As we said in Module 1, Career Management is a cycle. Once you reach the end of the cycle you will start all over again because, over the course of your life, you will always find that you need to revisit its many stages for a variety of reasons.

And as we also said then, the cycle begins with Knowing Yourself (understanding what you do well and what you really like to do). That’s why we took the time to identify your strengths through the Clifton Strengths Finder Assessment at the very beginning of this class.

And pointed out the importance of communicating your value—especially to your supervisor—but also to others who could help you explore career possibilities and potential jobs. Hence, the need for an elevator pitch.

The next stage in the cycle is to know how others see you. Decisions about your future are often made when you are not in the room. Others will discuss – when you aren’t there -- the quality of your work and how your personality fits in with the organizational culture. That is how they can decide whether or not to offer you a job, or an internship, or a promotion, or any other opportunity. It is based on what you have proven yourself to be and do. And that is also how your supervisor will decide to write a good recommendation – or none at all – after your internship is over. While you can’t do anything about those discussions once they have taken place, you can certainly influence them by shaping and being vigilant about your reputation at all times. Get in the habit of asking: How am I doing? What can I do better next time? (Even if you did a great job). And, of course, learn to accept feedback for what it is—an opportunity to learn. If you get defensive and start blaming or complaining the minute someone tells you what you can improve, they’ll stop giving you useful feedback. Your supervisor evaluation at the end of the quarter, which we will share with you if he or she gives us permission to do so, is part of this feedback. But if you have been having conversations all along, there should be no surprises in that document.

The next phase of the cycle is to understand the environment in which you will do your work. That is why earlier in the course you analyzed the organizational culture of your current internship site and hopefully will apply the same process to any other place in which you will intern or work. If you understand how people do their work and who succeeds in the organization, you will be more likely to be successful there yourself. But you also need to understand the state of your industry. The communication industry as whole has undergone enormous changes, particularly since the advent of social media. But there have been many other factors that influence what people with a major in communication can do those days. That is the purpose of your current assignment, which involves conducting an informational interview. The more you know about your industry the better you will be prepared to get a job in it. In that same informational interview you will learn what skills and other traits you need to have in order to prepare for a job in your particular profession.

The Career Management Cycle Continued Module 7

Know Yourself Clifton’s Strengths Finder Results What talents are you leveraging?

Communicate Your Value to Others Personal qualities Talents (remember Skills Experience

Know How Others See You What do people say about Your work Your personality Your potential…when you are not in the room? Ask How am I doing? What can I do better next time? Take feedback non-defensively It is an opportunity to learn

Understand the Environment Organizational Culture State of Your Industry Market for Your Profession Photo taken from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/