Princeton, N.J. — March 13
At least half of employees today are actively managing their own careers, according to a study of nearly 1,000 workers in 33 countries by BlessingWhite, a global consulting firm based in Princeton, N.J.
Asked whether they actively manage their career based on clear, personal goals, 51 percent agreed or strongly agreed.
Moreover, 57 percent of participants do not expect their employer to provide a career path for them.
“This research demonstrates conclusively that today’s employees are taking charge of their own careers,” said BlessingWhite CEO Christopher Rice. “After two decades of corporate cutbacks, downsizings and restructurings, the employer-employee contract has been redefined. Our study confirms that more employees fully realize their own career is their own responsibility.”
Among the study’s other findings:
Four out of five employees do not think there is anything wrong with staying in the same job if they are able to try new things or develop their skills.
A majority of the participants (52 percent) indicated they are looking for work that is satisfying when they make a job change.
While 45 percent of study participants reported that they know what they want their next job to be, only 22 percent think they know what their employer wants their next job to be.
Half of respondents (48 percent) think they have decent career opportunities with their employer, while more than one-third (39 percent) expect their next career move to take them elsewhere.
“Employee careers are being driven by pursuit of personal growth and work that is personally interesting or meaningful,” Rice said. “If individuals understand what matters to them, what they offer and where they can make a positive difference, then there’s a greater likelihood of increased employee engagement and contribution to the bottom line.”
The BlessingWhite “State of the Career Report 2007” is based on the participation of 976 employees in the United States, Europe and the Pacific.
Of these, 57 percent have leadership responsibilities, and 30 percent work in organizations employing more than 10,000 people.
Thirty-three countries were represented in the study, with 75 percent being U.S.-based.
