2. MODULE OBJECTIVES
Understand the evolution of careers
Explain current career definitions
Understand and differentiate the critical theories
and frameworks on careers
3. Evolving career definitions
Linear vs
Latticed
Paid
vs Unpaid
Singular job vs
Multiple
contracts
Employee vs
Contractor
Gig Economy
Age
vs
Skilled defined
Hard
vs
Soft skills
Stable vs
Flexible
4. Why do we need to know the theories?
• Provides the context
• Helps us to see the evolution and how careers have changed
• Research based
• Demonstrates the complexity of career approaches
• Allows us to predict where careers are going
5. According to the social learning theory
• Career behaviour is learnt and is influenced by four factors:
1. The persons innate genetic makeup – including special abilities;
2. Environmental conditions and events;
3. Learning experiences; and
4. Learnt skills, including expectations, work habits.
• Career behaviour is constantly adapted over time with experiences
• Attraction to career will be influenced by this learning
• Career decisions can unfortunately be impacted by stereotypical behaviour, reward
and punishment
Social Learning
Theory
Social Cognitive
Career Theory
Click the tabs below to learn more.
Evolving career definitions
Career Construction
Theory
Boundaryless Career
Theory
Protean Career
Theory
Contextual Action
Theory
6. According to social cognitive career theory
• In making career decisions we think – about ourselves, our interests, abilities and
goals, opportunities and future of work
• Self-efficacy beliefs regulate our decisions based on our own judgement of our
abilities – e.g. competent to carry out a particular job
• Outcome expectations are the expectations we have about what will happen based
on a particular course of action – e.g. good at music so feels capable of following as
a career but worried about financial implications
• Again, early learning experiences have a significant impact on our belief systems –
looking at this in week three.
Social Cognitive
Career Theory
Social Learning
Theory
Click the tabs below to learn more.
Evolving career definitions
Career Construction
Theory
Boundaryless Career
Theory
Protean Career
Theory
Contextual Action
Theory
7. Contextual Action
Theory
According to career construction theory
• Careers are constructed as a form of action
• It involves developing and implementing a vocational self-concept in the context of
work
• Careers are developed through experiences starting from early childhood – a sense
of who we might be and the type of job we could do
• Career maturity comes from a readiness to make occupational choices
• Career adaptability comes from the ability to cope with change and transition in
occupation – psychosocial construct which is learned
Career Construction
Theory
Click the tabs below to learn more.
Evolving career definitions
Social Cognitive
Career Theory
Social Learning
Theory
Boundaryless Career
Theory
Protean Career
Theory
8. Contextual action theory
• Often used in career counselling
• Goal directed, intentional behaviour – making meaning of contexts and information
e.g. deciding to go to a career fair with the intention to gather information for a
career change – follow through is important
• Not just a sequence of jobs – it is the accumulation of actions that give meaning to
your life and career
Contextual Action
Theory
Click the tabs below to learn more.
Evolving career definitions
Social Cognitive
Career Theory
Social Learning
Theory
Career Construction
Theory
Boundaryless Career
Theory
Protean Career
Theory
9. Protean career theory
• Two dimensions:
o Self-directed dimension refers to people displaying high career proactivity –
career planning, high understanding of contexts
o Values driven dimension refers to those with high vocational self-concept
clarity. Have a strong sense of personal identity
• Strong personal agency – you manage your career, not the organisation
• Change from job security to employability – important for the future of work
Protean Career
Theory
Click the tabs below to learn more.
Evolving career definitions
Boundaryless Career
Theory
Social Cognitive
Career Theory
Social Learning
Theory
Career Construction
Theory
Contextual Action
Theory
10. Boundaryless career theory
• Taking responsibility for your own career
• Posited within an environmental context which requires flexibility, mobility and the
continual development of knowledge and skills
• Intersection of organisations, occupations and the individual
• Arthur & Rousseau (1995, 1996) explored the nature of boundaryless careers: focus
is on the individual’s interpretation of their career environment regardless of
structural constraints.
• Boundaryless careers have one over reaching characteristic in common: they all
represent ‘ the opposite of organisational careers- careers conceived to unfold in a
single employment setting ‘(Arthur & Rousseau ,1996; 5).
Click the arrow button to read the characteristics of a boundaryless career.
Evolving career definitions
Boundaryless Career
Theory
Click the tabs below to learn more.
Social Cognitive
Career Theory
Social Learning
Theory
Career Construction
Theory
Contextual Action
Theory
Protean Career
Theory
11. Protean Career
Theory
Characteristics of a Boundaryless career:
• Transferrable skills, knowledge and abilities across multiple organisations
• Personal identification with meaningful work
• Continuous, on-the-job learning
• Development of multiple networks and peer learning relationships
• Individual responsibility for career management.
• Individual empowerment to decide career trajectory.
WHAT SKILL SETS ARE REQUIRED TO MANAGE THIS?
WHAT ARE THE PERCEIVED PROBLEMS?
Evolving career definitions
Boundaryless Career
Theory
Click the tabs below to learn more.
Social Cognitive
Career Theory
Social Learning
Theory
Career Construction
Theory
Contextual Action
Theory
12. Introduction How to build your compass Reflections Intersection
• Intersection between life and work: your ‘quest’
• Why its important – who spends time trying to ‘figure out’ their
lives and where they are going?
‘Your Compass’
Introduction
13. Introduction How to build your compass Reflections Intersection
‘Your Compass’
How to build your compass
How to build your compass
• We worry, speculate and analyse our lives, but we never try and discover our journey
• Think of it as your DIY project for which you have no instruction manual
• Workview: what is work for? Why do you do it? What aspects of work do you thrive on? How important is
status and money?
• Lifeview: your ideas of the world and how it works. What gives your life meaning? What makes it worthwhile
and valuable? What gives you a satisfying life?
• What is non-negotiable to you?
• The exercise will help you craft a well designed life aligning your values and work.
• It will change
14. Introduction How to build your compass Reflections Intersection
‘Your Compass’
Reflections
• Why work?
• What does work mean to you?
• What defines good or worthwhile
work?
• What gives you a buzz at work?
• How important are money and
status?
• How important is job growth and
advancement?
• What gives your life meaning?
• How important is family, friends?
• What makes it worthwhile and valuable?
• What cant you tolerate in life: injustice?
• What gives you a satisfying life?
• What is non-negotiable to you?
Lifeview reflection
Workview reflection
15. Introduction How to build your compass Reflections Intersection
‘Your Compass’
Intersection
Your compass intersection
• Match up your work and life views.
• Where do they complement each other?
• Where do they clash?
• Does one drive the other? How?
• Are you on course?
• If not, how are you going to change things?
You wont always know where you are
going, but you can always know if your
going in the right direction
16. Four Career Problems
• Pages 1 and 2 of text
• All real
• All relate to making career decisions that will have long term
impacts
• Careers are what we judge our lives by:
o Income
o Sustaining ourselves and our families
o Sense of identity
o Achievement
• Determine our emotional and mental well being