The Relationship Between Career Management and Individual Performance

The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between career management and individual performance. The three dimensions measured career management were organizational career management (OCM) career planning and career strategies. This study also examine which among the dimensions and factors are the most important in explaining individual performance; through the comparison among dimensions in career management, and the comparison among factors in organizational career management and career strategies. This study was conducted quantitatively where data were collected through questionnaires that were distributed to 169 salespeople selected randomly in an insurance organization, in Alor Setar Kedah. Instruments used in this study possessed high reliability values. From the total of 169 questionnaires, 57 were collected, however only 55 can be used for further analysis. The data were analyzed using Pearson Correlation and Multiple Regression. The findings of the study indicate that OCM, career planning, and career strategies were correlated with individual performance. This study also reveals that the three factors under OCM namely career information, career development and career management policy were related with individual performance. All factors in career strategies namely the seeking career guidance, building network of contacts, maintaining career flexibility, self-presentation, and extended work involvement were also correlated with individual performance. In short, this study found that career planning is the most influential dimension of career management that contributed to individual performance. Whilst career development is found to be the most essential factor under OCM that influences individual performance; maintaining career flexibility and building network of contact are factors under career strategies that found significant in explaining individual performance