Career Exploration - Essay Example

Abdulelah Bin Dakhil LAC 180 My Career Exploration Since childhood, I always imagined that I would study Information Technology but as I grew oldermy dreams changed. During my high school years at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, I began reconsidering my options based on my abilities. Although I was not too sure about what I really wanted in terms of career, I was certain that I wanted to pursue further studies at college level. This is very common among the young generation because one realizes their passions and interests as they grow up. In the near future, I want to be a successful business man so I chose to study Entrepreneurship. Having been brought up in a business environment, my father played a gigantic role in helping me determine my career interest. I chose this career path because I believe that I have good communication and negotiation skills. I can also manage my personal records and supervise the work of others with much ease. Additionally, I am empathetic yet firm so I can handle business related challenges with ease. After I travelled to Riyadh, curiosity made me explore one of the colleges there. To my surprise, the courses offered there were in English which I was not familiar with. Upon asking for further guidance, I was advised to study the language because it is very instrumental in the world of business. Globalization has made the world a village and the majority of people communicate in English. Seeing that the language would boost y career, I decided to study it with much encouragement from friends and relatives. The desire to get the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) scholarship also made me work harder because students who get the chance get to study in the United Kingdom where the primary language is English. The Information I Gathered In part, I still wanted to achieve my childhood dream because I have an uncle who studied Information Technology and his career life is impressive so far. I enquired about his educational background from which I discovered that he studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology under a scholarship as well. I decided to apply for the same without much thought. Luckily for me, things did not go as desired because I was not offered the scholarship. The rejection opened my eyes and made me become more open to other courses. After much soul searching and consultations with my parents who were very supportive, I chose to study Entrepreneurship. From the information I got from my father and his colleagues, it was apparent that the business sector is one that is very promising. In fact, most of them stated that the positions of business administrators are plentiful but there lacks adequate trained people in the field. The knowledge that there was a gap in staffing in Saudi Arabia made me do further research on the profession. From my online research, I found out that Entrepreneurship involves much communication. People in the field are responsible for identifying opportunities in business and exploring them fully. They also have to communicate frequently and in a friendly way so that clients can become interested in what they have to offer. Other duties include problem solving, organizing and managing the business. One must have certain characteristics that will help them succeed in the career. The personal traits that one ought to have included optimism because it is the driving force of a business person. I also learned that I have to be persistent and willing to take risks because the field of business is one that is naturally risky. Some businesses thrive while others fail. One must also be analytical and a critical thinker because it would be imprudent to invest in an entrepreneurial idea that is not well thought out. Additionally, one has to have a vision and be persistent enough to achieve it. The online sources also indicated that if one has all the traits and invests wisely, they will be very successful. Due to competition in the market, a majority of people have gone to University to study entrepreneurship. To make further advancements in the career, a master’s degree is mandatory. I purpose to study to the Master’s level and be the best entrepreneur in Saudi Arabia in the near future. I found that the University of Southern Maine offered a major in Entrepreneurship at the undergraduate level. In the course description, it was evident that the main subjects to be covered were Mathematics, communication, problem Solving and hands on learning. What captivated me the most was that the knowledge and skills gained would be applicable in all regions globally so I was sure that it was the best decision. I thus applied to join the institution and was privileged to get a position. Upon enrolment, I first joined the ESL program for one semester. In the second semester, I applied for the ESL Bridge program and started taking some mainstream general education classes. In the classes, much guidance on the most suitable career path is offered. One of the common activities conducted includes MBTI. The MBTI test is very interesting and so are the results. I discovered that I am an introvert, very thoughtful and highly judgmental. On the brighter side, my personality makes me dependable, systematic and task oriented. Furthermore, I have clear career and life goals; I work with facts to solve a specific problem and am very realistic with deadlines. These character traits, as I found out from the research, are important in entrepreneurship where much decision making and problem solving is required. Information Interview Results This assignment required that I interview a person in my desired career field and it was very interesting. Having spoken with a few of my father’s colleagues about the same, this was not too much of a challenge. The environment was, however, different because I am now in America and not Saudi Arabia. My interview subject was a man named Nassir Saleh who works Abdulmehsen Al-Mogren & Partners Company that is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Although he has not held his current position for long, he was able to provide me with valuable information about what this occupation is like in Saudi Arabia. He informed me that he chose the career because everybody else in his family was in business. He had thus grown up in a business oriented environment and it was only natural f or him to pursue the same. To achieve his career goal, he studied a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Later on, he furthered his studies to the master’s level and has taken courses in basic accounting as well. Concerning ethics, he placed a lot of emphasis on always being of sound judgment. The business world comes with varied challenges and it is required that one maintains high levels of morality. He particularly mentioned that I have to be an entrepreneur who leads a life that is guided by the religious teachings. It is important for a business person to be respectful to all people regardless of their social standing. One must also not exercise bias based on gender, race or age because one needs to attract and keep loyal clients. The relationship between an entrepreneurial institution and the local people around it determines its success or lack of it so it is vital for all employees in the field to always be courteous and maintain high work ethics. Saleh also insisted that the career is very demanding and calls for much commitment and willingness to go beyond one’s comfort zone. Upon asking whether he travels a lot, he said that his position required him to attend various business meetings so he has recently travelled a lot. Since he has a family, he said that the best way to balance his career and still keep intact his family was through sacrifice and proper planning. During the weekends, for example, he only spent time with his family and avoided any work commitments. The weekdays offered him time to work in a dedicated manner towards his dreams. He said that the career is most suitable for those who have been raised in business oriented homes and are interested in the career. It is also a field in which both sexes can explore as long as one is disciplined. To succeed in this job, the top skills that Saleh said were must haves were good communication skills, problem solving and ability to take risks. In a typical day, Saleh claimed to interact with very varied people. Some were loyal clients to the company whereas others were new clients. In the office, he interacts with other employees including his secretary, the human resource department personnel and the top management. He also has regular contact with the marketing personnel from whom he learns about different marketing strategies which have helped him during his trips. Since his work entails a lot of problem solving, much paper work is included. He records all his documents in files and has backup copies saved up on his computer. Additionally, he said that his office must always be neat because having clutter around disrupts normal working. Saleh also said that his work environment was very friendly and conducive for his type of work. All the staff members in the company treat each other well as guided by the company policy and the opinion of everyone is heard. He said that having good work relationships with other staff members is very important. He enjoys his job because of all the friendly environment and traveling sometimes. He also likes that every day is different and there are multiple challenges and problems to solve. The interview motivated me very much. Internship Opportunity I searched for internship opportunities online and found one on Financial Planning and Analysis in business. The Points of Light organization offering the opportunity is located in Atlanta, Georgia. The time commitment for the position is 20-30 hours a week and it lasts for a period of 12 weeks. To qualify for the position, one must have majored in entrepreneurship, business, accounting or economics. The application process is done online and the requirements for consideration are a resume and a cover letter. The applicant also needs to have prior working or internship experience with a corporate or non-profit organization related to business. Other requirements include good communication skills and proficiency in computer applications like Microsoft word and excel. One must be presentable and have the ability to make both oral and written presentations. The applicant also has to be self driven, motivated and with the ability to multi-task. The benefits that are listed in the internship application page include the participation of the selected interns in a leadership program. The organization also lists that the work environment is conducive for learning and personal development and offers a platform for an intern to interact with different people who are in the top of their fields. The chosen interns will also be able to establish a personal network that will be helpful as they search for jobs after competing their studies and internship program. The organization will also offer a stipend to be used by the intern for their personal needs. Summary of What I Learned From the assignment, I learned that a career in Entrepreneurship is very wide and requires much commitment. I learned that one need to be motivated, optimistic, visionary and a risk taker. In order to succeed in the business sector, one requires a good education. The majority of people have studied to the undergraduate level so to have an edge over them, a Master’s degree is appropriate. The field also comes with challenges so one has to always maintain high standards of work ethics and treat all people equally. It is also important to keep loyal customers because in addition to helping the company make sales, they refer other new clients who boost the business higher. The interpersonal skills required in the field are good communication and negotiation, ability to listen and to be an exemplary leader. The majors aligned with a career in entrepreneurship are Mathematics, English for effective communication and critical thinking to help one in solving difficult situations. These should be coupled with the personal and interpersonal skills described in the paper for one to be successful. The acquisition of hands on skills is also necessary and is achieved through the internship under the supervision of both the University’s lecturers and the staff in the internship institution. The assignment has indeed proved that I am fit for a career in Entrepreneurship. The career choice suits me well because I have the traits that are required in the field. Additionally, I have much support and guidance from my family and my lecturers. So as to achieve my dreams, I have resolved to work extremely hard in my undergraduate studies and to get the most out of my internship when time comes. I also purpose to undertake a Master’s degree in the same so as to have an edge over many others in the market. Read More