Managing Your Career Module

Career Opportunities in Management Almost 2 million individuals in the United States are employed as managers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 5 to 28 percent growth in executive, administrative, and managerial jobs through the year 2018. So, are management jobs disappearing? You might think so based on these reports. The truth is: The future looks bright! Business administration and management continues to be one of the top 10 most popular college majors, and jobs are likely to be waiting for those graduates! The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 5 to 28 percent growth in executive, administrative, and managerial jobs through the year 2018.

Finding a Culture That Fits 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. How can you find a culture that fits?5 Here are some suggestions. First, figure out what suits you. For instance, do you like working in teams or on your own? Do you like to go out after work with colleagues or go straight home? Are you comfortable in a more formal or a more casual environment? Then, narrow your job search to those kinds of employers. Try to uncover the values that drive the organization. Ask questions such as the proudest accomplishments or how it responded to past emergencies and crises. Ask, “If I have an idea, how do I make it happen?” Pay particular attention to the specific department or unit where you’d work. After all, it is the place where you’d spend the majority of your working hours. Can you see yourself being happy there?

Taking Risks IYAD-WYAD-YAG-WYAG: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got! So if your life is ever going to improve, you’ll have to take chances.” Anonymous “IYAD-WYAD-YAG-WYAG: If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got! So if your life is ever going to improve, you’ll have to take chances.”—Anonymous How will you approach your various career moves over the course of your lifetime? Will you want to do what you’ve always done? Or will you want to take chances, and how comfortable will you be taking chances? Taking career risks doesn’t have to be a gamble. Responsible risk taking can make outcomes more predictable.

Reinventing Yourself The workplace seems to change almost continuously. How can you reinvent yourself to deal with the demands of a constantly changing workplace? The changes that organizations make in response to a dynamic environment can be overwhelming and stressful. However, you can take advantage of these changes by reinventing yourself. How can you reinvent yourself to deal with the demands of a constantly changing workplace? Being prepared means taking the initiative and being responsible for your own personal career development. Rather than depending on your organization to provide you with career development and training opportunities, do it yourself. Take advantage of continuing education or graduate courses at local colleges. Sign up for workshops and seminars that can help enhance your skills. Upgrading your skills to keep them current is one of the most important things you can do to reinvent yourself.

Learning to Get Along With Difficult People Getting along with difficult people takes a little bit of patience, planning, and preparation. You need is an approach that helps you diffuse a lot of the negative aspects of dealing with difficult individuals. Getting along with difficult people takes a little bit of patience, planning, and preparation. What you need is an approach that helps you diffuse a lot of the negative aspects of dealing with these individuals.

Difficult People and Strategies For Dealing With Them The hostile, aggressive types - speak from your own point of view; avoid a head-on fight; and be ready to be friend The complainers - acknowledge their concerns; be prepared to interrupt their litany of complaints; don’t agree, but do acknowledge what they’re saying 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 if you need to; get their attention carefully; get them to sit down; speak from your own point of view; avoid a head-on fight; and be ready to be friendly. The Complainers With the complainers you need to listen attentively; acknowledge their concerns; be prepared to interrupt their litany of complaints; don’t agree, but do acknowledge what they’re saying; state facts without comment or apology; and switch them to problem solving.

Difficult People and Strategies For Dealing With Them (cont.) The silent or nonresponsive types - ask open-ended questions; use the friendly, silent stare and help break the tension by making them feel more at ease The know-it-all experts - listen and acknowledge their comments; question firmly, but don’t confront; avoid being a counter expert; and work with them to channel their energy in positive directions The Silent or Nonresponsive Types With this type, you need to ask openended questions; use the friendly, silent stare; don’t fill the silent pauses for them in conversations; comment on what’s happening; and help break the tension by making them feel more at ease. The Know-It-All Expert s The keys to dealing with this type are to be on top of things; listen and acknowledge their comments; question firmly, but don’t confront; avoid being a counterexpert; and work with them to channel their energy in positive directions.

What Do I Want from My Job? Have you ever stopped to think about what you really want from your job? A high salary? Work that challenges you? Autonomy and flexibility? With all this effort you’re putting forth, have you ever stopped to think about what you really want from your job? A high salary? Work that challenges you? Autonomy and flexibility?

What Do I Want from My Job? (cont.) Perhaps the results of surveys of workers will give you some insights into what you might want from your job. The top reasons that employees took their jobs and stay with their jobs are indicated here.

How Can I Have a Successful Career? Understand yourself—your abilities and disabilities; your strengths and weaknesses Protect your personal brand—watch what you share online and in interactions with others, and watch your e-mails Be a team player—focus on knowing your peer group/organization and the best ways to work within them • Understand yourself—your abilities and disabilities; your strengths and weaknesses. • Protect your personal brand—watch what you share online and in interactions with others, and watch your e-mails. • Be a team player—focus on knowing your peer group and your organization and on the best ways to work within them.

How Can I Have a Successful Career? (cont.) Dress appropriately—first impressions count, but so do other everyday impressions Network—develop and keep your links to other professionals open and active by participating in professional organizations, staying in touch with classmates and friends, using online networking sites, and so forth Dress appropriately—first impressions count, but so do other impressions that you make every day. Network—develop and keep your links to other professionals open and active by participating in professional organizations, staying in touch with classmates and friends, using online networking sites, and so forth

How Can I Have a Successful Career? (cont.) Ask for help—if you find yourself facing an issue you’re not sure how to handle, ask someone for advice or guidance; seek out a mentor Keep your skills updated—although you might think you know it all, you don’t; keep learning about your profession and your industry Ask for help—if you find yourself facing an issue you’re not sure how to handle, ask someone for advice or guidance; seek out a mentor. • Keep your skills updated—although you might think you know it all, you don’t; keep learning about your profession and your industry.

How Can I Have a Successful Career? (cont.) Set goals and then work hard to achieve them—showing your boss that you’re able to set goals and reach them is always impressive Do good work—above all, having a successful career means doing your job well, whatever that job might be • Set goals and then work hard to achieve them—showing your boss that you’re able to set goals and reach them is always impressive. • Do good work—above all, having a successful career means doing your job well, whatever that job might be.