As I heard in a meeting recently, in this economy, every sentence should start with “in this economy.” So that said, I think this belated announcement that career management is dead arrives none too soon.
I’ve been thinking about this on and off for the past twenty years. In the early 90s there was a big corporate move to create career ladders and career management programs as a retention method. But honestly, I don’t think people paid much attention then either.
And, “in this economy” we need a new way to talk about life and work. So it’s time to replace our outdated notions of career management. Twentieth Century rules don’t apply any more.
Life happens. No matter how much we plan, schedule or manage, uncontrollable events plop themselves on our path and we cannot step around them. We deal. The tanked economy is one that affects us all. So let’s talk about how to deal.
In order to deal, we have to choose. Even when bad things happen, we have all the choice in the world around how we respond to what has happened. Deal? Whine? Bury our heads?
Ding. Dong. Career management is dead. What’s alive and kicking is choice, adapting, rolling with the punches, and bouncing back when the crap comes flying in your face.
So let’s work on the skills it takes to figure out what we have to contribute. Then we’ll work on how to stay sharp and continue learning. After all, we want to match ourselves up to what the world, “the new normal”, “in this economy” needs now. That’s called dealing, and adapting.
Gee Susan, I hope you are wrong, otherwise, there will be an entire industry rendered useless. From consulting firms to corporate talent management departments to college and university career management centers, all obsolete. Wow! “In this economy,” is the time to develop career management skills that ensure your value to your current, or future, employer. For 20 years, I have coached company executives, managers, and staff, as well as MBA and MS students and graduates, and it is frightening how ignorant folks are to this concept, even though it’s been around a lot longer than me. One has to plan and manage in order to effectively choose, otherwise, one may meander aimlessly throughout their career journey.
I like this perspective. The one thing I’d modify is to say to that upward ‘ladder-like’ mobility is not the only path through life. Provided you do approach your career with thought and purpose, then ‘in this economy’ or another, your resilience and commitment to your goals will be apparent. You will always land on your feet.