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现今的职场可以为优秀的求职者提供众多机会。因而，求职者的职业决策很容易以当前所能得到的利益为导向，取决于能否获得更多的金钱、更高的职位，抑或是能否被委以更大的责任。然而有时候，某个职业发展环境虽然不能立马为你带来多少利益，却能够帮助你更好地实现比较宏伟、长远的职业目标。要想有一双准确识别的慧眼，你得知道什么对你来说是最重要的，什么样的职业环境能够为你的发展和能力带来最大价值，从而实现职业目标。幸运的是，我在职业生涯初期就对这两方面有了明确认识。

好的职业决策始于明确什么对自己而言最为重要

当我从加州大学洛杉矶分校的MBA项目毕业时，我的目标是在一家知名的快消公司从事市场营销管理。然而，我最后选择了去一家IT公司——王安电脑，担任管理培训生。比起其他的工作机会，这一工作的薪水要低25%以上。此外，我不是一进公司就能做销售，还要先和新雇佣的大学毕业生一起接受四次为期半个月的销售培训项目。我为什么会做出这样一个选择呢？

有两大原因：其一，是雇佣我的人是掌管国际市场（欧洲市场除外）的执行副总裁。我还有一个目标是接触大中华，而他刚好负责亚洲市场。尽管这位执行副总裁并未给我承诺什么，他告诉我如果我表现出色，未来有可能会被指派到亚洲工作。这是我那些其他机会所不能带给我的。

其二是源于执行副总裁王安这个人。他非常聪明，极具魅力，还风度翩翩。从他身上，我立刻就知道我能学到很多东西。比如说，他刚提到这个销售培训项目时，我毫无兴趣。但他紧接着就告诉我：“我看到了你的潜力，也知道你想做销售。但是你不了解我们的行业、竞争和产品，又如何能做好销售呢？我们为新员工准备的这个销售培训项目能让你以最快的速度学习到这些。一旦你培训结束，我就安排你做销售。”他的这番话于我而言很有意义，我就按他说的做了。后来正如他所说，我被指派到一个销售岗位，支持总部在亚洲的业务。

寻找能够在职业生涯初期加快自身发展的职业环境

王安电脑没能在最初就给我高头衔、高工资或是重大责任。但我知道我会在负责亚洲地区的执行副总裁办公室工作。在那里，我能够接触到更多公司的上层管理者。如果我表现优异，就可能得到一份海外工作的机会。幸运的是，这个机会真的降临到我身上了。

尤其在职业生涯初期，和那些值得你学习的杰出人士一起共事会加快职业发展的速度。近距离、更多地接触自己感兴趣的方面也会加速你的发展。对我而言，考虑到我的职业发展需求和目标，我选择的王安电脑就是最好的平台。我在加入公司15个月后，就被调到了王安电脑台北办事处。提到这一故事，我经常会称之为我作出的最佳职业决策。这就是我如何在20多年前来到中国并从此未曾离开的故事。

Are You Choosing Situations Today That Will 

Most Impact Your Success Tomorrow?

In a market that is able to provide good candidates with many opportunities, it’s easy for your career decisions to be highly oriented around and decided by what you can get today, whether that’s more money, a bigger title, or greater responsibilities. But sometimes, it’s a situation that may offer you less now that will allow you to better attain your bigger, longer term career goals. To recognize such situations though, you need to be in touch with what is most important to you, and what kind of situation can add the most value to your development and ability to achieve your career objectives. Early in my career, I was fortunate to have a good sense of these two things.

Good Career Decisions Begin With Knowing What’s Most Important To You

When I graduated from my MBA program at UCLA, my goal was to get a marketing management position in a leading FMCG company. Instead, however, I chose to join an IT company, Wang Computers, as a Management Trainee for a salary more than 25% less than my other offers. And rather than start in a marketing role, I had to first go through a 4 1/2 month sales training program with newly hired university graduates. Why did I make such a choice?

There were two big reasons. The first is that the person hiring me was the Executive VP in charge of International Markets (excluding Europe). My other goal was to get to Greater China, and he was responsible for the Asia market. While the EVP didn’t promise me anything, he told me if I could demonstrate my strong performance, then a future assignment in Asia was possible. None of my other opportunities offered me a similar chance.

The second was because of the EVP himself, Ed Yang. He was extremely smart, charismatic, and personable, and someone I instantly knew I could learn a lot from. For instance, when he mentioned the sales training program, I wasn’t interested at all. But then he told me, “Look, I see your potential and know you want to do marketing. But how are you going to perform such a role without knowing our industry, competition, or products? Our sales training for new hires is the fastest way for you to learn these things. Once you finish the training, then I can put you in a marketing role.” That made good sense to me, so I did it. Afterwards, just like he said, I was assigned a marketing position to support the company’s Asia operations from headquarters.

Seek Situations That Can Accelerate Your Development Early In Your Career

Wang Computers did not offer me the biggest title, highest salary, or most responsibilities at first. But I knew I’d be working in the office of the EVP responsible for Asia, where I’d get greater exposure top managers in the company. And if I performed well, then an overseas assignment was possible. Fortunately, that’s exactly what happened.

Especially earlier in your career, being around outstanding people you can learn from can accelerate your development. So is getting closer to and having greater access to what you’re interested in. In my case, the platform I chose at Wang was the best one for me given my career development needs and objectives. I always refer to this story as The Best Career Decision I Ever Made, since 15 months after joining the company I was transferred to Wang’s Taipei office. That’s how I arrived to China over 20 years ago, where I’ve been ever since.

（责任编辑：职场达人）