Career Professionals of Canada
What are your Clients’ Career Needs?
CPC Mastermind, Mary Whitaker of RITE Careers, explores how Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs are correlated to clients’ career development or career transition needs.
For career practitioners, comparing a client’s needs to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can be very effective when assisting clients of all age groups and culture diversity in their career development.
Career Professionals of Canada defines career development as “a proactive approach you take to create the work and life you desire. It is much more than getting a job. It is a lifelong process of learning and growing. Career development enables you to make informed educational, occupational, and employment choices. It is an ongoing process that you embark on to ensure meaningful work throughout your life.”
As a career practitioner, you can ask pertinent questions to help your client understand where his or her career needs are currently and where they need to evolve to enable them in their career development objectives.
Physiological Needs: According to Maslow, the base of the hierarchy model is to meet our physiological needs. In terms of careers, one must determine how much income is required to pay for basic financial needs. Part of working is also to enjoy life. Another part of the physiological needs is to define our working hours, travel distance, and type of environment. Ask your client questions such as “What are your financial desires?” and “What type of job particulars are you looking for?”
Job Security: Maslow’s next level is security. For people in the workforce, this means both job security and feeling secure in the workplace. Our government has legislated that the workplace is to be free from violence and harassment; however, this is still happening in the workforce. As career practitioners, you must understand what security means to your clients above the legal regulations and what happens when this is not in place. Never assume all companies and employees are in compliance with legislation. Identify options for your client.
Belonging: The third level, according to Maslow, is the need for love and belonging. Having a good fit is important for both the employer and the employee, to be able to actively participate in the growth of the company. When one does not get along with the other, there can be issues. Fit can be the factor when employees leave their current company. If you are working with a client who wants to change his or her job or career, you need to know the reason why. Determine if your client believes in the corporate culture or the direction of the company. Ask how your client deals with conflict on the job with other coworkers or their supervisor. Help your client be able to express this at an interview without giving a negative impression or bad mouthing the past employer.
Self-Esteem: Maslow has identified the fourth level as the need for self-esteem. In terms of a career, this means one feels a sense of appreciation or respect from coworkers. Clients at this level feel that their career goals are going in the direction they want. They have achieved a level of responsibility that is matched with their education and experience, and it is rewarded with salary satisfaction. They believe very strongly in the company image, products or services. To help your client transition to this level, you may need to support them in finding an appropriate career direction.
Personal Growth: On top of Maslow’s hierarchy is self-actualization. In terms of career needs, we can consider this to be personal or professional growth. This is the ultimate stage in a person’s career, when he or she has realized personal satisfaction. It leads to maximum employee engagement. Clients don’t consider their job as work, as it is enjoyable even with its stresses and challenges. Clients have reached a level of balance and appreciation in their life. As a career professional, this is where we mentor our clients in moving in a direction that will give them the fullest actualization in their careers, and this is where we need expert resources, education, and awareness of our client’s needs to assist them in moving forward to be the best they can in their careers.
As a career practitioner, it is imperative for us to understand the different stages. We need to realize where our client is in his or her career transition, where she or he wants to go, and what hurdles are preventing advancement in career development. Making a career transition does not happen overnight and we need to be able to provide support and options to our clients by having multiple conversations. Learn more about how you can help clients with their career development needs.
Mary Whitaker, owner of RITE Careers has worked as a career coach and group facilitator for the last ten years. Mary works with clients to be successful in their careers by focusing on individual strengths, accomplishments, values, interests and natural abilities to gain personal career satisfaction. For more information on choosing a career path, creating a resume that gets you the interview or job search strategies and techniques visit her website http://www.ritecareers.com
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