Every person undertaking any training has an objective of reaching at the top-most levels of their career. After training, people look for jobs and once they secure them, there is usually a period where they relax and seem to forget their former objective of furthering their career. As time goes by, every employee becomes career conscious. This may result from their environments and interaction with the people that they either work with or those that they attained the same levels of professional training and have gone heights above them in regard to their career and professional objectives.
At Wal-Mart supercenter, it is highly recognized that training and development is not a one-time event but an integral and continuous part of an employee or associate’s life. Each associate starts with an exhaustive personal orientation. This is usually a way of introduction to the culture, history and the practices of the organization (Phillips, P. 2003). It is also geared towards instilling a picture of the roles and responsibilities expected of the new recruit to the world’s leading retailer. After orientation, there are departmental specific detailed training and development programs that equip the person with the knowledge and skills to help achieve the success of the organization, stipulate their personal career paths and accomplish their most ambitious goals.
Every day, millions of customers and members troop to the Wal-Mart supercenter or Sam’s Club to make their lives better. This implies that at Wal-Mart, a person’s job is much more than selling product, it is about making better things possible. This is done through the good qualities of products offered and the good values practiced. Working in the stores is helpful in fulfilling this important and sizeable mission (Joseph, and Ang, 2012).
Career objectives
My objectives as a student is to obtain a position of a store keeper in a big retail outlet where I can maximize my procurement skills, quality assurance, record keeping skills, supply and reception and my training experience.
Skills and strengths
During my training and in my exposure to different situations and experiences with various sectors, I have gained the following skills and strengths.
- Communication skills
- Flexibility and adaptability.
- Quick learner
- Good listening skills.
- Leadership skills.
- Self motivation
- Working with others
- Creativity and innovation.
- Computer application skills
Areas in need of development
I have been greatly concerned and active about my personal development in regard to my career. In the past, I had attended trainings on store keepings and would wish to exercise the skills that I have already learnt. I am in stores now and love the work that I do there. But, I would like to develop into the whole procurement process.
Educational needs.
As a learner, I do like to keep up to the formal education standards, I would like to further my education to a bachelor’s degree and later on to the top most required level in relation to the stores department. I love education and intend to get the best out of my studies. I also need educational training on relevant computer software that deal with the stores and the procurement departments.
Work experience that I need.
I am interested in gaining work experience that would equip me with the required skills to handle stores with large volumes of stock. I would also wish to gain experience in a challenging environment that would allow me to deal with different challenging situations in relation to my career as a store keeper.
Where to find resources to help
The basic resource that can equip me with the required skills and experience is more education. With the current level of education that I have, I cannot accurately handle special stores like those in the health sector. Another useful resource is exposure. When I get exposed to several systems of storekeeping, I would develop my storekeeping skills better.
Plan for getting to my destination
I have set my goals in a specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely manner. My specific goal is to acquire a broad knowledge related to procurement. I will make this a reality by engaging myself in the fields that deal closely with the stores department.
Timeline for developing my skills
Time is a very important component of goal setting. As I set my goals, I ensured that I would go through the formal education system that will be appropriate as stipulated in the curriculum. I would also wish to get professional attachments in firms that would help develop my skills and further my career. As I plan to through this process, I would wish to allow myself a timeframe of between seven to ten years.
I would wish to develop my career at Wal-Mart and with ensuring that I put my best effort in achieving this dream, since I have found that this is a development conscious organization.
Reference:
Phillips, P. (2003). Traveling to Personal Growth: A Technophobic Texan's Adventure Abroad. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 70(2), 43-46.
Joseph, D. and Ang, S. (2012). The career paths less (or more) traveled: a sequence analysis of it career histories, mobility patterns, and career success. Mis quarterly, 36(2), 427-a4.
