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Article from Smart Investor Magazine, February 2000
Survival Skills for the Modern Corporate Warrior
The secret is out. The entire business world we operate in is changing, driven by global competition and complex customer demands. The corporate battlefield has become littered with casualties. Some of these could be your colleagues or friends.
Firstly, the demand is hotting up for Internet-related talent. The writing is on the wall, and if you have not caught up, you are in real danger of joining the dinosaurs. The relationship between employer and employee has also changed. While there used to be a vertical corporate ladder for you to climb, horizontal movement within the organization, and out, is now considered the norm.
Performance counts for more than just plain old loyal service nowadays. And ownership of career management has now fallen into the hands of the employee rather than his supervisor. The number of millionaires is climbing and they are getter younger. Working hard may not be the smartest thing to do nowadays. Working smart and making your first million before you turn 25 is.
Given these shifts in mindset and the promise of more ‘outside-the-box’ changes, what can you, the corporate warrior, do to enhance your chances of survival.
| S U R V I V A L T I P S |
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√ Always stay updated in your profession
Subscribe to professional journals and magazines, especially those from the West. The field of e-commerce and the Internet is moving at such a breakneck speed that you may find what you read last week is already outdated.
√ Stay connected
Networking is one powerful corporate battle weapon often overlooked in its importance. Even if you are gainfully employed and extremely happy in your current job, stay connected. You never know when network contacts could play a useful role in your career development and progress.
√ Continuously seek to upgrade your knowledge and skills
The day you stop learning, your mind stops functioning, and you ‘die’ – figuratively speaking, of course, but equally deadly (pardon the pun).
√ Be in charge
This applies to whatever you are current doing. Like the wise general leading a battle, always have an escape route. Ask yourself this question: “If I got the sack today, what can I do to continue supporting my dependants?” If you do not have a ready answer, it is quite clear that you are not in charge of your life.
√ Be visible
You do not have to constantly elbow your way in and stab your colleagues to be in the limelight. Simply let the powers-that-be be aware of your existence.
- Build a career portfolio. On a regular basis, review your accomplishments and career progression. Monitor the changing demands of the job market. Plan ahead. If you concur with the general view that the 21st century belongs to the world of e-commerce and Internet, you will know what to do to stay relevant and employable.
√ Be resume ready
Always have available an updated copy of your marketing tool. It pays to spend time, and perhaps a bit of money, to have a well-written, professional resume ready for whoever may need it.
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Besides these tips, what is also pertinent to stay employable in the 21st century is career management. In the following six issues, I will share with you, step by step, how you can better manage your career. Stay tuned.
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