I always ask my clients
\ntheir age. I don’t mean to make them feel
\nbad about how old they are. But someone
\nthat’s 55 is at a different stage in their career and life than someone that’s 25
\nor 45. As a career counselor, I know
\nthat a 25 year old client presents dissimilar issues than someone who may be close
\nto retiring and asking themselves the question, “What’s next?” One of the pioneers in the field of career
\ndevelopment, Dr. Donald Super argued that people pass through five career
\nstages during their life span. I write
\nabout this because these sequential generalizations often provide a useful timeframe
\nto understand the career transitions you’ll face in adulthood.<\/p>\n
Within
\neach stage mastery of certain tasks allows people to function successfully
\nwithin that stage while preparing them to move on to the next task. Each stage is loosely affiliated with a
\nchronological period and is characterized by work attitudes, behaviors, types
\nof relationships, and the aspects of work that are valued. <\/p>\n
1.
\n<\/i><\/b>Growth –<\/i><\/b> The early years (4 to 13 years old) is a time
\nwhen the individual first becomes aware of the future. People start to find ways to develop
\ncompetencies and to achieve in order to increase control over their life. <\/p>\n
2.
\n<\/i><\/b>Exploration<\/i><\/b> – From the early teens to mid-twenties, people
\nbegin to crystallize, specify and implement an occupational choice. Different roles are tried and various
\noccupational options are explored though school, leisure, part-time work and
\nvolunteering. “Trial jobs” may be tested
\nbefore more firmly finding a more stable and appropriate fit.<\/p>\n
3.
\n<\/i><\/b>Establishment<\/i><\/b> – In the mid-twenties through mid-forties,
\ntypically a suitable field is selected and efforts are made to secure a
\nlong-term place in the chosen career. Young
\nadulthood tends to be a time for stabilizing, consolidating, building momentum
\nand moving up. Obtaining certifications,
\ncredentials, and advanced degrees may be the norm.<\/p>\n
4.
\n<\/i><\/b>Maintenance –<\/i><\/b> This stage usually happens in the
\nmid-forties to mid-sixties and is characterized by constancy: 1) Holding
\non<\/i><\/b> (stagnating or plateauing), or 2) Keeping up<\/i><\/b> (updating or
\nenriching). Continuity, stress, safety
\nand stability tend to be the standard.
\nSometimes people feel risk adverse with various career options which may
\nlead to frustration or even depression. In middle adulthood
\nwe may ask ourselves, “What have I done with my life? or Is this all there
\nis? or even What do I truly want?” For
\nmen, state of health or career accomplishment may predominate. Women sometimes perceive this period as an
\nopportunity to pursue new personal or professional goals now that their nurturing
\nrole has peaked.<\/p>\n
5.
\n<\/i><\/b>Disengagement –<\/i><\/b> The mid-sixties is typically marked by
\ndecelerating from formal employment to finding new roles with a view to
\nretirement. Baby Boomers are teaching us
\nthat this stage should be more appropriately named “Re-inventment.” They are completely redesigning the notion of
\n“retirement” preferring to work in some form while pursuing new or renewed outside
\ninterests. In later adulthood, there may
\nbe a need to assist or mentor younger members of society or seek
\nself-employment.<\/p>\n
However, it has
\nlimitation due to the rapidly changing nature of work and each person’s own
\ncircumstances. Not
\neveryone transitions through these five stages at fixed ages or in the same
\nmanner. I have learned in my private
\npractice it is more common nowadays to move back and forth more frequently from
\nthe Exploration to Re-inventment stages. <\/p>\n
For
\nexample, before entering the Maintenance stage, many people are asking the
\nmid-life question, “Do I want to do this job for the next twenty years?” Eventually, they decide to either: 1) Hang
\non<\/i><\/b> and enter the Maintenance stage, or 2) Let go<\/i><\/b> and change their
\njob, company, or career and then recycle back to an earlier stage in order to
\nmove in a new direction. For others,
\ntheir career is without boundaries based on skills and abilities that function
\nindependent of a set timeline.<\/p>\n
Your self-image
\nevolves throughout your life as a result of experience. You successively refine your uniqueness over
\ntime and make adaptation in your career choices. As we go through life stages our priorities
\nchange. Career ideas that you had at 25
\nmight not be relevant when you are 45 or 55.<\/p>\n
So, what career stage
\ndo you actually find yourself in chronological terms? What specific stage do you think you need<\/b> to be in? Perhaps this is the time to step back and
\nreflect on where you are. Maybe you need
\nto return to the Exploration stage and re-evaluate your skills, values,
\ninterests, personality traits and core priorities. At your stage, perhaps you what to find out
\nwhat else is out there and you want to begin a process of career
\ndiscovery. What are the financial and
\ntime considerations of the choices you are making at your stage? What types of planning and preparation needs
\nto be done at each stage both personally and professionally? Can you list three to five specific issues
\nthat you need to address right now? What
\nare some issues you’ll face as you pass through future stages?<\/p>\n
These are all
\nimportant questions that you will need to get clarity on in order to have
\nsuccessful and satisfying career development.
\nJust knowing that as we age, we will be progressing through career
\nstages, can be insightful, freeing and can have a profound effect on our
\nprofessional development. Remember:
\n<\/i><\/b>It’s never too late to reinvent yourself!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Copyright 2012, Dr. Thomas J. Denham, Careers
\nIn Transition LLC – Published Friday, February 17, 2012<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I always ask my clients their age. I don’t mean to make them feel bad about how old they are. But someone that’s 55 is at a different stage in their career and life than someone that’s 25 or 45. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-career-management"],"yoast_head":"\r\n