Professional development is considered by many to be an integral part of training for anyone who considers themselves a business. It used to be the case that young people used to graduate from school, take an entry-level position with a company, and then, over the years, rise through the ranks and eventually retire from that company after years of service. life.
In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing global economy, such loyalty to a company, or to an employee, is unheard of. Add to this the fact that entry-level jobs are no longer for recent grads and the young, but are increasingly falling to more experienced job-changers, it is not surprising that universities have begun grooming their graduates to excel in the job market with professional development classes.
However, did you know that the person to whom the concept of professional development can very well be attributed is all but forgotten? If someone mentioned the name of Frank Parsons to you, would you recognize him? Many probably wouldn’t, and it’s not surprising, since he died almost 100 years ago. A teacher by profession, an engineer by training, and a suffragist and social reformer by passion, Mr. Parsons soon realized that his true calling was to help workers, unemployed workers, recent immigrants, and those ready to leave academia to think in their careers. .objectives and options.
Frank Parson did not realize his true calling until about seven years before his death, but in that short time he was able to get his services used at the Home of Civic Service, which was a gift from a prominent philanthropist of the time. . He continued to expand his services in response to what he saw as an overwhelming need for professional guidance not only for a select few, but also for the masses, and his work was rewarded by Boston academic leaders when they created a race. counselor certification program for others who wanted to follow in Mr. Parsons’ footsteps.
His concepts were surprisingly simple and are still used today. First, Mr. Parsons wanted everyone entering the job market to consider what his talents and interests were. Not subscribing at all to the notion that any job seeker should be grateful for whatever they do.
could get, instead, he wanted people to take stock of their abilities and really think about what kind of work would make them happy and fulfilled. Second, he wanted the job seeker to continue to take stock of the employment situation by knowing the jobs available, the remuneration they offered, and the predictable ladder of success that awaited a skilled worker. He would then help workers decide if they liked what they saw, or if perhaps a different line of work or even company would be better for them.