Career planning and development may not be something that is imagined when we are toddlers. When we were toddlers, we only knew ideals. When asked what goals we have, innocent answers flow, wanting to be a doctor, soldier, police, teacher and many more.
Without realizing it at the time, we were already having a future conversation about careers. Even though after we grow up, many of whose goals are missed because of many things. Sometimes hope is not as beautiful as reality.
Then when should we be more serious about planning and career development? What should we do to climb step by step in order to reach the desired career? Okay, let’s first discuss about understanding and career development.
Definition of Career and Career Path
According to KBBI, a career is a job that gives hope to move forward. Meanwhile, the complete definition of a career is a sequence, series or sequence of employee experiences from holding a position to another position while he is working in a place.
Career path is a model of a person’s job position sequentially that shapes that person’s career. For example, from the beginning a training employee who can then become an employee, then can move up to become a section head and so on depending on the career path that exists in a particular place.
Definition of career planning
Career planning according to Corey & Corey (2006) is a process which includes exploring options and preparing for a career. Career planning can also be someone’s plan to get a process of promotion or rank according to the existing requirements and abilities they have. So, career planning is an attempt to plan what level we will occupy in the company we are after.
Does an ordinary employee have the opportunity to become a director? So, we have to observe and collect information to get an idea of what requirements or abilities we have to master in order to get promoted.
Then if we already know the requirements, what should we do in order to achieve that position? For example, if we were originally a teacher, then there were plans to become a lecturer, then it is clear that those of us who originally graduated with an undergraduate degree took another course for a master’s degree so that we could apply to become lecturers.
What is the purpose of planning a career? The goal is first to increase self-awareness. The second is to achieve personal satisfaction, the third is to prepare ourselves and get a better position, and the fourth is to make time more efficient when achieving a career because we have prepared beforehand.
If an individual plans well for his career then he is able to measure his abilities both in terms of interest, potential and also all the capabilities that exist in him. With careful planning, everything that is done will be more focused and get maximum results.
Key Elements of Career Planning and Development
Career is what we will pursue after completing our education. Besides of course chasing money as income, we also pursue achievements to increase self-esteem and pride.
What exactly do we have to prepare as the main elements of career planning and development?
1. Knowledge
The first element in career planning and development is knowledge. This knowledge includes clear goals after achieving education. So, when we finish college, what next plans do we have? Is it enough to get to the S1 level and then look for a job that is in accordance with the major, or will we prefer to continue our education to the next level.
So knowledge is directly related to brain work, a social indication of how smart we are among others. The measuring tool is of course the values we get. For example, when studying in college, our learning process is measured by the GPA we get. We can see, some vacancies often include GPA requirements in the job description.
Adjust as realistically as possible between the reality on the ground and the capabilities that exist within us. Thus we can measure ourselves, where it is necessary to distinguish the will from the ability that we have. Willingness is self-desire while ability is self-potential.
2. Attitude
What is included in that attitude? First, what ideals will you achieve to match the education we take. Are you going to become a teacher after majoring in teacher training, or do you see the fact that being a teacher is not to your liking in terms of income and finally decide to switch professions.
Second, how much encouragement is in us to progress either in the dream job or education. Once accepted in the workplace how your performance. Do you do the tasks requested by the company or even become lazy because you feel the work given is tiring.
In addition, attitude also reflects your ability to appreciate work and value. Do you work to get perfect results in completing everything that is asked, or are you only oriented towards the money that will be received.
Finally, attitude also reflects independence whenever making a decision. Maybe, during the training period we often ask a lot of questions, but when it’s past that period you are expected to be an expert in getting the job done.
So even if you are academically smart, do you have the attitude employers need? Are you individualistic or able to work in a team. People who have a good attitude will be preferred by companies. Because basically work in the company is team work, not individuals.
3. Skills
Things that are included in skills are the ability to group jobs that are of interest, then show real ways to achieve goals. If you are only smart in theory or knowledge but once you enter the field you are totally ignorant, then it will be difficult for you to move forward through the career ladder.
So who says that success only belongs to smart people? Maybe a smart person is rich in knowledge, but if the attitude and skills are lacking then it is not certain that the person can achieve success. Where, people who are diligent and willing to learn can become more successful.
Stages of Planning and Career Development
The stages of career planning and development are the stages of time and age that will be passed starting from the period of entry to work until retirement.
The level by level or step by step that will be undertaken in career planning and development is as follows:
1. The initial stage / establishment
At this stage employees will try to achieve the need for security. Euphoria goes into the workplace, especially what one really aspires to. At this stage the employee is so excited about his new world.
Employees will work hard to be able to stay where they work. This happened the first years of running the job. The duration of this stage is approximately five years.
2. Advanced stage
At this stage, employees begin to have a desire to change their fate and climb the ranks in the company.
Self-esteem makes him feel that he must be promoted by the company. Seeing that many juniors entered, there was a feeling of wanting to show their existence to them.
This stage takes place in employees aged 30 to 45 years. When there is a promotion offer, they usually try to catch up.
3. The maintenance stage
When at this stage the employee is no longer eager to move up the ladder, and tends to try to maintain his position.
At this time the employee is satisfied with his finances and position. Some even think that they are still employed and are already grateful.
4. Retirement stage
After so many years of work, at this stage the employee will leave his place of work. Either because of age, or there could be a sudden reduction in the number of employees because the company went bankrupt.
After entering the retirement stage, some may choose to just rest and choose a home business, others may stop productive activities and decide to take care of their family only.
Some will look for work elsewhere if they feel that there are still many necessities of life that must be met, or feel that they still have to continue working. It is hoped that at this stage of retirement, you will be well-established so that you no longer work too hard to find daily expenses.
It’s even better if at this stage you have a retirement fund that was previously collected while still having income. As in the example, if you become an ASN, matters of pension funds are not a problem. However, for those who work outside the ASN sector, setting up a pension fund is absolutely necessary.
Career Planning and Development Steps
To achieve a glorious career, there are steps you can take. These steps are as follows.
5. Develop a vision and mission of life
The vision and mission of life is a guide for planning life for at least the next five years. Some things to plan are what do you want to get in the future? Do you want to have a vehicle first or a house for example.
Then you imagine in the next few years, what you will become and what achievements you have got. Successful writer? Professional teacher? Artist? politician? Or a businessman with millions of profits?
If the next five or ten years is too far to imagine, you can look at the short term first, next year for example. The most important thing is to have an idea so that you can determine the next steps to achieve it. This vision and mission need to provide suggestions and motivation for you to get success.
6. Focus on exploring your own abilities
Take a closer look and judge yourself, what are the weaknesses and strengths that we actually have. For example, you are a person who likes to write. If you display your writing on social media, lots of people give likes, comments and even share your writing, maybe you have potential in this field. Furthermore, these talents can continue to be honed by taking majors related to the world of writing or taking special writing training.
7. Evaluate yourself
If for example we have experienced a failure somewhere, try to evaluate where the error lies. Is there a mismatch between our interests and work? Is there an inability to work with a team or is the work pressure from superiors too heavy?
By evaluating ourselves we can learn from these failures. And will fix it in a new place.
8. Looking for information about the latest career
Looking for information at this time, it’s very easy. So there is no reason for us to be illiterate. If we really like the digital world, find out where you can have a brilliant career and as expected.
9. Make a Career path design
In this step you map out ways or strategies that can be done to get the career you want. For example, if you want to become a professional teacher. After S1 education, in the early years you can try to open tutoring for the children of your closest neighbors for a modest fee.
Then in the following year look for a regular school to teach, regardless of how much money you get, and focus on the experience you get. Only in the following year, you can start looking for large, qualified schools in your city to improve your abilities.
Benefits of Career Planning and Development
Career planning and development clearly has its benefits. Martoyo (2007) reveals 7 benefits of career planning and development, namely:
- Helping employees who are seen to have potential for advancement so they can be promoted
- Decreasing employee turnover, setting attention to individual careers as well as maintaining employee loyalty to the company where they take shelter
- Obtain information about employees so that career planning will encourage individuals or groups within the company to achieve the desired position
- Stimulate employee morale to be able to grow and develop and achieve the desired career goals
- Career planning can redeploy qualified employees for advancement, thereby reducing hoarding
- Career planning means there is respect for individual employees which also means there is recognition and appreciation for individual achievements, so as to satisfy the needs of employees
- Career planning can help group members prepare for more important positions because it can help implement agreed action plans.
According to Rivai (2009) the benefits of career planning and development are as follows:
- Provide a clear strategy as well as the selection of staff from internal employees ( aligns strategy and internal staffing )
- Build or create employees who deserve to be promoted ( develops promotable employees )
- Able to prepare international scale placement ( international placement facilities )
- Assist with employee diversity issues ( assist with workforce diversity )
- Reducing employee turnover ( lower turnover )
- Can select potential employee potential ( potential employee taps )
- Continuing personal growth ( furthers personal growth )
- Reducing the accumulation of employees ( reduce hoarding )
- Providing satisfaction of employee needs ( satisfies employee needs )
- Assists in planning affirmative action ( assists affirmative action plans )
While the benefits of career planning and development according to Hariandja (2002) :
- Can make adjustments between employee abilities and strategies
- Increase the internal supply of employees
- Prepare for placement internationally
- Helping employees to have the ability to work with employees even though they have different backgrounds
- Reducing or reducing the existence of work turnover
- Can channel employees who have potential
- Provide encouragement to employees to improve capabilities
- Reducing the accumulation of employees
- Give satisfaction to the needs of employees
- Reducing discrimination.
So for those of you who are preparing to get a job after graduation, plan and develop your career first before you finally decide to send a job application to a company.
So, that’s a brief explanation about career planning and development that can help Sinaumed’s to know and plan your career so that you have an overview in advance for the next few years.
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