As we approach the end of the year, we sometimes look to resolutions to guide our way. Instead, this year, I found myself thinking of the Career Opportunities Vision. What goals am I trying to accomplish with this column? What do I want to impart to you? How can I make a difference in your career and, possibly, in your life? This column is the sum of my thinking and will be my guiding light for Career Opportunities in 2007.
I would love to hear your comments and questions on this and any other Career Opportunities column, past, present or future. Your email is always welcome at career@welchwrite.com or you can call the WelchWrite Reader/Listener line and leave a message at 818-804-5049.
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The Vision
The Career Opportunities Vision is:
* To help you find a job and a career where you can achieve your goals while simultaneously helping your organization achieve their goals
Today, your work is (or should be) a partnership — two equals coming together for a common good. If either partner succeeds at the cost of the other, then it is truly no success at all. Success, real sustained success, can only be found where both company and employee are working at their best for a common goal.
* To help you to benefit from your work as much as your company — sharing prestige and income in a fair ratio
When your company succeeds, you deserve to succeed as well. Your work directly benefits the goals of your company and should be recognized. Outrageous executive pay and bonuses have no place in the best environments. Employees should not be forced into “work for hire” agreements, nor should you allow yourself to work for companies that seek them. You deserve to be rewarded for significant developments and income generated by your work including patents, licensing and notoriety. Anything less stunts your career and puts you at the mercy of your employer.
* To help you improve the world through your work, not diminish it
You should never feel you must work for companies that engage in abhorrent activities of any sort. Companies that, through their actions, contribute to the destruction of the environment, destruction of people or the destruction of quality of life should be avoided. Working for such companies, especially when their actions go directly against your own personal morals, wishes and desires only strengthens them and allows them to continue their activities.
* To help make yourself the best person possible while assisting your company in doing the same
Growth is essential for any human being as well as for your career. Companies that seek to limit your growth, through ignorance or action, damage both you and themselves. You must grow and you deserve to grow. Anyone or any entity that seeks to limit this is to be avoided.
* To help you to have the time to explore relationships and knowledge outside of your work
Your work and career is only one small part of your life and should be treated accordingly. Burying yourself in your career, at the expense of family, friends, love and knowledge is damaging to you and those around you. All careers should allow you time to pursue “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” without attempting to monopolize your time, energy and intelligence. Companies should know that growth, whether directly related to your work or not, illuminates and expands their opportunities.
..and finally…
* Career Opportunities seeks, above all, to help you build the career you deserve.
Everyone truly deserves the most fulfilling and the most rewarding career available. Never let anyone tell you that your career must be drudgery, filled with abuse or unfulfilling. The greatest accomplishments of mankind come when we all work together, as equals and apply ourselves to a task that is far bigger than an individual could ever conceive.
Those who seek to coerce, control or compromise are the foes of us all. Those who seek to raise their own position by the abuse of others instead bring about their own failure. We all are partners in our endeavors and those who forget that, on either side, will surely suffer. For your part, remember that you do deserve as much as you can accomplish in your life and no one has the right to stop you.
Now let’s all move forward into the New Year and your great career!
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