Definitions
Protean career
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Protean career


All definitions
The protean career is contrasted with the traditional organizational career as a source of the individual's psychological success.

The term, which is really more of a framework than a definition, originated with Hall (1976). The full text of that reference could not be located, so we refer to a later work (Hall (2001). (The term is a reference to the sea-god Proteus who could change his shape at will).

Hall wrote that the protean career, unlike the traditional organizational career, is driven by the needs of the individual rather than the needs of the organization. It is characterized by "frequent change and self-invention, autonomy, and self-direction" (Hall, 2001, p. 4)

Hall contexts the emergence of the protean career form as necessary in light of corporate-downsizing-related changes in psychological contracts. He describes the protean career as:
  1. Being managed by the individual rather than the organization.
  2. Being lifelong and consisting of a series of identity changes, transitions, experiences, skills and learnings.
  3. Undergoing development characterized by continuous learning, self-direction, focus on relationships and work challenges.
  4. Not necessarily characterized by formal training, retraining or upward mobility.
  5. Success determined by "learn-how" rather than "know-how," employability rather than job security, protean rather than organizational careers, relevance of the whole self versus only the work self.
  6. The organization as a provider of challenging assignments, developmental relationships and information and related resources.
  7. Psychological success as the goal.

Related terms

References
Hall, D. T. (1976). Careers in organizations. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.

Hall, D.T. (2001). Careers in and out of organizations (Foundations for Organizational Science). Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage.
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