In organizations characterized by downsizing and restructuring, there are fewer opportunities for people to move up the traditional career ladder. Many midlevel management positions have been eliminated, causing the number of qualified candidates to exceed the number of job opportunities. In addition, innovations such as precision manufacturing and networked computer terminals are enabling companies to realize increased levels of productivity with fewer workers. For workers who have high career aspirations, these conditions trigger career movement. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Labor corroborates the lack of equal opportunity for top-level positions of the organization.
Job dissatisfaction occurs for any number of reasons.
People who are involved in work that lacks personal meaning and value also experience job dissatisfaction, a major reason for initiating job transition. Twenty-eight percent said they voluntarily took a pay cut in the last year to make such changes in their lives. Whether career mobility is initiated by the employer because the tasks, skills, or characteristics of given workers are no longer needed or by workers because they are dissatisfied with some aspect of their jobs or organizations, connecting with new employment can be unsettling. It requires change and change demands flexibility and compromise. Following are some ways workers can use career mobility to capitalize on opportunities in the workplace.