Career Planning Strategies HRM Presentation Nov. 28th, 2011 Career Planning Strategies Amir Pasha Milad Dowlatnia Alireza 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: To attract competent persons and to retain them in the organization. To provide suitable promotional opportunities. To enable the employees to develop and take them ready to meet the future challenges. To increase the utilization of managerial reserves within an organization. To correct employee placement. To reduce employee dissatisfaction and turnover. 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: Analysis of individual skills, knowledge, abilities, aptitudes etc. Analysis of career opportunities both within and outside the organization. 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. Relating specific jobs to different career opportunities. Establishing realistic goals both short-term and long-term. Formulating career strategy covering areas of change and adjustment. 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: The process of career planning helps the individual to have the knowledge of various career opportunities, his priorities etc. This knowledge helps him select the career that is suitable to his life styles, preferences, family environment, scope for self-development etc. It helps the organization identify internal employees who can be promoted. Internal promotions, upgradation and transfers motivate the employees, boost up their morale and also result in increased job satisfaction. Increased job satisfaction enhances employee commitment and creates a sense of belongingness and loyalty to the organization. Employee will await his turn of promotion rather than changing to another organization. This will lower employee turnover. It improves employee’s performance on the job by taping their potential abilities and further employee turnover. It satisfies employee esteem needs.

Advantages of Career Planning and Development (2) 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.

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.

Links in Career Planning A typical Employee views a career planning Programme as a path to upward mobility The manager sees career planning as a retention And motivational tool Win-Win situation for all The top management view it as a tool for succession 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 Approach to 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 I Apprenticeship Stage II Advancement Stage III Important Needs – Safety, Security, Psychological Expected to show competence in learning and following direction Must be able to accept the psychological state of dependence Stage II Advancement Important Needs – Achievement, Esteem, Authority Demonstrate competence in a specific technical area Expected to be an independent contributors of ideas in the chosen area Stage III Maintenance 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 Stage IV Strategic Thinking 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

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: Influencing Analyzing Organizing Producing Helping Adventuring Creating

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 Matching Matching Placement on career path Organizational needs and opportunities Personnel planning and career information Formal training and development programs

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 Planning Building 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 Interests Abilities Values Personality

1. Self-Assessment (Contd …) 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

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

2. Academic / Career options (Contd …) Competency areas Strategies For Gaining Competencies 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 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

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 …) 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 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

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

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.

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

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

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: Self awareness - where am I now and how did I get here? Options awareness - what’s out there for me, where am I going – vision for the future? 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) 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/strategic-career-planning-six-career.html