Do You Have a Job or a Career?
To elevate our industry, we must think long term, seek out opportunities, continue learning and mentor others. By Hamlet Vazquez, MCAM-HR
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Vision Summer 2021 | cacm.org
Association management is probably the best unheard-of career out there. There are many good reasons for becoming an association manager, and as an industry, we are at a tipping point. We saw our industry elevated during the pandemic to an essential status. And now CACM is working with Cal State Fullerton not just to recruit recent graduates but to offer industry-specific classes at the college level. Our industry and the public’s perception of community management is evolving. But in order for the industry to fully evolve, we must evolve with it. The industry will only be elevated if we as industry professionals elevate it from a run-of-the-mill job to a fulfilling career. It’s important for you to assess whether you view your current employment as a job or as a career. The difference is not as subtle as it might seem. The difference comes down to three things: Mindset, opportunities and training. First of all, your mindset. When you think about your current employment, do you think about long-term goals? If so, then you have a career. If you don’t have long-term goals within your current employment, then you simply have a job. Please note that there’s nothing necessarily wrong with ‘simply’ having a job. For some of us, the job is just a means to an end – taking a dream vacation, eating a delicious meal, or simply paying the bills. But it
