One way to characterize a person’s life or career is by identifying common experiences, challenges, or tasks. Visualizing career development as unfolding in stages helps us to understand why some experiences occur, for example, difficulties in adjusting to one’s first position, and why they are so common. From a practical perspective, a stage view helps both the individual and the organization to predict likely crises and challenges and therefore plan ways to resolve or minimize them. A person’s career is one part of life, influenced by (and influencing) major life events.