Career Development

Individuals need to develop newer and better skills to promote and achieve a higher organizational level. Organizations must also be diligent in designing and developing their employees' career advancement programs. Organizations must be different in designing and developing their employees' career advancement programs.

Though employees are responsible for planning their careers, employers must provide them with prospects to achieve their desires in today's turbulent and terribly ambiguous world of work.

Career development is an ongoing process in which employees and employers must build a favorable environment so that their own objectives can be achieved at the same level.

Significance of Career Development:

• It is the way to prevent job burnout. The employees do not lose interest in their jobs and careers. Career development enriches their job experience and provides success, enhancing their performance.
• The employees are provided with career information. It can be a learning experience for the employees where they will learn about recent career trends and opportunities.
• It ensures improved quality of working life as it helps in removing the monotony of work.

Methods of Career Development:

There are several methods widely used for the development of careers. But, these are primarily used in a unique combination with more than one method. The commonly used career development methods are as follows.

Discussion with Experienced People: The subordinate is paired with his superior to agree on the best career development activities. In some cases, this service is provided by counselors and psychologists.

Material by Company: Some organizations have created specific materials for the development of their employees. The content developed corresponds to the needs of the institutions. In addition, job descriptions as regarded as good content that shows workers to decide whether their strengths and weaknesses correspond to the requirements of any job offering within their own organization.

Workshops: Some organizations offer their employees seminars and workshops that last two or more days so that they can develop their careers within the organization. The workers' career goals are described and matched with the organization's needs.

Personal Development Plans (PDP): Some organizations encourage their employees to submit their own personal growth plans. This plan summarises the needs of workers' personal development and the specified effort and action plan for the achievement. Therefore, upper management encourages staff to examine their weaknesses and strengths.

Others: In addition to these career development methods, there are other ways to develop careers, such as specialized software packages and unique websites, lifelong learning budgets where both employee and employer provide money or developing careers, career centers, career libraries etc.