Navigating the Career Jungle: A Guide for Young Professionals

By Jacqueline Twillie MBA

Navigating the Career Jungle emphasizes the cornerstones of excellence, truth, honesty, ethics, hard work, respect, and continuing self-improvement for those wishing to experience success in their professional lives. As a young professional you just don't know what you don't know. Early on in your career, there may be a lack of realistic expectations in part due to popular culture that highlights the glamorous side of career growth without also showcasing the importance of hard work. This book is a guide that provides concepts to establish best practices in achieving career success.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493191376

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Copyright © 2014 by Jacqueline Twillie.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014905802

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4931-9136-9

      Softcover         978-1-4931-9135-2

      eBook         978-1-4931-9137-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 03/31/2014

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1:   Savvy Networking

Chapter 2:   Résumés

Chapter 3:   Interviewing

Chapter 4:   Excellence on the Job

Chapter 5:   Personal Branding

Chapter 6:   Investing in Yourself

Chapter 7:   Leading Before You Get an Official Leadership Position

Chapter 8:   Strong Working Relationships

Chapter 9:   Mentors and Coaches

Chapter 10:   Realistic Expectations

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my family and dear friends without whose never-failing support and encouragement this book would have been finished in half the time.

Mom, Brian L. Sears, Aunt Kim, and Ty—I love you.

INTRODUCTION

What is the career jungle? A career jungle is the environment that one’s career will go through from one position to the next. The career jungle encompasses progressing from one industry to another and, in some cases, returning to work in industries that you once left. The career jungle expands beyond working in an office; it includes the activities that you engage in during normal working hours. Professional associations, the community activities, and social aspects of your life play a factor in how you shape your career. Career jungle is not the new term for career ladder; it is an entirely different method of planning your career. It is an all-encompassing grasp on how you plan your life so that you can achieve the level of success that you desire.

The climb for success on the career ladder is achieved by moving up the ranks within a company. A common example would be when a person starts working for a company in the lowest position—for instance, a mail clerk—and, over a period of time, that person gets promoted to a higher position, eventually reaching the c-suite and becoming an executive within that company.

Also increasingly noticeable is that professionals are no longer aspiring to work with the same company throughout their entire career. An example of such a move within the career jungle may be starting at an entry-level position, such as in an assistant or analyst role, and, after some time, realizing that there is a strong passion to move to another position inside or outside of the company you currently work for. Instead of consistently aiming for a higher position, sometimes in the career jungle you will have to make a lateral move—or even a downward move to a lower position—in order to follow your passions. Such moves may lead to a larger salary, and, at other times, it may mean taking a pay cut. Plus going from one company to the next involves withstanding the challenges that come with changing careers and job positions and even industries. Each person’s experience in the career jungle is unique to their own career aspirations.

Your strategic roadmap to achieving success in your career should be based on passion and a strong desire for achievement. The people who you surround yourself with will be influential in shaping those opportunities that you pursue. Your ambition to be the highest and greatest expression of yourself will be guided in part by the type of people you associate with, and shifted greatly if you decide to be around people who will promote your aspirations and encourage you when times are tough. Sometimes it is difficult to find a group or network of people who believe in your vision and goals; this should not discourage you. If you can’t find the right group, then at least eliminate the relationships that are not beneficial to you.

Sometimes in the career jungle you will have to walk alone and encourage yourself; this can be difficult, but it is possible. Grasp your passion and fight for your career goals. Navigating your career is not a walk in the park, similar to how climbing the career ladder wasn’t an easy task. Understand that the career jungle isn’t always fun and that receiving praise after many years of hard work will allow you to set the appropriate expectations. It involves courage and guts to do what it takes to be successful. Most important you will have to face the fact that going up the ranks in your career requires an authentic approach to who you want to be as a professional.

Creating the strategy to develop the right skill set is not a gimmick, and it’s not trickery; it is learning who you are as a professional and building your skills so that, as you grow, you are advancing in the career jungle. This book is a guide that will help you navigate the career jungle by pulling out some of your inner strengths and building new strengths, as well as understanding how you can use your weak areas to better understand yourself. Some of the tips in this book you may already be aware of; those tips will serve as a reminder for you. Take advantage of them and begin to implement the career strategies to set yourself apart from everyone else. It’s important that you don’t stop there. Beyond the reminders, you should also implement the new tips and strategies that you learn in this book. The momentum that you will receive from applying what you learn in this book—from savvy networking to interviewing for a job to adjusting your career expectations so that they are realistic once on the job—will help you emerge from the career jungle as successful.

Each chapter will prepare you to make advancements in your career based on integrity, hard work, and dedication. This book will discuss how it is important to update your résumé on a quarterly basis, so that you will always be prepared if an opportunity presents itself. One aspect of keeping your résumé updated is also making sure that any certifications you may have do not expire. Whether certifications are required in your industry, you can apply the same principle of staying up-to-date on the latest trends. In addition to certifications and trends, you should also invest in yourself by attending conferences and workshops that enhance your skill set. It is important to recognize that continued education is just as important as any of the other career skills combined. Technology provides many ways to keep certifications up-to-date and to learn from top professionals at a fraction of the cost as was previously thought.

Working to advance your career is not easy. It’s not a fairy tale, and it is most certainly not a Hollywood movie. To achieve success in the career jungle, you must first and foremost have integrity. The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines integrity as the quality of being honest and fair. Integrity is not an old-school principle; it is critical to setting you apart from everyone else in the career jungle. Your understanding of what to do in difficult situations will ultimately by guided by your integrity. It is not enough to have knowledge from lectures and books. You must also have a strong understanding of your values so that you are not crossing the line of ethics and/or any legal ground. Regardless of the industries that you will work in, your reputation will be based on what you do and how you do it. You should work hard and smart to reach your career goals, always keeping integrity as a cornerstone to your success.

Another component of navigating the career jungle is the ability to set realistic career expectations. Many people in different stages of their career may have an unrealistic view of what it means to be successful and to advance to higher levels. Start with having a solid understanding of what you want from your career. One of the very first things that you will have to figure out is what your skills are, what your passions are, and how you want to combine those to begin navigating the career jungle. A question that you should always be prepared to answer is what type of job you would like to work in. Your answer doesn’t have to be a position that already exists. You can have a clear vision of the type of position you want to create.

Some people get stuck in the career jungle because, when they were asked what type of role they would like to work in, they said, I’ll take any job. I’m a quick learner. This is not wise. You will miss so many opportunities because you don’t have realistic career goals for yourself. This can be difficult for a young professional because a lot of what is highlighted as job success are the triumphs, but often not mentioned in media are the hurdles that have to be overcome while navigating your career. To establish realistic career expectations, you need to talk to people who you work with and people you report to, plus your family and others that you admire, and find out about their career journeys, asking about overcoming challenging situations. Many people have overcome challenges in the workplace and didn’t quit when times got tough.

When you read the 30 Under 30 and 40 Under 40 lists, you see the glitz and glam, but you may not realize the sacrifices that were made in order for each person to reach a certain position. Success in the career jungle doesn’t happen overnight, and it rarely happens in a single year. There is no replacement for a good work ethic, integrity, dedication, and an open mind.

While there are external factors that can impact your career, such as the state of the economy or the workings of a specific company, there are many things in this book that you can expect and prepare for, and you will learn how to operate in the career jungle. You can prepare yourself for future opportunities by using your time wisely to learn and grow your skill set. In the career jungle there are some factors that are out of your control and others that are within your control. This is just reality, and it is one aspect of setting realistic expectations.

I once heard a person say, Control what you can control. Anything else you just have to be wise about. Your attitude and skill set are two things that you can control. Attitude is a choice you make daily regardless of external conditions. Skills are built through learning, observing, listening, and hands-on training. Take the time to build your skills whether it is in your current industry or another. Career skills are like muscles; you have to use them, or they will get weak. If you work out, your muscles will get stronger. You will notice that, through your career, the skills you build in one industry will transfer to the next industry. You will have to put the skills to work in innovative ways that others before you have not. You will gain experience in one part of the career jungle that is important to how you will grow in another part of the career jungle. The important thing is that you begin to recognize what career skills you need to enhance and when to use those skills.

When you enter a career, go in with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Don’t be afraid of working smarter and harder, because it is not an easy path. Working hard is never overrated. Some of the skills you have will be similar to others, but, by focusing on your own strengths, it will work to your advantage. As you go throughout your professional life, it will be your responsibility to gain additional skills by being open to taking on challenges. Don’t miss opportunities to be engaged, to increase your knowledge, by sitting on the side and watching other professionals navigate the career jungle.

In this book I will refer to company and organization interchangeably. While I understand that there are major differences in the operations of each company and organization, I use these two terms to illustrate that, regardless of what industry you work in—whether it is the private or public or not-for-profit sector—you can apply the tips in this book to help you navigate the career jungle in your industry.

CHAPTER 1

Savvy Networking

Networking is not about collecting business cards. Networking is about making meaningful connections with people. ~ Jacqueline Twillie

It is a common saying that your network is equal to your net worth. Therefore, your network should be as diverse and as strategic as your investment portfolio. In order to develop a network that is diverse, it takes genuineness, skill, and a willingness to exit your comfort zone.

Networking doesn’t have to be mysterious or scary; if you have the right tools, you can begin to break into the secret world of networking. Have you ever gone to a networking event, expecting to leave with a job interview or an appointment with a potential client? If you answered yes, you are not alone. While leaving an event with a