Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Janies W. Walker
Many employees want to know more about the [n summary, eareer path information is important
career op|K)rtunities available in an organization to for employee eareer development and human re-
help them set realistic career objectives and to plan source planning, but it needs to be realistic. And
practical steps for their personal career development. this means eareer paths need to have a realistic basis
Recent proliferation of career planning materials, and realistic applications. This article briefly dis-
workshojK. and company-sponsored counseling pro- eusses approaches to satisfying those needs.
grams indicates a growing employee av\arcness and
activism regarding their careers. However, the in- Background On Career Paths
formation available to employees regarding career
paths is usually quite limited, and does not tell Career paths are not new. Neither do they have
"the whole story" about job progression possibilities to be written about to be experienced. Most em-
and associated qualifieations requirements.' ployed persons move through a "patterned sequence
of [positions or roles, usually related in work con-
Many managers also want career paths to be de- tent." during their working lives. However, career
fined, so that an adequate number of individuals paths are objective descriptions of sequential work
may be identified and prepared to fill future vacan- experiences, as opposed to subjective individual
cies. Once eareer progression patterns are identified, feelings about eareer progress, personal de\elop-
more systematic forecasting of staffing requirements ment, status, or satisfaction. For example, an in-
is possible. For the development of senior manage- dividual may view increasing responsibilities or
ment talent, career paths are needed as guidelines changing work assignments within a single job as
for career development assignments across fune- a "career," but this subjective view of a career docs
tional and organizational lines. Increasingly, senior not constitute a career path, as defined above.
executives are the product of varied job exjxrienecs, An organization needs to move indi\'iduals along
and not necessarily the product of life-long eareers career paths, to develop the divereity of capabilities
within a single function or unit. necessary to staff various levels and types of jobs.
At tbe same time, not all individuals need follow
In addition to employee and managerial interest in eareer paths—tbere is a need for "eareer profes-
career paths, the federal government is requiring sionals" in many specialist positions.'^ An oil com-
action in this area.- To assure equal employment pany study a few years ago, for example, found that
opportunity and affirmative action program com- stability, not mobility, was preferred for staffing of
sales representative positions. Neither do individuals
pliance, companies are advised to describe jobs in
need to follow upward eareer paths. Lateral paths
terms of actual requirements: work content and
provide expisure to multiple functions and activi-
related qualifications. Employee seleetion and up-
ties and thus de\'elop broader capabilities among
grading decisions are to be based on job-related individuals. Manv individuals find lateral careers
faetors, whieh nets out to mean a definition of highly satisfying.
possible eareer patbs.
Career paths have emphasized upward mobility
1 James W. Walker, "Individual Career Planning," Busi- within a single occupation or functional area of
ness Horizons, Vol. 16, No. 1 (February 1973).
-'Edward J. Giblin and Oscar A. Ornati, "Beyond Com-
pliance," Personnel, Vol. 52, No. 5 (September-October ^ Peter F. Drucker, Management: Tasks, Hesponsibilities,
1975), pp. 38-50. Practices, (New York: Harper & Row, i974) pp. 395-397.
FIGURE 2
Engineering Position Analysis
Traditional Career Paths Annong Positions
Path A
Eng Ref Eng (Ref) Eng Des & Ping, Asst Supt Maint (Ref)
Engg (HO)
Mech (12) Mech '(2) Mech (6)
Eng Maint (Ref)
Mech (4)
Path B
Proc Eng, Tech Serv (Ref) Proc Eng, Engg Area Proc Supv (Ref)
(HO)
Chem (20) Chem (6) Chem (10)
Ping Anal, Ops Sr Ping Anal, Ops
Ping (HO) Ping (HO)
Chem " ( 5 ) Chem ( I )
*Al leoit one of these i* a "Chem"
*Ai least one of iheso hoi spent most of his career in "Mech" posilioni
FIGURE 3
Engineering Position Analysis
Career Paths Suggested by Behaviors
2, Tech Specialist Tech. Supervisor 5. Supervisor
-some Supv. Area Prac Supv. Asst Supt Maint
Eng, Des & Ping Ops (Ref) (Ref)
Eng (HO) Chem (10) Mech (6)
I . Tech. Specialist Mech (2)*
Proc Eng, Tech' Eng, Mointenance
Serv (Ref) (Ref)
Chem (20) Mech C^)
Eng, Ref Engg
Mech (12)
Ping Analyst, Tech. Coord/Conv Tech. Coord -
Ops Ping (HO) municator some Supv.
Chem (5)** Proc Eng, Engg (HO) Sr Ping Analyst,
Chem (6) Ops Ping (HO)
Chem (1)
•At leoit one of iheio is a "Chom"
•*At least one of these hos spent most of hlj career in "Mech" poiitioni