Managing Your Career
From the opening example, students should realize that a person’s career is always
under construction. It is also important to remember who is ultimately responsible for the
direction of a person’s career – it’s not their mom, their dad, or their employer. It’s You!
In this module, the authors give several important guidelines for helping students
manage their careers.
Career Opportunities in Management
While the job market doesn’t look good now, the future looks bright! Business
administration and management continues to be one of the top 10 most popular college
Finding a Culture That Fits
Finding a culture that fits will help with job satisfaction. To find the right culture for you,
follow these tips:
• First, figure out what suits you.
• Try to uncover the values that drive the organization.
• Pay particular attention to the specific department or unit where you’d work.
Taking Risks
If you want to improve your career, then you will need to take chances. Here are some
suggestions for being a responsible, effective risk taker in career decisions.
• Evaluate the risk. Before committing to a career risk, consider what you could
lose or who might be hurt.
Reinventing Yourself
Sometimes it is necessary to reinvent yourself to deal with the demands of a constantly
changing workplace. Being prepared should be your motto for dealing with a workplace
that is constantly changing. Being prepared means taking the initiative and being
responsible for your own personal career development. Take advantage of continuing
education or graduate courses at local colleges. Sign up for workshops and seminars
Learning to Get Along with Difficult People
Getting along with difficult people takes a little bit of patience, planning, and preparation.
In your career, it is important to develop multiple approaches that help you diffuse a lot
of the negative aspects of dealing with difficult individuals. Here are some of the most
common types of difficult people you’ll meet and some strategies for dealing with them.
• THE HOSTILE, AGGRESSIVE TYPES. With this type, you need to stand up for
yourself; give them time to run down; don’t worry about being polite, just jump in
comment or apology; and switch them to problem solving.
• THE SILENT OR NONRESPONSIVE TYPES. With this type, you need to ask
open-ended questions; use the friendly, silent stare; don’t fill the silent pauses for
What Do I Want from My Job?
While the answer to this question may seem obvious, students who think about this
question in some detail will go beyond the standard answer – money. Whether it’s
flexibility, training opportunities, or a good work culture, once students have answered
this question for themselves, when it’s time to do that all-important job search, they
should look for situations that will provide what they’re looking for.
How Can I Have a Successful Career?
So, here are some suggestions that will help students on the path to a successful career:
• Understand yourself—your abilities and disabilities; your strengths and
weaknesses
