Career skills. Учебное пособие

CHAPTER 7

MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD YOUR GOALS

KEY TERMS

promotion

networking

giving notice

letter of resignation

fired

laid off

severance pay

unemployment compensation

OBJECTIVES

In this chapter you will learn about

how you can grow on the job

more responsibility—whether or not you want it and how to get it

changing jobs and companies

what to do if you lose a job

re-evaluating your career goals

After you have been on the job for a while, take a look at your career plan. How are you doing? Where are you on your career path? Are things going pretty much as you expected? Have your goals changed at all?

In this chapter you will read about some things you can do to avoid setbacks and make progress toward your ultimate career goal. You will learn how to grow and advance in your present job. You will learn how to change jobs and what to do if you lose a job. You will also learn about the importance of re-evaluating your goals so that you can adjust to personal and economic changes.

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Growing on the Job

You will probably hold more than one job during your career. Some of those will be jobs along the way to the job you want most. Or they may be variations of the job you want most. In either case, every job you hold should offer you opportunities to grow.

You should look for ways to get the most from every job, no matter how low it is on your career ladder. Make it an automatic part of your thinking. At least once each week ask yourself, "How can I do myself a favor this week? What new skill can I develop? What new knowledge can I acquire?"

There are many things you can do to learn more and develop new skills. Following are some of the most basic methods you can use to grow on the job.

Do your present job as well as you can. There is no substitute for taking care of your regular duties. Some people are so eager to get ahead that they spend all their time on "extras." Meanwhile, the work they are already responsible for is left undone or done sloppily. Others may devote lots of effort to the parts of the job they like and no effort to the parts they don't like. Do your assigned work to the best of your ability. That's your first task. Everything else comes second.

Volunteer to do more. When your regular duties are finished, ask your boss if there is something else you can do. Be willing to pitch in and lend a hand. Both your boss and co-workers will remember how helpful you were.

Look for opportunities to learn on the job. There will be certain tasks you will want to learn because they fit in with your career plan. At the same time, you can never guess how something that doesn't appear in your plan might help as well. Never turn down a chance to learn. Instead, look for opportunities to learn new skills.

More Responsibility

As you grow on the job, gradually you will be given more responsibility. You may even be given a promotion. A promotion means getting a job higher in rank than the one you already have. For example, you might be promoted from clerk-typist

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to secretary from secretary to administrative assistant, or from a salesperson to supervisor of sales.

Do You Want It?

Before you accept more responsibility, ask yourself if you really want it. For example, a promotion may mean that you will have to spend more hours on the job. If you have lots of homework to do, you may not have time to handle the added work. Like everything else about your work life, a promotion must fit in with your career plan.

Something else to consider is whether you are ready for more responsibility. For example, if you must supervise others, will you be able to correct those who need it? Some people find it hard to criticize others. Will you be able to take the extra pressure that more responsibility creates?

A promotion may also require that you move to a new place. It may be for a short period of time while you are being trained. Or it may be permanent. It may mean you will have to live away from family and friends. Will you be willing to go?

Just because you may not be ready for more responsibility right now doesn't mean you won't be ready later. You must take an honest look at yourself and at your goals. If you feel that more responsibility is right for you at this time, then give it a try.

How to Get It

Perhaps you’ve decided you do want more responsibility. To learn if you're showing employers you're ready for it, ask yourself these questions.

Have I learned all I can about my present job?

Do I finish what I start?

Is the quality of my work above that of other workers?

Do I usually do my work without mistakes?

Must someone keep telling me what to do?

Have I been with the company long enough to have proven myself?

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You will probably not be given more responsibility until you have learned to handle the work you already have.

Once you are sure you're doing your present job well, look for ways to help other people do their jobs before you're asked. This proves to your employer that you can handle more work and responsibility.

Changing Jobs and Companies

As much as you might like your first job, the chances are very good that you won't keep it forever. In fact, people change jobs on the average of six times during their lifetime. There are a lot of reasons for the changes people make. Sometimes people leave jobs because the job isn't as good or as interesting as they thought it would be. Others may want to move ahead faster than they are doing now. They may want to learn and use new skills. Still others may want more responsibility or more money.

There is also a good chance that the job you have will change. Very few jobs stay the same. Your job may be combined with another one or be done away with completely. The working world is always changing, and you'll have to change right along with it.

When you think about a job change, you'll need to think about your career goals. Select each new job as carefully as you did the first one. As you know, thinking ahead and planning are the keys to getting where you want to go.

Looking for the New Job

It's usually a good idea to look within your present company for the job you want. You may also want to try networking, which is explained below.

Networking. Networking is using people you know to learn about opportunities. When you are part of a network, you receive information from some people and pass information along to others. Everyone you know in the work world, not just friends or family, should be a part of your network.

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Networking is especially helpful when you are looking for a different job. The more contacts you have in different companies, the more doors can be opened to you. You can find out about job openings before they are advertised. You can get the names of the right people to call.

Networking is also helpful within a company. If you want to be transferred to a different department, get to know workers there. They can let you know what's going on there. They may also mention your name to supervisors.

Keep in mind that when you are part of a network you, too, must share information. If you know that John is leaving and Susan is looking for a job, pass the word about the opening to Susan. The more help you give, the more you will receive.

Transfer Within the Company. Does your present company offer the kind of job you're looking for? If so, you may want to transfer rather than go to a new company. When you transfer, you stay with the company but change your job. There are several advantages to this.

If you have a good work record, the company will be more willing to give you the job than someone they don't know.

You won't lose benefits during the change.

You know what to expect from your present company.

A new company may present new problems.

The longer you work for a certain company, the better it looks on your work

record.

Being Fair to Your Present Employer. Keeping your present job while looking for a new one somewhere else is not easy. You will need to be careful about how you act in your present job. It is important that you continue to do good work. Your present employer is still paying you, and he or she deserves your best efforts. Also, keep in mind that you don't have the new job yet. You don't want to lose your present job or leave with a poor record.

It's best not to tell anyone at your present company that you are looking for another job. Also, you have to be careful about taking time off. Do not call in sick

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just to get a day off. If your present employer finds out, you may receive a poor recommendation.

There are other ways to find time for interviews. If you have a long lunch hour, you may be able to schedule the interview during lunch. Another possibility is to trade work hours with someone else. Or perhaps you could take a few hours off on one day and make them up another day.

If you have worked on the job long enough, you may be able to use some of your vacation time to look for another job. And there is always the chance that you can go for an interview after working hours. Other employers certainly understand that you want to continue to do a good job where you are now working. They may agree to meet with you after working hours.

The person interviewing you will probably want to obtain a recommendation from your current employer. If your employer doesn't know you are looking for another job, it could be difficult for you. Tell the interviewer that you know a recommendation is important, but that your employer does not know you are looking for a new job. The interviewer may suggest how to handle the problem.

Leaving the Old Job

When you take a new job, you want to start off on the right foot. When you leave a job, it's just as important to do it right.

Staying Friendly. Try to stay on good terms with your present employer. A poor relationship between you and your employer can cause problems for you even if you move on to a new company.

Giving Notice. It is important that you tell your employer you will be leaving. This is called giving notice.

The usual notice is two weeks. The reason for giving notice is to give your employer time to find a replacement. If your position is hard to fill, you may want to give a little more notice, if you can.

In some places of business, you're also expected to turn in a letter of resignation. This letter is a written statement of your intention to leave the company.

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Your letter should briefly state when and why you are leaving. It's important to be positive.

When you turn in your resignation, ask if there is anything special you need to do before leaving. You may need to complete some forms to be kept on file.

When you leave a job, there is always a chance you'll want to keep in touch with some of the people who work there. You may have made some good friends. Leaving a job does not mean you need to leave your friends behind.

Losing Your Job

No one plans on losing their job, but it happens. Some workers can't seem to learn the necessary tasks, or they don't do them well enough. These workers may be fired. Being fired means a worker loses a job because he or she was at fault.

If the company doesn't have enough work for everyone, or if the company is short of money, workers may be laid off. Being laid off means that losing the job was not the worker's fault. New workers are often the ones chosen to be laid off first.

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Workers who are laid off may receive severance pay—a cash amount given by the company to help make up for losing the job. Payment is usually based on the length of service. For example, an employee might receive one week's pay for every year worked.

Many companies who lay people off try to rehire them as soon as they can. But this depends on why the layoff was necessary. It can take a long time for a laid-off worker to be called back to work. Many are never called back.

If you have been working for at least several months and are laid off, you may be able to receive unemployment compensation. This is money paid to you from a fund that employers pay into. If you think you are eligible for unemployment compensation, contact your state employment service. Most states require that you be ready and able to work and that you spend time each week looking for a new job.

If you are fired, you must think about the reasons and try not to let it happen again. Everyone makes mistakes, but only people who learn from their mistakes keep from repeating them. Don't place the blame on someone else, even if someone else played a part in it. Think about what you could have done differently.

If you were laid off, try to remember it was not your fault. Many companies find layoffs necessary. Keep your positive attitude and start again.

Re-Evaluating Your Goals

It's important that your employer be aware of how you are doing on the job. It is just as important that you be aware of where you were, where you are, and where you are going.

On a regular basis, take out your list of goals and ask yourself, "How am 1 doing?" Of course, you'll want to look at your short-term goals more often than your long-term goals. As you reach your short-term goals, you'll be inspired to reach the long-term goals.

No plan is going to be perfect. You will have to make changes along the way so that the plan can still work for you.

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If your goals work out pretty much on time, you can be pleased. If, however, you have to make a few changes, make them. Life will throw a curve ball once in a while. When that happens, even the best planners have to make adjustments.

As you review your career plan and goals, remember that probably the most important thing you have going for you is your attitude. Keep it positive. Believing you can succeed really makes a difference. You will be able to see more easily how even a bit of bad luck can be turned to your advantage. It means you will keep trying. And if you are out there trying, you will be where the action is. Then anything can happen.

REVIEW

What Have You Read?

In this chapter you learned how you can take advantage of the opportunities you have to grow on the job. Doing your job well, volunteering to do additional work, learning as much as you can, and getting additional education and training are some of the ways you can make progress on your job. When you do a job well, you may earn more responsibility. At this point you need to decide whether or not you want more responsibility. If you decide to change companies, you need to follow certain procedures in order to stay on good terms with your present employer. If you lose your job, you need to analyze your behavior to make sure you do not repeat any mistakes that could cost you your next job. By re-evaluating your goals periodically, you will be able to measure your progress and establish new goals for your continued growth.

What will you do?

Read the chapter summary above. Now think about the things you can do to learn more about the important ideas in this chapter. What new skills should you develop? Below are some suggestions.

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Write

1.Your definition of the word responsibility.

2.A one-page story about someone you know who is successful in his or her

work.

Speak

1.To people you know who have gotten promotions in their jobs. Ask them why they believe they earned the promotions.

2.To people who have changed jobs. Find out why they decided to make the change. Ask if they have any regrets.

3.To your class about your experiences in re-evaluating your shortand longterm goals.

Define

1.networking

2.giving notice

3.letter of resignation

4.promotion

5.fired

6.laid off

7.severance pay

8.unemployment compensation

What do you think?

Think about your feelings and attitude toward the key ideas in this chapter. Then answer the questions below.

1. What do you think the similarities are between your growth now as a student and the growth and development you will experience in your future work?

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