Career Development theory

Career development theory is a social-psychological field of study designed to improve career paths, job satisfaction, and long-term professional growth. This is accomplished by determining a person’s interests, abilities, and skills as they relate to employment; identifying jobs that will use these skills; and creating a plan to improve or build on skills and abilities that will allow the person to advance in their chosen field.

There are a number of career development theories dealing with how to complete these assessments and plans. Each uses a different approach to applying the assessments and measuring them against job requirements. Career development theories are important because their proper use can help people find jobs where they will be happy and successful.

Background

Career development is the path a person follows throughout their professional or employment life. It does not begin or end with finding a first job. Some aspects of it are formed in childhood. For instance, a child fascinated with construction sites may later choose a career operating an excavator or engineering the construction of new buildings. Other careers may be based on learned skills; someone who writes well might choose a career in journalism, while someone with strong math skills may become an accountant or scientist.

Matching skills and abilities to the requirements is one part of career development. Another equally important part is determining how a person can improve their skills so they can continue to advance in their chosen career path. Most people become bored and dissatisfied if a job is not challenging enough. They may also become dissatisfied with the amount of money, prestige, or authority they can achieve if they do not move to higher level positions. Career development plans help a person to continually improve through education and skill enhancements, allowing them to move into new positions with greater responsibility, authority, and higher pay.

This process begins while a person is still in school training for a position. It can begin during the high school years and should definitely begin while in college, trade school, an apprenticeship, or other training process for their career. This establishes a good foundation for a solid career development plan.

There are several steps to beginning a career development plan. The first is being self-aware of strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Knowing these things helps in determining what type of careers might be of interest and what skills should be acquired to pursue them. It is important to be honest in this analysis to avoid unhappiness and difficulties later on. For instance, a person who struggled with biology and chemistry classes in high school should be aware of the difficulties that would present in pursuing a career in medicine. It would not be impossible, but it would require extra work to learn the material necessary to achieve success.

Once this assessment of strengths, weaknesses, and interests is accomplished, the next step is setting a series of goals to improve existing skills and learn new ones. For example, the high school student who struggled with biology might decide to get tutoring to improve grades this semester, take a more advanced biology class next year, and possibly find a summer job that allows them to apply these skills, such as assisting in a veterinary office. Someone who has determined strengths, weaknesses, and skills but not a possible career might set goals of talking to people who work in various careers, job shadowing a few who work in fields that might be a good match, and taking courses that would boost skills needed for these fields.

Completing these steps should help uncover some potential career paths. The next step is to acquire the training and education necessary to meet the requirements to hold these positions. For instance, someone interested in becoming a plumber might determine the requirements needed for certification to work in this field in their area, take courses in a career and technical school or college, apprentice with a licensed plumber, and spend time watching videos or reading about the tools, skills, and practices used in these professions. It also helps to develop soft skills, such as working with people and communicating effectively, that are necessary for a successful career, and this can be done in a number of ways. For instance, playing a team sport helps develop collaborative and cooperative skills that are important in a work environment, while participation in service projects or groups such as scouting and 4-H help develop independent thinking and organization skills.

Overview

The process of deciding on a career and determining a career development path can be challenging. A number of different theories on the best way to do this have been established. Some are better suited to specific fields of employment. Each of them has different steps but the same goal: to help people find jobs that are good matches for their skills and help them to continually improve so they can achieve greater job satisfaction and success.

Career development theories are based on the principles of four main fields of study: psychology, developmental psychology, sociology, and personality. Numerous theories have been proposed and are often used by school and career counselors to help people choose or improve a career path. Five are used most often.

Frank Parsons’ Trait and Factor Theory

The Parsons theory has three steps. It begins with assessing personality traits, followed by inventorying the traits needed for the position or career. Finally, the personality traits are compared to the traits required for the job to determine how well they match up. Aptitude tests used in this theory include the Interest-Kuder Career Search (KCS), Aptitude-Differential Aptitude Tests (DAT), and the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB).

John L. Holland Theory of Vocational Types

This theory is based on the idea that the highest levels of job satisfaction will be achieved when there is a match between the employee’s personality and the job environment. Holland’s theory categorizes people into six personality types known as Holland Codes or Holland Occupational Themes. These include:

• Realistic types, or “R” types, also known as “doers,” who problem-solve with action rather than deliberation. R’s are hands-on employees such as chefs and construction workers.
• Investigative types, or “I” types, also known as “thinkers,” prefer solitary to group work and like working with information more than their hands. I’s are often accountants, lawyers, or physicians.
• Artistic types, or “A” types, also known as “creatives,” are independent but still enjoy collaboration. They are usually emotionally attuned to others and prefer work that allows them to create or innovate. Writers, musicians, and graphic arts designers are usually type “A.”
• Social types, or “S” types, also known as “helpers,” are happiest helping others or sharing information. They prefer working with others to working alone and relationships are important to them. Teachers and social workers are often “S” type.
• Enterprising types, or “E” types, also known as “persuaders,” enjoy working with both information and people. They crave financial security and status and are often sales people, stockbrokers, or entrepreneurs.
• Conventional types, or “C” types, also known as “organizers,” crave status and economic stability like “E” types but have a strong preference for structured work that follows a predictable pattern. Economists, financial planners, and the chief organization officers of companies are often “C” types.

Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory

This theory emphasizes past experiences as a major driver of the motives and behaviors that make an employee happy and successful. He theorized that people’s behavior is influenced in one of three ways: by a person’s personality characteristics and what they think they can achieve; by the behaviors, actions, and outcomes they see in others; and by outside factors around them out of their personal control. This theory suggests that a person’s chance of success can be improved through a positive self-attitude and good role models.

Donald Super’s Developmental Self-Concept Theory

This theory holds that a person’s career development occurs over an entire lifetime, and that changes occur as the person learns and grows mentally and emotionally with experience. Super identified five main stages of career development and believed a person’s view of themselves and their level of job satisfaction changed based on how well they thought they were doing in each of these stages:

• Growth—from infancy through age fourteen, the self-image and attitude toward work are developing.
• Exploration—from fifteen through twenty-five, experimentation with hobbies, activities, and early jobs provides early career experience.
• Establishment—from twenty-five through forty-four, work experience is gained.
• Maintenance—from forty-five through sixty-four, experience helps in the gaining of new positions
• Decline—beginning at sixty-five, a winding down to retirement begins.

Anne Roe’s Personality Theory

This theory proposes that a person’s career choice is influenced by whether their interactions with their parents inspired a desire for independence (non-people-oriented) or a desire to interact with others (people-oriented). Roe created eight classifications for careers based on whether or not they were people-oriented. They included: service, business contact, organization, technology, outdoor, science, general culture, and arts and entertainment. Each classification was ranked based on the amount of skill required in these categories: independent responsibility, less independence, moderate responsibility, training required, special training, follow basic instructions. The person is then ranked in each classification and skill-based on how they interacted with their parents during childhood.

These theories all have benefits and shortcomings. Counselors will often use a combination of several to get the best results. The importance of career development theory is that it helps improve the likelihood of a happy and successful career and can help struggling careers through additional training, skills development, and potentially redirection.

Bibliography

Arthur, Nancy, and Mary McMahon. Contemporary Theories of Career Development: International Perspectives. Routledge, 2019. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1935947&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

Birt, Jamie. “Career Development Theory: Definition and Introduction.” Indeed, 15 Aug. 2024, www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/career-development-theory. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

“Career Development.” Troy University, spectrum.troy.edu/mmatise/CompsPreparationProgram/5%20Career%20Development%20Comps%20Review.pdf. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

“Career Development 101: A Complete Guide to Professional Growth.” National Society of Leadership and Success, www.nsls.org/what-is-career-development. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

“Career Theory and Models.” Careers-Government of New Zealand, 3 May 2016, www.careers.govt.nz/resources/career-practice/career-theory-models/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

Davey, Kate McKenzie. “Organizational Career Development Theory: Weaving Individuals, Organizations, and Social Structures.” Oxford Academic, 9 July 2020, academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34232/chapter-abstract/290245501?redirectedFrom=fulltext. Accessed 27 Sept. 2022.

Johnson, Charmaine. “Applying Career Development Theory.” Career Professionals of Canada, 12 Oct. 2016, careerprocanada.ca/applying-career-development-theory-2/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.