A Conversation With ChatGPT About Careers

A few weeks ago, my team and I were starting to put together a report for The State of Work & Career Success 2023. Our goal with the report is to provide insight into how U.S. workers are feeling about work and life right now, track how they are progressing over time, and offer context for why they feel this way.

And one of the things we added to the survey this year is a new question asking the respondent to define a career in their own words. As we were going through the responses, someone on the team asked if there was a common definition of careers 100 years ago. We did some cursory research but didn’t find a clear answer.

Then someone on the team threw out an idea: what if we ask ChatGPT?

So, once the site wasn’t busy or down for maintenance, we had the opportunity to ask ChatGPT a few questions. We didn’t end up writing anything in the report about how the definition of a career has changed (and, to be clear, none of the copy or analysis in the report was generated using AI), but we did think the responses offered some interesting context on the history of careers and how they’ve evolved over time.

So, below, you’ll find a transcript of our “conversation” with ChatGPT about careers.

What was the definition of “career” in the 1920s?

The term "career" in the 1920s generally referred to a person's chosen profession or vocation, which they intended to pursue as a long-term endeavor. During this era, the concept of having a stable and secure career was highly valued, and many people viewed it as a symbol of success and achievement.

In the 1920s, the definition of a successful career was often tied to traditional gender roles and social expectations. For men, a successful career was typically associated with positions of authority and leadership, such as in law, medicine, or business. For women, the concept of a career was just beginning to emerge, and many still viewed it as a secondary pursuit to marriage and motherhood. Women's careers were often limited to traditional "female" roles such as teaching, nursing, or secretarial work.

Overall, the concept of a career in the 1920s was shaped by societal norms and expectations, and often tied to notions of status, stability, and success within one's chosen profession.

How has this changed?

The definition of a career has changed significantly since the 1920s. Today, a career is viewed as a long-term professional journey that encompasses a range of experiences and opportunities for growth, development, and learning. It is no longer limited to a single profession or a fixed set of skills, and instead emphasizes adaptability, flexibility, and the ability to learn new skills and take on new challenges.

One major shift has been the growing acceptance of diverse career paths, with many people pursuing non-traditional careers that may not have been considered viable options in the past. This has been driven by factors such as technological innovation, globalization, and changing societal norms.

Another key change has been the growing emphasis on work-life balance and the integration of personal values and interests into one's career. This has led to a greater focus on finding a career that aligns with one's passions, purpose, and values, and the recognition that a fulfilling career is one that allows for both personal and professional growth.

Overall, the concept of a career has evolved from a narrow focus on a single profession to a broader and more dynamic view of one's professional journey, with a greater emphasis on personal fulfillment and growth.

Did people talk about fulfillment from their jobs in the 1920s?

While the concept of job satisfaction and fulfillment existed in the 1920s, it was not as widely discussed or emphasized as it is today. During this time period, work was often seen as a duty or responsibility, and people placed a greater emphasis on job security, stability, and financial rewards.

Furthermore, the Great Depression, which began in 1929, had a significant impact on the labor market and made job security and stability even more critical concerns for workers. In this context, finding a job that provided a steady income and some level of job security was often the primary goal for many workers, rather than finding a fulfilling or meaningful career.

However, it's worth noting that there were some individuals and movements that placed a greater emphasis on job satisfaction and personal fulfillment during this time period. For example, the human relations movement, which emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, emphasized the importance of treating workers as individuals with their own unique needs and motivations, rather than simply as cogs in a machine. This movement laid the groundwork for later ideas about job satisfaction and fulfillment, which became more prominent in the decades that followed.

What is the human relations movement?

The human relations movement was a management theory and social movement that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s in response to growing concerns about the treatment of workers in the industrialized workplace. It was a reaction to the scientific management principles developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor in the early 20th century, which focused on maximizing efficiency and productivity through the standardization of work processes and the use of time-and-motion studies.

The human relations movement emphasized the importance of treating workers as individuals with their own unique needs and motivations, rather than simply as interchangeable parts of a machine. It placed a greater emphasis on the social and psychological aspects of work, such as interpersonal relationships, job satisfaction, and motivation. This movement believed that happy and satisfied workers were more productive, and that creating a positive workplace culture was essential for achieving organizational goals.

The human relations movement was influenced by the work of social scientists such as Elton Mayo and Abraham Maslow, who conducted studies on worker behavior and motivation. Their research found that factors such as social interaction, job autonomy, and personal growth were important determinants of job satisfaction and productivity.

Overall, the human relations movement had a significant impact on management theory and practice, and it paved the way for later ideas about employee engagement, empowerment, and workplace culture. It is still relevant today, and many modern organizations have embraced its principles in order to create more positive and fulfilling work environments for their employees.

What is the first recorded definition of a career?

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact first recorded definition of a career, as the concept has evolved over time and its definition has varied across different cultures and historical periods. However, one of the earliest known references to the concept of a career can be found in the works of the ancient Roman writer, Cicero.

In his book "De Officiis" (On Duties), which was written in 44 BCE, Cicero refers to the Latin word "carriera" as a term that describes the path or course of a person's life. He writes, "nec vero alia cuiusquam vita potest esse quam career a," which translates to "truly, the life of no one can be considered anything but a career."

While this passage does not provide a specific definition of a career, it does suggest that Cicero viewed life as a journey or path that one follows, which may have influenced later ideas about the concept of a career. Over time, the term "career" came to be associated with a person's chosen profession or occupation, which they intended to pursue as a long-term endeavor.

How would you define a career?

A career is typically defined as a long-term pattern of work, usually in a particular profession or occupation, that a person pursues with the goal of achieving success, growth, and personal fulfillment. A career can be seen as a series of interconnected jobs or roles that a person takes on over the course of their working life, with each job building upon the knowledge, skills, and experiences gained in previous roles.

A career can involve a wide range of activities, such as learning new skills, taking on leadership roles, pursuing advanced education or training, and seeking out new opportunities for growth and development. It may also involve navigating various challenges and obstacles, such as changing job markets, workplace dynamics, and personal or professional setbacks.

While financial rewards and job security are often important considerations in a career, many people also seek out careers that align with their personal values, interests, and passions. A fulfilling career can provide a sense of purpose and meaning, as well as a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that goes beyond simply earning a living.

A movement that celebrates individuality in the workplace rising in response to growing concerns around automation and psychological burnout... Sound familiar? Everything old is new again!

And really, it’s remarkable how much the history that ChatGPT shares mirrors what we found in the research. When asked to define a career, some people still just think about it as income. But so many people think about a career as something more than a job; a career is “part of who you are as a person rather than just what you do for a job,” and “a life-long commitment to improving self,” and “a job that a person finds fulfilling both creatively and mentally.”

Why and how we work is increasingly important for people, and the reasons are increasingly diverse. The very definition of a career is fluid because people are changing constantly, but a common theme is that, over time, more people expect a career that fits into their life and makes their life better.

And this is why I do The State of Work & Career Success. Because if you listen to the Voice of the Workforce, they will tell you what they want and need — but most organizations aren’t doing this. Although we’re seeing progress over time, only about half of U.S. workers report feeling successful in their work and life, and this has a direct impact on not just their lives but the outcomes of the organizations they work within.

If you want to learn more about What Workers Want, I sat down to talk with two of my research partners in the most recent episode of Strategic Momentum, which you can listen to below. You can also download the full State of Work & Career Success 2023 report at WhatWorkersWant.com.