1. Donald Super’s Stages of Career Development

2. Career patterns As people mature, they go through changes.
Career patterns are determined by:
Socioeconomic factors
Mental and physical abilities
Personal characteristics
Opportunities of exposure

3. Career Satisfaction
Work roles where people can express themselves and develop self-concepts
Self-concept, according to Super refers to the :
“…vocational self-concept develops through physical and mental growth, observations of work, identification with working adults, general environment, and general experiences…As experiences become broader in relation to awareness of the world of work, the more sophisticated vocational self-concept is formed (Zunker, 1994, p. 30).”

4. Super’s Stages and Developmental Tasks
CHARACTERISTICS
Growth
Birth to 14 or 15
Exploratory
15 – 24
Establishment
25 – 44
Maintenance
45 – 64
Disengagement
65+

5. Super’s Stages and Developmental Tasks
CHARACTERISTICS
Growth
Birth to 14 or 15
Form self-concept, develop capacity, attitudes, interests, and needs, and form a general understanding of the world of work.
Exploratory
15 – 24
Establishment
25 – 44
Maintenance
45 – 64
Disengagement
65+

6. Super’s Stages and Developmental Tasks
CHARACTERISTICS
Growth
Birth to 14 or 15
Form self-concept, develop capacity, attitudes, interests, and needs, and form a general understanding of the world of work.
Exploratory
15 – 24
“Try out” through classes, work experience, hobbies. Collect relevant information. Tentative choice and related skill development.
Establishment
25 – 44
Maintenance
45 – 64
Disengagement
65+

7. Super’s Stages and Developmental Tasks
CHARACTERISTICS
Growth
Birth to 14 or 15
Form self-concept, develop capacity, attitudes, interests, and needs, and form a general understanding of the world of work.
Exploratory
15 – 24
“Try out” through classes, work experience, hobbies. Collect relevant information. Tentative choice and related skill development.
Establishment
25 – 44
Entry skill building and stabilization through work experience.
Maintenance
45 – 64
Disengagement
65+ .

8. Super’s Stages and Developmental Tasks
CHARACTERISTICS
Growth
Birth to 14 or 15
Form self-concept, develop capacity, attitudes, interests, and needs, and form a general understanding of the world of work.
Exploratory
15 – 24
“Try out” through classes, work experience, hobbies. Collect relevant information. Tentative choice and related skill development.
Establishment
25 – 44
Entry skill building and stabilization through work experience.
Maintenance
45 – 64
Continual adjustment process to improve position.
Disengagement
65+

9. Super’s Stages and Developmental Tasks
CHARACTERISTICS
Growth
Birth to 14 or 15
Form self-concept, develop capacity, attitudes, interests, and needs, and form a general understanding of the world of work.
Exploratory
15 – 24
“Try out” through classes, work experience, hobbies. Collect relevant information. Tentative choice and related skill development.
Establishment
25 – 44
Entry skill building and stabilization through work experience.
Maintenance
45 – 64
Continual adjustment process to improve position.
Disengagement
65+
Reduced output, prepare for retirement.

10. Further information Nice interactive diagram:
Detailed information about the theory:

11. Although these stages are usually done in a specific order; as we progress we adapt to changes and may need to revisit one of the previous stages.