DEFINATION Career A career is a series of work related positions, paid or unpaid, that help a person grow in job skills,

, success, and fulfillment. Career Planning Career Planning is the deliberate process through which a person becomes aware of personal skills, interests, knowledge, motivations, characteristics, career related attributes and the lifelong series of stages that contribute to his or her career fulfillment. Career Development Career Development is the lifelong series of activities that contributeto a persons career exploration, establishment, success and fulfillment. The main characteristics of career planning are as follows: Career planning is a process of developing human resources rather than an event. It is not an end in itself but a means of managing people to obtain optimum results. Career planning is a continuous process due to an ever changing environment. The basic aim of career planning is integration of individual and organizational needs. CAREER PLANNING AND MANPOWER PLANNING Career planning is an integral part of manpower planning which in turn is an important part of corporate planning Manpower planning cannot be effective without proper career planning. Similarly, manpower planning provides valuable information to facilitate career planning. However, they are important differences between career planning and manpower planning. First, Manpower planning provides an inventory of skills and potentials available within an organization. On the other hand, career planning determines who (on the basis of performance and potential) could be groomed for higher level assignments, where when and how (i.e., after what kind of training) Secondly, manpower planning provides information on the human resource available within the organization for expansion, growth and technology innovations. But career planning only tells us who could succeed in case retirement, death, resignation, etc. of

existing personnel. SUCCESSION PLANNING

 Who should be running your organization 10 yearsfrom now? What are you doing today to be sure you will have them? What are you doing today to be sure they will be ready? Do you know how you are going to replace key people in your organization? Make sure your talent chooses you. Succession planning is no longer a confidential, short list of chosen successors. Each time your key players wonder about the next move in their career, they have four options: Seek a promotion, Transfer to a new challenge, Reinvent themselves in their current role, and Leave your organization. Though three of the four options allow them to stay and grow with your organization, the advice theyll get from friends and family will be maybe its time to move on. Build pools of broadly qualified talent. Plan iterative changes to the design of key roles.

Develop people sooner in their careers. Design sequential and cross-boundary experiences to develop broader skills and perspectives Help employees take responsibility for their own career development 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 resources through more satisfied and productive employees To have a more stable workforce by reducing labour turnover and absenteeism To increasingly utilize the managerial talent available at all levels within the organization.

 To improve employee morale and motivation by matching skills to job requirements and by providing opportunities for promotion. To ensure that promising persons get experiences that will equip them to reach responsibility for which they are able. To provide guidance and encouragement employees need to fulfill their potentials. To achieve higher productivity and organizational development. WHY CAREER PLANNING IS IMPORTANT? Lets suppose you choose a field. Career planning is not planning for that field on a onetime only basis, but its a continuing process; in fact, you can call it a lifetime process. We are always learning and growing, and as we do, our interests and needs also change. Career planning is not just making plans to obtain your perfect job or career, but to help you make the many adjustments there will be along the way as you learn about you and your world or work. Career planning is estimating, predicting and calculating all the steps necessary to achieving your goals. Career planning is a process and is always ongoing and often runs in cycles. When you desire change in your career, the process can be repeated many times. The reason most people do not turn their wishes and dreams into reality is because they dont take these wishes and dreams and make them goals. A goal is a dream with a deadline.

There are many reasons why people dont make goals for themselves. The biggest reason is they dont understand that the process of goal setting is a skill. All of us have made some goals in our life and achieved them. But most of these were not large or life changing

goals like going into business, changing careers, becoming wealthy, writing a novel, going from office clerk to a top executive or becoming an expert in your field. The successful people set goals; they plan and follow the plan. Goal setting is a process and a learned skill with many parts to it. Simple, short-term goals may be done in your head, but more complex, long-term goals, should be written, evaluated and monitored frequently. The longer it takes to achieve your goal, the more you will encounter problems, changes and frustration. Goal seeking is growth building. Goal planning is life planning. As you define your goal, it will define you. Life presents us with unexpected events all the time. So when we set out a goal we must understand that there may be many roadblocks to reaching a goal. Barriers that come up often cause a person to abandon a goal. Many people think that by writing down their goals, they fear they will lose their spontaneity or flexibility. Goals arent rigid and once its written its cast in stone and one cant change it. No one knows the future. What you plan today can change dramatically in an instant. Suppose you want to go from a clerical worker to a manager. Before you do anything further, ask yourself Why do I want to achieve this goal? You may say, I want to achieve this goal because I want to have more status or I want to increase my salary or I believe I can be a good leader and this can help me achieve my long term goal of becoming a top executive in my present company or another company. Now ask yourself Why is this important to me? You may say, Its important to me because I want to go as high up the corporate ladder as my talents and abilities will carry me. Then ask yourself, Why is this important to me? You might say, Because I want to prove to myself and to others Im an achiever and I want to have the prestige and status of a corporate executive. Ask yourself again, Why is this important to me? Try doing this for as long as you can. What you are attempting to do is get to the core reason of why you want to do something. This exercise will help you to clarify your intentions and goals. Its sometimes easy to say, I want this when it might actually be something else you want. This can help you save wasted effort by making sure you truly want to pursue this goal. It will also help you with your motivation and determination when you can positively say to yourself, Yes, this is truly what I want, and you will be more committed to this pursuit In summary, many people are dissatisfied in their jobs and career. Career planning will help maximize your potential and satisfaction in your work. STAGES OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Super, Schein and others have identified five stages of career development. These are given below:

Exploration Stage In early adulthood stages, as an individual, one make certain critical decisions, regarding his career. This decision regarding that of career choices are influenced by a number of factors, such as the following: Influences from parents, relatives, teachers and friends. TV and film. Interests and specialization of parents. Financial resources mostly that of parents. Social influences. In exploration stage, a number of perceptions occur some of these

are

unrealistic. Many of them are irrelevant to the

organization, because it occurs prior to joining the organization. However to an individual such influences and choices of career are relevant even though many of such influences remain dormant for years, waiting for an opportunity to arise to popup. This stage ends by early 20s when one leaves the studies and goes for employment. Establishment Stage This stage starts with searching job and getting the first appointment. In this stage a person gets his first appointment and feels the reality of career life. At this stage, he experiences

comradeship of another set of people who are made up of his peers, other than his friends and classmates as in exploration stage. For the first time, in this phase comes under the command and control of his boss which is a new experience because, he experienced only the command and control of his parents. Both these changes cause an amount of apprehensions and anxieties due to uncertainties of outcomes. The outcomes viz. success or failure in his job. This is a phase where he makes mistakes and learns lessons. He also experiences ecstacies in achieving successes. By and large, this stage is eventful and men Certain events happening in this stage creates ever lasting impressions in life which might great influence in shaping his future career. Mid-Career Stage At this stage any of the following three things happens: 1. Employees show continuous improvement in performance (High Flying). 2. Employee continued to maintain high level of performance. 3. Employee deteriorates his performance as he catch up in age (Maladjustment). Late Career Stage Those who successfully complete the Mid-career stage can comfortably pass through the stage of later career. By and large, it represents a period from 50 years to 70 years. This range is arbitrary. It varies considerably between persons to persons and with organizations. In this phase, a more comfortable and relaxed career path is indicated with higher status, recognition and with more number of subordinates to assist. In this period, not much learning takes place nor does the incumbent try to improve his previous years performance records. Here the application of conceptual skill and maturity in judgment are as important as the charismatic appeal. In this phase, those stagnated during previous stages prepare themselves to retire from active life or doing something different. Decline Stage Decline stage is inevitable to all high flyers and others. It is interesting to note that this period is more painful for high flyers, because, suddenly they find themselves away from the central stage and out of lime-lights. For others viz. the average performers or those of less-average performers, this is a God send opportunity to come out of the routine drudgery. However, even for them, the adjustment during this period becomes a bit difficult because of lack of responsibilities and absence of order or structure. Development of good hobbies, past time, humanitarian/social works, etc. can reduce monotony during this stage to certain extent. PROCESS OF CAREER PLANNING Identifying Individual Needs and Aspirations First of all, an objective analysis of the hopes 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 idea about these. For this purpose a personnel inventory of the organization and employee potential are

ascertained. Personnel inventory will reveal the age, qualifications, experience and aptitude of present employees. Appraisal of employees is then carried out to identify the employees having the necessary potential for climbing up the ladder and is willing to be promoted and to take up higher responsibilities. Such appraisal may reveal three categories of employees; a) Employees who are already fit and willing to take up higher responsibilities These can be promoted to fill the higher level vacancies; b) Employees who have the potential and willingness to take up higher responsibilities but require more training and experience, and c) Employees who have the capacity to take higher responsibilities but lack the interest or desire. Analyzing Career Opportunities The organizational set up, future plans and career system of the employees are analyzed to identify the career opportunities available within it. 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 defined after relating specific jobs to different career opportunities. At a particular level, there may be young direct recruits as well as older persons who have risen to the level through promotions. The former aspire for quick career progression due to their better education and training. The latter cannot be expected to move up very high due to limited professional education. Therefore, promotions and direct recruitment at every level must be so planned as to ensure a fair share to each group. This is called age balance in career paths. Identifying Match and Mismatch A mechanism for identifying congruence between individual current aspirations and organizational career system is developed lo identifies and compares specific areas of match and mismatch for different categories of employees. For this purpose specific jobs are related to different career opportunities. Such matching helps to develop realistic career goals for both long term and short term. 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 paths, by providing opportunities for lateral movements through jobs redesign, etc. Changing employee needs and aspirations by helping them to scale down unrealistic goals and aspirations or by creating new aspirations. Training and development of suitable people, so as to meet the needs of both the individuals and the organization.

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 jobs needs. Review will also indicate to employees in which direction the organization is moving, what changes are likely to take place and what skills are needed to adapt to the changing needs of the organization. The following questions may be asked during the process. Was the classification of employees correct?

Are the job descriptions proper? Is there any employee unsuited to his job? Are the future manpower projections still valid? Is the team pulling on well as a whole? Answer to these and other similar question may be sought through brainstorming session. Surveys may also be conducted to judge the impact of career planning activities on the working of the organization ADVANTAGES OF CAREER PLANNING Career planning helps an employee know the career opportunities available in an organization. A person comes to know in advance the level to which he can rise and the potential and aptitude he has.

 This Knowledge enables the employees to select the career most suitable to his potential and aptitude. It also encourages him to avail of the training and development facilities in the organization so as to improve his ability to handle new and higher assignments. An organization with well-designed career plans has a better image in the jobs market. Therefore, it can attract competent employees. The new entrant understands that he is entering a career not a job in organization that cares for his talents and aspirations. Recruitment becomes more systematic as it is based on job descriptions and job specifications. Career planning anticipates the future vacancies that may arise due to retirement, resignation death, etc at managerial level. Therefore, it provides a fairly reliable guide for manpower forecasting. A forward career plan helps to avoid dislocation in managerial positions Career planning helps to retain hard-working and talented employees. Work force becomes more stable due to low employee turnover. The very fact that the organization provides opportunity for promotion and career progress increases the loyalty of employees. These helps to reduce the cost of hiring new people. Moreover, a unique corporate culture can develop and thrive, when people grow inside the organization. Career planning is a participative process and under it job assignments are based on merit alone. This helps to improve employee morale and productivity. Career planning involves a survey of employee abilities and attitude. It becomes possible, therefore, to group together people talking on a similar wavelength and place them under supervisors who are responsive to that wave length. This results in more homogenous or cohesive work teams. The organization can identify the employee who can be promoted from within. Career planning facilitates expansion and growth of the enterprise. The employees required to fill job vacancies in future can be identified and developed in time. Through systematic career planning, jobs enlargement can be introduced to meet future needs arising from job design and technological changes. LIMITATION OF CAREER PLANNING Career planning can become a reality when opportunities for vertical mobility are available. Therefore, it is not suitable for a very small organization. In a developing country like India, environmental factors such as Government policy, public sector development, growth of backward area, etc influence business and industry. Therefore, career plans for a period exceeding a decade may not be effective. Career planning in not an effective technique for a large number of employees who work on the shop floor, particularly for illiterate and unskilled workers. Systematic career planning becomes difficult due to favoritism and nepotism in promotions, political intervention in appointments and reservation of seats for scheduled castes/tribes and backward classes.

 Several other problems hamper career planning. These include lack of an integrated personnel policy, lack of a rational wage structure, absence of adequate opportunities for vertical mobility, difficulties in identifying suitable persons for career planning, difficulties in forecasting replacement needs, opposition of trade unions to lack of a good performance reporting system., low ceiling careers, dual career couples, ineffective attitudinal surveys, etc, CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME BASED ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVES Challenging Initial Tasks Berlew and Hall~ have shown that performance of employees in later years is correlated with initial jobs. For example, career success has shown significant relationship with challenging job assignment in the initial periods. In other words, an employee who faced challenging tasks during the initial period of engagement and has become successful has better chances of career success during the later periods. This shows importance of initial placement and socialization. Assessment Centres We have already discussed about Assessment Centres in selection process. This centre provides an opportunity to assess the knowledge, skill and ability of employees. Since managers and supervisors are acting as Assessors, this centre provides an opportunity for Assessors to observe the behaviour carefully and draw inferences. The feedback to assessee also helps him to improve his ability. It also gives better insight in performance appraisal; to managers. More than anything else, it gives better opportunity to observe and learn the process of development. Information Dissemination Free flow of information regarding career prospects in an organization is very important. Management must publish documents containing information such as eligibility conditions for promotion, appointment to key posts, special training or experience required in a particular field/area as a prerequisite for promotion of a given post, etc. Such information serves the following two purposes: It prevents spread of rumour and half-truths spreading through word-of-mouth regarding promotion and career prospects. It stimulates/motivates employees to acquire special skill knowledge or experience well in time. Improve knowledge and skill of employees of organization and make available right talents at the right time Career Counselling Career Counselling assists the assesse to know his performance against the standard expected by organization. Some of these objectives are given below: Assess employees hopes, aspirations and expectation. Assess employees performance, achievements and shortcomings.

 Assist employee to know organizational expectations and take a realistic picture of his expectations vs opportunities available. Assist employee to overcome anxiety and fear. Career Guidance Sessions/Seminars/Workshops Such seminar must be organized by management which gives an Opportunity for managers and supervisors to interact with each other air their respective views of their expectations and perceive problems standing against their aspirations and objectives. This provides a very useful common platform of interaction between management and employees which generate free and frank discussion. Such seminars are very useful for employees in the following occasions: Time of entry of employees in the organization during socialization / induction period. Mid-Career correction of employees. Late career assurance of employees. Training and Development Training and Development is an important means of updating skill, knowledge and competence of employees. This helps organization to improve its knowledge base. To become successful in market by attaining and sustaining competitive advantage. This step also helps the individual employees to meet their aspirations of career prospects. Job Rotation There are two types of job rotation viz. vertical or horizontal. Vertical movement involves job enrichment and more authority through leave vacancy or temporary promotion or assistantship. Horizontal rotation exposes variety of job which involves job enlargement and more experience in allied fields or specialization. It increased confidence and knowledge of persons which in turn increases ones promotion chances.

Deputation/Long Leave We have seen mid-career is a turning point. Employees who have put up less than average performance carry out self-assessment and introspection. There are two options for them. These are: Improve their performance to assure individual career objective. Look for career opportunities else where, which better their prospects in life. Improving career performance involve following two aspects. Undergo further training Programme. Look for an opportunity to relax and recuperate their energies and rejuvenate their spirits.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME TO MEET INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVES 1There is popular saying in Defence services. The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in War. This is equally applicable to industrial and business world. Individual employees who meticulously plan their career and constantly strive and work towards achieving their individual goals are more likely to succeed in their objectives than others. In order to make an effective individual career plan, the person must be able, in the first instance to answer the following three questions:

Where I am? Where I must go? How to go over there?

In order to answer these questions every employee must do a SWOT analysis to find out his own strength(S), weakness (W), opportunities (0), and Threats (T). Following are the steps suggested in preparing an individual career plan. Strength and Weakness: Analysis of strength and weakness involve the following: Academic Career: Recall academic career, identify areas of achievement, special interest, natural liking and skill. Also recall extra curricular activities in which one has excelled others or has a natural liking. Professional Career: Identify specific areas of excellence and weaknesses, recall reasons for leaving earlier posts or organizations. Critically analyze particular nature of habits and behaviour pattern which stood by you during crisis or which caused your downfall. This is an honest self-assessment or introspection and listing down such factors which are identified as strengths and weaknesses of individuals. The purpose is to take corrective actions to reduce ill-effects of own weaknesses and exploit fully those factors which are strengths. Secondly such analysis assists an individual to fix his aims and objectives which are compatible to his abilities and skills.

Aims and Objectives When one understands his strength and weaknesses Which is an important source of information to plan ones career objectives. Depending on ones abilities he should Fix target in his career plans and select appropriate organization to serve. Obviously such a choice of job and organization is possible in an employees market where jobs are plenty whereas number of suitable persons is less. This happens in developed nations. In developing nations the situation is different where hands are many, jobs are few. Even in such environment, awareness of strength and weaknesses in terms of knowing ones attitude, aptitude, skill and ability assist an employee to plan his future career. There are many choices open to him such as the following: Choice of Organization Self-employment. Government employment. Public sector.

 Private sector. Choice of Job Production. Marketing. Finance. Personnel. Having identified the organization and the jobs, the next choice may be based on the following considerations: Choice of location. Scope of job in terms of career prospects. Job satisfaction in terms of Compensation. Transferability. Opportunities and Threats - Having identified strengths and weaknesses and having short-listed firms and jobs, the next logical step in planning individual career plan is to realize opportunities and threats in the career so chosen. This in other words, is the realistic analysis of environment. This is a continuous process since conditions change from time to time. Such changes are influenced by changes of technology, competition government policies, corporate policies, and biographical factors like age, health attitude of colleagues, etc.

MAKING CAREER PLANNING EFFECTIVE The measures that can be taken to make career planning successful given below. Top Management Support Strong and unflinching cooperation of top management is most important for effective career planning. Top Management must develop enthusiasm among executives for this purpose. Expansion Career planning is feasible in growing organization. Long term manpower projections can be made in such enterprises and the exist ample opportunities for vertical mobility.

 Clear Goals An organization must have clear corporate goals for the next decade. On the basis of its corporate plans, it should determine the type of changes required in its activities, technology, materials and procedures. Otherwise, the enterprise cannot develop the human resource development system that requires career planning. Motivated and Hardworking Staff An organization can create an environment and express genuine concern for development. But unless the employees are willing to make use of the available opportunities and resources career planning cannot be effective. If the employees are contented with what they are, the question of planning their career does not arise. Proper Selection Selection of right jobs is essential for career planning. The person should not only be fit for the job but should have enough potential and urge to develop himself and grow in his career. Proper Age Balance Unbalanced age structure causes promotion blocks which hampers career planning. There should be both continuity and growth needs of the organization and aspiration of individual employee. Fair Promotion Policy There should be an equitable policy for promoting employees. In addition there should be systematic training for those who are trainable and willing to learn higher skills. Management of Career Stress Stress at work is harmful to an individual career as well as to the organization. It arises due to blockage of career or lack of control over ones career. Management can help employees get over this stress through career stress management programmes. Employee participation in career decisions and career counselling can also be helpful. Internal Publicity A career plan should be given wide publicity within the organization. The employees for whom the plan is designed should know the career paths they can follow, the training and development facilities available for career growth, etc. In this respect, the personnel department can play an important role.