your potential and satisfaction in your work.

STAGES OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Super, Schein and others have identified five stages of career development. These are

given below:

Exploration Stage

In early adulthood stages, as an individual, one make certain critical decisions,

regarding his career. This decision regarding that of career choices are influenced by

a number of factors, such as the following:

Influences from parents, relatives, teachers and friends.

TV and film.

Interests and specialization of parents.

Financial resources mostly that of parents.

Social influences.

n exploration stage, a number of perceptions occur some of these are unrealistic.

Many of them are irrelevant to the organization, because it occurs prior to joining the

organization. However to an individual such influences and choices of career are

relevant even though many of such influences remain dormant for years, waiting for

an opportunity to arise to popup. This stage ends by early 20s when one leaves the

studies and goes for employment.

Establishment Stage

This stage starts with searching job and getting the first appointment. In this stage a

person gets his first appointment and feels the reality of career life. At this stage, he

experiences comradeship of another set of people who are made up of his peers, other

than his friends and classmates as in exploration stage. For the first time, in this phase

comes under the command and control of his “boss” which is a new experience

because, he experienced only the command and control of his parents. Both these

changes cause an amount of apprehensions and anxieties due to uncertainties of

outcomes. The outcomes viz. success or failure in his job. This is a phase where he

makes mistakes and learns lessons. He also experiences ecstacies in achieving

successes. By and large, this stage is eventful and men Certain events happening in

this stage creates ever lasting impressions in life which might great influence in

shaping his future career.

Mid-Career Stage

At this stage any of the following three things happens:

1. Employees show continuous improvement in performance (High Flying).

2. Employee continued to maintain high level of performance.

3. Employee deteriorates his performance as he catch up in age (Maladjustment).

Late Career Stage

Those who successfully complete the Mid-career stage can comfortably pass through

the stage of “later career”. By and large, it represents a period from 50 years to 70

years. This range is arbitrary. It varies considerably between persons to persons and

with organizations. In this phase, a more comfortable and relaxed career path is

indicated with higher status, recognition and with more number of subordinates to

assist. In this period, not much learning takes place nor does the incumbent try to

improve his previous year’s performance records. Here the application of

conceptual skill and maturity in judgment are as important as the charismatic appeal.

In this phase, those stagnated during previous stages prepare themselves to retire

from active life or doing something different.

Decline Stage

Decline stage is inevitable to all high flyers and others. It is interesting to note that

this period is more painful for high flyers, because, suddenly they find themselves

away from the central stage and out of “lime-lights.” For others viz. the average

performers or those of less-average performers, this is a “God send” opportunity to

come out of the routine drudgery. However, even for them, the adjustment during this

period becomes a bit difficult because of “lack of responsibilities” and absence of

“order or structure”. Development of good hobbies, past time, humanitarian/social

works, etc. can reduce monotony during this stage to certain extent.

PROCESS OF CAREER PLANNING

Identifying Individual Needs and Aspirations

First of all, an objective analysis of the hopes and aspirations of different categories of

employees is done. It is necessary to identify and communicate the career goals,

aspirations and career anchors of every employee because most individuals may not

have a clear idea about these. For this purpose a personnel inventory of the

organization and employee potential are ascertained. Personnel inventory will reveal

the age, qualifications, experience and aptitude of present employees.

Appraisal of employees is then carried out to identify the employees having the

necessary potential for climbing up the ladder and is willing to be promoted and to

take up higher responsibilities. Such appraisal may reveal three categories of

employees;

a)   Employees who are already fit and willing to take up higher responsibilities

These can be promoted to fill the higher level vacancies;

b)   Employees who have the potential and willingness to take up higher

responsibilities but require more training and experience, and

c)   Employees who have the capacity to take higher responsibilities but lack the

interest or desire.

Analyzing Career Opportunities

The organizational set up, future plans and career system of the employees are

analyzed to identify the career opportunities available within it. Career paths can be

determined for each position. It is also necessary to analyze career demands in terms

of knowledge, skills, experience, aptitude, etc. Long term and short term career goals

can be defined after relating specific jobs to different career opportunities. At a

particular level, there may be young direct recruits as well as older persons who have

risen to the level through promotions. The former aspire for quick career progression

due to their better education and training. The latter cannot be expected to move up

very high due to limited professional education. Therefore, promotions and direct

recruitment at every level must be so planned as to ensure a fair share to each group.

This is called age balance in career paths.

Identifying Match and Mismatch

A mechanism for identifying congruence between individual current aspirations and

organizational career system is developed lo identifies and compares specific areas of

match and mismatch for different categories of employees. For this purpose specific

jobs are related to different career opportunities. Such matching helps to develop

realistic career goals for both long term and short term.

Formulating and Implementing Strategies

Alternative strategies and action plans for dealing with mismatch are formulated and

implemented. Some of the strategies used are given below:

Changes in the career system by creating new career paths, by providing

opportunities for lateral movements through jobs redesign, etc.

Changing employee needs and aspirations by helping them to scale down

unrealistic goals and aspirations or by creating new aspirations.

Training and development of suitable people, so as to meet the needs of both the

individuals and the organization.

Reviewing Career Plans

A periodic review of career plans is necessary to know whether the plans are

contributing to effective utilization of human resources by matching employee

objectives to jobs needs. Review will also indicate to employees in which direction the

organization is moving, what changes are likely to take place and what skills are

needed to adapt to the changing needs of the organization. The following questions

may be asked during the process.

Was the classification of employees correct?

Are   the job   descriptions   proper?

Is there any employee unsuited to his job?

Are the future manpower projections still valid?

Is the team pulling on well as a whole?

Answer to these and other similar question may be sought through brainstorming

session. Surveys may also be conducted to judge the impact of career planning

activities on the working of the organization

ADVANTAGES OF CAREER PLANNING

Career planning helps an employee know the career opportunities available in an

organization. A person comes to know in advance the level to which he can rise and

the potential and aptitude he has.

This Knowledge enables the employees to select the career most suitable to his

potential and aptitude. It also encourages him to avail of the training and

development facilities in the organization so as to improve his ability to handle new

and higher assignments.

An organization with well-designed career plans has a better image in the jobs

market. Therefore, it can attract competent employees. The new entrant

understands that he is entering a career not a job in organization that cares for his

talents and aspirations. Recruitment becomes more systematic as it is based on job

descriptions and job specifications.

Career planning anticipates the future vacancies that may arise due to retirement,

resignation death, etc at managerial level. Therefore, it provides a fairly reliable

guide for manpower forecasting. A forward career plan helps to avoid dislocation in

managerial positions

Career planning helps to retain hard-working and talented employees. Work force

becomes more stable due to low employee turnover. The very fact that the

organization provides opportunity for promotion and career progress increases the

loyalty of employees. These helps to reduce the cost of hiring new people.

Moreover, a unique corporate culture can develop and thrive, when people grow

inside the organization.

Career planning is a participative process and under it job assignments are based

on merit alone. This helps to improve employee morale and productivity.

Career planning involves a survey of employee abilities and attitude. It becomes

possible, therefore, to group together people talking on a similar wavelength and

place them under supervisors who are responsive to that wave length. This results

in more homogenous or cohesive work teams. The organization can identify the

employee who can be promoted from within.

Career planning facilitates expansion and growth of the enterprise. The employees

required to fill job vacancies in future can be identified and developed in time.

Through systematic career planning, jobs enlargement can be introduced to meet

future needs arising from job design and technological changes.

LIMITATION OF CAREER PLANNING

Career planning can become a reality when opportunities for vertical mobility are

available. Therefore, it is not suitable for a very small organization.

In a developing country like India, environmental factors such as Government

policy, public sector development, growth of backward area, etc influence business

and industry. Therefore, career plans for a period exceeding a decade may not be

effective.

Career planning in not an effective technique for a large number of employees who

work on the shop floor, particularly for illiterate and unskilled workers.

Systematic career planning becomes difficult due to favoritism and nepotism in

promotions, political intervention in appointments and reservation of seats for

scheduled castes/tribes and backward classes.

Several other problems hamper career planning. These include lack of an

integrated personnel policy, lack of a rational wage structure, absence of adequate

opportunities for vertical mobility, difficulties in identifying suitable persons for

career planning, difficulties in forecasting replacement needs, opposition of trade

unions to lack of a good performance reporting system., low ceiling careers, dual

career couples, ineffective attitudinal surveys, etc,

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME BASED ON ORGANIZATIONAL

PERSPECTIVES

Challenging Initial Tasks

Berlew and Hall~ have shown that performance of employees in later years is

correlated with initial jobs. For example, career success has shown significant

relationship with challenging job assignment in the initial periods. In other words, an

employee who faced challenging tasks during the initial period of engagement and has

become successful has better chances of career success during the later periods. This

shows importance of initial placement and socialization.

Assessment Centres

We have already discussed about “Assessment Centres” in selection process. This

centre provides an opportunity to assess the knowledge, skill and ability of employees.

Since managers and supervisors are acting as Assessors, this centre provides an

opportunity for Assessors to observe the behaviour carefully and draw inferences. The

feedback to assessee also helps him to improve his ability. It also gives better insight

in performance appraisal; to managers. More than anything else, it gives better

opportunity to observe and learn the process of development.

Information Dissemination

Free flow of information regarding career prospects in an organization is very

important. Management must publish documents containing information such as

eligibility conditions for promotion, appointment to key posts, special training or

experience required in a particular field/area as a prerequisite for promotion of a

given post, etc. Such information serves the following two purposes:

It prevents spread of rumour and half-truths spreading through word-of-mouth

regarding promotion and career prospects.

It stimulates/motivates employees to acquire special skill knowledge or experience

well in time. Improve knowledge and skill of employees of organization and make

available right talents at the right time

Career Counselling

Career Counselling assists the assesse to know his performance against the standard

expected by organization. Some of these objectives are given below:

Assess employee’s hopes, aspirations and expectation.

Assess employee’s performance, achievements and shortcomings.

Assist employee to know organizational expectations and take a “realistic picture”

of his expectations vs opportunities available.

Assist employee to overcome anxiety and fear.

Career Guidance Sessions/Seminars/Workshops

Such seminar must be organized by management which gives an Opportunity for

managers and supervisors to interact with each other air their respective views of

their expectations and perceive problems standing against their aspirations and

objectives. This provides a very useful common platform of interaction between

management and employees which generate free and frank discussion.

Such seminars are very useful for employees in the following occasions:

Time of entry of employees in the organization during socialization / induction

period.

Mid-Career correction of employees.

Late career assurance of employees.

Training and Development

Training and Development is an important means of updating skill, knowledge and

competence of employees. This helps organization to improve its knowledge base. To

become successful in market by attaining and sustaining competitive advantage. This

step also helps the individual employees to meet their aspirations of career prospects.

Job Rotation

There are two types of job rotation viz. vertical or horizontal. Vertical

movement involves job enrichment and more authority through leave vacancy or

temporary promotion or assistantship.

Horizontal rotation exposes variety of job which involves job enlargement and more

experience in allied fields or specialization. It increased confidence and knowledge of

persons which in turn increases one’s promotion chances.

Deputation/Long Leave

We have seen mid-career is a turning point. Employees who have put up less than

average performance carry out self-assessment and introspection. There

are two options for them. These are:

Improve their performance to assure individual career objective.

Look for career opportunities else where, which better their prospects in life.

Improving career performance involve following two aspects.

Undergo further training Programme.

Look for an opportunity to relax and recuperate their energies and rejuvenate their

spirits.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME TO MEET INDIVIDUAL

PERSPECTIVES

1There is popular saying in Defence services. “The more you sweat in peace, the less

you bleed in War”. This is equally applicable to industrial and business world.

Individual employees who meticulously plan their career and constantly strive and

work towards achieving their individual goals are more likely to succeed in their

objectives than others. In order to make an effective individual career plan, the person

must be able, in the first instance to answer the following three questions:

ü  Where I am?

ü  Where I must go?

ü  How to go over there?

In order to answer these questions every employee must do a SWOT analysis to find

out his own strength(S), weakness (W), opportunities (0), and Threats (T).

Following are the steps suggested in preparing an individual career plan.

Strength and Weakness: Analysis of strength and weakness involve the following:

ü  Academic Career: Recall academic career, identify areas of achievement, special

interest, natural liking and skill. Also recall extra curricular activities in which one has

excelled others or has a natural liking.

ü  Professional Career: Identify specific areas of excellence and weaknesses, recall

reasons for leaving earlier posts or organizations. Critically analyze particular nature

of habits and behaviour pattern which stood by you during crisis or which caused your

downfall.

This is an honest self-assessment or introspection and listing down such factors which

are identified as “strengths” and “weaknesses” of individuals. The purpose is to take

corrective actions to reduce ill-effects of own weaknesses and exploit fully those

factors which are strengths. Secondly such analysis assists an individual to fix his aims

and objectives which are compatible to his abilities and skills.

Aims and Objectives – When one understands his strength and weaknesses

Which is an important source of information to plan one’s career objectives.

Depending on one’s abilities he should Fix target in his career plans and select

appropriate organization to serve. Obviously such a choice of job and organization is

possible in an “employees market” where jobs are plenty whereas number of suitable

persons is less. This happens in developed nations. In developing nations the situation

is different where hands are many, jobs are few. Even in such environment, awareness

of strength and weaknesses in terms of knowing one’s attitude, aptitude, skill and

ability assist an employee to plan his future career. There are many choices open to

him such as the following:

Choice of Organization

Self-employment.

Government employment.

Public sector.

Private sector.

Choice of Job

Production.

Marketing.

Finance.

Personnel.

Having identified the organization and the jobs, the next choice may be based on the

following considerations:

Choice of location.

Scope of job in terms of career prospects.

Job satisfaction in terms of

ü  Compensation.

ü  Transferability.

Opportunities and Threats - Having identified strengths and weaknesses and having

short-listed firms and jobs, the next logical step in planning individual career plan is to

realize opportunities and threats in the career so chosen. This in other words, is the

realistic analysis of environment. This is a continuous process since conditions change

from time to time. Such changes are influenced by changes of technology, competition

government policies, corporate policies, and biographical factors like age, health

attitude of colleagues, etc.

MAKING CAREER PLANNING EFFECTIVE

The measures that can be taken to make career planning successful given below.

Top Management Support – Strong and unflinching cooperation of top management

is most important for effective career planning. Top Management must develop

enthusiasm among executives for this purpose.

Expansion – Career planning is feasible in growing organization. Long term

manpower projections can be made in such enterprises and the exist ample

opportunities for vertical mobility.

Clear Goals – An organization must have clear corporate goals for the next decade.

On the basis of its corporate plans, it should determine the type of changes

required in its activities, technology, materials and procedures. Otherwise, the

enterprise cannot develop the human resource development system that requires

career planning.

Motivated and Hardworking Staff – An organization can create an environment and

express genuine concern for development. But unless the employees are willing to

make use of the available opportunities and resources career planning cannot be

effective. If the employees are contented with what they are, the question of

planning their career does not arise.

Proper Selection – Selection of right jobs is essential for career planning. The

person should not only be fit for the job but should have enough potential and urge

to develop himself and grow in his career.

Proper Age Balance – Unbalanced age structure causes promotion blocks which

hampers career planning. There should be both continuity and growth needs of the

organization and aspiration of individual employee.

Fair Promotion Policy – There should be an equitable policy for promoting

employees. In addition there should be systematic training for those who are

trainable and willing to learn higher skills.

Management of Career Stress – Stress at work is harmful to an individual career as

well as to the organization. It arises due to blockage of career or lack of control

over one’s career. Management can help employees get over this stress through

career stress management programmes. Employee participation in career decisions

and career counselling can also be helpful.

Internal Publicity – A career plan should be given wide publicity within the

organization. The employees for whom the plan is designed should know the career

paths they can follow, the training and development facilities available for career

growth, etc. In this respect, the personnel department can play an important role.