Career planning is “a continual self-assessment and objective setting process (Hudson,
1999). In a more general framework, career planning involves a rational process by which
a person sets a series of goals for career development, identifying as well the means for
their fulfilment.
Career development is the result of implementing good career planning, as a consequence
of which one has achieved appropriate competence and experience for the position.
Careers are also seen as a development process in stages which unfolds throughout one’s
lifetime. Ginzberg’s theory (1951) on career planning and development is based on three
postulates:
a. Choosing an occupation is a process lasting from the first 4-5 years of life until late
maturity. Three stages are identifiable in the process:
- The fantasy period (6-11 years): children believe they can become anything,
professionally; the period is characterised by lack of anticipation of the
medium- and long-term consequences of such a choice, and ignorance of the
necessary professional qualifications for the respective profession /
occupation. - The tentative period (11-17 years): a series of stages: uncertainty, exploring
and conscious self-analysis:
The interests stage (11-12 years): children become aware that they
will have to make a choice regarding their future profession (they
base their choices on their parents’ occupations or new subject
matters studied at school).
The ability stage (13-15 years): pupils focus on those professions
related to the subject matters they do best at (based on feedback from
teachers or parents).
The value stage (15-16 years): adolescents make the connection
between their abilities and the satisfaction they might derive from a
profession.
The transition stage (16-17 years): what becomes important is
establishing a direct relation between personal interests and
achievements so far. - The period of realistic choice (17-22 years), including:
Exploration (17-20 years): individuals gather information on the
physical and mental requirements of certain professions.
Crystallization (20-22 years): people are in possession of sufficient
information for choosing a career.
Specification – choice of profession.