Career management of special people needs in the labour market

Abstract

Introduction. The paper reviews the literature on characteristics of labour market and its effect on career of people with special needs. While independent career guidance and management remains difficult for people with special needs, because of the rapid changes in the modern labour market, the evidence shows that their career remains a challenge mostly because of the way they are viewed – they are often viewed through their deficits, disabilities, and illnesses. Aim and tasks. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a new, inclusive perspective in career counselling of persons with special needs and their careers. By abandoning the medical paradigm in career of people with special needs, we focus on advantage competences model and self-determination. Results. It is shown that today’s labour market has become unstable and unpredictable, which can be proven by an increased development of atypical ways of employment. The changes in today’s labour market have also affected the careers of people with special needs, who are additionally faced with possible illnesses, disorders, and other barriers. Therefore, we may expect that they may require more help from career advisers and different approaches in counselling. In addition, characteristics of today’s labour market suggest that we must focus on different career understanding – not as a guidance, as it cannot be further predicted, but as management, to become our own life/career agent. It should not be any different in people with special needs. The area of employing people with special needs has not yet abandon the medical paradigm, which is a barrier for their career management. Thus the new inclusive approach has been developed – an advantage competence model. In the model competences of people with special needs, there are a basis for career interventions, for finding a prospective area of career, where they are more likely to succeed. The model supports self-determination, which is recognized as a way of improving one’s self-esteem, a positive career identity, autonomy, maintain or improve quality of life and person’s active participation. Conclusions. Although the guidance and management of career is a challenge nowadays, it should be viewed as a positive challenge, which can nurture and develop our curiosity, flexibility, optimism, and gaining knowledge. The growing needs for labour market knowledge urge people to constantly gain competences, therefore, they can become managers of their own careers. Nevertheless, this process of career management should not be any different with people with special needs. By using advantages competence model, we rely on strengths every person has and builds on the potential of their independent career managing.