Perspective of Career Exploration Across the Life Roles - Report Example

Introduction

In this reflective report, I critically analyse my career development to date, where I want to be in the future and what preparatory steps I will have to take to accomplish my future career goals. This analysis is conducted under the lens of a number of career theories, models and questionnaires, including, but not limited to, Super’s (1957) Life Rainbow and Schein’s (2006) career anchors theory and questionnaires. The analysis is guided by tools and techniques acquired through the Life Career Development module. Based on my career trajectory so far and my future goals, the theories, models and questionnaires are selected on the basis of their compatibility with my career trajectory so far and my future career goals. The tools and techniques, together with scholarly reports in the literature help me to establish and pursue, realistic and attainable career development goals.

• Career: Definition and Concepts

The term career is often misconstrued as merely an individual’s vocation or work (Coupland, 2004). However, according to social science discourse, the term career encompasses more than an individual’s work. A career is the connection between one’s identity and one’s work (Coupland, 2004). In vocational psychology, constructivist and social constructivist career theorists inform that the skills and knowledge that are required for a specific career do not exist in a vacuum (Young and Popadiuk, 2012). Skills and knowledge are intimately connected to the user and as such the way that they are interpreted and used depends on the user’s experience and life phase (Young and Popadiuk, 2012). Therefore, the acquisition of career skills and knowledge are very much a part of the individual’s socialization (Young and Popadiuk, 2012).

Therefore, based on the definition and conceptualization of the term career in social science and vocational psychology, my career is shaped by who I was, who I became and who I will be and not simply what I do on the job. What I choose for a job will be informed by many factors including my family background, my educational background, my friendships, my strengths, my likes and so on. In the meantime, my career will also influence where and how I socialize and live my life. This wholly subjective view of the term career allows me to understand and plan my career development more realistically. In other words, rather than just identifying the skills and knowledge necessary for qualifying for a specific job description, this conceptualization of the term career forces me to examine who I am and how well a specific career choice is an appropriate fit.

• • Career Models

A popular and often used career model was developed by Donald Super in 1957 and subsequently modified. Super’s career model is referred to as the Life-Career Rainbow (Super, 1957) (See Figure 1 below). Super’s (1957) Life-Career Model is based on Super’s (1957) life-span/life-space theory (Super, Savickas, and Super, 1996). According to the life-span/life-space theory, an individual doesn’t make a career choice in circumstances that are detached from the individual and the individual’s world (Super, et al., 1996). The life-span/life-space theory is an expansion of Super’s career development theory. As an expanded version of Super’s career development theory, the life-span/life-space theory holds that the life choices that one individual makes differs from that of another because, choices are contextual and therefore depend upon opportunities, resources, and competence (Super, et al., 1996).

In particular, Super’s life-span/life-space theory argues that each person is exposed to unique life spaces as a result of factors specific to the individual (Super, et al., 1996). These specific factors are both personal and situational in nature. Person factors include, but are not limited to values, interests, needs, and competence. Situational factors include place of abode, family, country of domicile, economic matters, gender, race and so on (Super, et al., 1996). The relationship between person and situational factors operate to help the individual develop and maintain concepts of the self and career development goals and resources for managing career development (Super, et al., 1996). In other words, each phase of the life contributes to the shaping of one’s career development (See Figure 1).

Figure 1: Super’s (1957) Life – Career Rainbow

Source: Super (1957).

Based on the life-span/life-space theory, individuals are able to take account of ‘how various social roles may intersect throughout the life span’ (Blustein, 1997: 262). In other word, individuals can use the rainbow to identify and plan career activities or indicators from their past and present and plan for their future. At each life phase in the rainbow, individuals can identify values, and the extent to which they are satisfied presently (Blustein, 1997). Individuals can also identify influential factors such as school, family, friends, and how situational factors have played a role in specific life phases and the formation or facilitation of interests, values, and needs (Blustein, 1997). By taking this approach, individuals can plot what they would like to do or be in the future and what values they hope to give expression to (Blustein, 1997).

Using the Super’s rainbow and the life-span/life-space theory, I am 24 years old and therefore I am at the end of the exploratory stage. The exploratory stage is the phase where interests and opportunities are tried out through classes, hobbies, work and the skills are developed tentatively. However, I am prepared to enter the establishment stage where entry-level skills are being finalized and I am prepared to gain work experience. At this stage I am at the final stage of a three-year Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management at a university in London. Entering college and working hard to acquire the requisite skills to work in business management are informed by values and family influences. My parents migrated to England from Bangladesh prior to my birth. This required hard work and commitment for them to adjust to a foreign country and a foreign language and at the same time enable me to go to university. My parents’ hard work and commitment influenced my decision to study and see my course to the end. My parents’ ability to manage their finances to sustain a life in a foreign country helped me to learn the value of planning and managing finances and this is what influenced my interest and commitment to business management.

With these values and interests in mind, I plan to continue to improve my skills and experience at the maintenance stage of my life span. I have not fully considered my decline stage yet, but I plan to retire with accomplishments similar to that of my parents. I want to have children and see to it that they develop healthy and attainable goals. My parents valued commitment and hard work and I have seen firsthand, throughout my life span, how rewarding those values can be and I hope to mirror those values with a view to living a fruitful and rewarding life.

• • The Formation of My Career Goals to the Present

Based on Krumboltz’s (2009) happenstance learning theory, my career goals were shaped from birth to the present time and includes all of my social interactions and activities. According to the happenstance learning theory, human conduct is an outcome from a number of experiences that are learned and ‘made available by both planned and unplanned situations in which individuals find themselves’ (Krumboltz, 2009: 135). These learning experiences include the acquisition of ‘skills, interests, knowledge, beliefs, preferences, sensitivities, emotions and future actions’ (Krumboltz, 2009: 135). The situation for the acquisition of these factors that people are exposed to are attributed to both controllable and uncontrollable actions and events (Krumboltz, 2009). Each situation can be an opportunity if those opportunities can be identified and then the individual can act to harvest opportunities (Krumboltz, 2009).

My first happenstance occurred at birth. I was born in England and therefore was exposed to an opportunity to speak two languages and benefit from two cultures: Bangladeshi and English. In negotiating between two languages and two cultures I acquired problem solving skills early on in my childhood. Those skills were developed and enhanced as I socialized with both cultures and in school. Along the way I learned to manage and interpret cultural clues, and in the process I found myself perpetually learning new social and problem solving skills. In the meantime, I observed my parents’ commitment to hard work and they always encouraged me to take my education seriously. Both of my parents taught me the value of self-discipline, hard work and education.

As I journeyed through school, I realized that I my multicultural and bi-lingual background helped me to acquire problem solving and conflict resolution skills. These skills were strengthened by my mathematics and social science education. By the time I entered high school I began considering a vocation in which my unplanned factors and qualities could be utilized in a chosen vocation. I reflected on how business management could open up further opportunities for me to explore a number of career choices that could include my problem solving and conflict resolution skills and at the same time use my preferred subjects of mathematics and social sciences. With my parents’ support and hard work, I qualified for university and was accepted. During my university years, I have concentrated on business management and I am now at the end of my career development skills and I am preparing for entry on the job market. I know that I will be satisfied with an entry position and I will learn on the job skills and work toward promotion and advancement to a managerial position. These are the opportunities that I have control over and for which my life’s happenstance and planned behaviours have prepared me for. With my parents’ support and the encouragement of my friends and professors I am confident that I will develop a career that I am satisfied with (See Figure 2).

Figure 2: My Happenstance Career Model

2.0 My Growth and Development

Schein (1996) identified eight constructs that known as career anchors. These constructs reflect what one perceives as one’s capabilities, skills, values, motives and needs in relation to a suitable career (Schein, 1996). Schein’s career anchor’s theory presumes that in order to succeed at a career in the 21st century, it is important for the individual to identify what their talents or skills are, what they value and what motivates or drives them (Schein, 1996). Self-perceptions of one’s abilities, motives and values are one’s career anchor (Schein, 1996). Schein (1996) therefore developed a career anchor self-report, inventory built around the eight constructs of life style, pure challenge, general managerial competence, autonomy/independence, security/stability, technical/functional competence, entrepreneurial creativity and service/dedication to a cause.

I filled out an abridged version of Schein’s (1996) inventory (See Appendix 1). As this is a self-assessment took, I tried to be objective. I scored particularly well in, pure challenge, technical/functional competence. I also scored well, but to a lesser extent in security/stability. According to Schein (1996), a high score in security/stability indicates that the individual is more concerned with reaching a point in their career where they are stable and know exactly where they are going, how to get there and have the wherewithal to get there. I believe that my upbringing with both parents who provided a concise pattern for me in terms of my daily life and my life course from school to university has influenced my propensity for security/stability. I am very secure in my upbringing and would like to carry on this tradition as I transition from university and home to an independent life. My leaning toward security/stability is evidenced by my decision not to pursue part-time work while in university and school. I only felt comfortable with activities that had a long-term goal and felt that part-time work did not lead in that direction or could interfere with the pursuit of long-term goals and therefore compromise security/stability.

My high score on security/stability correlated with my higher score on pure challenge for which I awarded myself the highest possible score of five. According to Schein (1996), an individual scores high on pure challenge when he or she is predisposed to accepting challenges and taking on what might appear to be a problem that cannot be solved. I have always enjoyed challenges. As a small child, I always enjoyed the more challenging games and was bored once I figured those games out. As I grew older I always selected books that were more challenging to read as I was easily bored with the books that were not challenging. I selected business management as a concentration because it opens up opportunities for taking on challenging jobs in a highly technologically driven global market. This also explains why I scored five in technical/functional competence. I have always been good with technical subjects such as mathematics and statistics. These subject areas allow me to put my analytical and problem solving skills to work. As Schein (1996) explains, an individual with a career anchor of technical/functional competence would rather manage other persons in the technical/functional field and are not interested in management in general. I think this describes me as I like using my technical and functional skills. This is why I selected business management as a concentration. I would conclude that based on my perfect scores on technical/functional competence, that this is my career anchor. While I want to achieve security/stability, I am not quite there yet since I am still dependent on my parents for financial and emotional support.

Figure 3: Future Life Mapping.

3.0 My Future

As my final semester in university draws to a conclusion, I am anxiously contemplating my future career path and development. At this stage, I have acquired the requisite academic requirements for an entry level position in the business field. I am also equipped with the tools for business management, but realise that in order to get there, I will have to have hands-on experience in a business environment. I know that I will have to be a perpetual student in that I will have to learn and grow as I apply my academic skills to practice. At this point I am establishing my career objectives, how and what I need to do or have in order to accomplish these objectives and what available factors will either facilitate or interfere with my achieving my career objectives.

3.1 Exploration

Possible selves is a formidable tool for career mapping among adults (Shepherd and Marshall, 1999). Possible selves was developed by Markus And Nurius in 1986 and it has been applied to helping individuals ‘explore and generate options, increase self-awareness, and formulate plans to achieve goals’ (Shepard and Marshall, 1999: 38). The possible selves theory will be used in this section to explore my career possibilities and development.

Possible selves is about identifying what one wants to become, what one can realistically become and shelving fears or negative selves that might present an obstacle to realizing one’s possible self (Shepard and Marshall, 1999). As Shepard and Marshall explain, when a possible self or ‘hoped-for self is viewed as reachable, specific scripts, plans and action strategies become attached to that self and the hoped-for self evolved into an expected self’ (38). Thus using the Wheel of Life models I can demonstrate how satisfied I am with who I am, where I want to be, and what I am doing with my life and career (See Figure 4). The Wheel of Life can also be used to show how this satisfaction is expected to look in five years’ time (See Figure 5).

Figure 4: Wheel of Life Current Satisfaction

Based on Figure 4, it is obvious that I am highly satisfied with my personal growth as I have attained the age of 24 without incident and was able to qualify for university, enroll and I am now in my final year of university and about to graduate. I am highly satisfied with my romantic life at this point because it is not important to me at this juncture and so it needs no attention from me. While I am satisfied with my friends and family and my health, there is room for improvement as I have not been able to pay as much attention as I should to either of these factors, due to my academic obligations as I near graduation. I have also sacrificed time for fun and recreation for the same reason. I am highly satisfied with my physical environment as I am in university and my parents have always provided a home for me. I also enjoy living and being a student in London. I am satisfied with my career choice and my current academic qualifications, but know that I have a long way to go to fully develop my career. As for money, I do not have a consistent nor reliable income at the moment and rely on my parents for my primary needs. I hope to rectify this situation when I begin to work in my selected career.

In five years I expect that I would have been employed in a business and would have been long promoted above an entry level position. I anticipate that I will be well on my way to achieving my career objective of managing a business (See Figure 5). While I anticipate earning more money, I also anticipate that I have to gain far more experience in my career in order to earn substantially more. In addition, I do not expect to see much improvement in fun and recreation as I will be balancing a career with the rest of the demands of my life. I do expect to make more friends and to spend more time with my family as I leave the university environment. I will need family and friends to support and encourage me throughout my career so those relationships should be far more satisfactory in five years. I expect my professional growth to outweigh my personal growth, so I do not expect to be any less or any more satisfied with my personal growth. I also do not expect to be any more or less satisfied with my romantic life within five years. I do expect my health to be less satisfactory as I deal with the stress of career development and obligations which will then involve wages and dealing with other people’s assets. I also expect to be just as satisfied with my physical environment as I should have my own home within five years.

Figure 5: Wheel of Life Satisfaction within Five Years of Starting my Career

I anticipate being fully satisfied with my career choice and development. I am confident with this prediction and assessment as a result of my scores having taken the Holland Occupational Choice test. Holland’s Occupational Choice test a series of themed questions based on personality theory that coincide with career choice (Holland, 1962 (See Appendix 2). Individuals who participate in the test are placed within six possible occupational groups (Holland, 1962).

After taking Holland’s Occupational Choice test and calculating the scores, I was grouped into CES (Conventional, Enterprising and Social) (See Appendix 3). A list of CES occupations were generated and I am satisfied that my personality type is compatible with a number of possible occupations, many of which involve some degree of business management. Therefore, I have selected the right career and one I graduate from university, I am qualified for a number of these business related jobs such as a loan officer, insurance claims, tax examiner, revenue agent, tax preparer, first-line supervisor, compensation and benefits, general and operations manager, personal financial advisor and so on. The possibilities are endless and each place me on a clear path toward excelling in business management, specifically marketing as all business experience is possible information and knowledge on marketing requirements.

Despite my personality fit to a number of business management opportunities, and the upcoming completion of my degree, I am still required to plan my career path. It is not enough to know what I want to achieve, it is also necessary to know what I need to achieve and whether or not it is possible for me to achieve the required needs (Rabiu, 2013). Up to this point I have applied knowledge through my participation and engagement in classes and in workshops. However, as I prepare to join the job market, there are steps that I will have to take to establish contacts, apply for jobs, prepare for interviews and to demonstrate readiness and qualification.

Based on guidance by Greenhaus, Callanan and Godshalk, (2010) I have developed conceptual and operational short- and long-term goals for a career in the marketing aspect of business management. I specialize in marketing and as such I intend to put this part of my business management skills to use. As Greenhaus, et al., (2010) advise, a long-term goal is the starting point and it should be comprised of a career goal within a five to seven-year timeframe. This is ‘a projection of one’s preferred work environment’ within the timeframe selected (Greenhaus, et al., 2010: 116). The short-term conceptual goal is supportive and facilitative of the long-term goal and should include what the individual intends to accomplish in order to achieve long-term goals (Greenhaus, et al., 2010). The operational goals are those activities that encompass conceptual goals (Greenhaus, et al., 2010) (See Figure 6).

Figure 6: Short-Term and Long-Term Goals for a Career in Marketing

Short-Term Goal

Long-Term Goal

Conceptual

Additional duties for marketing and sales

Involvement in brand and marketing project management and planning

Involvement in all areas of marketing

Involvement in managing brand equity and loyalty

Direct interaction with marketing management

Involvement in creating and promoting brands

Operational

Brand representative within 2 years

Brand manager within 5-7 years

Prior to graduation, I am preparing for entry into the job market by researching and identifying industries and sectors that require brand and/or marketing representatives with an opportunity to advance to a managerial position. I am researching how to apply for positions within these businesses and who I should contact in order to get the job application process starting. Once graduation is behind me, I will perfect a resume and draft a cover letter setting out my desire to use and develop my skills as a business management graduate, specializing in marketing as an employee of the firm. I will also search Want Ads for job opening opportunities and will follow their application guidelines.

According to bestsampleresume.com’s (n.d.) job description of brand representative’s duties, the most important attribute is knowledge and understanding of the brands or brand that the job opening covers. Therefore, once I apply for an opening, I will learn all that I can about the brand or brands associated with the firm looking to hire a brand representative. This will be valuable knowledge during job interviews. A perusal of various advertisements online for brand representatives reveal that on-the-job training is available (See Appendix 4). Therefore, in addition to having a first degree in business management, I will also receive on-the-job training as a brand representative, this should put me a unique position to achieve my long-term goal of brand management.

I ultimately hope to manage brands in a way that makes them globally recognized.

5.0 Transitioning from Study to Work

Using Kurt Lewin’s change theory which was developed in 1946 and the accompanying Force Field analysis, I will describe my plans for transitioning from university to active employment. Lewin’s change theory and the resulting Force Field Analysis points out that in order to effectively and efficiently make changes, one has to have a full understanding of the factors favourable to change and those that are presenting obstacles (Miner, 2010). In other words, driving and restraining forces are identified (Miner, 2010). The forces are each measured on a scale usually from 1-10 signifying importance. If a force is rated high in importance it is dealt with according to the control levels over the force (Miner, 2010) (See Figure 7).

Ideally, I would emerge from graduation and go straight to work. However, as Figure 7 below demonstrates, there are some restraining forces that will hinder the abrupt transitioning.

Figure 7: Force Field Analysis of My Transition from University to Work

Importance

Control

Driving Forces

Graduation

Acquisition of academic skills

A desire to start my career

Restraining Forces

Fear of Change

9

9

Uncertainty: no job upon graduation

7

6

As demonstrated through Figure 7, my greatest restraining force is fear of change and this can be controlled through the support and encouragement of my friends and family. As for uncertainty as to not having a job immediately upon graduation, I am bound by market conditions. I do have minimal control in that I am at liberty to apply to a large number of jobs and to ensure that I am adequately prepared for interviews.

Conclusion

The models and theories covered in this module have helped me to realize that my career choice is highly dependent on who I was in the past, who I am now and what I hope to be in the future. Using the knowledge and tools acquired in the models also helped me to identify what measures needed to be taken to accomplish what I hope to be in the future. By taking this approach I was able to identify realistic and attainable career growth, development and goals. I am now able to look forward to my future career goals as I leave university with greater certainty and optimism.

Appendix 1

Schein’s (1996) Career Anchor Questionnaire

Scores are calculated as follows: 0=not important whereas 5= Important. Score each of the following from 0-5 based on the following two questions:

1). How important is this aspect of your career to you?

2). How does this match your current career development?

Technical/Functional Competence 1). 012345

2). 012345

Managerial Competence 1). 012345

2). 012345

Autonomy/Independence 1). 012345

2). 012345

Security/Stability 1). 012345

2). 012345

Entrepreneurial Creativity 1). 012345

2). 012345

Service/Dedication to a Cause 1). 012345

2). 012345

Pure Challenge 1). 012345

2). 012345

Lifestyle 1). 012345

2). 012345

Appendix 2

Holland’s Occupational Choice Questionnaire

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Top of Form

Top of Form

Dislike

Neutral

Enjoy

Test the quality of parts before shipment

Study the structure of the human body

Conduct a musical choir

Give career guidance to people

Sell restaurant franchises to individuals

Generate the monthly payroll checks for an office

Lay brick or tile

Study animal behavior

Direct a play

Do volunteer work at a non-profit organization

Sell merchandise at a department store

Inventory supplies using a hand-held computer

Work on an offshore oil-drilling rig

Do research on plants or animals

Design artwork for magazines

Help people who have problems with drugs or alcohol 

Manage the operations of a hotel

Use a computer program to generate customer bills

Assemble electronic parts

Develop a new medical treatment or procedure

Write a song

Teach an individual an exercise routine

Operate a beauty salon or barber shop

Maintain employee records

Operate a grinding machine in a factory

Conduct biological research

Write books or plays

Help people with family-related problems

Manage a department within a large company

Compute and record statistical and other numerical data 

Fix a broken faucet

Study whales and other types of marine life

Play a musical instrument

Supervise the activities of children at a camp

Manage a clothing store

Operate a calculator

Assemble products in a factory

Work in a biology lab

Perform stunts for a movie or television show

Teach children how to read

Sell houses

Handle customers bank transactions

Install flooring in houses

Make a map of the bottom of an ocean

Design sets for plays

Help elderly people with their daily activities

Run a toy store

Keep shipping and receiving records

Bottom of Form

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Bottom of Form

Appendix 3

Holland Code Generated from Holland’s Occupational Choice Test

Appendix 4

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