Students´ Career Development

KIROVOVA, Iva

Technical University of Ostrava, the Faculty of Economics, the Department of Management, Iva.Kirovova@vsb.cz

Keywords: business students, career development, career goals, career models

1 Introduction

This research was supported by an internal grant of the Faculty of Economics. Jan Hrubes and Lubomir Tvrdy helped with data analysis.

The issue of career and career development is always actual. According traditional approach career development consists of two main components: career management and career planning. Individual responsibility was stressed at career planning and organisational responsibility was stressed at career management. In west European countries and in the USA and Canada the approach to career development has changed as a result of a restructuralization of economy in 80. Many organisations responded to the global and more competitive economy by significant restructuring and organisational adjustment. Organisation has become less hierarchical, more flatter. Organisations were "downsized". In the past organisations paternalistically take responsibility for career management through job security and upward promotion. Now, in 90, employees are supposed to exercise greater responsibility for their career development ( covering career management and career planning) through enriched jobs, lateral moves, flexibility, self-development, etc. Traditional career approaches and models have changed. These changes are supposed to appear in Czech Republic too. It is important to prepare students for the changes. The first step in that process is to identificate the career development at students.

2 Research sample

Data were obtained from 155 undergraduate business students of the Faculty of Economics of the Technical University Ostrava-VSB. 86 students were students of 3^rd year of study and 69 students were students of 5 th year of study. Table 1 contents the characteristics of the research sample.

3 Method

Special questionnaire was completed for this research. The items concern: career decision, career goals, atractivity of some aspects of a working position, acceptance and preference of career models, aspects of successful career, assessment of knowledge and skills provided by faculty (theoretical knowledge and skills, application knowledge and skills, social skills, language knowledge and skills, computer knowledge and skills), aspects of a first employer, factors influencing career, aspects of employee and also demographic characteristics as age, sex, grade of study and branch of study. The questionnaire covers 107 items.

4 Results

Career decisions concerning the choice of a secondary school are influenced by the students themselves ( their own decisions) and by their parents in the same extent.

Career decisions concerning the choice of university is mainly influenced by students themselves.

The choice of study at the Faculty of Economics is mostly on the first place ( in comparison with other possibilities for study-e.g. other university ).

The majority of students wants after graduation to become an employee or to receive abroad experiences.

The most attractive aspect of work position is the possibility for professional development and job security.

Students accept contemporary career models.

Personal development , balanced life style, professional development and financial rewards are assessed as most important aspects of successful career.

Computer knowledge and skills, language knowledge and skills and social skills are assessed as most important ( e.g. in comparison with theoretical knowledge )

They are some differences concerning future career goals and most important aspects of the first employer between Czech and foreign students.

Czech students preferred these career goals: achieving a balanced lifestyle (68%), building a sound private financial base ( 58%) and becoming a specialist ( 41%).

Foreign students (Cooper and Lybrand International Student Survey, 1997) consider these career goals as priorities: achieving a balanced lifestyle (45%), building a sound private financial base(33%) and a position where I can work and travel internationally(28%).

The most important aspects of the first employer assessed by Czech students: ability to achieve a balanced life style, working with people I also enjoy, challenging assignments, training to obtain professional qualifications.

The most important aspects of the first employer assessed by foreign students: ability to achieve a balanced lifestyle, competitive salary and opportunities to reach managerial levels.

Foreign students represent a sample of 1, 274 respondents of ten countries ( USA, Canada, UK, Netherlands, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Australia and South Africa). The students were undergraduate business students. This research was conducted for Coopers and Lybrand by Universum International.

5 Discussion

This research was o first one concerning the issue of career development. The results revealed some similarities and differences with foreign business students. The differences concern especially other position preferences ( of career goals and aspects of a first employer). These differences can be caused by different social environment, different culture, economical factors etc.

In this article were mentioned only some of the results.

Commonly the findings revealed modest support for contemporary trends in career development.

Another research concerning career development ( with a view to some psychological personal aspects) is planned for the next year.

References

BUTLER,T., WALDROOP, J.: Finding Your Calling in New Economy. An Interview with Tim Butler and Jim Waldroop. Harvard Management Update, U970IC

CASCIO, W.F.: Managing Human Resources. New York: McGraw-Hill,1992

CLARK, F.A.: Total Career Management. London: McGraw-Hill, 1992.

COOPER and LYBRAND INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SURVEY. Summary Findings Report, March 1997

Table 1: Characteristics of the research sample

research sample

	men		women		sum	mean age
	number	percentiles	number	percentiles
3rd year of study	25	29,1	61	70,9	86	20,7
5th year of study	27	39,1	42	60,9	69	22,9
3rd and 5th year of study	52	33,5	103	66,5	155	21,7