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Donald Super and other theorists of career development recognize the changes that people go through as they mature. Super formalized stages and developmental tasks over the life span: | Stage | Age | Characteristics | | Growth | Birth to 14 or 15 | Development of self-concept, capacity, attitudes, interests, needs, general understanding of the world of work | | Exploratory | 15-24 | "Trying out" through classes, work experience, hobbies. Tentative choice and related skill development | | Establishment | 25-44 | Entry-level skill building and stabilization through work experience | | Maintenance | 45-64 | Continual adjustment process to improve position | | Decline | 65+ | Reduced output, prepare for retirement | People change with time and experience, and progress through the following vocational development stages: | Vocational | Ages | General Characteristics/Developmental Tasks | | Crystallization | 14-18 | Developing and planning a tentative vocational goal | | Specification | 18-21 | Firming the vocational goal | | Implementation | 21-24 | Training for and obtaining employment | | Stabilization | 24-35 | Working and confirming career choice | | Consolidation | 35+ | Advancement in career | Although Super originally presented the stages and tasks in a sequential manner, he later added that we cycle and recycle throughout our life span as we adapt to changes in ourselves as well as to the trends in the work place. The six factors in vocational maturity are: - Awareness of the need to plan ahead
- Decision-making skills
- Knowledge and use of information resources
- General career information
- General world of work information
- Detailed information about occupations of preference
Super also looked at the different roles we play during our lifetimes and the relative importance we give to those roles at different times in our lives.
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