Most career planning experts believe that “career capital” is vital for success. Career capital refers to differentiated skills that are both rare and valuable, and usually involve creativity, impact, control, or autonomy. A great job requires that you can offer something of value. Factors that contribute to building career capital include:
- an attitude of “what can I offer the world and my company?”
- understanding what’s valuable in your career field by seeking varied expert opinions
- continuing to expand your skill set
- obtaining feedback to gain knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses
- setting priorities on what will benefit your career
- creating goals appropriate to your career stage
For additional information about developing career capital, go to
Discussion Questions
- Why are some people more successful in their careers than others?
- What factors might be used to measure career success?
- How might a person better prepare for future career success?
Teaching Suggestions
- Have students create a list of attitudes, behaviors, and skills that they believe are important for career success.
- Ask students to explain actions they are currently taking to enhance their future career success.
Melissa Hart
Focus on Personal Finance, 7e 