What is “career development”?
Career development is the lifelong process of managing learning and work. It helps people to balance roles and manage transitions throughout lifes changes. Career development is about work, education, volunteering, community activities and relationships. It provides the context in which people can attach meaning and relevance to their learning and experiences.
“Career development” describes a cycle many people go through as they choose and pursue a career. Because the average American changes careers (not just jobs, but entire career paths) as many as five times during a working lifetime, most people go through the cycle of career development repeatedly. The cycle begins with taking stock of your current situation and what you want (self-assessment), identifying and evaluating viable options (career exploration), deciding on a course of action and setting goals, preparing for and executing a job search, and managing your career. This last step includes actively taking responsibility for the currency of your skills; keeping tabs on the economic and corporate environments you work in and the trends that are affecting them, and staying tuned to your sense of satisfaction with the course and direction of your work life.
