Career management in the 21st century

            Everybody would agree that the current times are very challenging and that career management templates applicable in the last century cannot be regarded as all-embracing today. Uncertainties, competitions and lack of opportunities all tend to make a person glum. There is no place for a presumptuous approach to one’s career because knee-jerk reactions can have adverse reactions. There has to be proper planning and a down-to-business attitude with a hands-on line of attack.  

            People may have had unmistakable career paths in the period before the recent recession. Though the economic slowdown is over, its effects are not and hence same career paths are most likely to seem as unachievable currently. Resultantly, career management is not the exclusive responsibility of employers, as was the case earlier.

Today, it has come to be viewed as a business affiliation that satisfies the objectives of both the employer and employee. As and when the affiliation is severed, implying that the employee leaves an organization, he is accountable to himself and responsible to look for another alliance in order to carry on into the next stage of his career development. Times therefore, can be very testing and demanding.

Though at the cost of reiteration, it is significant to state that the 21^st century lays increased responsibility on an individual to mange his or her career and the prospects that go with it. That calls for greater answerability and liability. The fact is that the very nature of employments and job profiles has changed; such alterations have been brought about by scientific advancements and a perception of the world having become a global village. There is no job that is retainable for life in the 21^st century occupation panorama.

But one attribute has not changed. Careers, like some other life effects, are fluctuating, unpredictable and flexible. They have a demonstrated ability to alter themselves in consonance with individualistic conditions.  Furthermore, all careers need to be periodically assessed to make certain that all schemes and objectives are in harmony with progress achieved in professional and private planes.

            Current difficult times have sent appropriate signals to everybody that even the most forceful and healthy career arrangements are subject to upset. Therefore, it is inescapable to uphold and sustain one’s viewpoint and outlook. Additionally, options to get on track in the eventuality of an interruption or interference also need to be identified in advance.

            There would be many who would have had other burning concerns that perhaps relegated career management to a lower position. They would have not found it difficult to manage their careers because the focus of attention lay somewhere else. But those who were not passive in their approach and did not leave their career management to luck or others, stand in good stead today, particularly when the global economy has started witnessing an upsurge.

The writing on the wall is clear – never leave your career management to others; you will always face the hazards of being abandoned or being left out of the loop.

With a plethora of activities taking place in the world, succumbing to bewilderment or desperation is natural. But sparing some time to perform a career appraisal can prove highly beneficial. There are individual career objectives and ambitions on one side and private and job-related principles on the other. The need is to see whether both of them make parallel or not.

A career appraisal referred above would facilitate understanding what is functioning and what is not. How capable is one? What are the vulnerabilities affecting a person or his career? What are the avenues open? Are there any perils that may surface? The answers to these questions would differentiate the effective from the non-effective. In other words, one would be able to discern where one stands.    

            An illustration will make things clear. There could be gossip or stories being floated about impending organizational changes or retrenchment. Similarly, tittle-tattle on some people not being given a rise or promotion may also go around. Issues like these can turn out to be extremely damaging to people, particularly when they are already going through distressing encounters in their place of work or lives.

            But there is a silver lining too! While deliberating on the avenues open, one is able to let imagination run wild. And by doing so, one is able to concentrate on ‘what next’ issues rather than getting into the fundamentals of the ‘ought to, may perhaps or possibly will’ alternatives. In the long run, this would be of great advantage. Some questions that need definite asking are:

·   What is presently going as per schedule in the career?

·   What is presently that is not on rails in the career?

·   What are the impediments that are precluding career growth?

·   What is the effect or influence of the above impediments on career growth?

·   How can the above impediments removed or their harmful effects reduced?

·   Who are other individuals or agencies that can facilitate a successful career plan?

 Procedures for management of one’s career in the 21^st century call for resolution and determination, largely on account of the ever changing workplace and career characteristics. Trade and venture versions are changing more often than ever before and hence employees have to display an increased flexibility and greater answerability, if they desire superior career management.