Mkt 216

Professional Knowledge and Abilities Paper

Ken Martin

University of Phoenix GEN/200

February 18, 2010

Professional Knowledge and Abilities Paper

Throughout school, students hear how important an education is and how it will shape a career path. I can remember when I was younger; questioning this theory and wondering how someone could know at this time, which career path I’ll take when I’m an adult. Well, now going into my 20th year as a working professional, can certainly attest that the skills you learn in school will directly play a part in ones success. There have been times in my career, in which I have come to a point that I can no longer advance. I have done well and gained valuable experience, but my lack of skills and inability to understand what kind of learner I am has impacted both my career and confidence among my peers.

College teaches one to understand the learning skills so that you can use them at the workplace. For example, understanding how to set and obtaining goals in college will help in your career to develop a path or routine used to accomplish important work tasks and achieve job goals. Learning how to properly write an essay or research paper, will help you your career to write an effective business proposal. While building these core set of skills is crucial, it is also important to stay motivated and continue to learn new skills even after college.

One of the ways you can continue to learn is to join a professional organization in your field of study or at your workplace. For example, I work as a sales consultant for a privately owned health care technology company that develops and markets software to hospitals and have joined a group called Hospital & Healthcare IT & Clinical Analysts in Healthcare IT World. This is mainly a group of working professionals in the healthcare information technology field that discuss market activity, new trends, best practices,...