9781422276709

heavily on those who have the know-how to handle basic computer programs and swiftly navigate the Internet and other information resources to help coworkers and customers alike. As many businesses seek to expand their customer base, many are investing heavily in developing an online presence that requires considerable staff support from the fields of ship- ping and receiving, telemarketing, and customer service. Retail, however, isn’t the only field that’s seen its job description change with the times. The traditional secretary or administra- tive assistant who once took dictation or wrote letters for much of the day is now frequently asked to perform research tasks and act as a library of information on how to use the latest office technology. Some professions allow for growth by the awarding of designations for completing courses or successfully taking exams. Secretaries, for example, can start on a path to becoming a certified administrative professional. For every step you take to learn while you’re on the job, you become a more attractive candidate for getting promoted up the ladder. Although special- ized courses are available in many of the fields we’ll discuss in the book, there’s no need to put your life on hold. In many cases, all the training you’ll need is often provided while you’re on the job. This training could include learning a bank’s operating system or code of conduct for bank tell- ers, or it could include going through a one-week telemarketing training program that helps employees learn various sales techniques. On the other hand, it could be just a brief store or product overview from a store manager before you hit the sales floor as a retail associate. While the job descriptions will vary, workers in retail, sales, and finance all share one com- mon goal: managing information. Depending on the job title, your job is to keep track of the information that’s vital to the functioning of your business. Whether it’s people or products, a large part of many of these jobs requires organizational skills that will allow you to retrieve information and redirect it to customers or coworkers at a moment’s notice. Although important, retrieval of information is rarely a matter of life and death in the business world. However, it very well could be in the profession of dispatcher. Although dispatchers can be vital for the commercial success of delivery, repair, or taxi companies, or even your local transit authority, dispatchers engaged in the exciting field of public safety (po- lice, fire, ambulance) have to keep track of the whereabouts of their departments’ vehicles at all times so they can quickly answer calls for help from the general public that may truly be a matter of life and death. As much as it’s important to underscore what you’re doing from day to day, how you do your job may be just as important in determining your career success. Whether you’re work- ing behind the counter of a bank, in a call center station, on the floor of a retail department

Introduction  •

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