Career Stages

Augustina Reyes

The term career stage refers to sequenced workrelated stages, movements, or points in one's profession. In 1986, Gene Dalton and Paul Thompson identified four distinct stages, including apprentice, independent contributor, mentor, and sponsor. In each stage, the expected performance activities, the expected relationships, and expected psychological adjustments differ. For example, the apprentice stage is the beginning, entry-level position filled with new learning, subordinate relationships, and the understanding to perform in subordinate positions. This may also be referred to as an intern stage. The independent career stage is one in which the professional contributes to the organization. In the mentor stage, one moves to mentoring the less experienced. The sponsoring stage is the highest career stage, in which one influences the goals and direction of the organization through leadership. Other aspects of career stages include stress, career development, career management, and career pathing. Issues of women and minorities in educational The ...

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