career anchor
a pattern of self-perceived work skills, interests, abilities, and values that are developed in the early stages of a person’s career and that guide subsequent career decisions. The nine anchors are technical or functional competence, managerial competence, creativity, security, autonomy, entrepreneurship, challenge, lifestyle, and service or dedication to the cause. [proposed by Swiss-born U.S. psychologist Edgar H. Schein (1928– )]