Employees growing more self-reliant about career: Survey

Self-directed career management can include new assignments, growth opportunities

Nine out of 10 employees are feeling more self-reliant about managing their career, according to a survey by Right Management.

Respondents were asked, “Has the continued weak job market made you more self-reliant about managing your career?” Sixty-six per cent said “Yes, definitely” and 23 per cent said “Yes, somewhat,” found the survey of 364 employees in Canada and the United States.

“Ten years ago, the concept of self-directed career management was relatively new and not well understood. Now it has traction. Today both management and employees understand and embrace this new reality,” said Monika Morrow, senior vice-president of career management for Right Management. “The dramatic changes in the job market of the past few years won’t be forgotten in our lifetime, nor will the realization that people need to take control of their futures, even as hiring picks up.”

Career management means a lot more than quitting a current position to take a new job. It actually might mean the reverse — staying with an organization but seeking out professional development opportunities, new assignments or growth opportunities, said Morrow.

“Employees today can’t expect management to drive their careers forward," she said. "True self-reliance is about helping to create your own solutions and really making things happen for you.”

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