Career Systems

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION

 An individual is admitted into an organization or service based on his or her occupation. Within the occupation, the employee moves from one step to the other from the lowest wing to the highest. This progression is called career. 

2.0 OBJECTIVES

 At the end of his note, you should be able to:

· identify what a career is

· list various types of career

· explain what each type of career stands for

· list factors used in distinguishing between one type of career from another

· choose between careers. 

3.0 MAIN CONTENT 3.1 Definition Career is defined as the progression of an individual in a field of work throughout the employable years of his life. In his own way Edwin B. Flippo defines career as a sequence of separate but related work activities that provides continuity, order and meaning in a person’s life. Two factors are common in the two definitions above.

Firstly longevity both definitions allude to life-long work experience. Secondly, continuity the first definition which is more relevant to public service related careerism to a given or choose field of work. The second definition speaks of separate, bur related work activities. Such phenomena are common in the private sector. 

3.2 Classification of Career Systems

3.2.1 Open and Closed Career An open career system permits entrance at any or all grade levels (by rank or position) in the service. In some instances and places, even this entrance is limited by entry qualifications. But in Nigeria such limitations are flouted when an individual has “god Fathers” in high places. A closed Career System is one which utilized the device of low maximum age limit for entrance and the filling of upper level position almost entirely from within, to keep other entrants out.

 A closed career system does not permit entry at the middle or upper levels. Such a system is based on the concept that substantial  opportunity for advancement can be ensured only if the hierarchy is refuelled in personnel from the base, preserving upper ranks for the completion of those already in the service. A Nigeria example that can approximate a closed career is the military. Virtually all military position are entered into at the very base. 

3.2.2 Programme Careers and Organizational Careers In a large organization with numerous activities and programmes, an employee may take a job in a section or a programme, whereas another employee may take a job that permits mobility from section to section. The former is a programme career and the latter an organization career. In the Nigeria context, what has an employee done in a particular programme is also the nature of career or occupation to which the employee belongs. 

3.2.3 Job-Oriented Careers and Rank in-the-Man This classification also known as the position and personal rank concepts, is important but very complex under the position concept an individual career progression is a progression from one position of jobs, sequentially in an organization. E.g. a stenographer whose jobs are sequenced into levels, senior and junior stenographer.

On the rank concept, people should be here on the basis of their broad qualification and their assignments worked out from time to time to suit the needs of the enterprise and the aptitudes of the individuals. Let their progress and recognitions be based on the length and overall quality of their service regardless of the significance of individual assignments which they periodically assume. 

4.0 CONCLUSION

In this note, the concept of career which is the progression of the individual employee along a career ladder through his employable life span has to be employed. The various ways of classifying career based on two essential characteristics – One permitting the other restricting mobility have also been discussed.