Hey everyone. Have you already chosen your career path? Do you know what is good for you, gives you pleasure and you can earn money from it? Take this quiz and find the answers to these questions!
A career is an individual’s metaphorical “journey” through learning, work, and other aspects of life. There are several ways to define a career and the term is used in a variety of ways. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word “career” as a person’s “course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life)”. This definition relates “career” to a range of aspects of an individual’s life, learning, and work. “Career” is also frequently understood to relate to the working aspects of an individual’s life – as in “career woman”, for example. A third way in which the term “career” is used describes an occupation or a profession that usually involves special training or formal education, considered to be a person’s lifework. In this case “a career” is seen as a sequence of related jobs, usually pursued within a single industry or sector: one can speak for example of “a career in education”, “a criminal career” or “a career in the building trade “. A career has been defined by organizational behavior researchers as “an individual’s work-related and other relevant experiences, both inside and outside of organizations, that form a unique pattern over the individual’s life span.”
The word “career” ultimately derives from Latin carrus, referring to a chariot. The Online Etymology Dictionary claims the semantic extension whereby “career” came to mean “course of one’s public or professional life” appears from 1803. It is used in dozens of books published in the year 1800, about Goethe’s “literary career,” other biographical figures’ “business career” and “professional career,” so the phrase likely was in regular use by the year 1800.
By the late 20th century, a wide range of variations (especially in the range of potential professions) and more widespread education had allowed it to become possible to plan (or design) a career: In this respect, the careers of the career counselor and of the career advisor have grown up. It is also not uncommon for adults in the late 20th or early 21st centuries to have dual or multiple careers, either sequentially or concurrently. Thus, professional identities have become hyphenated or hybridized to reflect this shift in work ethic. Economist Richard Florida notes this trend generally and more specifically among the “creative class”.
Career management or career development describes the active and purposeful management of a career by an individual. Ideas of what comprises “career management skills” are described by the Blueprint model and the Seven C’s of Digital Career Literacy. Key skills include the ability to reflect on one’s current career, research the labor market, determine whether education is necessary, find openings, and make career changes.
According to Behling and others, an individual’s decision to join a firm may depend on any of the three factors viz. objective factor, the subjective factor, and critical contact.
Objective factor theory assumes that the applicants are rational. The choice, therefore, is exercised after an objective assessment of the tangible benefits of the job. Factors may include the salary, other benefits, location, opportunities for career advancement, etc. Subjective factor theory suggests that decision-making is dominated by social and psychological factors. The status of the job, the reputation of the organization, and other similar factors play an important role. Critical contact theory advances the idea that a candidate’s observations while interacting with the organization play a vital role in decision making. For example, how the recruiter keeps in touch with the candidate, the promptness of response, and similar factors are important. This theory is more valid with experienced professionals. These theories assume that candidates have a free choice of employers and careers. In reality, the scarcity of jobs and strong competition for desirable jobs severely skew the decision-making process. In many markets, employees work particular careers simply because they were forced to accept whatever work was available to them. Additionally, Ott-Holland and colleagues found that culture can have a major influence on career choice, depending on the type of culture.
When choosing a career that’s best for you, according to US News, there are multiple things to consider. Some of those include natural talents, work style, social interaction, work-life balance, whether or not you are looking to give back, whether you are comfortable in the public eye, dealing with stress or not, and finally, how much money you want to make. If choosing a career feels like too much pressure, here’s another option: pick a path that feels right today by making the best decision you can, and know that you can change your mind in the future. In today’s workplace, choosing a career doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stick with that line of work for your entire life. Make a smart decision, and plan to re-evaluate down the line based on your long-term objectives.
Would you like to find out which career suits you best? Would you like to have a job that you like and which you won’t get bored of? Answer twenty questions in our quiz and find the answer to these questions now!
