Career Transition

Career Transition In this paper, I will research career transition and how it has impacted the workforce and management. I will present from three research articles that I feel are important in understanding how career transition affects adults who are transitioning from one career to another. As an HRM, one of the biggest parts of our job will be to recruit new talent. Traditional careers are falling to the wayside and emerging is a type of employee who has been around the block once or twice. I am going to focus on first the way careers are changing, then I am going to look at the military and how they prepare their retirees, many of whom are still in their 30’s, for retirement, and finally, I will look at career transition and what role HR plays. Gone are the days of staying with one company until you are eligible for the pension and a gold watch. The average person born in the later years of the baby boom held 10. 8 jobs from age 18 to age 42, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U. S. Department of Labor (Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results From a Longitudinal Survey Summary , 2008). Career transition is no longer looked at as something to avoid putting on your resume. It seems like everyone it doing. So how can a person make the transition smooth and successful? Career transition often requires employing new tools, skills and/or a switch in perception. In her article, Beyond the Career Mystique: â€Å"Time in,† â€Å"Time out,† and â€Å"Second Acts†, Phyllis Moen. states that Americans confront a major mismatch between outdated career and retirement regimes and the exigencies of (1) family responsibilities, and (2) the risks and uncertainties associated with a competitive, global, and information-based economy. Unlike privileged workers in the 1950s, members of America's 21st-century workforce find it increasingly rare to have either a full-time homemaker or a secure, â€Å"lifetime† job. This mismatch challenges both scholars and policy makers to revisit, research, and rewrite the disparate scripts constituting the rules of the career game. The mid-20th-century bargain of trading a lifetime of paid work for a lifetime of income security-never a reality except for a group of middle-class office workers and unionized production workers in the post war economic boom of the 1950s-is probably gone forever. (Moen) Her points regarding the changing career climate are spot on. Many of he lifetime jobs are ones that have no real advancement potential. A GS (Government Service) job will allow for increases in pay due to step promotion and COLA increases, but in order to advance into a higher GS position a person would have to make significant gains in their education and/or work experience. Both of these might require leaving the current job for a time period. In some cases, the GS jobs have no advancement potential even with additional education, a person would have to quit t heir current job and reapply for a new position. Even more evidence that points to employers changing the career game is an article published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that states that employ ¬ers are replacing defined-benefit retirement plans with defined-contribution retirement plans, allowing employers to shift more responsibility for retire ¬ment income to the employee. (U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010) So what are the consequences of this alteration of the career landscape? The median age of workers are increasing. The prime age group, composed of 25- to 54-year-olds, is projected to increase by 1. million and make up 63. 5 percent of the total labor force in the target year. The youth labor force, composed of 16- to 24-year-olds, is expected to decline from the 2008 level, but will remain over 21 million in 2018. The military is one area that has a great deal of experience with career change. Not only do the military members change jobs frequently, most retire after only 20 years of service. This puts someo ne who may only be 38 in the position finding new employment at a relatively young age. A study examined the concerns of retiring Marine Corps noncommissioned officers (NCOs) as they experience the adult career transition of retirement from military service and transition to the civilian workplace. Analysis of focus group transcripts reveal a range of concerns related to the transition factors cited in Schlossberg’s Transition Theory as the 4 S’s: situation, self, support, strategy. The study provided insight on the issues and challenges Marine Corps noncommissioned officers (NCOs), and all Military Personnel face upon retirement based on the following articulated themes: cultural, community, social and psychological concerns. The paper suggested that programming be offered to facilitate transition and should also address psychological and social concerns which may improve the quality and outcomes of transition to a new role in civilian life. (Johnston, Fletcher, Ginn, & Stein) Many of these jobs are in the skilled labor fields which are light on EAP's to assist once the transition has occurred. Next to the military, education is another area that see its fair share of transition. A quick Google search on career transition will bring up a plethora of sites offering advice on starting a second career in teaching. The main areas that see an influx are secondary high school education teachers and entry-level college instructors. Why are these areas so appealing? One paper seeks to reviews the current theory in areas relevant to industry-to-academia career transitions, and to outline a theory that targets this category of employee directly. They sought to outline the first step toward a limited theory explaining the special needs and motivations of industry-to-academia career transitions. Throughout this paper, the hybrid academic institution, consisting of a traditional core and a nontraditional periphery, received special emphasis. While the research did not conclusively define the reasons behind the transition, consider the following concepts: (1) proteanism, or the protean approach to career transitions; (2) transition types; and (3) human values. (Bandow, Minsky, & Steven) All of which are indicative not only in instances of industry-to-academia career transitions, but in most all other areas as well. Even for the most experienced and well-educated person, transition does require some finesse. Here are a few tips that can help make the change less traumatic. It is important to take a serious look at the many possibilities and outcomes before you jump into a new career or field. Consider these 10 tips as you make a transition from your present career to your next: 1. Have a clear plan. The smartest move that you can make is to carefully map out an effective career-change strategy. This should include a detailed action plan that takes into consideration finances, research, education, and training. Keep in mind that a successful career change can take several months or longer to accomplish, so patience is key. . Wait for the right time. The best time to consider a new career is when you are safely ensconced in your existing position. It is understood that a steady paycheck can relieve a lot of pressure. There are many ways to take steps toward your new career path; you can volunteer or offer yourself as a freelancer or consultant. This can help you to â€Å"test the waters† in your desired new field. 3. Be sure of your reasons. Just because you’re unhappy in your current job isn’t a strong enough reason to make a total career break. Carefully analyze whether it is your actual career you dislike or whether your employer, supervisor, or office situation is the problem. 4. Do your research. Be sure to examine all possibilities before attempting a career jump. Talk to people in your network; read career and job profiles; meet with a career management professional. The more information with which you arm yourself beforehand, the more successful you will be. 5. Decide what is important. This is the best time for thoughtful self-reflection. Ask yourself what it is you really want to do with the rest of your life. Take an honest inventory of your likes and dislikes, and evaluate your skills, values, and personal interests. Many people who are looking to change careers do so to find a balance between their personal and professional lives, to accomplish the right mix of meaning and money. You may want to consider consulting a career coach and/or taking a career assessment test. 6. Examine your qualifications. Do you have the necessary experience and education to be considered a qualified candidate in your desired career field? If not, you need to find a way to bridge the credentials gap. This might mean making your goal more long-term while you go back to school or receive additional training. 7. Learn about the industry. Get a feel for the field that interests you. Read industry journals, attend conferences, and talk to people in the profession about what they do. Learn whether your target industry has growth potential. Trade magazines, organizations, and entrepreneurs have created a slew of Web sites that offer searchable databases where job openings in many specific industries are listed. Start looking at these sites on a regular basis. 8. Develop your network. Begin nurturing professional friendships early and tend them regularly. Professional organizations and job industry trade associations are a good place to start. Many of them hold networking events and job fairs. 9. Update your job search skills. It is especially important to polish up your job-hunting skills and techniques before you get out there and start networking. Make sure you are using your time and resources as effectively as possible. 10. Pay your dues. Do not expect to begin at the same level of seniority in your new career that you held in your old one. It will take time to move up the ranks, but if you find a new career that you absolutely love, it will be worth it. (Ten Tips on Making a Successful Career Change) In conclusion, with the continued changing landscape of today's business world, career change is here to stay. People are having to work further into what used to be the retirement years and some are deciding to live to work instead of work to live. Whatever the reason the challenges of a career transition can be frustrating and rewarding at the same time. The most important thing is to be true to you and to not be afraid of new horizons. Works Cited Bandow, D. , Minsky, B. D. , & Steven, R. (n. d. ). Reinventing The Future: Investigating Career Transitions From Industry To Academia. Cote, M. B. (2004). Service quality and attrition: an examination of a pediatric obesity program. International Journal for Quality in Health Care , 16 (2), 165-173. Johnston, S. , Fletcher, E. , Ginn, G. , & Stein, D. (n. d. ). Adult Career T ransition: Exploring the Concerns of Military Retirees. Moen, P. (n. d. ). Beyond the Career Mystique: â€Å"Time in,† â€Å"Time out,† and â€Å"Second Acts†. Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers: Results From a Longitudinal Survey Summary . (2008, June ). Retrieved 07 2010, from U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics : http://www. bls. gov/news. release/nlsoy. nr0. htm Ten Tips on Making a Successful Career Change. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 2010, from All Business: http://www. allbusiness. com/human-resources/careers-changing-jobs/1618-1. html U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2010, March). Record unemployment among older workers. Issues In Labor Statistics , pp. 1-3.