Experiencing Career Success

Abstract

People vary greatly in how successful they feel in their careers. Besides differences in objective attainments, this variation reflects different perspectives on what amounts to a "successful" career. The realization that career success is more multifaceted that traditional corporate signals of pay and upward progression has implications for increasing the success you experience in your career. Initiatives you can take are to discover your work orientation, find a good fit between yourself and your work, and develop your adaptability to career changes. The author offers strategies for enhancing your career adaptability, including ways to engage in proactive socialization, cultivate the conviction that you can change, reason more productively about your career, understand and nurture your network, and find your balance in your career. Broadening your perspective on career success and taking related initiatives, such as those suggested in this article, could ultimately increase your experience of career success

Keywords: Career success, subjective career, work orientation, fit, adapability, networking, balance