This OpenStax ancillary resource is © Rice University under a CC BY 4.0 International license; it may be reproduced or modified but must be
attributed to OpenStax, Rice University and any changes must be noted.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Your Career In Business
CHAPTER SUMMARY
A basic understanding of business is essential for all careers. This introductory business course
gives students a detailed overview of all areas of commerce which will guide you in selecting a
major should you elect to get a degree in business.
People with great interpersonal skills will always do better on and off the job than those who
lack them. It has been estimated that up to 90 percent of our workplace success depends on an
understanding of other people. Developing interpersonal skills is essential for any career.
A plan is a method or process worked out in advance that leads to the achievement of some
goal. Planning is an important step in making your future happen. Having a plan does not mean
that you can’t act on the spur of the moment and do something that was not planned.
Problems arise when you consistently substitute impulsive actions for goal-oriented planning.
Success in life requires a balance between the two.
No part of life is exempt from the need for planning. It is important to apply thought, creativity,
and discipline to all the interrelated phases of our lives. Dreams are part of making a future, yet
planning is not the same as dreaming. Planning brings dreams down to earth and turns them
into something real and attainable. One of the best things about pursuing our dreams is that,
even when you fall short, the effort leads to growth and opens a path to other opportunities.
Attending college is a rare privilege because far less than 1 percent of traditional college-age
people around the world get to attend college. It’s important to make the most of this
opportunity by finishing your degree. Concentration, time management, financial management,
good study habits, and test strategy are important skills in college. To get your career off on the
right track, follow a road map to find, keep, and advance in that job that is perfect for you.
Completing self-scoring assessments is a valuable way for students to evaluate their skills.
September 17, 2018 1
, This OpenStax ancillary resource is © Rice University under a CC BY 4.0 International license; it may be reproduced or modified but must be
attributed to OpenStax, Rice University and any changes must be noted.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. How can you enhance your interpersonal skills?
Enhancing your interpersonal skills involves building your people skills, understanding
how to persuade others, learning to think on your feet, empowering yourself, becoming
politically savvy, becoming a team player, and handling conflict well.
2. Why is learning to plan so important in school and in the real world?
Planning is something you must pursue consciously and thoughtfully in all aspects of life.
When you plan, you translate your goals and dreams into step-by-step strategies,
specific things you can do to test your goals and bring them to reality. You often must
revise your plans, but even when your plans are not fulfilled, planning will have a
positive effect on the course of your life.
3. What skills should you develop in school that can transfer easily to your professional life
and make it a success?
The following skills will benefit you in college and in your professional life: learn to
concentrate, manage your time, use your money wisely, study well, and become a
master at taking tests.
4. What are some strategies that will help you find, keep, and advance in your dream job?
To be successful in life and in a career, you need to think positively. evaluate your
abilities and characteristics, understand what employers want, use the Internet to find a
job, use keywords to get your résumé noticed, and research the company to prepare for
the interview.
5. What key attributes do employers look for when interviewing job candidates?
Employers seek job-specific skills (skills and technical abilities that relate specifically to a
job). Employers also seek transferable skills and attitudes which prepare you for a wide
variety of jobs and which are applicable from one task, job, or workplace to another.
September 17, 2018 2
attributed to OpenStax, Rice University and any changes must be noted.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Your Career In Business
CHAPTER SUMMARY
A basic understanding of business is essential for all careers. This introductory business course
gives students a detailed overview of all areas of commerce which will guide you in selecting a
major should you elect to get a degree in business.
People with great interpersonal skills will always do better on and off the job than those who
lack them. It has been estimated that up to 90 percent of our workplace success depends on an
understanding of other people. Developing interpersonal skills is essential for any career.
A plan is a method or process worked out in advance that leads to the achievement of some
goal. Planning is an important step in making your future happen. Having a plan does not mean
that you can’t act on the spur of the moment and do something that was not planned.
Problems arise when you consistently substitute impulsive actions for goal-oriented planning.
Success in life requires a balance between the two.
No part of life is exempt from the need for planning. It is important to apply thought, creativity,
and discipline to all the interrelated phases of our lives. Dreams are part of making a future, yet
planning is not the same as dreaming. Planning brings dreams down to earth and turns them
into something real and attainable. One of the best things about pursuing our dreams is that,
even when you fall short, the effort leads to growth and opens a path to other opportunities.
Attending college is a rare privilege because far less than 1 percent of traditional college-age
people around the world get to attend college. It’s important to make the most of this
opportunity by finishing your degree. Concentration, time management, financial management,
good study habits, and test strategy are important skills in college. To get your career off on the
right track, follow a road map to find, keep, and advance in that job that is perfect for you.
Completing self-scoring assessments is a valuable way for students to evaluate their skills.
September 17, 2018 1
, This OpenStax ancillary resource is © Rice University under a CC BY 4.0 International license; it may be reproduced or modified but must be
attributed to OpenStax, Rice University and any changes must be noted.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. How can you enhance your interpersonal skills?
Enhancing your interpersonal skills involves building your people skills, understanding
how to persuade others, learning to think on your feet, empowering yourself, becoming
politically savvy, becoming a team player, and handling conflict well.
2. Why is learning to plan so important in school and in the real world?
Planning is something you must pursue consciously and thoughtfully in all aspects of life.
When you plan, you translate your goals and dreams into step-by-step strategies,
specific things you can do to test your goals and bring them to reality. You often must
revise your plans, but even when your plans are not fulfilled, planning will have a
positive effect on the course of your life.
3. What skills should you develop in school that can transfer easily to your professional life
and make it a success?
The following skills will benefit you in college and in your professional life: learn to
concentrate, manage your time, use your money wisely, study well, and become a
master at taking tests.
4. What are some strategies that will help you find, keep, and advance in your dream job?
To be successful in life and in a career, you need to think positively. evaluate your
abilities and characteristics, understand what employers want, use the Internet to find a
job, use keywords to get your résumé noticed, and research the company to prepare for
the interview.
5. What key attributes do employers look for when interviewing job candidates?
Employers seek job-specific skills (skills and technical abilities that relate specifically to a
job). Employers also seek transferable skills and attitudes which prepare you for a wide
variety of jobs and which are applicable from one task, job, or workplace to another.
September 17, 2018 2
