Everything I needed to know about career management I learned from my parents

At this time in between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day I would like to honor my parents who have always been loving, dedicated and supportive. By teaching me to be a good person, my parents indirectly taught me how to be a good job seeker and career manager.   Many of the lessons I learned at a young age are still applicable now. They are especially important in job search and in managing an effective career. I would like to share the top six skills my parents developed in me and I suggest you practice these in your job search and career management.

Integrity and respect:   Both of my parents have great character and taught me that your reputation must not be taken for granted.   Integrity is essential – do what you say you will do and keep your word. Treat others with respect and your reputation will speak for itself. Our family members were always treated equally and with reverence. Likewise, we were taught to treat all respectfully. Treating others with respect will take you far in your job search and in your career.   For example, in job search never be rude to the receptionist. You may not realize it but this person has more power than you think. If you treat this person with disrespect, your résumé is likely to end up in the trash. After interviewing, the hiring manager may ask the receptionist how you behaved in the waiting room. The answer may determine if you proceed in the selection process.

Take risks: My father was an entrepreneur before it was a trendy thing to do. He was gutsy and started a business while my Mom wasn’t working and they had six children to feed — nothing like ensuring success through necessity. But seriously, my Father worked very hard to establish his business. He saw an opportunity, took a chance, worked hard and it paid off.   He created one of the first Executive Recruitment firms in the world, which began as Battalia & Associates and has evolved into the successful business of Amrop Winston Battalia . Entrepreneurship is not for everyone but it can be a great path for some. Are you avoiding it because you have done the research and know it’s not a good fit or are you just afraid to move forward?

Work hard even when no one is watching: Both of my parents are extremely hard workers and that has certainly been passed on to me. They illustrated that hard work pays off and expected each family member to pull their weight around our house.   As a result, I learned to “earn my keep” and carried this with me to other places. As an example, I was often invited to friends’ homes for dinner and I frequently offered to do the dishes.   It gave me pleasure to see the parents’ pleased reactions and satisfied my urge to be helpful.   Not surprisingly, I was often invited back!   In your work and job search, if you work hard and excel at what you do, you will develop a reputation for these qualities.

It’s never too late to start:  After raising six children, my Mom went back to school at the age of 34 to get her Bachelors Degree. After finishing, she decided to keep going and attended law school. Right after passing the New York Bar Exam, she started working at a local firm, became a partner and today is running this successful law practice. This taught me that it’s never too late to start a new career and to pursue your dreams.

Be active in your community:   Besides always being active in PTAs and community initiatives, my Mother started an organization called ICARE to help people find stable housing. In short, when she sees a need, she fulfills it. She has also served our town as Supervisor, Judge and even ran in a Congressional primary.   My Father has been equally active in the community. He is currently a volunteer with the Senior Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) but he has served in many other roles and volunteered on numerous boards over the years. He even traveled to Zimbabwe to share his knowledge and help an entrepreneur start a recruiting firm. Volunteering can be an important part of a job search. It’s an excellent way to share your skills and to learn new ones. Remember the more you give, the more you get.

Build and nurture your network: Because they were so involved in their communities, my parents naturally created a strong network. Both of them still know who to call upon for a certain skill or expertise and they freely share resources with others. They understand the power of connections and they strive to create a network of people and resources that can be utilized to help others. Of course, they also know that networking in not a one way street and that the best way to obtain assistance is to offer help to others first.

Show appreciation:  My parents always stressed the importance of thanking people. We had to write thank you notes to our grandparents and others after receiving any gift. I have embraced this habit and always impress it upon job seekers. As I say, people always remember those who thanked them (and those that didn’t).

On that note, I would like to end with a message of gratitude. I thank my Mom and Dad for teaching me these important skills that I will never forget!   I hope these tips help you as you move forward in your career journey.