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Choosing Your Career Path - Avoiding Rookie Mistakes
Originally By Elaine Zinngrabe
Failing to market yourself.
"People fail to take stock of who their competition is, inside and outside the company," Layne said. "When we're selling ourselves, we
don't always know what we're competing against, and we should."
Layne recommends asking yourself if you have comparable or better skills than others in your field. If you have areas of weakness, find out how you can overcome them.
Also, document your accomplishments. Concrete examples of successful projects can go a long way toward persuading future interviewers that you have a worthy track record.
Brian Heimerl, a Topanga resident, fell into this trap. In 1974, Heimerl landed a job as a salesman and associate producer with a small radio production company called Watermark, whose claim to fame was a radio program called "America's Top 40."
"I really thought this is what I'll do for the rest of my life," Heimerl said. Eight years later, when the company hit financial trouble, Heimerl believed his success in radio would translate to similar programs in
film and television. He assumed too much.
"I put everything into it for my various employers, but lost sight of marketing myself," he said. "Modesty is a wonderful thing, but you
need to let people know that you can make a significant contribution
to their company."
Making money is the most important thing.
Early in their careers, people often make choices based on money
that are not good for the long term, said Challenger. In the beginning, it's important to find a boss you respect and feel you can learn from, so you'll have a formative experience. Most people don't try hard enough to find that person and that job.
Cunningham originally looked to legal work because of the pay but, looking back now, he says he would have done it differently.
"If I could do it over again, I would have taken the financial hit when I was younger to try things I was really interested in," he said.
Meanwhile, Heimerl recently quit a job producing special events in order to find something more fulfilling.
"I was producing a truck show out at the California Speedway. It was miserably cold and windy and I decided that I really wasn't getting the
most out of my background and knowledge," he said.
While these are common pitfalls worth avoiding, experts say there is no single guaranteed route to career success. The most important
thing, they say, is to find a career you're genuinely passionate about.
(c) Copyright 1999 Los Angeles Times
For more information, visit the Los Angeles Times.
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