Definitions
Career

Career

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A career is "any sequence of employment-related positions" (Arthur, 1997, p. 16) or elaborated more fully: "the sequence of employment-related positions, roles activities, and experiences encountered by a person."

Arnold continues, exploring the implications of this definition:

• A career is not simply one's occupation. Rather, one's occupation is simply the context for an individual's career at a particular point in time. Thus, a single career might encompass several occupations.
• We experience our careers subjectively. That is, we view our careers in a highly personal way that is different than how others might them even if they have the same experience. What is a viewed as a positive event by one person can be viewed as a failure or negative occurrence by another. 
• Careers are unfold over the course of our lives, encompassing changing roles, interests and skill levels.
• The employment-"related" element of the definition implies that careers extend beyond paid work. They can encompass periods of unemployment, volunteer work as well as some aspects of family roles.
• A career does not necessarily involve increases in status or income.

Arnold's final point is that anyone to spends time being employed or seeking employment has a career.

Related terms

• Boundaryless career
• Protean career

References
Arnold, J. (1997). Managing Careers into the 21st Century. London: Chapman.

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Read a practice exam essay in response to:

"Critically evaluate the notion of the boundaryless career as it relates to the theory and practice of career management."

Exam essay practice answer