ABSTRACT

The word career has been defined as “the occupational positions a person has had over many years” (Dessler, 1997, p. 762). That is, a career is the sum of the particular jobs a person has had, viewed sequentially. The career management function in an organization is thus tied partially to the organization’s understanding of its occupational positions and where its current and future workforce members fit (or could potentially fit) into those positions, based on their personal profiles of skills, abilities, interests, and career goals. Career management involves understanding the competing or worker-compatible alternatives for the workforce, both inside and outside one’s current organization. The career manager looks at the employing organization and its competitors, partners, and business “neighbors” for multiple reasons, which are mainly related to recruiting potential, outplacement potential, and benchmarking. Career managers also want to be generally aware of their own employees’ likeliest career alternatives.