IntroductiontoBusiness-IM-Ch17.docx

Your Career In Business CHAPTER SUMMARY A basic understanding of business is essential for all careers. This introductory business course gives students a detailed overview of all areas of commerce which will guide you in selecting a major should you elect to get a degree in business. People with gr...

Your Career In Business CHAPTER SUMMARY A basic understanding of business is essential for all careers. This introductory business course gives students a detailed overview of all areas of commerce which will guide you in selecting a major should you elect to get a degree in business. People with great interpersonal skills will always do better on and off the job than those who lack them. It has been estimated that up to 90 percent of our workplace success depends on an understanding of other people. Developing interpersonal skills is essential for any career. A plan is a method or process worked out in advance that leads to the achievement of some goal. Planning is an important step in making your future happen. Having a plan does not mean that you can’t act on the spur of the moment and do something that was not planned. Problems arise when you consistently substitute impulsive actions for goal-oriented planning. Success in life requires a balance between the two. No part of life is exempt from the need for planning. It is important to apply thought, creativity, and discipline to all the interrelated phases of our lives. Dreams are part of making a future, yet planning is not the same as dreaming. Planning brings dreams down to earth and turns them into something real and attainable. One of the best things about pursuing our dreams is that, even when you fall short, the effort leads to growth and opens a path to other opportunities. Attending college is a rare privilege because far less than 1 percent of traditional college-age people around the world get to attend college. It’s important to make the most of this opportunity by finishing your degree. Concentration, time management, financial management, good study habits, and test strategy are important skills in college. To get your career off on the right track, follow a road map to find, keep, and advance in that job that is perfect for you. Completing self-scoring assessments is a valuable way for students to evaluate their skills. LEARNING OUTCOMES 1. How can you enhance your interpersonal skills? Enhancing your interpersonal skills involves building your people skills, understanding how to persuade others, learning to think on your feet, empowering yourself, becoming politically savvy, becoming a team player, and handling conflict well. 2. Why is learning to plan so important in school and in the real world? Planning is something you must pursue consciously and thoughtfully in all aspects of life. When you plan, you translate your goals and dreams into step-by-step strategies, specific things you can do to test your goals and bring them to reality. You often must revise your plans, but even when your plans are not fulfilled, planning will have a positive effect on the course of your life. 3. What skills should you develop in school that can transfer easily to your professional life and make it a success? The following skills will benefit you in college and in your professional life: learn to concentrate, manage your time, use your money wisely, study well, and become a master at taking tests. 4. What are some strategies that will help you find, keep, and advance in your dream job? To be successful in life and in a career, you need to think positively. evaluate your abilities and characteristics, understand what employers want, use the Internet to find a job, use keywords to get your résumé noticed, and research the company to prepare for the interview. 5. What key attributes do employers look for when interviewing job candidates? Employers seek job-specific skills (skills and technical abilities that relate specifically to a job). Employers also seek transferable skills and attitudes which prepare you for a wide variety of jobs and which are applicable from one task, job, or workplace to another. LECTURE OUTLINE Learn the Basic of Business > Learning Outcome 1 Whether you want to pursue a career as a physician, florist, game warden, systems analyst, or any of a thousand other opportunities, you will need a basic understanding of business. Choose a Career This introductory business course provides a detailed overview of all the areas of commerce. It can guide you in selecting a major should you elect to get a degree in business. Choosing a major in college is one of life’s true milestones. Developing Interpersonal Skills is Key to Your Success > Learning Outcome 2 Enhancing your interpersonal skills involves building your people skills, understanding how to persuade others, learning to think on your feet, empowering yourself, becoming politically savvy, becoming a team player, and handling conflict well. Provide examples of your interpersonal skills and how you use them in every-day life. Make Your Future Happen: Learn to Plan > Learning Outcome 3 There is a natural conflict between planning and being impulsive, between pursuing a long-range goal and doing what you feel like doing right now. Both planning and being impulsive have a place in your life. Having a plan does not mean that you can’t act on the spur of the moment and do something that was not planned. Problems arise when you consistently substitute impulsive actions for goal-oriented planning. Success in life requires a balance between the two. How do you balance the need for planning and being impulsive? What is a Plan? A plan is a method or process worked out in advance that leads to the achievement of some goal. The planning process involves setting a goal, acquiring knowledge, comparing alternatives, choosing a strategy, making a commitment, and staying flexible. No part of life is exempt from the need for planning. You will use planning all phases of your life including your career, self, lifestyle, relationships, and finances. The Planning Process Whether choosing a college or finding financial aid, you should understand how the planning process helps you accomplish your goals. The following steps outline the planning process: Step 1: Set a Goal. Step 2: Acquire Knowledge. Step 3: Compare Alternatives. Step 4: Choose a Strategy. Step 5: Make a Commitment. Step 6: Stay Flexible. An Example of Planning Each of the steps of the planning process can be used when purchasing a new pair of wireless headphones. Planning for your Life No part of life is exempt from the need for planning. It is important to apply thought, creativity, and discipline to all the interrelated phases of our lives. These phases include career, self, lifestyle, relationships, and finances. Provide examples of how you use the planning process regarding your finances and making a major purchase. Dreams and Plans Dreams are part of making a future. Planning is not the same as dreaming, but planning uses dreams as raw materials. Planning translates dreams into specific goals. It tests them. It lays out a course of action that moves you toward realizing these goals and sets up milestones you need to achieve. Planning brings dreams down to earth and turns them into something real and attainable. Directions for Your Life One of the best things about pursuing our dreams is that, even when you fall short, the effort leads to growth and opens a path to other opportunities. Planning involves a lot of thinking and finding answers to lots of questions. The answers and even the plan will change over time as you gain more knowledge and life experience. You often must revise your plans, but even when your plans are not fulfilled, planning will have a positive effect on the course of your life. Going to College is an Opportunity of a Lifetime — Never Drop Out > Learning Outcome 4 Going to college is a privilege because far less than 1 percent of traditional college-age people around the world get to attend college. It’s important to make the best of it by finishing your degree. Concentration, time management, financial management, good study habits, and test strategy are important skills in college. Approximately 33 percent of Americans have earned a four-year college degree. Will you be among them? What other skills besides those listed in your textbook are necessary to help you achieve the goal of earning a four-year college degree? Why do you think there is such a difference between college rates in the U.S. and the rest of the world? Higher education levels have strong correlations with higher average earnings. Adults with only a high school education earned an average of $35,615 in 2016, according to the Census figures. Those who had a college degree earned an average of $65,482 last year. Source: Wilson, Reid. “Census: More Americans Have College Degrees than Ever Before.” TheHill, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2017, thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/326995-census-more-americans-have-college-degrees-than-ever-before. Get Your Career Off on the Right Track > Learning Outcome 5 The following road map will assist you in finding, keeping, and advancing in that job that is perfect for you. Think positively. Take a good look at yourself. Understand what employers want. Find your first professional job. Use the Internet to find a job. Consider a multimedia résumé. Use keywords to get your electronic résumé noticed. Research the company. Make the most of the interview. Select the right job for you. Start your new job. Improve your chances for promotion. Do you use LinkedIn? What other online services are available to aid you in your job search? Self-Scoring Guidelines > Learning Outcome 6 Completing self-scoring assessments is a valuable way for students to evaluate their skills. Knowing and understanding your skills is essential for a successful career. This file is copyright 2018, Rice University. All Rights Reserved.