The role of goal setting in career management

Abstract

Examines the conditions under which career goal setting contributes to effective career management. Views career management as a process by which individuals can make informed decisions regarding their work lives. Highlights the role of the career goal in the career management process, and identifies the useful features of the goal‐setting process. Reviews the concepts of career indecision and career decidedness, and specifies four subtypes – developmental indecision, chronic indecision, hypervigilant decidedness, and vigilant decidedness. Discusses the implications for organizations and their employees.