New BAT study on the changing concept of careers

In the past, anyone who wanted to be successful in their career had to give up a lot of free time, which was often unbearable in the long term, both personally and for the family. Today, almost all working people agree on this assessment: 94 per cent no longer want to know anything about „long working hours and little free time“. According to a new survey by the BAT Leisure Research Institute in western Germany, the younger generation in particular is looking for a career beyond prestige and position. Today's young „careerists“ are discovering the joy of life as a whole. They no longer live from their job and for their career alone. For two thirds (63 %) of young professionals up to the age of 34, a career primarily means „having a job that is fun“. In contrast, „management positions“ (28 %) and „high prestige“ (20 %) are only of limited interest.
Most young people first ask how they can „realise their own career ideas“ (58 %). They ask about personal development opportunities at work, more freedom for their own creativity and what their work brings them personally. Their key question is no longer: "Can I earn a lot? What does my job look like?

Do companies have to fear competition from „leisure careers“?

In future, the concept of a career will no longer be limited to the professional sphere alone - it will face competition from the leisure sector. Because here, everyone can do „what's fun“: a diverse field of profiling for individual careers. Recent social research is already talking about „leisure careers“. The younger generation in particular is increasingly developing new qualification profiles for leisure careers as musicians, athletes, DIY enthusiasts, globetrotters or computer freaks who fulfil almost professional demands and combine hobby and professional interests.
The new leisure professionals have just as many attractive opportunities to raise their profile as the careerists at work: acceptance rituals, performance requirements, competitive situations, self-expression, a sense of achievement and opportunities for advancement in the clique, club or association. Social recognition has so far eluded many. But in the future it is becoming apparent that „climbers“ and „workaholics“ will have to fear for their prestige with their confession „I work a lot for my career“ in view of the rising price of non-professional, leisure-orientated careerists.

Women's different understanding of careers: A sense of achievement is more important than leadership positions

Women represent around 52 per cent of the German population and 38 per cent of the working population. However, they make up only two per cent of senior managers. This imbalance is „also“ caused by the women themselves, as the BAT study makes clear:

• 12 per cent of all working women signalise from the outset that they have no interest in a professional career.
• A good third of working women (36 %) think of career in terms of professional „advancement“. Two thirds, on the other hand, do not want to know anything about the career ladder and voluntarily leave the field of upper management to men. 44 per cent of working women up to the age of 34 already think of career advancement, but for a small majority (56 %) of them, career still has nothing to do with advancement.
• One fifth (21 %) of working women can imagine „working as a manager in a leadership position“. Most, however, are resigned to male dominance in the boss's chair.

For women, professional career planning also means personal life planning. They work primarily for themselves and their sense of achievement and „measure“ their success much less than men in terms of income „heights“, promotion “levels“ or management “positions“. They want to experience their career, not just make it. 51 per cent of working women consider it a career if they experience success at work. Achieving management positions is of secondary importance to them. They are less materialistic in their attitude towards their career: earning money is certainly important, but „earning a lot of money“ is only desirable for a third of working women.
Up to now, careers have largely been ‚men's careers‘. With the growing employment of women, the concept of a career must be redefined. The male-centred image of quickly climbing the career ladder must appear outdated and in need of supplementation.
„I want more time for myself“ - this demand used to only be made by women. Now men are also becoming sensitive and adopting female life goals. They want to have and enjoy both: Working time and free time.
The new career generation chooses the form of the „soft career“, wants to be performance-motivated, determined and success-orientated, but is no longer guided solely by „hard principles“ such as money, power and striving for promotion. She has fun at work, enjoys success and wants to realise her own professional ideas. However, private life should be just as important as professional life. Both spheres of life should be on an equal footing.

Wording of the question

There are different views on what is meant by a „professional career“ today. What do you yourself understand by it? Which of the following statements do you personally agree with the most?
(Maximum 5 entries possible)

1. Being able to realise my own professional ideas and goals
2. Having a job that is fun
3. Working as a supervisor in a management position
4. Earn above-average money
5. Long working hours and little free time
6. Carry out a professional activity of high repute
7. Being able to realise myself at work
8. Have a sense of achievement and be recognised
9. Have career advancement opportunities
10. None of that; I'm not interested in a „professional career“, or at least not any more

Respondents: 1,000 West German citizens aged 14 and over
Survey period: June 1991