Your level of formal training affects financial success. Exhibit 2–1 shows
the influence of education on income. The statistics in this exhibit do not
mean you will automatically earn a certain amount because you have a
college degree. More education increases your potential earning power
and reduces your chances of being unemployed. Other factors, such as
field of study and the job market, also influence future income.
In addition to formal career training, successful managers, employers,
and career counselors stress the importance of traits adaptable to varied
work situations. While some of these traits can be acquired in school, others
require experiences in other situations. The competencies that successful
people commonly possess include
• An ability to work well with others in a variety of settings.
• A desire to do tasks better than they have to be done.