Your grandfather worked for the same company for his entire career life; your father might change jobs only once or twice, but this is not the current career model for many recent graduates.  Jay Shah, the Marketing Manager of Jobs in GTA, said: “The economic factors, societal norms, and the work environment back then emphasized the model of lifetime employment, while now it is about the job seeker’s employability.” This employability notion, becomes more evident in complex job markets like the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Mississauga, and other metropolitan areas.

In order to develop your career plan after graduation, you need to understand what your choices are and what your options are within very complex work environments. Edgar Schein’s theory on career anchors will help you figure out what makes you tick and then you can prioritize your career options accordingly.

FIRST ANCHOR: TECHNICAL COMPETENCY

If Technical Competency is your dominant anchor, you place great emphasis on mastering a technical skill and aspire to become an expert within your professional circles. To build up your technical competency, make sure that allow dedicate a good portion of your time to learn and hone up your skills and target those career opportunities in companies or organizations that offer continuous learning programs to their employees.

SECOND ANCHOR: MANAGERIAL COMPETENCY

Individuals with Managerial Competency as their dominant anchor tend to focus on finding solutions to work or clients’ problems. They do not shy away from responsibility, and they are good at mobilizing teams.

If this is your career preference, develop your managerial skills (even when you are at the bottom of the career ladder), work on your leadership style, learn how to increase your emotional intelligence, and learn how to manage teams and projects. It is also advisable to stand up and accept new opportunities that will allow you to manage projects and teams.

THIRD ANCHOR: AUTONOMY

Autonomy usually implies independence. If you prefer to set your own rules and you are not comfortable following strict policies and standards, seek those career options that give you some freedom and the ability to develop a system to work within.

FORTH ANCHOR: SECURITY AND STABILITY

There is nothing wrong with seeking security and stability. Some professions and companies offer a stability with a well-defined career path with limited risks.

FIFTH ANCHOR: CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

Usually, individuals with entrepreneurial spirit prefer jobs and fields that allow them to unleash their creativity, grant them ownership of their ideas, and provide them with a not-so-traditional set of tasks. If this is your anchor, find those professions and jobs that make your little genie of creativity pop up.

SIXTH ANCHOR: SERVICE

Individuals who believe in a cause and willing to dedicate themselves to serving others thrive in work environments that allow them to connect with others, use their skills to help others solve problems. In a corporate context, departments like HR and other business support functions provide opportunities to serve others.

SEVENTH ANCHOR: CHALLENGE

When you prefer lots of stimulation, get bored easily, and always searching for your next adventure, then Challenge might be your dominant anchor. Recently, many new careers emerged that give employees and professionals more challenging and stimulating assignments.

EIGHTH ANCHOR: LIFESTYLE

Individuals, who have a lifestyle as their dominant career anchor, think of how work might affect their preferred lifestyle. If this is you, ask about the policies related to taking vacations, flex-time, telecommuting or even consider freelancing.

Understanding who you are and what motivates you is the first step to managing your career and create a life-work harmony, lower your stress level and make you happy and content.