Career Planning: Meaning, Purpose and Process

A career is a sequence of positions occupied by a person during the course of a lifetime. - Decenzo & Robbins

Career is a sequence of separate but related work activities that provides continuity, order and meaning in a person’s life. - Edwin Flippo

• A career is all the jobs that are held during one’s working life.

• A career path is the sequential pattern of jobs that form a career.

• Career goals are the future positions one strives a part of career.

• Career planning is the process by which one selects career goals and the path to these goals.

Purpose of Career Planning

The main purpose of career planning is to integrate individuals’ and organizational growth needs.

• It helps to develop individuals and groups, provides opportunities and challenges and strengthens work cultures.

• To increase managerial competence

• To attract competent person and retain them in the organization

• To provide suitable promotional opportunities

• To enable the employees to develop  and make them ready to meet the future challenges

• To increase the utilization of managerial reserves within an organization

• To correct employee placement

• To reduce employee dissatisfaction and turnover

• To improve motivation and morale

Process of Career Planning

1. Self-assessment by employees

2. Exploring opportunities

3. Identification of occupational orientation

4. Identification of high potential occupation

5. Setting career goals to meet the career issues

6. Setting career plans

7. Implementing career plans