经营职业生涯需要着眼长远，这个道理虽然简单，但在指导他人如何做好职业选择时，我总是首先就告诉他们这个基本概念。我之所以这么强调它，是因为我见过太多候选人在选择公司或工作时，目光短浅而不考虑这份工作能为他们整个职业生涯提供怎样的价值。

很多人每1-2年就换一次工作，但几年后却发现自己的背景无法再吸引雇主。很多人选择工作或公司时只考量薪水，但之后才发现，之前的经历根本无法积累能够帮助他们抓住更好机会的经验和技能。亦或有些人即便受困于自己根本不喜欢、不关心的工作，却因缺乏竞争力而不得不继续面对。

为了避免以上情况，请记住：今天做的每一个选择，都会影响到你将来目标的达成。你加入某个行业、公司或职位的决定，会关系到你是否喜欢自己的工作，是否在工作中能有所成就，以及你的整个职业生涯和生活将有怎样的改变。所以在考虑重大的职业决定时，问问自己，“这个机会/环境能让我更接近最终的职业目标吗？”

成功的公司在做重大商业决策时，都会考虑公司短期、中期和长期的目标。我们做重大职业选择时也应如此。虽然我们可能会更关注“当下”的现实需求，但“未来”也是需要考虑的现实因素。

幸运的是，随着很多公司和行业持续不断地扩张，在中国“未来”会来得很快。在美国那样的成熟市场，“中期”通常指现在往后的4-5年，在中国可能只是2-3年。“长期”在其他地区可能指现在往后的8-10年，中国只要4-5年。一个很好的证明，我发现中国很多高级管理层都很年轻，和其他市场相比，通常要年轻4-5岁。

Your Career Lasts A Long Time

Although it’s a simple concept, when coaching others on making good career decisions, this is the very first, most basic thing I tell them. I emphasize it because I come across too many candidates who join companies or take positions with just the short-term in mind, and without considering the future value that a situation today will offer them.

Many end up changing jobs every 1-2 years only to find out after a few years that they’re backgrounds are no longer attractive to employers. Many choose positions or companies because they offer the most money, but later realize they aren’t building the skills or experience that will help them capture better opportunities later on. Or they end up feeling trapped or frustrated in a situation they don’t enjoy or care aboutmuch, but still face many more years of doing.

To avoid such situations, remember that every choice you make today impacts your ability to reach your future objectives. Your decisions to enter an industry, join a company, or take a position can determine whether you’ll enjoy your work, how successful you’ll beat your job, and how many aspects of your career and life will turn out. So when considering a big career decision, ask yourself, “Does this opportunity/situation bring me any closer to my overall career objectives?” 

Successful companies approach key business decisions by considering their short-, mid-, and long-term objectives.So should you when making key career decisions. While it’s natural to pay more attention to your immediate needs, concerns, and realities, the future is alsoa reality that you need to consider as well.

The fortunate thing is that with the continuous expansion of so many companies and industries, the future comes very fast in China. So whereas the mid-term usually means 4-5 years from now in mature markets like the US, it’s more like 2-3 years here. And while the long-term may mean 8-10 years from now elsewhere, it’s closer to 4-5 yearshere. As proof, just notice the relatively young ages of those in many senior management roles in China, which are often 4-5 years younger than in other markets.