Career Plateuing

The career I chose to undertake as my profession is that of a mechanical engineer. Why do I want to become a mechanical engineer? Well, for starters, I would be able to design, build and possibly repair many various machines and other technologies that are complex. These technologies can range from being already in use on a global scale to new, futuristic designs that are highly technical. Also, this career includes being a sort of jack-of-all-trades, where I would possess knowledge in mathematics, physics, etc. Finally, this career offers me the chance to expand outside my immediate area since mechanical engineers are well desired around the globe as well.

The theoretical career development framework that I chose to assist in Catherine’s career counseling process is Donald Super’s counseling theory. I decided to chose this particular career development framework because I thought it would be the most effective and appropriate to use with the client. The client is thirty-seven years of age and is dealing with a lot on her plate. Equally important, people grow and change throughout their lives and this theory respects that.

In the modern world, mentoring has long been used to help nurture and grow people. This is one way that many companies attempt to hang onto the top talent at their company. The goal is to create employees that are knowledgeable and who have the wisdom and experience to be successful at the company.

An advantage of mentoring is that it helps to acclimatise less successful workers to the job and organisational requirements. By having a "go to" person to ask questions, discuss scenarios and generally learn the nuances of the company, the mentee can become a productive member much more quickly and never feel that he has nowhere to turn for help. The mentee can gain the sense of achievement that comes from the mentor's feedback and assessment of his progress. The mentee's quest to gain the mentor's approval can serve as a motivating force to continue to improve his performance. The mentor can gain satisfaction from knowing that she is helping an individual and can take a measure of pride in her accomplishments. For a mentor that has already achieved a great deal of success, she can look at the process as a way of "giving back”.

Mentors are influential, senior organizational members with advanced experience and knowledge committed to providing perception to a mentee’s career development. A mentor supports a mentee’s views of self within a work role as well as it supports the mentor’s sense of self for the valuable wisdom and experience they have to share.

Mariani, B. (n.d.). The Effect of Mentoring on Career Satisfaction of Registered Nurses and Intent to Stay in the Nursing Profession. Nursing Research and Practice, 1-9.

This research study examined the presence or absence of a protégé mentoring mindset from the mentor viewpoint. Also, this research study examined the presence or absence of a protégé mentoring mindset from the protégé viewpoint through the eyes of the mentor. Understanding the presence or absence of a protégé mentoring mindset is important in evaluating the mentoring mindset framework. This framework potentially could serve to set standards at the beginning of a mentoring relationship and serve as a guide throughout mentoring relationships. More notably, the framework possibly could serve as a guide to anchor relationships that grow into lifetime connections. Further, better understanding the foundations upon which mentoring relationships

They must try to figure a way to balance work and life with all the preconceived notions associated with them. With a mentor in today’s work environment, these groups can learn to balance their career and life. The mentor exposes them to various programs that the company offers in order to assist them in balancing their career and life. These programs are designed to help support specific groups and ultimately help balance them out. Women and minorities tend to think they are stuck in their current positions and do not incorporate a career plan (Harvard Business Essentials, 2004). However, in order for these groups to be effective, they need to rely and trust on mentors to help guide them on the right career path. The mentors must develop support groups that will help find a way to assist them in finding the right direction in their career. These groups must also use their skill and talents to help them progress in their work environment. Eventually, these skills will help them move up in the company as well as start to become

Mentoring is a strategy that is beneficial to increased productivity in the workplace as well as a fulfilling love for one’s career. Mentoring can take place at many levels. It can occur at an education level or as we enter into prospective careers. Those who miss out on the opportunity to be mentored, have a lower chance to perform at high levels or receive positions that are more successful. Mentors and protégé’s work on challenging tasks and activities together, in an effort to enhance the skills of the protégé. The earlier a protégé is taken under the wing of a mentor proves extremely beneficial.

Mentorship is very important in the workplace especially in the area of training and development. The mentor-protégé relationship is a much needed relationship that begins in the early career stage and this relationship involves the current or new employees and the supervisor or other colleagues that provide work-related guidance. The relationship itself is comprehensive and involves “educational, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual development” (Greenhaus,, Callanan, & Godshalk, 2010, p 211). One of the initial task of the early career the establishment of the career field which involves the gaining of the workplace competence, learn what is needed to excel in the organization, and to gain acceptance in the workplace to be recognized as the valued employee. There are many ways of achieving the above mentioned advantages in the workplace which one main method is through the use of the mentorship program.

Given that, top performers need to know how to get to where they want to be in the organization, and direction needs to be supplied. The simple truth is, when a company lacks the ability to show the individual a path of progression in order to move forward, it can be detrimental to the organization bottom-line, as turn-over affects the profits of an organzation. The result is employees will disengage and will seek other opportunities of employment elsewhere. As a final point, providing staff with a career path is similar to creating a psychological contract for an employee to stay employed with the company. By companies investing in the employee’s growth and development, they will grow in to a loyal employee and stay with the corporation. Creating a path for an employee increases employee retention. This creates a strong sense of purpose for the individual; they become connected to the organization, as they desire to be a part of the bigger picture (Gupta).

True success and fullfillment at any stage of life can be achieved by a changed mindset. This is the most important path of opportunity. It is sometimes only realised through mentoring.

Implementing a strong mentoring program that fosters individual and personal growth within the company is vital for the future of this firm. This includes setting up and maintaining a mentoring program. The mentoring program will be set up with individuals from all levels of achievement, that are willing to devote a portion of their time to the firm’s prosperity.

With the development of the more organic and less formal organisational structures the role of mentors has shifted with these changes. Unlike previously where mentors where seen as formal trainers who taught newcomers the processes and got them acquainted with the cultures and the systems within the organisation. Which required good interpersonal skills and a good knowledge of the activity or tasks the mentee would have to undertake, and be able to effectively relay or demonstrate the tasks or activities to the mentee. As opposed to more recently where a mentor would have to be more of an emotional counselor and demonstrate more skills than were traditionally required from

Through our weekly discussion of Adult Development and studying Erik Erickson’s theories of development, allowed me to gain great insight to human development. In our reading Erik points out that “adults seek to accomplish goals that make them feel they have made a difference in the world. This is the payoff stage in which we can use the personality that we’ve developed to achieve our occupational, social and personal goals. We gain a sense of fulfillment from those accomplishments but also seek additional satisfaction through mentoring younger generations.” (Witt & Mossler, 2010, p 9). This is truly where I am in my life right now. Growing up as a child I always dreamed of becoming a doctor one day. As I got older and became a part of numerous debate teams, student government associations groups and community advisory boards, my interest changed to law school. When I became a wife and a mother, I developed the nurturing spirit and I wanted to become a nurse. Looking back at where I was and where I am now I am seeking career satisfaction in my life. I am struggling with generatively versus stagnation. I do not feel I am useful in my career achievement and that is why I am seeking to better my