Career Advancement Techniques – Essay

Career Advancement Techniques

Columbia Southern University

Career Advancement Techniques

Career advancement is important to some people. In fact, many people use it as their most important success measurement tool. I personally measure my success by my ability to take care of my family and help them become successful. I also use my children’s successes as a good measure of my own success. When I hear my children addressing people with Ma’am or Sir, or when I see them holding doors open for my wife and me, I feel very proud that I helped teach them their manners. When they bring home their report cards and have all good marks, I reflect on and feel proud of the assistance I gave them with their studies. It also makes me feel great being able to provide for all of my family’s financial needs which has allowed my wife to stop working a nine-to-five job and purchase her own business so she can be her own boss and chase her dreams. My ability to help my family better themselves is my most honored success measurement tool. Though these are the ways I measure my success, it’s the different techniques I’ve used over the years which has led to these results. By perceiving myself as a provider of services and being passionate about and proud of my work, I am able to stay motivated as I keep growing through continuous learning and self-development.

My number one motivation has always been to provide for my family. I don’t know if it was my upbringing, the standards set for me by American society, or just something that was inside me from birth, but perceiving myself as a provider has always pushed me to do more and go further than I thought possible. While in the military, I deployed 15 times. I always dreaded leaving my family and knew that the places I was going were, for a lack of better words, horrible, but remembering that I was taking care of my family kept me motivated through the hard times. I also valued what I was doing for my country. Being from America and then from Texas too, I have an overwhelming need to protect my country, my state, and the people and liberties within. I never once considered not joining the military. Even though I didn’t come from a family of service members, I knew that freedom wasn’t free and I was willing to sacrifice myself to ensure it was never taken away. As an aircraft mechanic, I was able to shake the hands of all the pilots as they boarded the aircraft I had just prepared for them. It gave me great pride to know that I was giving them a tool they could count on; one they could rely on to get their jobs done. Providing all these services has given me direction in this world and will always be the core of who I am.

I only visited my home town four times during my military career, but always felt super proud when I did. My friends and family would swarm me and ask me hundreds of questions whenever I came in. Answering them with pride was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had. Knowing that they were proud of me made my sacrifices worthwhile. I remember during my first trip home in 1999 my younger cousin asked me “what kind of plane do you fly”, at first I was ashamed to say “I’m not a pilot”, but once I got into the explanation of what I actually did, I felt great! Telling her that I was an aircraft mechanic and that I maintained the aircraft for the pilots to fly, is a memory that is engraved into my mind; I can almost remember every second of it. I am proud to be an American, a military retiree, a father, and a husband; and it’s this pride which keeps me motivated to keep growing through continuous learning and self-development.

I have over 200 college credit hours and a couple of college degrees, one in education and another in aviation, but I still find motivation to write this essay somehow. I have a great job as an Environmental Protection Specialist for the U.S. Army, but I still find motivation to attend this university somehow. I provide for myself and my family, but I still stay motivated to work further towards bettering myself somehow. I am enrolled at Columbia Southern University in a degree program in which I have no desire using to get a bigger paycheck…I do it simply to better myself and improve my abilities as a leader. Though I have completed many college courses, leadership academies, and served under some of the best leaders on earth, I still feel the need to grow myself mentally and spiritually so that I can improve the lives and experiences of all those around me.

Advancing my career has always been the byproduct of advancing myself. Finding a path and sprinting down it will always be my approach to any obstacle. My family and friends, coworkers and supervisors, and my leaders and subordinates will always benefit from my never-ending pursuit of success as I perceive myself as a provider of services, am passionate about and proud of my work, and stay motivated as I keep growing through continuous learning and self-development.

References

DuBrin, A. J. (2015). Human Relations. Interpersonal Job-Oriented Skills. Twelfth Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson.