STAYING IN CAREER

AN INTERACTIVE APPROACH TO CAREER MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Career management is a challenge to both individuals and organizations. While employees embark on their jobs to satisfy their various needs and attain professional fulfillment, organizations engage in corporate survival strategies designed to ensure that organizational objectives are acted out and delivered to acceptable standards. Ultimately, the cost of voluntary turnover on both employees and organizations and the contemporary career paradigm demand adequate planning and management to ensure sustainable career well-being for the individuals and increased corporates strategic performance. Proper career management process otherwise called staying in career aims at achieving perfect integration of employees into organizational system and the attainment of both professional fulfillment and increased organizational viability. This paper studied career management drawing from both person and corporate perspectives. The study focused on the Nelson & Quick’s four career stages model through which employment career can be managed successively. It emphasizes the adoption of RJPs, mentoring and career anchors in career management as both integrative and motivational forces that guide career decisions in a turbulence employment context. It provides constructive knowledge for embracing and maintaining career as well as enhanced strategic organizational performance. The study recommends among others that organizations should adequately ensure the alignment of both employee needs and organizational objectives in career management.