Career management

From ArticleWorld

Career management has become increasingly popular as the concept of an individual holding one “lifelong” job fades from societal expectations.

Definition

Career management can mean a variety of things, including:

• Making choices and decisions based on one’s career goals. Individuals often revisit this process frequently as they change jobs more often then they have in the past.

• Managing one’s career from an organizational standpoint. This can include decisions within the current workplace and does not necessarily imply a shift in jobs. It relates to an individual improving his or her skills and takes into account decision-making, life stage needs and stress management.

• Managing careers that are without boundaries. This takes into account workers who are employed in a capacity that extends beyond one organization. This is common among artists and designers. It focuses on the management of skills people in these fields need.

• Personal development. Employees need to fill the void that employers have left when they stopped taking high levels of responsibility for their workers. Employees take control of development to better enhance their employability.

A survival skill

Since many people change jobs and employers frequently, career management has become a necessary means of maintaining and enhancing the employability of the individual.

Job security focuses on knowledge and skills rather than loyalty and by improving upon knowledge and skills, an employee can ensure that he or she maximizes the ability to protect their major source of revenue: Their job.

As the Internet allows more people to passively search for a new job (as opposed to previous more aggressive means) the market of available employees has expanded. For this reason it is critical for employees to manage their careers and thus improve their marketability.