2. Career Planning
Career planning is the systematic process by which one selects
career goals and the path to these goals. From the
organizational point view, it means helping the employees to
plan their career in terms of their capacities within the context
of organization’s need. It involves designing an organizational
system of career movement and growth opportunities for
employee from the employment stage to the retirement stage.
Individuals who can fill planned future positions are identified
and prepared to take up these positions.
Career planning is the process of matching career goals and
individual capabilities with opportunities for their fulfillment.
3. Career Planning Terminology
Career goals:- The future positions one strives to reach as part
of career.
Career path:- The sequential pattern of jobs that from a
career
Career progression:- making progress in one’s career through
promotions
Career counseling:- Guiding and advising people on their
possible career paths and what they must do to achieve
promotions
Mentoring:- the process wherein an executive or senior
employee serves as a teacher, advisor, guide, friend,
philosopher
4. Career Planning Terminology
Career anchor:- the basic drives that give the urge to take up
a certain type of career. These drives are as follows:
(a) Technical competence:- providing for professional
satisfaction, continuous learning and updating one’s expertise
in a technical or functional area.
(b) Managerial competence:- career providing opportunities
for higher responsibilities, decision making, control and
influence.
Autonomy:- careers providing freedom of action and
independence.
Creativity:- Entrepreneurial and innovative opportunities.
5. Objectives of Career Planning
To attract and retain the right type of persons in the
organization.
To map out careers of employees suitable to their ability and
their willingness to be trained and developed for higher
positions.
To ensure better use of human resource through more satisfied
and productive employees.
To have a more stable workforce by reducing labor turnover
and absenteeism.
to improve employee morale and motivation by matching
skills to job requirements and providing opportunities for
promotion.
6. Career stages
Exploration:- very early in life of a person, parents begin to
explore career choices. The exploration period ends for most
of us in mid twenties as we make the transitions from college
to work. This stage involves self analysis and exploration of
different types of available jobs.
Establishment:- this stage begins with search for work and
includes the first job, learning it and begin accepted by peers.
It is also marked by mistakes and good performance.
Mid career:- at this point in a career people may move up or
reassess their priorities.
Late career:- Those who continue to grow through the mid
career stage, this stage is pleasant. One can enjoy success and
respect from younger employees.
7. Career stages
Decline:- the final stage is difficult for everyone. After several
decades of continuous achievements, the time has come for
retirement.
8. Process of career planning
Identifying individual needs and Aspirations:- First of all,
an objective of the hope and aspirations of different categories
of employees is done. It is necessary to identify and
communicate the career goals, aspirations and career anchors
of every employee because most individuals may not have a
clear cut idea about these. For this purpose, a human resource
inventory of the organization and employee are ascertained.
Human resource inventory will reveal the age, qualification
and experience and aptitude of present employees. Appraisal
of employees is then carried out to identifying the employees
having the necessary potential for climbing up the ladder and
are willing to be promoted and to take up higher
responsibilities. Such appraisal may reveal three categories of
employees:-
9. Process of career planning
Employees who are already fit and willing to take up higher
responsibilities. These can be promoted to fill the higher level
vacancies.
Employees who have potential and willing to take up higher
responsibilities but require more training and experience.
Employees who have the capacity to take higher
responsibilities but lack the interest or desire.
10. Process of career planning
Analyzing career opportunities:- The organizational set up,
future plans and career system of the employees are analyzed
to identify the career opportunities available within the
organization. Career paths can be determined for each
position. It is also necessary to analyze career demands in
terms of knowledge, skills, experience, aptitude etc. long term
and short term career goals can be determined after relating
specific jobs to different career opportunities.
11. Process of career planning
Identifying match and mismatch:- A mechanism for
identifying congruence between individual current aspirations
and organizational career system is developed to identify and
compare specific areas of match and mismatch for different
categories of employees. Such matching helps to develop
realistic career goals for both long term and short term.
12. Process of career planning
Formulating and implementing strategies:- Alternative
strategies and action plans for dealing with mismatch are
formulated and implemented. Some of the strategies used are
given below:-
Changes in the career system by creating new career plans.
Change employee needs and aspirations by helping them to
scale down unrealistic goals.
Training and development of suitable people, so as to meet the
needs of both the individuals and organization.
13. Process of career planning
Reviewing career plans:- A periodic review of career plans is
necessary to know whether the plans are contributing to
effective utilization of human resources by matching
employee objectives to job needs. Review will also indicate to
employees in which direction the organization is moving,
what changes likely to take place and what skills are needed to
adapt to the changing needs of the organization.
