Career Development Over A Lifespan

1. Career DevelopmentOverA Lifespan Renée Crumley EdS Candidate CEPD 8102, Summer 2010 University of West Georgia

2. “ The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor” ~Vince Lombardi Maxwell, 2002

3. Career Foundations in Childhood Attitudes Beliefs Dependent on Socioeconomic Situation of Family Developed from Peers Interactions Exposure to Media/Cultural Influences Empathetic behaviors begin Sense of Morality develops Developing problem solving skills Metacognition skills Competencies

4. Childhood Factors that Influence Career Adaptability Concern Control Developing a future orientation Gaining mastery over one’s life Acquiring proficient work habits and attitudes Believing in one’s ability to achieve Conviction Competence Hartung, 2008

5. Factors that Influence Careers in Adolescence and Early Adulthood During this time period of an individual’s life, the first career decisions are being made. Young adults are becoming responsible for their own support. When entering the job market, the more freedom to choose a career path, the more likely an individual will be satisfied in career choices. Many theorists believe that individuals are in a” constant state of development”. If this is true, being willing to change and adapt will influence career paths. Family expectations also play a role in influencing career decisions. At times these family expectations are in conflict with individual preferences. Duffy, 2009 Santrock, 2008

6. Women Opting In and Out of Careers Women enter and leave the work force for a variety of reasons. In early adulthood, women find careers and jobs much the same as their male counterparts. As women have families or their spouse relocates, women have left the job market for a time. Other reasons cited were lack of satisfaction with job, resistance from male dominated work cultures, or caring for elderly parents. When personal lives begin to stabilize, many reenter the job market for a variety of reasons. Some of those reasons include: older children, need for intellectual stimulation, or need for more income. Older women renter the job market for many of the same reasons. Many face the need for retraining and skills updating Cabrera, 2007

7. Older Workers in the Workforce As the population ages, more people may choose to extend their working lives. Many older workers feel the need for extra income or intellectual stimulation that a career provides. Employers will need to develop programs that retrain the long term careers of their employees. They may need to develop more flexible leave polices due to health issues that impact an older work force. Older workers bring a more diverse life experience to the wok place. Being able to tap into that experience can be of great benefit to employers in the future. Vander Heijden, 2008

8. Life-long 21st Century Skills What skills are important in today’s market at any age? • Leadership and responsibility • Flexibility and adaptability • Initiative and self-direction • Social and cross cultural skills • Productivity and accountability • Information literacy • Media literacy • Global Awareness • Health Literacy • Civic Literacy Empowering, 2009

9. 21st Century Career Leadership Skills Career adaptability and satisfaction through leadership, what is needed? • Being creative • Being interactive • Being vision headed • Empowering others through encouragement of participation • Being passionate about your work • Get in the habit of learning • Constantly re-evaluate your role Empowering, 2009 Maxwell, 2002

10. Midlife and Older Career Changes “I feel sorry for the person who can’t get genuinely excited about his work. Not only will ne never be satisfied, but he will never achieve anything worthwhile” ~Walter Chrysler • Reasons for Midlife changes • Some self-motivated • Job loss • Goal re-evaluation • Job stresses • Reasons for Long Term Careers • Ability to work part-time • New career path • Working spouse • No desire to retire “When you stop giving and offering something to the rest of the world. It’s time to turn out the lights.” ~George Burns Sanrock, 2008

11. Careers Over Life-Span Workers of all ages bring inter-related skills to the workforce. Early Adult Workers Middle Aged Workers Senior Workers • First permanent full-time job. • Developing sense of responsibility • Resetting of goals and career path. • Job satisfaction is important. • Still able to contribute • Need for some flexibility in work environment

12. “ Learn as if you were to live forever; Live as if you were to die tomorrow.” ~ Anonymous Maxwell, 2002

13. References Cabrera, E.  (2007). Opting out and opting in: understanding the complexities of women's career transitions. Career Development International,12(3), 218-237.  Retrieved July 1, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1342412281). Duffy, R., & Dik, B.. (2009). Beyond the Self: External Influences in the Career Development Process. The Career Development Quarterly,58(1), 29-43.  Retrieved July 1, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1855021491). Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Specialists. (2009) American Association of School Librarians. Chicago. AASL. Hartung, P., Porfeli, E., & Vondracek, F.. (2008). Career Adaptability in Childhood. The Career Development Quarterly, 57(1), 63-74. Retrieved June 11, 2010, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1551327331). Maxwell, J. (2002). The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player. Nashville, TN. Nelson Books. Santrock, J. (2008). Essential of Life-Span Development. New York: McGraw- Hill Higher Education. van der Heijden, B., Schalk, R., & van Veldhoven, M. (2008). Ageing and careers: European research on long-term career development and early retirement. Career Development International, 13(2), 85-94.  Retrieved June 17, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1464250001).

14. Images and Power Point Graphics Photographs accessed and downloaded from Google Images, July 1-4, 2010. Power point template: PresenterMedia.com. Accessed and downloaded from Microsoft.com . July 3, 2010.