CHANGING CAREERS

Changing Careers

Abstract

The world of careers has gone through a number of significant changes, with a foremost transformation in the 1980s-1990s of the 20th century. Earlier, the typical career system was organizational, highly structured, and hierarchy based. Individual progress was much due to tenure and compliance and would imply stepping up the ladder. The organization assumed the role of command and control, moving people around (a chess metaphor), but also taking care of them in a patriarchal way (family metaphor). The transition, which began in the last century, meant a shift to dynamic career environment, constant restructuring of organizations—hence breaking the traditional ladders—more focus on individualization of careers, and a change of the organizational role to enabler, supporter, and challenger. We expect this world of careers to prevail in the 21st century, and the career models discussed in this entry are presented to open the mind to the new realm of work.

Changing Careers

Introduction

A large body of work on young adults' transition from school to work and the establishment phase of their careers can be found in the extensive literature on occupational careers. However, relatively little empirical and theoretical work exists on the unique career issues faced by those workers in their mid-to late career stages, particularly with regard to the psychosocial dynamics of mid-and late careers. The need for additional work in this area is becoming more pressing with the shifting demographics to an older workforce, particularly the aging of the baby boom generation.

In addition, there has been a move away from the traditional linear career progression that was dictated primarily by the organization. This career progression focused on organizational-based rewards such as promotions and pension qualifications. More recently, protean-based careers, discussed by Hall and colleagues (e.g., Hall, 2004; Hall & Mirvis, 1995), which are controlled by the workers themselves and focused on their own personal values and goals, have become more prominent. Several authors have equated this new person-centered protean career model to the free agency market that has existed for a long time in professional sports. However, many mid-and late career workers who started their careers under the traditional model are not well prepared for the free agency market. Therefore, given the shifting demographics to an older workforce as well as the shifting responsibility of career management to the workers themselves, the need for increased interest and research on the unique issues faced by mid-and late career workers is obviously warranted and clearly justifies the inclusion of this chapter in 21st Century Management.

Literature Review

In order to fully understand and appreciate the lifespan developmental model of careers, we must understand the broader context in which careers occur. That is, we need to look at the nature of work and its evolution over time. In addition, we must also look at how workers and the workforce have evolved. Only in doing so will we be able to begin to understand the myriad of possible career trajectories that those in midlife and beyond may experience and fully appreciate the biological, psychological, sociological, ...