While every job is unique, many people follow a similar professional path. There are some typical career stages in the normal employee’s journey. From your initial interest in potential career paths to retirement, each step presents new challenges and unique growth possibilities. This blog discusses the different stages in career development based on age and provides tips to help you thrive.
Why are career stages important?
Career stages are critical because they help individuals understand where they are in their professional and career development and what they need to do to progress to the next level. Career stages can be used as a roadmap for planning and achieving career goals, identifying the right skills and knowledge, and determining what actions need to be taken to address those gaps.
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The different stages of Career Development
Exploring
(Usually, people are 21 to 25 years)
Exploration is before someone gets a permanent job. People in this stage may get bachelor’s or master’s degrees. This stage helps you decide where you want to go in your career. As the idea of a long-term job gets closer, you may start to rule out several choices and focus on a few jobs that intrigue you. What you do for a living depends on who you are and where you come from. Career development stages could also change your course, such as
- How have you raised
- Information from the parents
- What teachers have to say
- Education
When you start looking for a freshers jobs, you will most likely do the following:
Find out what you are passionate about, what drives you, and what kinds of careers fit your personality.
Developing Basic Skills: Take classes for the job you want and pass any state or national tests you need to, including the government exams.
Setting Goals: Think about what kind of life you want in the future and what income range will give you that life as a career development process. Think about whether or not you want a family and how you want to combine work and life.
Tips on how to do well in the Exploration Stage
- You can learn about various career pathways through job shadowing, internships, part-time work, and volunteering.
- Talk to your professors and counsellors about the classes and training you’ll need to get the jobs you’re interested in.
- Use the job center at your college to contact recruiters.
Establishment
(Most people are between 25 and 35 years old)
In the establishing stage, you start looking for work, apply for jobs online, and take your first long-term job. You’ll choose an entry-level or mid-level job with relatively simple tasks. This stage in career development is about learning, growing in your job, and finding your position in the world. Your assumptions from the discovery stage are replaced by what your employment is really like. You may feel nervous and unsure when you start working for the first time and meet many new people and situations. But this period also makes you excited for the next part of your life and look forward to the future.
During the establishing stage, your key goals are to
- Get to know your new work.
- Getting accepted by your peers.
- Developing and strengthening your talents.
- You might have your first achievements and failures at work during this stage.
- Try to be positive when you get negative feedback and work hard to improve your skills.
Advice on how to do well during the establishment stage
- Workshops and continuing education courses can help you develop and improve your abilities in career stages.
- Find a guide in your field who can advise and help you grow.
- Use your performance reviews to determine how to improve your skills in specific areas.
- Get licenses or certificates in your field.
Mid-career
(Most people are between 35 and 45 years old)
This stage might be marked by a stable and growing career or a change to a different job or field. In this period, many people are most productive and keep skills specific to their roles. These years will show how much you care about your job and help you keep your position. By sticking in your current employment, you can get more responsibility and celebrate the success with rewards and recognition that come with it.
You will likely see changes in your job, such as a promotion or a raise in salary. If this doesn’t happen, think about what your role is. Now, look at your goals, interests, and talents again. Like many professionals in the middle of their steps in career development, you may have to decide between getting better at your current job or switching to a new job or a whole new field. During this era, work-life balance is also commonly a worry. You could find it hard to do well at work while still spending time with family and doing things outside of work.
Tips for success in the middle of your career
- Talk to your boss about ways to grow and progress.
- Evaluate your job satisfaction.
- Apply for internal jobs that provide you with more responsibility and a more significant challenge.
- Talk to your peers and look at jobs alert to see if any open roles at other organisations would better fit your career goals.
Late career
(Most people are between 45 and 55 years old)
Assuming you made it through the mid-career stage well, the late-career stage can allow you to work in a less stressful atmosphere. Instead of learning or getting new abilities, the employee can teach others and start to look for and train a replacement.
You may have fewer chances to move forward in the company, but you can still enjoy tasks like mentoring younger workers. During this stages of career, it’s likely that you won’t move jobs. Instead, you will rely on your excellent reputation and high standing to keep your work. You can start to imagine what your life will be like after you retire, and you may spend less time working and more time doing things you enjoy outside of work.
Tips for doing well in your later years of work
- Find something other than work, like gardening, riding, or photography.
- Join a club or group, such as a group for graduates or citizens.
- Talk to your human resources department and a financial counsellor about your plans for retirement and what you make to get out of it.
- Think of starting a mentorship program, giving a talk at a conference, or producing a book to share your knowledge.
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Read more about becoming a mentor
- Most people are between 55 and 65.
- Many people are ready to retire in their mid-60s after a promising career and several decades on the job.
- After you retire, you may want to spend more time with family and friends and go on trips instead of working. You can use your skills and expertise to return to old hobbies, find new ones, or help others.
Depending on how much money you have, how you spend your time, and how much energy you have, you might also think about the following in career development stages:
- Having a part-time job.
- Freelancing as a consultant.
- Getting a full-time job again.
How to make the most of the Late career stage
- Keep your mind sharp by drawing, reading, and learning new things throughout your life.
- Stay social by getting together with friends and family often.
- You may teach in a community center or college to share your knowledge.
Conclusion
I hope you are clear from the blog on the different career stages and how to succeed. Understanding career stages and how to succeed is important for individuals who want to achieve their career goals. Each career stage has unique challenges, opportunities, and goals that individuals need to navigate successfully to move to the next stage to get higher salaries. By understanding each stage in career development‘s unique challenges and opportunities, individuals can position themselves for long-term success and fulfilment in their careers.
