Page 192 - Working-and-ageing-Guidance-and-counselling-for-mature-learning

3062_EN_C1_Layout 1 11/23/11 4:22 PM Page 186

CHAPTER 10
Career development in

later working life: implications

for career guidance with

older workers

Lyn Barham

Recent evidence suggests that older people are less satisfied with career
guidance services than younger adults. This chapter explores reasons for this
through three themes which appear characteristic of many older people. First,
future time perspective is considered as an aspect of present life-space and
decision-making. Second, the psychological contract of the workplace is seen
as a site of expectation by older workers of a complex and respectful mutual
exchange with employers. Third, generativity, or ʻgiving something backʼ is
argued to extend beyond its social altruistic sense, and to include the ʻgiving
backʼ of work skills and work attitudes which reflect specific work interests.
The conclusions of this chapter suggest that further research, specifically
focused on the 50 to 70 age group, should examine the differences within that
age group both between sexes and for individuals as they progress through
two decades. To satisfy career support needs of older workers, career advisers
need to develop conceptual frameworks reflecting age-related changes,
alongside respect for the great diversity that experience has added to
individual differences. This challenging work requires an appropriate workforce
with additional specialised training.

10.1. Introduction

Many groups of professional workers are concerned with the wellbeing of older
people in the long period from when aspects of age discrimination start to
become evident (from 45 or 50 years of age) through to oldest age. With
extending life expectancy, negative impacts of age stereotyping may apply for
almost half of the total lifespan. Careers advisers will most commonly be