How do careers

develop? How do people find

jobs?

Gerry Treuren November 2013

The traditional view of a career

• You have a plan for what you want to do

• Steady progression, onwards and upwards!

• Fewer people have this now

Early to bed, early to rise…

The new career trajectory

• Leaping from one role or assignment to the next

• People use their skills, knowledge, networks to leap from assignment to assignment

I hope that vine is strong enough…

The protean or portfolio career

• Less job security

• Job assignments enable you to develop skills, networks and track record

…what am I going to do next?

Getting ahead in the jungle

Maximise three types of career assets1. Knowledge, skill and

experience2. Networks3. Recommendations and reputation

…Makes me wonder how I

keep from going under

Its like a jungle sometimes

Finding the next treeGetting better

informationCultivating

social networks to tell you about new trees/ jobs

and make representations

for you

Increasing your marketability

Build your knowledge, skills and experience to catch the new

opportunity

Do you know of anything going for someone like me?

How careers usually unfold…

You are walking down a path with a plan for where you

want to go…

Marine biology or bust!

But stuff happens. Happenstance

and a boulder blocks your way…

Up to 60% of careers are shaped by random events

I’m heartbroken! I didn’t make the

DFAT shortlisting.

Happenstance (2)

Or someone offers you an exciting

opportunity

Go this way

Exciting opportunity

this way About 40% of jobs are found unexpectedly

Yes, I can help you organise that

fashion show!

Happenstance (3)

Someone you know knows something you

want to know

0-100% of jobs are found through strong or weak tie networks

Did you hear about the job at Haighs?

Increasing the chances of happenstance

I’m having fun editing the bicycling

club newsletter

Cha

nce

of s

omet

hing

une

xpe

cted

hap

peni

ng

Involvement in work experience/volunteering/ professional group activities

Involvement increases skills, knowledge and experience and builds

and develops networks

Its not what you know…An occasionally true job seeker myth

Info

rmal

ity o

f re

crui

tmen

t

Importance of the job

But random events remain unpredictably important

Rigorous selection techniques

Informal selection techniques

Well, Jana in my bike club liked my editing work and

mentioned me to her friend in publishing…

Tell me again how you got that new job?

Social networks – word of mouth

You

Strong tienetwork

Weak tienetworks

Strong ties – family and friends• They usually know what

you knowWeak ties – people who you know well enough to chat with, call or email • They usually know many

people you don’t know

It’s so good to see you again!

Happenstance or planning?

People who plan their careers and job search strategies usually find:

• Better jobs• More quickly

Put yourself in the way of happenstance

And those who plan and make job search efforts find more unexpected

opportunities…

Proactive job search finds jobs more quickly quicker

02468

1012

months

In this sample, the proactive job seeker finds the job in less than half

the time of the least proactive job seeker.

Thanks for lining that job up for me, Auntie

Norma

So, how should one prepare for job search?

• Develop your skill, knowledge and experience in every role• Broaden and deepen your

portfolio

• Develop your job search knowledge and skills• Treat your job search like a job,

devoting effort and planning

• Put yourself in the way of luck• Internships are an

investment• Volunteer and network as a

person and as a job seekers• Get involved in your

professional community