The Meaning of Career Development

In published articles and in the world of work, the concept of career development and work placement is understood in two distinct and uniquely different contexts.

One meaning, primarily observed within corporate and professional settings, is understood as a series of work experiences, education pursuits, job titles and duties that must be sequenced for career success in life.

This concept implies that the development of a career is primarily work focused and is strengthened in practice through a carefully planned narrowing or specialization process. Choosing the right college, the right employer, engaging a prominent and capable mentor, and earning progressively responsible and lucrative titles are markers along a necessary career track.

This concept gives little importance to an individual’s developmental growth or personal choice potential, but rests mainly on forces outside the individual for career decisions and perceived success.

A second meaning, psychologically based, is grounded in the belief of the phenomenon called vocational maturity. It is the true concept for understanding career development and work placement. Each individual develops a lifelong set of experiences, the sum total of which is a person’s unique career.

In early childhood these experiences are greatly influenced by parents and significant persons who shape development in six important mental states: 1) self-concept, 2) human interaction style, 3) choice awareness and understanding, 4) decision processing, 5) work awareness and analysis, and 6) education relevance.

During adolescence, the added influences by teachers and peers help to define and shape these same six career determinants. In any superior education system, teachers and counselors intentionally provide both career information and guided experiences throughout the kindergarten to graduation curriculum.

In young adulthood, as life control shifts from parents, educators and peers to self-needs, a natural desire for career planning emerges. A well- designed program at the post high school level takes advantage of this open window in human development to motivate a career planning habit that the individual can use over a lifetime. Later on in adult life, as career and family roles become clearer and more routine, earlier goals may be judged attainable and desirable, and others may not.

In the reality period of later adulthood some thought will likely be given to the apparent gaps between youthful dreams and actual fulfillments. It is also a period when real limits of success and achievement become more apparent. This sense of stability may feel like the best time of life. It may provide the freedom to revert to a retrial of life options all over again.

Nearly all of ones life is attuned to work, so shifting to leisure at retirement age is often traumatic and needs to have prior planning. For those who have involved themselves in avocations during working years, the transition becomes easier and more meaningful. A resource that might be useful to those in this age group seeking education exploration would be: www.TheEducationEdge.com. Both on-line and on-site learning opportunities can be found there, that accommodate career changers.

This is the seventh in a series of articles to focus on career development over a lifetime. They are supported by: www.careerfit-test.com. Other topics in this series will follow. Some will undoubtedly be initiated by responses to these thought-provoking writings. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.