| The following is an excerpt from my new book, | | | | something you want your boss and coworkers to |
| "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook | | | | see? |
| for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide | | | | Career Planning |
| for young people as they transition into adult life. The | | | | Like it or not, the era of twenty or thirty years of |
| book offers considerable advice regarding how to | | | | employment are over. Even in Japan, the custom of |
| manage our personal and professional lives. As a part | | | | "lifetime employment" is quickly coming to an end. |
| of this, I found it necessary to discuss why it is | | | | This is probably due to the fast-paced world |
| important to create a sense of professionalism as it | | | | economy we now live in. Regardless, there is no |
| applies to a young person's career. | | | | longer any trust between management and its |
| Creating a Sense of Professionalism | | | | workers, and corporate loyalty is a thing of the past. |
| Although you may want to excel in your chosen | | | | Instead of having a career path within a single |
| profession, it may be difficult if the corporate culture | | | | company, employees now realize their career path |
| doesn't encourage you to do so. Employees are | | | | will probably take them through several different |
| sometimes ridiculed for aspiring to rise above the | | | | companies. Because of this, do not be afraid to leave |
| status quo and take on a more professional attitude | | | | a company if you feel your career plans are being |
| towards their work. Even worse, jealous employees | | | | delayed or sidetracked. Also understand the |
| may even undermine your efforts. These are people | | | | difference between a true promotion and a lateral |
| who have surrendered to the status quo and put | | | | move to another area in the company. Sometimes a |
| forth little effort to rise above it. This is what I refer | | | | lateral move can be helpful in that it may offer you |
| to as the "Misery loves company" phenomenon. It | | | | an opportunity to shine where you couldn't before, |
| takes a strong willed person with considerable | | | | but on the other hand, it could also be a hint to you |
| perseverance to rise above the status quo. | | | | to move along to another company and job, |
| As an individual, you have to find your niche, your | | | | particularly if your new area is a dead end. |
| area of specialty, and then master it. To do so, | | | | Before you decide to resign, make sure you have a |
| become a student of your profession. In addition to | | | | better job lined up first. This means an employee |
| mastering your subject area, develop a sense of | | | | should always keep his resume and skills inventory up |
| history to understand how the profession has | | | | to date. Further, if you are going to leave your job, |
| changed and where it should be heading. Further, | | | | try to maintain amicable relations with your company |
| resist the temptation to produce mediocre | | | | and workers, you never know when this might come |
| workmanship and strive for perfection. | | | | in handy. I realize this may be difficult to do, |
| In addition to your continued professional | | | | particularly if you and your employer have little regard |
| development, you have to cultivate a certain image | | | | for each other, but you should not get in the habit of |
| or persona that allows people to know you take | | | | burning your bridges. And understand this, in today's |
| your work seriously. This can take many forms: your | | | | litigious society, company's rarely give references. |
| physical appearance, your demeanor, but more | | | | Most will only confirm your job title and the length of |
| importantly your resourcefulness and job | | | | your employment, and little else. It is not that they |
| performance. Be careful though not to violate the | | | | want to give a good or a bad reference on you, |
| social norms of the corporate culture. If your | | | | they simply fear the legal repercussions for doing so. |
| appearance or actions are radically different, the | | | | If you decide to go back to the job market, there |
| culture will begin to resist your efforts even if you | | | | are now many more ways to get your resume in |
| have the best intentions. To overcome this problem, | | | | front of others than just a few years ago, |
| solicit support from like-minded individuals and work | | | | particularly through the many Internet job portals |
| together towards improving the professional | | | | now available. There are also job recruiters you might |
| standards in your department. In fact, you have a | | | | want to work with to locate a job for you. In this |
| better chance of raising the sense of professionalism | | | | event, realize the job recruiters do not work for free |
| when your manager truly supports teamwork. If you | | | | and, as such, someone has to pay for their service, |
| can embed professional conduct into a team, it will | | | | either you or the company recruiting you. Either way, |
| inevitably become a part of the overall corporate | | | | make sure this is clear before entering into a contract |
| culture. | | | | with a recruiter. Sometimes companies like working |
| One last thing in this regards, if you are really trying | | | | through recruiters, others have policies prohibiting the |
| to cultivate a professional image, you might want to | | | | use of them. |
| reconsider any listings you might have in | | | | If you would like to discuss this with me in more |
| Facebook.com, or any other such Internet listings. | | | | depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail. |
| This might have been fun as a kid, but is this | | | | |