Where is Your Career?

PREAMBLE

This is a note to advise ourselves as a reminder on the essence of career development. I will be looking at a general overview of the process of career development. I will address the theoretical aspect of this discourse only and base the write-up on researched work, and as it progresses, it should access our individual lives as an empirical study.

What does ‘career’ means and what does ‘career development’ means? What are the problems associated with career development in this age and what hope there is that it is tenable to develop a feasible career that can carry and individual through life? How do we assess to ascertain that the career path we have chosen will serve us best when we are old? How do we ascertain that our chosen career will leave a legacy for our children? At the end of this, we should be able to provide answers to these questions on a personal basis.

It is one thing to know the principles of life; it is another is to apply the principles. The success of any discourse lies in its applicability. The influences on career development and the outcomes of it are one aspect of socialization, and part of a broader process of self actualization. For any individual to be self-actualized there are certain basic needs and social needs that must be taken care of and there is a role formal/informal education must play before an individual is self-actualized.

WHAT IS CAREER DEVELOPMENT?

I will approach this by defining the key terms. What is career? What is development? There are different ways to define the terms as the terms are used in a varied different ways. For the context of this talk, career is an occupation or a profession that requires special training. Development, on the other hand, is an act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining, and sometimes, redefining.

Therefore, career development is the lifelong process of managing learning, work, leisure, and transitions, in order to move toward a personally determined and evolving preferred future. Career development is a process of life. It is the process through which people come to understand themselves as they relate to the world of work and business, and their role in it.

Career development starts with getting the required education and training. Then, the individual applies for and get a job, and ultimately advance in it. Alternatively, the individual sets up a business enterprise and grows it. For most people, it will also include changing careers and jobs, and businesses at least once, but probably more often.

IMPORTANCE OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

When an individual develops a viable career, it helps the person to achieve greater happiness and fulfilment in life. Research has shown that people who actively manage their lives and careers generally have a strong sense of purpose; they earn higher incomes; they have a high level of satisfaction due to striving for and achieving personal goals; they are well-informed and are success learners; they make job and education choices that help them achieve their goals; they are less stressed, and therefore have less physical and emotional ill-health; they cope with changes such as moving between jobs, becoming a student, becoming unemployed or retiring; they are open to new opportunities; and most importantly, they have a great life in their old age.

In contrast, studies also have shown that young people leaving school early, without career paths, are likely to face long-term disadvantage by having higher levels of unemployment and part-time and casual work, shorter working lives, lowered incomes and the increased probability of finding themselves in jobs with poorer working conditions and fewer opportunities for advancement. They also more often experience poorer physical and mental health, higher rates of crime; they less often engage in citizenship activity and they continue struggling even at old age.

STAGES OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Career development as a major aspect of human development, and as noted, it is the process through which a person's work identity is formed. It spans his/her entire lifetime. Career development begins with an individual's earliest awareness of the ways in which people make a living. For example when a child notices that some people are doctors, fire-fighters, carpenters, mechanics, caterers, business men/women, etc, it signals the start of this process, which continues as that person begins to explore occupations and ultimately decides what career to pursue.

The first stage of career development is known as the growth stage. Career development starts when an individual is given birth to, to when the individual is 13 years of age. This stage is otherwise known as the nurture stage. It is at this stage an individual gets the foundation of formal and/or informal education. Certain decisions are made on behalf of the individual at this stage of career development. It is at this stage an individual grows up to come to terms with the occupation of his/her parents and that of relatives. This stage, at the later part, is usually characterized by the development of self-concepts through identifying with key figures in the family, learning behaviours associated with self-help, social interaction, self-direction, goal setting and persistence.

The second stage is the exploration stage. This stage begins at age 14 to age 24. This stage is characterized by self-examination, role try-outs, and exploring of occupations begins to take place at home and at school during leisure activities and part-time work. At this stage, the individual is expected to have finished KG, primary and secondary schools and also had a first degree and/or learned a trade (handwork) as the case may be.

The establishment stage begins at age 25 to age 43. At this third stage, the individual has found their permanent and appropriate field of work. These years are considered to be the most productive and creative years of the life span. At this stage, the individual is expected to have served; to have served in the NYSC or served to get experience in a chosen field of trade/handwork. In the later part of this stage, an individual is expected to have established a business enterprise or is working in a private firm or a government parastatal. This stage is also the stage society expects the individual is married; have a house, have a car, and parents expect to start receiving the returns on their investment. And of course, you are part of the investment of your parents.

Maintenance stage begins at age 44 to 59 and it is the fourth stage of the career development process. The individual has already made a place in the world of work, business and family. Now, the concern is how to hold on to it. The individual basically maintains their established work and/or business patterns and get concerned about maintaining present status and concerned about competition from younger generations in an advancement stage different from when the individual started. There are little new grounds or no new grounds at all to be broken at this stage of career development.

The decline stage sets in at age 60 and upward. It is the fifth and final stage of the career development process. During this stage there is a physical and/or mental power decline. Work activity begins to change or cease. The individual gradually involves themselves in other life roles and in turn starts expecting to receive returns on their own investments; and of course, their children are part and parcel of this investment. At this stage, the chosen career path of the individual begins to tell on him/her positively or negatively.

What stage of life are you? What stage of career development are you? Where is your career?

It is vital to note that there are sub stages, especially the self-assessment sub-stage. And, sometimes, stages may lag (i.e. there may be delays) and/or overlap (i.e. stages may extend beyond the rated time). This may be occasioned by circumstances beyond our control. Romans 9:14-16 made me understand among other things that there are things God has placed within the control of man and others He has placed without control. Trying to control those things without control is a sure path to a miserable life. That is the more reason why God should be central in all we do because He is the only one in control of both the controllable and the uncontrollable. His mercy makes the difference! Although, there are human factors that influence career development.

One thing an individual must guide against is to jump stages. Jumping stages is deadly detrimental to the career development process. It is important to note as well that, after the growth stage, career development occurs without any intervention in almost all individuals as they mature and the rules are not fast and bind. There isn't a fast and bind age for when career development actually begins – some people will start to think about occupational choices very early in life, while others won't give this subject much thought, at least regarding how it applies to them, until they are fairly close to having to decide how they will earn money. But, as said, an individual must strive to guide against jumping stages when there is awareness.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE CAREER DEVELOPMENT

The career development process is influenced by several interactive factors. The factors are interactive in the sense that one permeates the other.

Parental influence: most children, at the growth stage of career development, before they get to the other stages of career development, have already had key decisions and sometimes, bad choices made for them. You see parents say ‘I want my child to become a doctor, to become an engineer, to become a lawyer,’ and what have you; without recourse to the physical/mental strength of the child and most times, without the proper input and the deliberate efforts to see that the child realized the unrealistic choices. Although, the choices of parents are not ill-intentioned, most times they are done without due consideration.

Physical/mental abilities: some of us are better suited to some careers than we are to others due to our physical and mental abilities and limitations. It is important to find an occupation that makes the best use possible of your abilities. I have seen people without limbs pursue viable career. There is actually no limitations except for those we place on ourselves.

Personal characteristics: personality type, interests and work-related values all play a role in career development. A close attention must be paid to these traits when choosing a career. A thorough self assessment will help to know our personal characteristics and will allow to find careers that are a good match. But, personally traits should not hinder making right career choice.

Gender issues: despite the major advancements women have made in becoming a significant part of the workforce, they are still facing important career development issues. The reasons are multi-dimensional. Women consider the asymmetric relationship between the male and the female gender in relation to the role they play in the home in their later stage of life before they chose a career path. Unlike their male colleagues, women consider the ages of their children and the amount of time they have available before they decide to pursue a given career any further. Although, the tide is changing, this has made more women more lackadaisical about this career development issue. Even though most women work outside the home, they are still the primary caregivers for their young children as well as the elderly or infirm relatives. Consequently, many women can only pursue their careers on a part-time basis and most times, they apply detrimental measures in order to pursue their chosen careers.

Chance factors: chance factors are life events over which we have little or no control. They can influence what careers we choose and how we progress in them. For example, even as a male child, the need to support a family financially may keep you from pursuing an advanced education or from attending business seminars/workshops to grow your career.

Socio-economic factors: socio-economic factors can be a barrier to career development. The times are hard. Financial situations, for example, may threaten to keep an individual from attending college or learning a trade or handwork which may be necessary to pursue a particular career. The inflation rate in the country is affecting how people live and how they do business but it is not the end of the road. Fortunately there are ways of overcoming this barrier; namely: financial aid, scholarships, working part-time or schooling part-time, doing menial jobs, thrift saving, banking, and etc, serve to help individuals do well in chosen career.

PRINCIPLES OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

The condition of life in Nigeria is ‘ungbikunable’. When I say ‘ungbikunable’, I mean, it is indescribable; it defies expression; it is ‘igbevwunu’ i.e. dumbfounding. It is igbevwunuic ungbikunable, indescribably preposterous, unspeakably despicable that in the midst of plenty, the citizenry is in penury.

Is it hopeless! No! It is not helpless! The following principles can help any individual navigate today's ever-changing career landscape:

1. Know your comfort zone! Know your comfort zone and build on it. Build on what you know how to do best. Read a course that is related to the subjects you know best. Learn a trade and do business along the line of your comfort zone. Let your career be in line with what you like doing best and you will never have to actually work to be self-actualized. When your education and/or your career are chosen along the line of your comfort zone, life becomes easier, even at old age.

2. Change is constant - embrace it! Recognise that the world around you is constantly changing. Be open to change and remain alert to new opportunities.

3. Learning is ongoing! Strive for continuous personal improvement. Stay motivated by learning new skills and developing new talents and be ready for future opportunities. Go for advanced studies, attend business seminars/workshop.

4. Focus on the journey! Don't focus on one destination only. Recognise that your career journey will be throughout your lifetime. Appreciate and value each experience along the way - even temporary opportunities may broaden your skills set.

5. Know yourself, believe in yourself and follow your heart! Pursue your passion to find fulfilment. Discover ways to combine your interests with career opportunities; do not just rely on your comfort zone.

6. Access your allies! Rely on the support of your family, friends, mentors, colleagues and peers. Career success can be a team effort. Your network (the people and contacts you know, both personal and business) are very useful in your career life.

CONCLUSION

If for nothing, we are reminded of what career development is. We talked about the significance of career development. We now know the stages of career development and I believe we all know the stage of life we are in right now and the varied factors that played and are presently playing in our lives and careers. We also talked about some principles that should awaken our consciousness as regarding our career life.

To conclude vehemently, we found out in the course of the discussion that, there is a stage we will get to in life that we will become compulsorily weak that we can do virtually nothing. It becomes imperative that we choose our career path wisely. This brief introductory note on career development, a personal assessment on career development should guide us in the next step we are to take in life.