Adopt an Entrepreneurial Attitude to Be a Better Employee

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The Difference Between a “Job” and a “Career”

If you’re a little “cloudy” about the differences between a job and a career, this explanation may help clear away the mist. Richard Baum, a Career and Business Coach from Seattle, offers an interesting view on the question. He states, “A career is the business plan for your personal company – Me, Inc. A job is a sequential component of the business strategy.”

His point: It matters not whether we own a business or are an employee of a company; we are all really self-employed and totally responsible for our own careers. You may be the most committed team player on the planet, yet you may want to consider yourself as a one-person company – Me, Inc. – to enhance your career.

The recent economic downturn has taught many employees, those downsized and those who have had to work much harder after a company layoff, that loyalty and hard work guarantee very little during a recession. Even the most employee-centered companies must take action to remain in business, including staff layoffs and downsizing, if required. These conditions create a necessary “me first” attitude.

If you keep your “eyes on the prize” (your career), you can maximize your performance on jobs, which then become a component in creating a successful career. The job, itself, is more of a valuable tool in the building of a wonderful career, not an end in itself. Sure, you may still find a job you love and convert your “tool” to a finished product (a career) with only one company.

The important point is to understand that you  are  really a one-person company, in “business” to succeed. Adopting an entrepreneurial attitude will not generate any risk to your employee status. Actually, all good employers will appreciate – and benefit – from this attitude. You should only enhance your job stature and further your career.

Should you not be rewarded for your entrepreneurial, “me first” attitude, look to the best employment search firms, like Kelly Services, to help you acquire a new and better “tool” (job) to boost your career. Here are some tips to help you adopt a winning entrepreneurial attitude at your job.

Tips to Adopt an Entrepreneurial Attitude at Work

• Create a personal business plan – not just in your mind, write it down.  Every entrepreneur understands that they need a workable business plan to operate, borrow money, get investment dollars, and to provide a “road map” to reach their goal. You should follow the same path as an entrepreneurial employee.
• “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”  Former generations could count on long-term employment if they worked hard and displayed loyalty to their companies. Contemporary business conditions offer no such guarantees. All entrepreneurs know that success is dependent on  their  performance more than any other factors. You should adopt this attitude to perform better, become more valuable to your employer, and help ensure (still no guarantees) that the  choice  to continue to work for your current employer is yours, not theirs.
• Create your own mission statement.  Just as companies construct and publish a mission statement to summarize their goals and describe their method of achievement, you should create your own mission statement for your career. Once you internalize your mission, your daily workplace actions will follow this course to success, which will make you a better employee in the process.
• Devise a personal/professional strategy to get you where you want to go.  All business owners and entrepreneurs develop strategies (marketing, production, new product introduction, financial, etc.) to  set the course  of their march to success. You should devise your own strategy to a) perform your job at a high level, and b) address your “vision” of your career and the steps you’ve identified to travel your career success course.

These tips have helped business owners and entrepreneurs reach success for many years. They will work for you, too. Adopting these entrepreneurial attitudes and techniques will keep you focused and productive. You will typically enjoy an increase in self-confidence, become a knowledge source for your peers, and experience a “professional calm” that often further increases your performance quotient.

Your current employer should notice your new self-assurance and better performance. Should they not appreciate the results of your entrepreneurial mindset, speak with an employment professional to find a new job challenge that fits your career business plan. Your vision and mission will keep you on your career track, which will a) make you a higher performing interview candidate, and b) give you confidence that you’ll select the right offer. All of these benefits come to you because you adopted an entrepreneurial attitude to make you a better employee.