Reflection on Mid-Career Development Model

In reading and researching the mid-career development model, I learned that “developmental directions are meant to define a phase or cycle of career development probably lasting 3 to 5 years.” This has been determined to be the result of a wide assortment of origins both environmental (economic factors and business evolution) and internal (the need for change and growth). There are three separate stages attributed to this study of mid-career development model. I will explain what the three stages are, what my understanding of the mid-career development model is, and my reflection on how I view myself within this model.
Level 1: Job Oriented - Labeled as the first phase of an individual’s career development. According to Power and Rothausen; “Individuals at this level focus almost totally on the current job and employer. Their attitudes are generally reactive, and they rely primarily on the employer to provide training and/or new job opportunities via promotion transfer, or downsizing.” The theory of reasoning behind this station of career development, according to Super’s theory, is that some of the people in this “job oriented” stage are new in their jobs and expectedly driven to make a name for themselves through their best efforts to their new employers. The developmental cycles for Level one are called: Establishment stage tasks: 1. Stabilizing (to be at a fixed level). 2. Consolidating (to maintain that fixed level). 3. Perhaps taking on more responsibility.
Level 2: Work Maintenance – This second stage is seen as a point in an individual’s career when they are content with their present work and its level of internal job satisfaction and the level of job security they may have reached. Developmental cycles for level two are called: Task Developmental Direction: 1. Defining the work (holding on). 2. Identifying the future requirement of the work (keeping up).