Creating and managing opportunities

I know it's early in your career and you think you're focused on getting a job.  Just one bit of advice about keeping that job, which I will expand on in Managing Your Boss and Career: companies promote the people most valuable to them.  It's your responsibility to evaluate opportunities if they are offered.  Whether it is a transfer to another dept, or additional training, or relocation or something else, you're being asked to do it because the company needs it.  Obviously, you shouldn't pursue an opportunity that's not right - but keep your mind open to possibilities.

Sometimes you have to accept an opportunity with a longer-term view.  I relocated my family of five to Chicago to go to work for a boss I knew I would hate, and I did.  I tried to make it work, but the guy was a jerk.  I looked for and found my dream job, and one year - to the day - that we moved to Chicago, the moving van was loaded and we were on our way to California.  Was it disruptive? You bet.  Was it hard?  It was a huge career change for me. But it was the best thing job-wise that happened to that point.

Had I said no to that Chicago move, maybe good things would have come out of it, but I doubt it.  You can only say no to a company a couple of times before they give up on you.

Which brings me to my last point.  If the opportunities aren't coming to you, you need to make them happen.  If you are ambitious or unhappy, do something about it.  It's your career.

Good luck!

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