LeadersDirect - Career Management

Career Management

Careers are in chaos! Progress is no longer up so employees are moving on!
How can careers be managed if the traditional ladder has been kicked to one side?
How can you retain your stars, if they cannot advance?
Flexibility is the key to career success, so become a chameleon!
All work is becoming nothing but short term projects for knowledge workers.
The concept of the fixed "job" is obsolete, never mind lifetime employment.
These visions of tomorrow apply well to the most media-hyped industries.
High tech industries where fast innovation drives continuous change.
Not all industries change fast - oil, airlines, restaurants, construction, public sector.
Some compete on cost, quality and service - see organizational renewal
Managerial careers will be available where complex tasks need efficient execution.
Organizations need a cafeteria approach to careers to accommodate differing strategies and varying needs of people.
Employees will continue to want career development whether it be increased professional status, greater responsibility, personal development, power or more money.
Career planning matches organizational needs with those of employees.
The first step is to take stock of your own industry patterns.
Effective career management is a sound talent management strategy.
Talent management depends on effective career management. Otherwise, highly qualified knowledge workers will go elsewhere.
Managing careers is a strategic initiative to position an organization for competitive advantage.
But, employees need to be entrepreneurial about their careers and take equal ownership for advancing themselves, regarding the organization as an internal market.

CAREER ANCHORS

Edgar Schein developed the idea of career anchors - what people most want out of a career

He came up with 8 career anchors ---

Autonomy/independence - wanting to be self reliant - useful with today's contracting out.
Security/stability - wanting to remain with one employer for life - not so likely any more.
Technical/functional competence - to identify with a professional discipline.
General management - having a broad, overview, facilitating role, not a specialist.
Entrepreneurial creativity - a premium wherever innovation drives competitiveness.
Service - dedication to worthwhile causes ranging from the environment to poverty.
Pure challenge - just solving difficult problems - no pattern necessary.
Life style - disinclination to sacrifice life style solely for career advancement.

You may combine a few of these career anchors, but there should be one at the top of your list.
By analyzing employee needs, career planners can channel them appropriately instead of assuming that they all want to move up the managerial hierarchy.
If innovation is essential in your business, forcing your stars up the ladder could be self defeating.