Careers

Abstract

Careers involve the sequence of a person's work experiences over time, and are not confined to high prestige occupations, nor to “climbing a ladder”. These experiences can be influenced by objective circumstances and individual perceptions and interpretations. Recent models of career emphasize the need for people to exert control over their own future, staying true to their own identity whilst also adjusting to labor market demands. This is not an easy combination. In an unpredictable world, a key task is to construct and reconstruct coherent narratives of their own career so that they can retain a sense of continuity and identity. This includes knowing what kind(s) of career success matter most to them. Organizational attempts to manage the careers of employees using techniques such as succession planning and mentoring schemes can have positive effects on the deployment of human capital, but need to be carefully meshed with the aspirations of individual employees.