School leavers have greater workplace choices amid career uncertainty, says Macquarie University academic

With more than 200,000 Year 12 students across Australia about to sit their final year exams, many school leavers are feeling the pressure to choose a career path at the age of 18.

Dr Patrick Garcia, Associate Professor of Management and Organisational Behaviour at Macquarie Business School, says the evolving workplace of the 21st century is different from what employees experienced in the past.

“The days of the predictable linear career where employees rely on organisations for career growth and development are long gone. Technology, globalisation and intense competition have created a sense of career uncertainty and job insecurity,” Dr Garcia says.

He says student career choices are typically determined by a belief about what kind of job people think they are good at and what will make them happy.

“But nowadays there is a need for employees to be proactive and adaptable. That includes being comfortable and ready to face possible career challenges and transitions. The good news is, and contrary to what most people think, proactivity and adaptability can be learned and strengthened.”

Navigate the landscape

Dr Garcia says people need to navigate the career landscape themselves as workers today are expected to take charge and manage their own careers.

“Nowadays, it is normal to move between jobs or even change your career. US research from Gallup shows that 60 per cent of millennial workers are open to new job opportunities and more than one third will look for a new job with a different organisation in the next 12 months if the job market improves,” he says.

“It is okay for graduates to not have a perfectly planned future career. Think of university as an opportunity to further clarify interests, develop competencies and gain important life skills.”

Career regrets

Countless surveys tell us that many people already entrenched in the workforce can often harbour career regrets.

“People despair over their jobs for various reasons and may have ended up in a job that has proven to be less than satisfactory. It may have been a role they were forced to pursue by other people, or their personal and financial circumstances led them on that particular journey,” he says.

For instance, he says some students may end up taking management courses even if they are not interested in that area because they are expected to take over their family business.

“In extreme cases, parents exert control over their child’s career instead of providing them with support to pursue their interests. Some people may be forced to take a particular career out of financial necessity. These outcomes stifle a person’s need for autonomy and competence, which in turn reduces job satisfaction,” Dr Garcia says.

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