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Chapter 6

Occupational and Organizational Choice

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Key Points in this Chapter  Theories of Occupational Choice

 Occupational Choice as a Matching Process

 Occupational Choice as a Developmental Process

 Occupational Choice as a Decision-Making Task

 Guidelines for Effective Occupational Decision Making

 Organizational Choice

 The Process of Entering an Organization

 The Role of Expectations in Organizational Entry

 Individual Actions During the Entry Process

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Occupational Choice  An occupation is a group of similar jobs found in

several establishments  This definition distinguishes a specific job in a

particular organization from the broader notion of an occupation

 The choice of an appropriate occupation can take place at any point in one’s life

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Occupational Choice as a Matching Process

 Many theories suggest that people choose occupations that “match” their needs, motives, values, & talents  Trait & factor theory: proposes that people identify

their abilities, needs, interests, & values; select appropriate career goals; & choose an occupation that is most compatible with those goals

 John Holland’s theory: proposes that people seek work settings that allow them to showcase their skills & abilities & express their interests & values & that stability in an occupational area depends on the match between personality & environment

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Occupational Choice as a Developmental Process

 The choice of an occupation can be considered a developmental process that evolves over time  The decision to pursue a particular occupation is

really a series of decisions that span a significant portion of one’s life

 Adults continue to gain personal insights over the later stages of the life cycle

 Transitions & changes in life roles can also necessitate the making of occupational choices

 Organizational changes can force a change in an occupational field

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Occupational Choice as a Decision- Making Task

 Occupational choice is based on a rational, deductive, & programmed decision-making process  People become aware of their desired outcomes &

then choose occupations that provide these outcomes

 They also assess the likelihood of actually getting into the identified occupations

 But, there is evidence that individuals tend to make unprogrammed decisions & do not assess jobs on a long list of outcomes but rather on 1 or 2 significant outcomes

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Guidelines for Effective Occupational Decision Making

 Develop self-awareness

 Develop accurate occupational information

 Engage in effective goal setting

 Develop appropriate career strategies

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Organizational Choice: The Process of Entering an Organization

 Stages of the Organizational Entry Process:

 Recruitment: is the process of finding a mutual attraction between the individual & the organization

 Selection: represents the organization’s process of assessing candidates future performance & retention

 Orientation: is the period of initial adjustment once a newcomer enters the organization

 Socialization: is the process of assimilating newcomers into the organization

 The ultimate goal of organizational entry is to attain a match between the individual & the organization

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Organizational Choice  Job candidates are attracted to organizations that

provide desirable outcomes & avoid organizations that result in undesirable outcomes  Programmed decisions vs. unprogrammed

decisions  Research has supported both types, but the more

thorough the search & the greater the number of outcomes & organizations considered, the greater the likelihood of success in the job search process

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The Role of Expectations in Organizational Entry

 Job candidates develop expectations about an organization’s capacity to provide valued outcomes

 New employees often experience “reality shock” upon discovering that the reality of the job & the organization does not match their expectations

 Candidates who hold unrealistic expectations become dissatisfied when faced with the realities of a job & may choose to leave the organization

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Development of Unrealistic Expectations

 Why do people develop unrealistic expectations?  Career transitions  The educational process  Lack of prior work experience  The recruitment process  Organizational stereotypes  Self-delusion

 A realistic job preview (RJP) can help; it presents job candidates with a realistic picture of the job & the organization

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Individual Actions During the Entry Process

 Develop self-awareness

 Identify prospective employers

 Accurately assess organizations

 Choose the “right” organizations

 Engage in effective job interview behavior

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Summary  Themes that capture the occupational choice

process:  As a matching process

 As a developmental process

 As a decision-making task

 In terms of organizational choice, both individuals & organizations need to work together to attain person-organization fit

 Self-awareness is the cornerstone of occupational choice & organizational entry

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