Careerism: unscrupulousness or purposefulness?

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

When we talk about someone and call him a careerist, we usually mean that a person is ready to go over their heads in order to achieve their own goal, namely, to move up the career ladder. We believe that such people will not hesitate to pick on fellows in the shop, weave a whole network of intrigues and generally do everything possible to get a promotion. The word "careerism" has taken on a negative connotation, although not everyone who dreams of achieving heights in their career plan will behave so unprincipled.

Despite the conviction of many that careerists are a people who do not know pure, sincere human relationships, more and more successful people are proving that it is possible to achieve career heights while maintaining an honest name.

You don't have to go over your head to get where you want - you just need to choose the right path (without sacrifices and losses), find the necessary motivation and not stoop to the level of those who envy others' successes.

According to people who do not consider the word "careerism" abusive, the main quality of careerists is purposefulness. However, their opponents are sure that the hunters for high positions and decent salaries are guided only by personal interests, while forgetting about the common cause, team spirit and corporate solidarity.

In order to form our own idea of who the careerists really are - purposeful hard workers or unscrupulous individual farmers, first of all, let's figure out what distinguishes these people from ordinary employees, and also find out what are the pros and cons of a careerist's life.

How the careerist differs from everyone else

1. He has a purpose

A careerist will not say that he works solely to get money, with which he then pays bills and buys food for the family. Careerism is more than that. Such people want to take leadership positions in companies and feel that the state of the company in which they work depends on their decisions. Having a goal, careerists, as a rule, have a clear plan for achieving it. They do not rely on "maybe", in everything they rely only on themselves.

2. He wants to develop

Having a goal, careerists, as a rule, have a clear plan for achieving it.

Many ordinary employees do not see the point in further self-education, the received diploma is enough for them. The careerist will absorb new information like a sponge. He understands that there is no unnecessary knowledge, sooner or later they will all be useful to him. In addition, unlike apathetic comrades in the shop, a careerist will never think that he has reached the "ceiling", he will always strive even higher.

3. Willingness to take risks

A careerist is able to leave his home place overnight and go to another company if he thinks that, in a successful scenario, he can win more than he loses. Whereas colleagues, who do not pretend to grab stars from the sky, will twirl their fingers at their temples and say: “Think about it, you can be left with nothing,” the careerist will collect his things and set off to conquer new heights.

4. A careerist believes in himself, not in circumstances

He knows: the situation in which he is now is - only his handiwork, which means that it is he who is able to change it for the better. A careerist does not try to blame someone for his failures, if suddenly something does not work out, he first of all asks the question: "What did I do wrong?"

Pros of careerism

1. Improving self-esteem. Each time taking a new peak, a careerist mentally puts himself a "plus" and is convinced of his own strength.

2. Bringing ideas to life. Careerists are more proactive in both work and life. They are more likely to achieve the assigned tasks. Simply put, they are the ones who seek, and therefore find.

Those who succeed in their careers tend to be truly respected and set as an example to those around them.

3. Stable income. Financial well-being is one of the main points of a careerist, therefore, with money, such people, as a rule, are all right.

4. Respect for relatives, friends, acquaintances. Those who succeed in their careers tend to be truly respected and set as an example to those around them.

5. Useful connections. A careerist will not miss the opportunity to meet “the right people”, and therefore you can always find many useful contacts in his notebook.

Cons of careerism

1. Dislike of colleagues. Most of the less purposeful colleagues dislike careerists, believing that they suck up to their bosses, go over their heads, etc. And they think so, even if the careerist did not give the slightest reason for this.

2. "Burnout". Careerists are more likely to feel empty and hate their jobs in the morning. It takes too much energy away from them.

3. Lack of free time. It is careerists who stay late at work, take on more responsibilities than they should, and therefore leave home much later than their colleagues.

4. Problems in personal life. Often, representatives of the families of careerists feel that they have been "pushed aside" to the background, that work is much more important for such a person than relatives. On this basis, serious conflicts flare up.