We have learned over recent years that the world can change quickly. We learned in 2008, for example, that the financial markets could crash, resulting in high levels of unemployment and employers and industries literally disappearing overnight.In 2020 we experienced the pandemic which had widespread impacts for many people in terms of how they work, where they work and the type of work that may or may not be available for them. Many people had to learn to perform their jobs differently using digital technology, to interact with others and develop new types of working relationships with colleagues and clients. For many people this may have been a steep learning curve.
These two discrete, but widely impactful world changes, demonstrate the rapidity of change, but equally the lack of control we might have in our working world. Career Management Skills (CMS) cannot solve these worldwide issues, but they can help us to pre-empt and be prepared for changes within the world of work. Career Management Skills can help us develop a mindset that makes us proactive, curious, take ownership of our careers and be willing to invest in ourselves, so that when rapid change happens, we may be better prepared.
There are various definitions of career management skills, but essentially, they provide a framework that can progressively help individuals to understand themselves, understand the opportunities available and to plan for the future. Neary, Dodd & Hooley (2016) build on the ELGPN definition and consider ‘Career management skills (CMS) are competencies which help individuals to identify their existing skills, develop career learning goals and take action to enhance their careers'.
Career Management Skills are more than just a set of abilities, they offer a mindset to empower individuals to take control of their career and their life. They encourage individuals to know themselves, understand what they can do in life and be agentic in making that happen.
Over the last couple of decades career management skills have become a part of formal career learning programmes, often delivered within schools and in post compulsory education.
Skills Development Scotland, which is the national agency delivering careers guidance in Scotland, developed a framework to use with all their clients. Their CMS framework focuses on 4 key elements:
- Self: understanding your personality, interests and values.
- Strengths: know how to use your talents and skills.
- Horizons: explore the world of work, training and learning.
- Networks: who can help you.
This framework is used throughout all models of career guidance delivery, whether it is one to one, group work or curriculum based, ensuring that it is both embedded and integrated within all forms of career literacy across the life course.
The Skills Development Scotland framework demonstrates a national policy approach to supporting citizens to be better prepared for their future careers. Their CMS framework is integrated and delivered across all aspects of careers provision.
Although in many countries there is a focus on supporting young people to develop career management skills, there is often a limited focus on adults. The Australian Government has addressed this and re-developed the Australian Blueprint in 2022. The new CMS framework presents 12 career competencies divided between 3 groupings:
- Personal management.
- Learning and work exploration.
- Career building.
These are then mapped to 5 career phases:
- Awareness.
- Exploring.
- Starting out.
- Groundwork.
- Advancing.
The blueprint has been developed to support career development practitioners to deliver career management interventions to any client at any point in their career, from early childhood onwards.
Both the Scottish and Australian models demonstrate a strategic approach to equipping and empowering citizens to be more in control of their career. This is something that all learning and work contexts should do. Promoting positive engagement with career management skills by using a framework and integrating the competencies in curriculum, training, or staff development programmes, can create a culture whereby career conversations can be normalised and not something that only happens at crises or transition points. Through the normalisation of career conversations, citizens will better understand what help they need and where they can access it.
The application of lifelong career management frameworks such as those developed in Scotland and Australia can make a difference, but having the framework is not enough. Career management skills needs to be part of the national conversation. This required investment and engagement from employers, learning and training providers and individuals themselves.
All citizens need to be equipped to manage their own careers so that when change happens they are prepared.
