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C a r e e r P l a n n i n g
WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM A CAREER? A career is different from a job. A job is a short-term means to an end: money. High school and college students have jobs during the summer. People get jobs between careers to pay their bills.
A primary reason people find themselves in a rut is that they fell into it. The deeper the rut, the easier it is to feel trapped. Rather than allowing yourself to fall into the job rut and become trapped, plan what you want out of life and then go after it. Nathan and Hill (1992, p.129) describe several "career drivers" you may wish to consider:
- Material rewards -- seeking possession, wealth and a high standard of living.
- Power and influence -- seeking to be in control of people and resources.
- Search for meaning -- seeking to do things believed to be valuable for their own sake.
- Expertise -- seeking a high level of accomplishment in a specialized field.
- Creativity -- seeking to innovate and be identified with original input.
- Affiliation -- seeking nourishing relationships with others at work.
- Autonomy -- seeking to be independent and make key decisions for oneself.
- Status -- seeking to be recognized, admired and respected by the community at large.
- Security -- seeking a solid and predictable future.
SOURCE: Ronald L. Krannich. Change Your Job, Change Your Life. 5th ed. Manassas Park, VA. Impact Publications www.impactpublications.com. 1995. P.100. Reprinted by permission.
This section has been reproduced by permission of Wadsworth Publishing Company from Harr and Hess, Seeking Employment in Criminal Justice and Related Fields, 2ed. (St. Paul, MN: West Publishing, 1996)
