IN SEARCH OF JOB: LINKING CAREER DECISION OF EUROPEAN GRADUATES WITH CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Abstract: Abstract The unprecedented fast-changing environment, embracing new information, manufacturing and process technologies in the context of the increasing globalisation of product and service market has had significant effect on the nature of work and subsequently affected career management of employees. Organizations today embark on many changes internally and externally in order to strengthen there competitive advantage and explore opportunities. These changes have little or less regard for psychological effect on employees career motive despite the relative importance of human factors in any organizational intended changes. This surmise that career should also adapt to changing economic conditions. But, it is rather believed that changes in career management of today is due to changes in roles and expectation of both individuals and organizations. While employers have the managerial prerogative to change the context and content of the tasks as the situations demands, the employee are no longer rely on the organization to manage their careers. Individual employee wants to influence their career life. Both the organization and the individual are gradually adjusting to the notion that they have to look out for themselves, meaning that organization will become less paternalistic and individuals more self-reliant. Therefore, the notion of traditional understanding of career being a series of upward moves, with increasing income, status, power and security within a single organization is dwindling away and it is been replaced with a dynamic career concept which put individuals at the nucleus of all activities. To be competitive in this new career environment, individuals have to take charge of their career and seek to improve themselves always. Depending on the career concept which an individuals seeking, the need to develop sets of marketable and transferable skills is essential and the need to develop awareness about their strength, weakness, value and interest should be of paramount importance to remain competitive In order to develop the necessary skills for career progression, European graduates have the greatest opportunities to explore the free movement of workers provisions in the EC Treaty. These opportunities enables them to develop international career which is presently regarded has an advantage in this era of globalization, and competition between organizations. In the present business environment, organizations have to develop a strategy that will channel the efforts of more independent and less committed employee. However, this paper reports the result of a study, which explores the extent to which career structure has changed. The study examines the roles of national cultures and EC Treaty provisions on free movement of workers on career decisions of European graduates The study focuses on these issues in a cultural context. The study found that in general, more sophisticated human resources activities were needed for new generation of young careerist. The graduates expect the organizations to provide support when working abroad and the firms should be involved in their career development.