Adult Career Development
EAD 864
Michael Clinton
When going through the material in
this unit, I couldn’t help but keep two Greek aphorisms in mind: “The
unexamined life is not worth living” and “Know thyself.” As mentioned in 1.14,
working lives are shaped by a combination of resources and forces – and in
order to live a life worth living, there are times when it is critical to step
back and examine one’s self, scrutinize the path he or she is on, and confirm
or rediscover that self. Among the many characters in the movie Up in the Air, there are two that are
impacted by external forces that compel them to do some self-searching. Ryan, confronted
by a changing working landscape and a romantic interest, ends up confirming his
commitment to his chosen career path. And Natalie, who is blind-sided by the
realities of the harsh industry she’s devoted herself to, changes her mind and
goes in search of a new path.
There are happenings in life – relationships, job loss, death – that force an individual to call into question what they are doing with their time here on Earth. In this unit we learned about the students of Julliard who experience the growing pains of either becoming disenchanted with the prestigious school or see it as a stepping-stone towards a life as a starving artist. We also took a look at the people in New York who have been committed to a career their entire lives only to see it decimated by changing local and global economics. Like our characters in the movie, these individuals have had to devote some energy to learning about who they are and whether or not they are able to succeed and adapt in their career choice, even when all that is around them is constantly changing.
Up in the Air leaves viewers with the impression that Ryan, despite being heart broken and up against a workplace “game-changer”, is content moving forward in his career path. He is fully aware of the sensitive line he must walk and has found a new sense of satisfaction and dignity (1.10) and respect for his profession. Natalie, who tried to de-personalize such an emotional episode in someone’s life, became lost and no longer had the self-respect to continue on. After discovering the suicide of someone she had laid off, she no longer found any meaning at her job in Omaha and decided to follow her “calling” in San Francisco.
The film takes place during a time of economic turmoil in America and mirrors the drastic layoffs and cutbacks many employers have to carryout. In this unit, many of the readings touch on what it means to be a “knowledge worker,” “hopscotch professional,” and “free agent” employee. At a time when external forces in the world are especially unpredictable, it’s important to understand that a 21st century career will look much different than the careers of the past and it will be equally important for individuals to not only commit to something that fulfills them but also be able to adapt and continually learn and improve on their skills.
There are happenings in life – relationships, job loss, death – that force an individual to call into question what they are doing with their time here on Earth. In this unit we learned about the students of Julliard who experience the growing pains of either becoming disenchanted with the prestigious school or see it as a stepping-stone towards a life as a starving artist. We also took a look at the people in New York who have been committed to a career their entire lives only to see it decimated by changing local and global economics. Like our characters in the movie, these individuals have had to devote some energy to learning about who they are and whether or not they are able to succeed and adapt in their career choice, even when all that is around them is constantly changing.
Up in the Air leaves viewers with the impression that Ryan, despite being heart broken and up against a workplace “game-changer”, is content moving forward in his career path. He is fully aware of the sensitive line he must walk and has found a new sense of satisfaction and dignity (1.10) and respect for his profession. Natalie, who tried to de-personalize such an emotional episode in someone’s life, became lost and no longer had the self-respect to continue on. After discovering the suicide of someone she had laid off, she no longer found any meaning at her job in Omaha and decided to follow her “calling” in San Francisco.
The film takes place during a time of economic turmoil in America and mirrors the drastic layoffs and cutbacks many employers have to carryout. In this unit, many of the readings touch on what it means to be a “knowledge worker,” “hopscotch professional,” and “free agent” employee. At a time when external forces in the world are especially unpredictable, it’s important to understand that a 21st century career will look much different than the careers of the past and it will be equally important for individuals to not only commit to something that fulfills them but also be able to adapt and continually learn and improve on their skills.
