Careers and Work

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• Chapter 12
• Careers and Work

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Choosing a Career

• Personal characteristics.
• Choosing a career can be intimidating and is best
  managed by those that have secure attachments and
  a solid sense of identity.
• Intelligence predicts likelihood of entering
  particular professions because it is associated
  with academic success. However, it is not an
  absolute predictor of career success.

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Choosing a Career (cont.)

• Personal characteristics. (cont.)
• Specific aptitudes are more important than
  general intelligence, and include special talents
  that make a person well suited for certain
  occupations. Some examples include
• Artistic or musical talent.
• Mechanical ability.
• Mathematical ability.
• Persuasive talents or social skills.

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Choosing a Career (cont.)

• Family influences.
• Career choices are influenced by family
  background because parents and children often
  attain similar levels of education. Thus
• Middle income background is associated with
  high-paying professions.
• Low income background is associated with blue
  collar occupations.

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Choosing a Career (cont.)

• Family influences. (cont.)
• Parenting style is also associated with
  socioeconomic status.
• Middle income families encourage their children
  to be curious and independent, traits well suited
  for professional roles.
• Low income families teach children to conform and
  obey, traits needed to survive in subordinate
  positions.

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Choosing a Career (cont.)

• Researching job characteristics.
• Good sources of career information include
• The Occupational Outlook Handbook a government
  document that serves as a comprehensive guide to
  occupations.
• It is also helpful to talk to individuals who
  work in particular fields of interest.

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Choosing a Career (cont.)

• Researching job characteristics. (cont.)
• Essential information about occupations
• You should be aware of these key issues when
  considering an occupation
• The nature of the work what are the day to day
  responsibilities?
• Working conditions is it high or low pressure?
  pleasant or unpleasant?

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Choosing a Career (cont.)

• Researching job characteristics. (cont.)
• Job entry requirements what education and
  training are needed?
• Potential earnings.
• Potential status.
• Opportunities for advancement.
• Intrinsic job satisfaction.
• Future outlook will there continued to be
  demand for this occupation?

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Choosing a Career (cont.)

• Using psychological tests.
• Occupational interest inventories measure your
  interests as they relate to various jobs or
  careers.
• The primary focus is on job satisfaction, rather
  than success.
• Scores indicate how similar your interests are to
  the typical interests of people in various
  occupations.
• However, you must ultimately decide what is right
  for you.

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Choosing a Career (cont.)

• Other important considerations.
• You have the potential for success in a variety
  of occupations.
• Dont choose a career solely on the basis of
  salary.
• There are limits on your career options.
• Career choice is a developmental process that
  extends throughout life.
• Some career decisions are not easily undone.

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Models of Career Choice

• Hollands Hexagonal Model.
• Career choice is related to six stable
  personality types, or personal orientations.
• In addition, jobs can be classified into six work
  environments.
• People are most satisfied, successful, and
  stable, when they choose work environments that
  fit their personal orientations.

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Models of Career Choice (cont.)

• Hollands Hexagonal Model. (cont.)
• For example
• Realistic people are good at mechanical skills
  and weak in social skills. They excel in farming,
  auto mechanics and engineering.
• Investigative people enjoy logical analysis and
  prefer ideas over people. They do well in
  research and libraries.

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Models of Career Choice (cont.)

• Hollands Hexagonal Model. (cont.)
• Social people prefer to interact with people and
  are drawn to helping professions such as
  teaching.
• Enterprising people are self-confident and
  sociable. They have good leadership and
  persuasive skills. They excel in sales or
  management.

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Models of Career Choice (cont.)

• Hollands Hexagonal Model. (cont.)
• Conventional people are conforming and orderly.
  They prefer structured working environments, such
  as those in the business world.

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Models of Career Choice (cont.)

• Supers Model.
• Super focuses on the development of ones
  occupational status over time. It includes five
  major stages
• Growth stage in childhood, fantasize about
  ideal job.
• Exploration stage realistically consider
  different careers in ones youth.
• Establishment stage commit to a career and
  learn to function effectively.

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Models of Career Choice (cont.)

• Supers Model. (cont.)
• Maintenance at mid-life, focus is on retaining
  achieved status and protecting security and
  power.
• Decline work activity decreases as retirement
  approaches.
• Retirement brings the occupational cycle to an
  end.

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Models of Career Choice (cont.)

• Womens career development.
• 60 of adult women are in the labor force.
• However, there are still gender gaps in the world
  of work.
• Women still subordinate their career goals to
  those of their husbands.
• Womens careers are more likely to be interrupted
  by child rearing and family crises.

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The Changing World of Work

• Six important workplace trends
• Technology is changing the nature of work.
• Workers must train and adapt to keep up.
• New work attitudes are required.
• Workers must take a more active role to prove
  they are valuable to attain job security.
• Lifelong learning is a necessity.
• Skills become obsolete every 10-15 years.

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The Changing World of Work (cont.)

• Six workplace trends. (cont.)
• Independent workers are increasing.
• Downsizing and outsourcing are creating more
  free agents.
• Boundaries between work and home are blurring,
  due to technology.
• The highest job growth will occur in the
  professional and service occupations (see Figure
  12.4).

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Figure 12.4
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The Changing World of Work (cont.)

• Education and earnings.
• Earnings are tied to level of education (see
  Figure 12.5).
• However, many college graduates are underemployed
  settling for a job that does not fully utilize
  ones skills, abilities, and training.
• This is most likely if college-level reading,
  writing and quantitative skills are poor.

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Figure 12.5
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The Changing World of Work (cont.)

• The changing workforce.
• Todays labor force those who are employed as
  well as those who are currently unemployed but
  are looking for work is becoming more diverse
  (see Figure 12.6).
• More women are joining the labor force.
• The workforce is becoming more ethnically diverse.

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Figure 12.6
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The Changing World of Work (cont.)

• The changing workforce. (cont.)
• Todays workplace for women and minorities
• Although illegal, discrimination against women
  and minorities still occurs.
• Women and minorities often face a glass ceiling
  an invisible barrier that prevents most women
  and ethnic minorities from advancing to the
  highest levels of occupations (see Figure 12.7).

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Figure 12.7
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The Changing World of Work (cont.)

• The changing workforce. (cont.)
• When there is only one woman or minority in the
  workplace they may become a token, or a symbol
  of all the members of that group.
• This distinction may bring more scrutiny,
  stereotyping or judgment.
• Women and minorities also are less likely to have
  mentors or role models of the same gender and/or
  race.

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Coping With Occupational Hazards

• Job stress sources of stress on the job.
• Long work hours the average American workweek
  is 48 - 60 hours.
• Lack of privacy.
• High noise levels.
• Pressure of deadlines.
• Lack of control over ones work.
• Inadequate resources to do the job.

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Job stress sources of stress on the job.
  (cont.)
• Four key culprits that contribute to stress are
• Handling difficult customers in service
  industries.
• An unpredictable economy.
• Keeping up with changes in technology.
• Learning to interact with more diverse coworkers.

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Job stress sources of stress on the job.
  (cont.)
• According to Karasek, two key factors determine
  occupational stress
• Psychological demands of the job.
• Amount of decision control worker has.
• The most stressful jobs are those with high
  demands and low control (see Figure 12.8).

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Figure 12.8
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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Job stress sources of stress on the job.
  (cont.)
• Effects of job stress.
• Increased industrial accidents.
• Absenteeism.
• Poor job performance.
• Higher turnover rates.
• Job burnout (exhaustion, cynicism and poor job
  performance).

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Job stress sources of stress on the job.
  (cont.)
• Dealing with job stress.
• Individuals can cope by using
• Relaxation techniques.
• Time management techniques.
• Cognitive reappraisal of stressful events.

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Job stress sources of stress on the job.
  (cont.)
• Organizations can help workers cope by
• Using workplace wellness programs (e.g.,
  educating workers about mental health issues).
• Reducing noise levels.
• Giving rest periods.
• Making surroundings more pleasant.
• Changing worker tools or responsibilities.

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Job stress sources of stress on the job.
  (cont.)
• Individuals and organizations can work together
  to reduce job stress by
• Creating more family-friendly policies to
  accommodate the needs of single parents and
  dual-income workers.
• (e.g., offering on-site child care.)
• (e.g., offering flex-time to help workers
  balance demands of work and home.)

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Sexual harassment.
• Sexual harassment occurs when employees are
  subjected to unwelcome sexually oriented
  behavior.
• There are two types of sexual harassment
• Quid pro quo sexual acts required in return
  for promotions, job security, etc.
• Behavior that creates a hostile environment
  workplaces with unwanted sexual behavior,
  discussion or material (e.g., sexually-oriented
  jokes).

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Sexual harassment. (cont.)
• Prevalence and consequences
• Sexual harassment is fairly widespread -
  approximately 42 of female workers have reported
  it.
• Consequences include anger, reduced self-esteem,
  depression, anxiety, lowered productivity and
  decreased commitment to the job and the employer.

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Sexual harassment. (cont.)
• Stopping sexual harassment
• Organizations to promote norms that are
  intolerant of sexual harassment.
• Workers should be educated about recognizing
  sexual harassment.
• Organizations should have policies that expressly
  forbid harassment and grievance procedures to
  handle allegations of harassment.

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Unemployment.
• Causes of unemployment
• Shifts from a manufacturing, to a service,
  economy.
• Globalization of the marketplace, through
  restructuring and downsizing.
• Both economic conditions cause displaced workers
  individuals who are unemployed because their
  jobs have disappeared.

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Coping With Occupational Hazards (cont.)

• Unemployment. (cont.)
• Effects of unemployment.
• Unemployment causes economic and health problems
  (physical and mental).
• It is especially difficult for middle-aged
  workers who have more financial responsibility
  and have fewer career options available.
• Downsized employees are also more likely to
  react more negatively because they feel they have
  been treated unfairly.

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Balancing Work and Other Spheres of Life

• Workaholism.
• Workaholics devote nearly all their time and
  energy to their jobs.
• There are two types of workaholics
• The enthusiastic workaholic one who works
  excessively for the joy of it.
• The nonenthusiastic workaholic one who feels
  driven to work hard, but derives less enjoyment
  from it.
• The latter group reports lower job satisfaction
  and a lower sense of purpose.

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Balancing Work and Other Spheres of Life (cont.)

• Workaholism. (cont.)
• Nonenthusiastic workaholics report lower job
  satisfaction and a lower sense of purpose.
• However, both groups experience a higher degree
  of conflict between work and family.

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Balancing Work and Other Spheres of Life (cont.)

• Work and family roles.
• There are more dual-earner households now than
  ever juggling multiple roles.
• Working parents are especially likely to
  experience work-family conflicts.
• This can create stress.
• However, multiple roles can also be beneficial
  for mens and womens health, relationships, and
  financial security.

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Balancing Work and Other Spheres of Life (cont.)

• Leisure and recreation.
• 60 of workers say having leisure - unpaid
  activities people choose to engage in because the
  activities are personally meaningful - is very
  important.
• Yet, American workers work longer hours and take
  fewer vacation days than Europeans.

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Balancing Work and Other Spheres of Life (cont.)

• Leisure and recreation. (cont.)
• Leisure activities come in many forms including
• Hobbies.
• Reading or surfing the internet.
• Travel.
• Games and puzzles.
• Sports.
• Volunteer activities.

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Balancing Work and Other Spheres of Life (cont.)

• Leisure and recreation. (cont.)
• Leisure activities are also beneficial to our
  well being and are associated with
• Increased job satisfaction.
• Improved physical and mental health.
• A sense of well being, and lowered incidence of
  depression in those over age 55.

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Application Getting Ahead in the Job Game

• Putting together a resume some tips
• Use white, ivory or beige paper (never color).
• Proofread carefully for typographical errors.
• Use high quality printing services.
• Keep it short.
• Use phrases that start with action words
• (e.g., supervised a team of 10 people)
• Avoid superfluous personal information.

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Application Getting Ahead in the Job Game (cont.)

• Putting together a resume some tips (cont.)
• Effective resumes contain the following
• Heading name and contact information.
• Objective state the precise kind of position
  you want.
• Work Experience start from most recent, and
  work backwards.

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Application Getting Ahead in the Job Game (cont.)

• Finding companies you want to work for.
• Once you choose a setting you wish to work in,
  you can find companies by
• Checking local classified ads.
• Searching nationally using resources such as
  National Business Employment Weekly.
• Using a headhunter a service that helps you
  find a job for a monetary commission.

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Application Getting Ahead in the Job Game (cont.)

• Landing an interview.
• If applying to a listed position, submit a cover
  letter and resume.
• Researching the organization shows you have a
  real interest in them.
• Approaching companies with an advertised
  position
• Send a detailed cover letter explaining your
  interest in the company.
• Use network of personal contacts.

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Application Getting Ahead in the Job Game (cont.)

• Polishing your interview technique.
• Send positive non-verbal cues (leaning forward,
  smiling and nodding).
• Remember first impressions are crucial.
• Appear confident, enthusiastic, ambitious and
  avoid humor.
• Dont give more information than the interviewer
  requests.
• Research the company before the interview.
• Avoid discussion of salary at first interview.