The Early Years
Although it may take 25 to 30 years for a person to reach the top of a major corporation, there is considerable evidence that the early years are a critical phase. Much like the launching of a satellite into orbit, unless the powerful booster works perfectly to overcome the force of gravity, the space vehicle will fall back to earth.
The nature of human development and maturation is such that we pass through various predictable stages. These stages are identifiable by the challenges that must be met in order to develop further. Behavioral scientists have mapped out these phases in childhood ( Erickson, 1963) and in adulthood ( Levinson, Darrow, Klein, Levinson, & McKee, 1978). Careers also seem to consist of regular stages during which certain tasks must be accomplished.
Douglas Hall ( 1976) has identified five career stages: entry, socialization, advancement, maintenance, and withdrawal. During the entry or exploration stage, the individual is still searching for the right occupation and organization. Once a choice has been made, the socialization or establishment stage begins. This is a time of learning, testing, and evaluation for the individual and for the employer. Having learned the ropes of the new occupation and organization and finding a positive evaluation of the match by both the new employee and the employer, attention usually turns to moving up in the organization. This indicates movement into the advancement stage. For many people advancement starts to level off eventually. When a career plateau is reached the individual has entered the maintenance stage. At this point, career paths