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Career Anchors…
Developed by USA Researcher and well-known author
Edgar Schein.
Career anchor is a very stable description of your ‘real
self’ these are the perceived areas of competence, motives
and values that you are not willing to give up. You may be
diverted temporarily by say extra money but you will
return to your career anchor because it is the real you. It is
something you cannot be without.
There is only one career anchor for every one – which best
fits their self-image. Schein found eight such anchors
describe everyone, so that you can find your one anchor in
the following list of eight:
1. Technical/functional competence
2. General Managerial competence
3. Autonomy/independence
4. Security/stability
5. Entrepreneurial Creativity
6. Service/dedication to a Cause
7. Pure challenge
8. Lifestyle
So only one anchor from the list best fits you. Although it
may not reflect your current career, you will return to it
when circumstances permit. Likely to be reflected in your
career choice after thirty years old. People can adapt to
other situations but they will return to their preferred
competencies and self-image as soon as they get the
chance.
Employees, according to Schein, must communicate
clearly their career needs and preferences. People must
learn to manage their own careers.
Employers, according to Schein, can:
1. Create more flexible career paths, incentives systems
and reward systems to allow for individual differences.
2. Stimulate more self-insight and self-management,
managers act as career development role models –
practice what they preach
3. Better analyse the job requirements and competencies
and share that knowledge with their employees to
enable effective career decisions to be made
Super sys that these stages occur in age related pace but
others no longer find that age is relevant. In other words,
you can jump from stage to stage independent of your age.
Some stages may repeat themselves as you change career.
There may be an age timetable for each occupation but
each occupation may be different.
How can you tell if you are in the right career? What can
you look out for?
personal satisfaction level
success level
control level
progression
John Read
Managing Consultant
What Career Next!