如何走出職業(yè)發(fā)展的死胡同？

大約三十年前，許多公司都會(huì)提供明確的職業(yè)發(fā)展路線。只要你表現(xiàn)出色，你的工資、職務(wù)和責(zé)任一定會(huì)穩(wěn)步提高，為公司忠心服務(wù)25年后，你還將得到一塊金表作為表彰。

A generation ago, many companies offered a straightforward career ladder. If you performed well, you could count on a steady climb in salary, job title, and responsibilities until receiving a gold watch for 25 years of loyal service.

但現(xiàn)在，公司會(huì)根據(jù)自身需要，自由地重新安排和辭退員工。“大衰退”前就被嬰兒潮一代塞滿的公司管理層，現(xiàn)在不大可能出現(xiàn)人事變動(dòng)，因?yàn)檫@些最年長的員工正在努力重建他們的退休積蓄。

Today, organizations freely reassign and fire employees as needed. Management ranks that were clogged with Baby Boomers before the Great Recession are now even less likely to see turnover, as the organization’s oldest employees seek to rebuild their retirement savings.

年輕人必須開拓自己的職業(yè)道路，他們需要尋找機(jī)會(huì)提高技能和積累經(jīng)驗(yàn)，與正確的人交往，謀劃職業(yè)發(fā)展道路上的每一個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)折點(diǎn)。

Young professionals must create their own career paths by seeking out opportunities to develop skills and experience, networking with the right people and plotting each turning point along the road.

咨詢師、《管理者面臨的27項(xiàng)挑戰(zhàn)》(The 27 Challenges Managers Face)與《你也可以管理老板》(It’s Okay to Manage Your Boss)的作者布魯斯•塔爾干表示：“毫無疑問，大多數(shù)公司都希望人們對自己的職業(yè)發(fā)展負(fù)責(zé)。大多數(shù)公司已經(jīng)不再提供一條適合所有人的職業(yè)道路。”

“There’s no question that most organizations expect people to take responsibility for their own careers,” says Bruce Tulgan, consultant and author of The 27 Challenges Managers Face and It’s Okay to Manage Your Boss. “There’s no longer a one-size fits all career path in most organizations.”

如果你從事同一個(gè)職務(wù)兩年、三年或者五年，渴望下一個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)的到來，那你恐怕要學(xué)會(huì)自己開拓職業(yè)道路。以下是幾條重要建議。

If you’ve been in the same role for two, three, or five years, and are itching for the next opportunity, chances are you need the secrets to the do-it-yourself career path. There are three key ingredients.

建立關(guān)系網(wǎng)

Build relationships

我們都知道建立人脈和尋找一位導(dǎo)師或擔(dān)保人有多么重要。但最成功的做法則是通過自身的努力建立起多元化的關(guān)系網(wǎng)，并依靠這些人提供誠懇的反饋、建議、見解和信息。

We’ve all heard it’s important to network and find a mentor and sponsor. But the most successful do-it-yourselfers build a diversity of relationships and rely on those individuals for honest feedback, advice,insight, and information throughout the course of their careers.

如果每個(gè)人都必須成為自身事業(yè)的CEO，那么你就應(yīng)該將這些人視為你的咨詢委員會(huì)。這個(gè)團(tuán)隊(duì)?wèi)?yīng)該包括公司內(nèi)部和外部的同事、你的直屬上司、其他部門的高層、公司人力資源部職員、同行和行業(yè)領(lǐng)袖、家人，以及在大學(xué)和其他地方結(jié)交的值得信賴的好友。你將依靠他們對自己進(jìn)行評(píng)估，確定自己應(yīng)該提高和發(fā)展的方面，了解機(jī)會(huì)所在，理解自己的角色，以及公司和行業(yè)的現(xiàn)狀。

If each of us must be the CEO of our careers, think of these people as an advisory board. The group should include peers inside and outside the company, higher-ups in your chain of command and in other divisions, someone in your company’s human resources department, peers and leaders in your industry, family and trusted friends from college and elsewhere. You’ll rely on them to help you evaluate yourself and where you should develop and grow, as well as to learn where there are opportunities and to understand your role and how the company and industry work.

安永會(huì)計(jì)事務(wù)所(EY)美洲區(qū)招聘主管丹•布萊克表示：“這是一項(xiàng)畢生的追求，并且需要定期完成。一定要將自己的目標(biāo)放到所處環(huán)境中進(jìn)行衡量。”布萊克剛剛卸任全美大學(xué)與雇主協(xié)會(huì)(The National Association of Colleges and Employers)主席一職。

“You have to have those conversations early and often,” says Dan Black, immediate past president of the National Association of College and Employers and Americas director of recruiting for EY. “It’s a lifelong pursuit and an exercise to go through at regular intervals. Make sure you’re weighing your goals against the environment you’re in.”

加入行業(yè)組織、俱樂部和同行團(tuán)體，例如公司女性或少數(shù)族裔的網(wǎng)絡(luò)。懷著幫助對方同時(shí)也從對方那里得到幫助的心態(tài)，去接觸同事和同行。

Join industry associations, clubs and affinity groups, such as corporate women’s or minority networks. Reach out to colleagues and industry peers, with a goal to helping them as much as they help you.

塔爾干表示：“單純?yōu)榱私浑H而交際，對于忙碌的人而言只是在浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。認(rèn)識(shí)其他人的首要規(guī)則是要展示自我。第二條規(guī)則是：要有價(jià)值。”

“Networking for the sake of networking is wasting the time of very busy people,” Tulgan says. “The number one rule to getting to know people is show up. The number two rule is: be valuable.”

不要貿(mào)然地在休息時(shí)間給公司高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo)打電話尋求建議，你可以自愿支持公司內(nèi)的活動(dòng)，例如全球性的內(nèi)部會(huì)議，你會(huì)在這里遇到許多高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。軟件公司SAP Global Customer Operations首席人力資源官布里蓋特•麥金尼斯-戴伊表示，充當(dāng)這種角色時(shí)，“你更容易引起人們的注意，并且有機(jī)會(huì)接觸許多職能部門。這樣的經(jīng)歷將幫你樹立名聲，證明你希望接觸更廣泛的層面，而不是一位只關(guān)心自己工作的工人。”

Instead of simply calling up a senior leader in your company for advice over coffee, you could volunteer to support a company-wide initiative, such as a global internal meeting that will include many senior leaders. In that kind of role, “you’re big and visible and touch lots of functional areas,” says Brigette McInnis-Day, chief human resources officer at software firm SAP Global Customer Operations. “Those help you get a name and show you’re broader than just to be a worker at your specific role.”

SAP與牛津經(jīng)濟(jì)研究院(Oxford Economics)最近聯(lián)合發(fā)布的勞動(dòng)力報(bào)告顯示，僅有7%的千禧一代員工通過社交得到了職業(yè)發(fā)展，因?yàn)樗麄兏蕾囌?guī)的培訓(xùn)和指導(dǎo)，來提升自己的能力。此外，全球29%的千禧一代員工希望能夠得到更多反饋，39%的千禧一代會(huì)因?yàn)槿鄙倥嘤?xùn)和發(fā)展而考慮跳槽。

A recent SAP and Oxford Economics workforce report found that only 7% of Millennial workers received professional development through networking, as they rely more on formal training and mentoring for skill development. Also, 29% of Millennial workers globally expect more feedback than they get and 39% would consider leaving their jobs due to a lack of training and development.

33歲的克里斯蒂安•休斯是紐約一家保險(xiǎn)公司的項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理，在自愿成為一名有關(guān)公司責(zé)任的主題專家時(shí)，她認(rèn)識(shí)了公司的一位高管，而公司責(zé)任恰好是這位高管的專業(yè)領(lǐng)域。不久，這位高管便為她推薦了公司內(nèi)部和外部的其他人，建議她與這些人接觸，看看是否有更好的機(jī)會(huì)。休斯說道：“他為我打開了一扇門……因?yàn)樗麕缀趺總€(gè)月都會(huì)與我談?wù)撐业穆殬I(yè)發(fā)展情況。”休斯最初也不相信，通過官方輔導(dǎo)計(jì)劃能建立如此牢固的關(guān)系。

Christian Hughes, 33, a project manager for an insurance company in New York, got to know a senior executive at her firm when she volunteered to become a subject matter expert for corporate responsibility, his area of expertise. Before long, he was suggesting other people she should meet with internally and externally to talk about opportunities. “It’s really opened up a door … because every month or so he wants to talk to me about my career,” says Hughes, who doubts she would’ve developed such a strong relationship through an official mentoring program.

學(xué)無止境

Always be learning

僅靠關(guān)系不可能讓你走得更遠(yuǎn)。你還要提前掌握下一個(gè)階段所需要的技能和經(jīng)驗(yàn)。許多年輕人會(huì)因?yàn)橄旅孢@種左右為難的情況而感到沮喪：要想得到一份你想要的工作，你必須首先證明自己具備該職位所需要的經(jīng)驗(yàn)，但如果沒有機(jī)會(huì)，你又不可能積累經(jīng)驗(yàn)。

Relationships alone won’t get you far. You also need the skills and experience to advance to the next level in your career. Here’s where many young professionals grow frustrated with the following catch-22: you can’t get the job you want until you can demonstrate experience in that role, but you can’t build the experience without an opportunity.

休斯說道：“從小到大，人們都在告訴我們，通過努力工作，你可以做自己想做的任何事情。但許多公司不會(huì)因?yàn)橐粋€(gè)人的潛力而聘用他，他們雇用的是一個(gè)人的能力。”

“We’ve all grown up being told you can do whatever you want to do [by] working hard,” says Hughes. “But a lot of companies are not hiring for potential … they’re hiring for skills.”

有時(shí)候，能否得到積累經(jīng)驗(yàn)的機(jī)會(huì)，可能取決于你尋找機(jī)會(huì)的方式。一個(gè)新人直白地問：“我該如何進(jìn)步?”，可能會(huì)令在一家公司打拼了五六年的人對他產(chǎn)生不滿。相反，可以詢問一些更寬泛的信息，幫助你找到積累經(jīng)驗(yàn)的機(jī)會(huì)，深入了解公司和部門，以及自己能否適合這家公司等。

Sometimes, it can all hinge on how you ask for an opportunity. Someone who’s been grinding away at a company for five or six years will chafe at a newbie who asks bluntly, “how do I advance?” Instead, ask more broadly for information that will help you learn about opportunities to gain experience and learn more about the company, its divisions, and how you fit in.

要想了解其他人對你職業(yè)素養(yǎng)的看法，可以請求同事評(píng)價(jià)你的工作或在會(huì)議中的表現(xiàn)。他們的意見能夠幫助你獲得非正式的反饋，SAP的研究顯示，超過三分之二的千禧一代希望得到更多這樣的反饋。麥金尼斯-戴伊表示，你可能從同事那里了解到，你在辦公室里說話聲音最大，或者你總是太過安靜。

To understand how you’re perceived professionally, ask peers for feedback on your work or participation in a meeting, for instance. Their input can help provide the informal feedback that more than two-thirds of Millennials would like in greater amounts, according to the SAP study. You may learn that you’re the loudest voice in the room or have a tendency to be too quiet, McInnis-Day notes.

她說道：“一定要清楚自己有哪些方面偏弱，需要加強(qiáng)。”她還鼓勵(lì)有抱負(fù)的員工接受那些可能不怎么炫目或令人興奮的機(jī)會(huì)。“通過同級(jí)調(diào)動(dòng)來拓展自己的技能。”

“Make sure you understand the areas where you are weak and need to develop,” she says, encouraging ambitious workers to be open to opportunities that may not be as flashy or exciting. “Take lateral moves to broaden your skills.”

為了得到升職，休斯的一位同事便從自己喜歡的銷售崗位調(diào)到了運(yùn)營部門。休斯解釋道：“她真正感興趣的并不是運(yùn)營，但她對自己當(dāng)時(shí)的工作已經(jīng)感到厭倦，希望接受新的挑戰(zhàn)。”

A colleague of Hughes’ moved from the distribution side of the company – which she liked – to operations in order to land a promotion. “Operations is not really her interest, but she was tired of what she was doing and wanted a new challenge,” Hughes explains.

一些繁瑣的工作或初級(jí)任務(wù)，可能給你帶來意想不到的收獲，例如公司如何與客戶打交道，不同的部門如何整合等。布拉克建議：“看看自己能否向雇主證明：‘我已經(jīng)掌握了公司的基本情況，我準(zhǔn)備利用這些知識(shí)，讓自己更上一層樓。’”

You may learn something you don’t expect from scut work or entry-level tasks, such as how the organization works with clients or how different divisions fit together. “See if you can showcase, ‘I’ve picked up the fundamentals of our business and I’m ready to utilize them and move to the next level,’” suggests Black.

關(guān)心自己

Care for yourself

剛走出大學(xué)或商學(xué)院的年輕人，可能習(xí)慣了校園里不分晝夜的生活。但這種生活習(xí)慣并不適合職場。

Young people coming from a college or business school environment may be used to burning the candle at both ends. That doesn’t go over well in a professional setting.

塔爾干表示，“如果你總是不在最佳狀態(tài)，人們肯定會(huì)注意到。你應(yīng)該照顧好自己的精神、身體和情緒……如果你是自己做生意，那么讓自己的幸福感下降，等于是任由工廠分崩離析。”

“People notice and it means you’re not at your best,” Tulgan says. “Take care of your mind, take care of your body, take care of your emotional well being…. If you’re really in business for yourself, letting your well-being degrade is like letting the factory fall apart.”

來自華盛頓的南希•喬安娜是IBM公司的一位咨詢師，她在加入IBM后不久便發(fā)現(xiàn)自己不堪重負(fù)，因?yàn)樗恐芄ぷ?0個(gè)小時(shí)，原因是她不希望失去對客戶項(xiàng)目的所有權(quán)。于是，她向一位40歲的項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理尋求幫助。這位項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理的職位更高，但與喬安娜不屬于同一個(gè)部門。

Shortly after joining IBM as a consultant based in Washington D.C., Nancy Geronian, 22, found herself overloaded, working 60 hours a week on client projects for which she didn’t want to lose ownership. She reached out to a 40-something project manager who was more senior but not in Geronian’s chain of command.

她回憶道，“她對我說：‘只有你自己知道你有多忙碌。’”最終，喬安娜將自己負(fù)責(zé)的項(xiàng)目進(jìn)行優(yōu)先排序，分析每一個(gè)項(xiàng)目所需要的時(shí)間，確保自己僅接受能夠處理好的工作。喬安娜說道：“我下定決心解決這個(gè)問題，結(jié)果這對所有人都有好處，因?yàn)楣ぷ魍瓿闪恕?rdquo;喬安娜表示，這只是她自己的想法，不代表IBM公司。

“She said, ‘You are the only person who knows how busy you are,’” she recalls. As a result, Geronian prioritized the items for which she was responsible, analyzed the time each would take, and made sure she only took on what she could handle. “I made a decision to work that out so it works in everyone’s favor because the work gets done,” saysGeronian, who spoke only for herself and not on behalf of IBM.

如果你發(fā)現(xiàn)自己可能要到外部尋找新的發(fā)展機(jī)會(huì)，不妨先咨詢一下你在人力資源部的可靠盟友或公司高層。你可能會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)，公司即將推出一系列非常適合你的新業(yè)務(wù)。

If it starts to seem that your career path is leading outside the company, consult a trusted ally in the human resources department or higher up in the company first. You may learn that the firm is about to launch a new line of business that would be perfect for you.

布萊克聘用的一位年輕審計(jì)師收到了另外一家公司發(fā)出的邀請，這令他頗為心動(dòng)，因?yàn)樗_始厭煩了審計(jì)工作。后來，他向一位審計(jì)合伙人尋求意見，那位高管提議將他調(diào)往咨詢部門——如今，他已經(jīng)成為該部門的合伙人。

A young auditor who Black hired was being recruited by an outside firm, which tempted him because he was growing tired of the audit track. But when the man asked an audit partner for advice, that executive advocated to move him to the advisory practice – where he recently made partner.

布萊克回憶道：“他知道自己不想沿著同一條道路繼續(xù)走下去……能向別人傾訴自己的想法令他感到舒暢。他始終記得自己的長期目標(biāo)是什么。”

“He knew he wasn’t excited about staying on the same path … and felt comfortable talking to someone,” Black recalls. “He kept his longer term goals in mind.”