Career Planning Strategies

HRM PresentationNov. 28th, 2011

Amir PashaMilad DowlatniaAlireza Yazdani

Concept of Career Planning

What is career??

Job vs. Career Job – “What can I do now to make money?”

Career – Chosen Profession for your life. Requires a willingness to get the training needed to build your skills for the future.

A career is the work a person does. It is the sequence of jobs that an individual has held throughout his or her working life including, job positions, job duties, decisions and subjective interpretations about work-related events.

Career planning what’s that??

“Career planning consists of activities and actions that you take to achieve your individual career goals”

Components of Career Planning

Need for Career Planning Career Planning is necessary due to the following

reasons:

1. To attract competent persons and to retain them in the organization.

2. To provide suitable promotional opportunities. 3. To enable the employees to develop and take them

ready to meet the future challenges. 4. To increase the utilization of managerial reserves

within an organization.5. To correct employee placement. 6. To reduce employee dissatisfaction and turnover. 7. To improve motivation and morale.

Career Development

Career development is essential to implement career plan.

Career development consists of personal improvements undertaken by the individual employee, training, development and educational programmes provided by the organization and various institutes.

The most important aspect of career development is that every employee must accept his/her responsibility for development. Various career development actions prove useful if an employee is committed to career development.

Process of Career Planning & Development The following are the steps in Career Planning and

Development:

1. Analysis of individual skills, knowledge, abilities, aptitudes etc.

2. Analysis of career opportunities both within and outside the organization.

3. Analysis of career demands on the incumbent in terms of skills, knowledge, abilities, aptitude etc., and in terms of qualifications, experience and training received etc.

4. Relating specific jobs to different career opportunities. 5. Establishing realistic goals both short-term and long-term. 6. Formulating career strategy covering areas of change and

adjustment. 7. Preparing and implementing action plan including acquiring

resources for achieving goals.

Whose responsible for planning ones career??

Individual Organization

Advantages of Career Planning and Development (1) For Individuals:

1. The process of career planning helps the individual to have the knowledge of various career opportunities, his priorities etc.

2. This knowledge helps him select the career that is suitable to his life styles, preferences, family environment, scope for self-development etc.

3. It helps the organization identify internal employees who can be promoted.

4. Internal promotions, upgradation and transfers motivate the employees, boost up their morale and also result in increased job satisfaction.

5. Increased job satisfaction enhances employee commitment and creates a sense of belongingness and loyalty to the organization.

6. Employee will await his turn of promotion rather than changing to another organization. This will lower employee turnover.

7. It improves employee’s performance on the job by taping their potential abilities and further employee turnover.

8. It satisfies employee esteem needs.

For Organizations: - A long-term focus of career planning and development will increase the effectiveness

of human resource management. More specifically, the advantages of career planning and development for an organization include:

i. Efficient career planning and development ensures the availability of human resources with required skill, knowledge and talent.

ii. The efficient policies and practices improve the organization’s ability to attract and retain highly skilled and talent employees.

iii. The proper career planning ensures that the women and people belong to backward communities get opportunities for growth and development.

iv. The career plan continuously tries to satisfy the employee expectations and as such minimizes employee frustration.

v. By attracting and retaining the people from different cultures, enhances cultural diversity.

vi. Protecting employees’ interest results in promoting organizational goodwill.

Advantages of Career Planning and Development (2)

Limitations of Career Planning

1. Dual Career Families: - With the increase in career orientation among women, number of female employees in on increase. With this, the dual career families have also been on increase. Consequently, one of those family members might face the problem of transfer. This has become a complicated problem to organizations. Consequently other employees may be at disadvantage.

2. Low ceiling careers: -Some careers do not have scope for much advancement. Employees cannot get promotions despite their career plans and development in such jobs.

3. Declining Career Opportunities: -Career opportunities for certain categories reach the declining stage due to the influence of the technological or economic factors. Solution for such problem is career shift.

4. Downsizing/De-layering and careers: - Business process reengineering, technological changes and business environmental factors force the business firms to restructure the organizations by de-layering and downsizing. Downsizing activities result in fixing some employees, and degrading some other employees.

The top management view it as a

tool for succession planning

The manager

sees career planning

as a retention And

motivational tool

A typical Employee

views a career planning

Programme as a path to

upward mobility

Win-Win situation for all

Links in Career Planning

Career Planning is NOT…

Leaving the decision to chance Getting information and never

deciding Going along with someone else’s

plans

It’s OUR future. WE need to make our career decision!!

Strategic Approachto Organizational Career Planning

Organizational Career Planning

Career planning is Matching an individual’s skills and aspirations with career opportunities requires that those in charge of career planning know the skill requirements of the various jobs. This allows them to guide individuals into jobs in which they will succeed and be satisfied.

(Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, Noe, Hollenbeck, 4th Ed.)

Organizational Career Planning Process

Direction

Career Time

Transitions

Career Planning Options

Projected Outcomes

Organizational career planning process

1. Direction Assessing employee wants and organizational

needs common goal setting

2. Career time Relates to distance & speed of an employee How far & how fast can employee move on

career path??3. Transition

Relates to changes expected to a career goal Analyzing transition factors Setting goals and a timetable

Contd…

4. Career planning options Advancement. Lateral Change to Lower Grade Mobility. Job Enrichment Exploratory Research

5. Projected Outcome Calculate the risks attached How well will it pay off?

Career Development System: Strategic Approach

Organizational Needs

• What are the organization’s major strategic issues over the next two of three years?

• Critical needs and challenges to be faced?

• Critical skills, knowledge and experience needed to meet these challenges?

• Staffing levels required?

• Does the organization have the strength necessary to meet the critical challenges?

Issue

• Are employees developing themselves in a way that links personal effectiveness and satisfaction with the achievement of the organization’s strategic objectives?

Individual Needs

• How do I find career opportunities within the organization that will do the following:• Use my strengths• Address my

developmental needs

• Provide challenges

• Match my interests

• Match my values• Match my

personal style

Career Stages

Stage IVStrategic Thinking

Stage IIIMaintenance

Stage IIAdvancemen

t

Stage IApprentices

hip

• Important Needs – Self-Actualization• Involves shaping the direction of organization itself• Expected to play the roles of manager, entrepreneur, and idea generator• Attention directed to long-range strategic planning

• Important Needs – Esteem, Self-Actualization• Expected to become the mentors of those in stage I• Central activities are training and interaction with others• Assume responsibility for the work of others

• Important Needs – Achievement, Esteem, Authority• Demonstrate competence in a specific technical area• Expected to be an independent contributors of ideas in the chosen area

• Important Needs – Safety, Security, Psychological• Expected to show competence in learning and following direction• Must be able to accept the psychological state of dependence

Career Choice and Personality

Career Choice: Examining Skills

Determining what skill one has is extremely important in making career choices

Interest and Skill Survey (ISS) skill orientations:1. Influencing2. Organizing3. Helping4. Creating

5. Analyzing6. Producing7. Adventuring

Early Career Difficulties

Causes:

Initial Job Challenge

Initial Job Satisfaction

Initial Job Performance Evaluation

How to Counteract:

Realistic Job Previews

Challenging Initial Assignments

Enriched Initial Assignments

Demanding Bosses

Midcareer Plateau

Causes:

Fewer jobs at the top of the organization Manager may have the

ability However, no opening

exists Opening may exist

Manager may lack the ability or skills

Manager may lack the desire to fill the opening

How to Counteract:

Midcareer counseling

Midcareer alternatives Lateral transfers Downward transfers Failback positions

How to Minimize Retirement Adjustment Problems

When do employees plan to retire? Who is attracted by early retirement? What do employees plan to do during

retirement? Can the organization help them prepare for

these activities? Do retirees plan a second career?

Can the organization assist in this preparation?

Which retirees can still be consulted by the organization to help new employees?

Career Planning and Pathing

Career Planning – involves matching an individual’s career aspirations with the opportunities available in an organization

Career Pathing – the sequencing of the specific jobs associated with the opportunities available in the organization

A Career Planning and Pathing Process

Individual needs and aspirations

Personal counseling and

assessment

Individual development

efforts

Organizational needs and

opportunities

Personnel planning and

career information

Formal training and

development programs

Placement on career

pathMatchingMatching

Realistic Career Paths:An Alternative to Traditional Career Paths

Includes lateral and downward possibilities, as well as upward possibilities

Tentative and responsive to changes in organizational needs

Flexible enough to take into account the qualities of individuals

Jobs along the paths specified in terms of acquirable skills, knowledge, and other specific attributes

Individual Career PlanningBuilding your Career Portfolio

Individual Career Planning Process

Self-Assessment

Academic/ Career Options

Relevant/ Practical

Experience

Job Search

1. Self-Assessment

Aware of the interrelationship between self and occupational choice

Start by: Learning interests,

abilities, skills, and work values

Listing accomplishments

Understanding physical and psychological needs

Assessing aspirations and motivation level

Deciphering personal traits and characteristics

Values Personality

Interests

Abilities

Competency Areas Gain self-awareness Improve self-

confidence Understand time and

stress management Develop

personal/professional management skills

Strategies For Gaining Competencies

Take exploratory classes

Identify personality style

Identify work values Demonstrate skills in

overcoming self-defeating behaviors

Identify symptoms of stress

1. Self-Assessment (Contd …)

2. Academic / Career options

Investigate the world of work in greater depth, narrow a general occupational direction into a specific one

Start by: Learning academic and career

entrance requirements Learning related majors and

careers to one's interests Investigating education and

training required Learning skills and experience

required Planning academic and career

alternatives Learning job market trends

COMPETENCY AREAS

Gain research and investigative skills

Practice decision-making, problem solving and critical thinking skills

Increase understanding of how abilities, interests, and values match career/academic requirements

STRATEGIES FOR GAINING COMPETENCIES

Read occupational resources

Get assistance from a counselor

Talk to people who work in your areas of interest

Attend Job/Career Fairs and/or Career Panels

transferable skills should be be gained

2. Academic / Career options (Contd …)

3. Relevant / Practical experience Gain practical experience through

internships, cooperative education etc.. Start by:

Testing new skills and try diverse experiences

Deciding the type of organization in which to volunteer or work

Assessing likes and dislikes of work values, skills, work environments,

Assessing if additional/different coursework or skills are needed for your targeted career goals

3. Relevant / Practical experience (Contd …)

Competency Areas Gain an appreciation for working with individuals from

diverse cultures Understand and practice ethical behavior Gain supervisory/leadership/

teamwork skills Enhance self-management skills Obtain work related, transferable skills Develop conflict resolution skills

Strategies For Gaining Competencies

Attend relevant conferences and seminars

Become familiar with work settings and job descriptions

Practice making decisions by supervising a group of people

Talk to alumnus/a about your career goals

Work part-time or during summer

4. Job Search

Start by: Learning how to prepare resume and cover

letters, and complete employment applications Learning and implementing job search

strategies Learning and practicing interviewing skills Narrow your choices

4. Job Search

Competency Areas Ability correspondent in a coherent, professional manner

Communicate verbally in a clear, concise manner

Effectively use networking, problem-solving, and decision making to reach career goals

Develop budgeting skills in relation to the job search, travel, and relocation

Strategies For Gaining Competencies

Register with Career Planning & Placement Services

Review resume with a career counselor

Receive referrals

40

Career Portfolio

A portfolio is a documentation and demonstration of your accomplishments representing growth in your skills and understanding of those skills over time.

The portfolio not only documents your results but also how you got there and what you learned in the process.

41

Sample Arrangement of Career Portfolio Sections

Management philosophy Professional goals Resume Work samples by skill areas Works in progress Community service (transferable skills) Professional memberships Degrees, certifications & awards References

42

Employers are asking…

“How much will you cost me to train?”

“Can you keep your personal life in order so that it does not interfere with work?”

Proof of current relevant soft skills

Real work samples

43

Two Broad Categories of Skills

Transferable across careers,

jobs, and industries

organizational interpersonal work-style

Work Content do a specific

type of job immediate

contribution gained through

course work and job experience

Career planning - how?

Essentially a three step process:

1. Self awareness - where am I now and how did I get here?

2. Options awareness - what’s out there for me, where am I going – vision for the future?

3. Self marketing - how will I get there? – action planning to achieve your goals

Individual Career Strategies (1 of 6)

Growth in the occupation or the organization, meaning simply doing more of what one has been doing. Build present skills Build expertise in the occupation Prepare for more responsibility Learn to supervise others Enter new occupation Build skills in a new occupation Move to a different organization but in same job Build existing skills/ knowledge for use in unrelated

occupation and different type of organization

Individual Career Strategies (2 of 6)

Retrenchment: This translates to mean "cutting back to weather a storm of unfavorable conditions." It is rarely effective as a long-term career strategy, but might be useful in anticipation of retirement, during a search for another employer, or during preparation for entry to another occupation. Move to a lower level job in the same occupation and in -the

same organization Move into a lower level job in a different occupation in the

same organization Move into a lower level job in a different organization Cut back on work Seek satisfaction through avocations and hobbies Prepare for new occupation

Individual Career Strategies (3 of 6)

Diversification: Branch out to an utterly new and more promising occupation, job, or employer. Branch out into a more promising area within one's

present occupation (increase emphasis on a new area of work)

Branch out into a more promising line of work in the organization (one with major differences from past occupation)

Make a move into an organization with more promise, but remain in the same occupation

Branch out into a more promising occupation in an organization with more promising long-term prospects than present employer

Individual Career Strategies (4 of 6)

Integration: Make a move to a related occupation, job, or employer. Branch out into a more promising area within one's

present job (but an area of work like what has been done in the past)

Branch out into a related line of work in the same organization

Make a move into a new organization that is related to the present employer (supplier, distributor, wholesaler, retailer)

Branch out into a related occupation in an organization somehow related (supplier, distributor, wholesaler, retailer) to present employer

Individual Career Strategies (5 of 6)

Turnabout: Retrench and select another strategy. Retrench (slow down on activities/outputs) Follow retrenchment with a new strategy: growth,

diversification, integration, or combination Retrench (move out of organization) Use a new strategy: growth, diversification,

integration, or combination Retrench (move out of occupation) Use a new strategy: growth, diversification,

integration, or combination Build new skills (perhaps return to school) for entry

into an entirely new line of work. Grow in the new occupation.

Individual Career Strategies (6 of 6)

Combination: Pursue one strategy in a present job or occupation while simultaneously pursuing a second strategy by preparing for a completely new job or occupation. Apply two or more strategies at once:

one to organizational status, another to occupational status

References

References

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, Noe, Hollenbeck, 4th Ed.

Career Planning Strategies, Randall Powell Career Planning and Development (

www.authorstream.com) Career Planning for Life after the PhD, Tony

McAvaney, UniSA Career Services Succession Planning, Zimmerman, Denver

Service Center Career Planning, Asawari, Apurva & Mugdha http://kutenk2000.blogspot.com/2009/08/str

ategic-career-planning-six-career.html