Career Management
Michael (not his real name) had been an employee of a city hall in Manila for almost 10 years. He had been enjoying his life with so much gusto; he was able to buy all appliances that he wanted in their house, and toured around the whole country with so much pride. Then suddenly, everything changed. The thought of secured forever in his job stunned the once boastful Michael. The Mayor of the said city hall, terminated and expelled Michael for two reasons: drug addiction and strained relationship with his colleagues at work. Michael overlooked his future and mismanaged his career. He thought that having a job coupled with vices and lack of provision for the near future, would secure his life, yet he stumbled and humiliated. Career management is the lifelong process of investing resources to achieve your career goals. (1) It is said that one needs to be responsible for his career in the present and in the future. Career management employs certain terminologies similar to some groups which are expert in management. Some key concepts that can help us while we can still work are, Long Term Goal, Relationship with our co-employees, Range of our relationship and, How we View Our Life Beyond the Time-Frame of Work. Long term goal in one’s career is very important for, it sets the direction of one’s goal and ambition that could be achieved in it. The “visionary” should use any means in order to stretch his perceived goal. This includes a process of learning which may endure for a lifetime. This learning should come from his external world, and the realities that may contribute to this process. With the advent of modern technologies, we are admonished that our everyday work and means of living, hovers around technology. We cannot negate the fact that “electronic revolution” have drastically changed our way of life and the way we conduct our work. The proliferations of modern advancements will penetrate through the economy, destroying many corporations, and putting others into the pedestal of fame. The way we conduct ourselves to these progressing innovations is how we deal and keep our experiences, learning process and skills. Relationship with co-employees is another vital aspect of managing one’s career. One maybe fitted and skillful in a certain job, but if his relationship with others is not so pleasing then chances are, he may lose fervor for work and eventually end up with no job. Friendship and good camaraderie are, indispensable wherever you are. One cannot really endure working by his lonesome without the need of others assistance. “No man is an island,” best suits the necessity of improving our relationship with our co-workers. Good relationship help us accomplish our day- to-day tasks with colleague, teammates, managers and company owners. The way we conduct our interaction and relate in all our affiliation will show us our current standings and possible future opportunities. Very minimal is done and accomplished in individualism. A broomstick is more effective for cleaning and sweeping if it is compressed and thick, but if it is dismembered and lacking in number, it is inutile and of no use. All facets of life, all kids of profession and vocation, require a “communal life.” You cannot rise from a mere employee to becoming a manager without the nod from your big bosses and co-employees. Same with religious or priestly communities. One cannot continue his vocation for priestly life if he has no virtue of communal life. Hence, maintaining better relationship is of primary importance in career management. Broadening our scope of relationship is one step or steps beyond having good relationship. It is assort of widening our horizons to reach out so as to having more connections and knowing how to build good relationship. We may coin the term “friendship networking.” Literal networking job creates multi level of success and stories of rags to riches. If networking uncovers countless job opportunities, broadening and having more contacts and affiliations can give us more opportunities to better our lives and mange our career with passion and burning desire, and to even surpass our present mediocre state.
The last thing that may uphold and help us manage wisely our career is the thought of life beyond our working years. How refreshing a sight of a retired employee, savoring the fruit of his labors in a beautiful scenery, calmly conversing with nature, and devoid of anxieties and pressures of life. Surely, this a long cherished dream and goals of everyone, where he can free himself from the rigors and demands of life. But this “reward” could be attained only if we managed well our career with perseverance and wisdom. As the saying goes, “successful careers develop…when people are prepaid for opportunities.” (2)
Footnotes:
1. Google
2. Harvard business review
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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