Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person whose primary goal and focus is to advance their own professional career, often prioritizing this advancement above other considerations, including personal integrity, ethics, or the well-being of colleagues.

Usage

• The term "careerist" is typically used in a critical or disapproving manner to describe someone perceived as overly ambitious, self-serving, and willing to compromise principles for professional gain.
• It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • He was seen as a ruthless careerist who would sabotage colleagues to get a promotion.
  • The company's culture changed, attracting careerists more interested in titles than in teamwork.

Advanced Usage

• "to be labeled a careerist": to be characterized or described by others as having the single-minded ambition of a careerist.
  • After she took credit for the team's work, she was labeled a careerist by her peers.
• The concept can be applied adjectivally in phrases like "careerist motives" or "careerist attitude," though the primary form is a noun.

Variants and Related Words

• Careerism (n): The practice of advancing one's career as a primary goal, often with the same negative connotations of self-interest.
  • The firm was plagued by a culture of careerism and internal competition.

Synonyms

• Opportunist: A person who exploits circumstances to gain immediate advantage, with less specific focus on long-term career progression.
• Self-seeker: A person who pursues their own interests, especially in an aggressive way.
• Social climber: A person who seeks to improve their social status, which can overlap with professional ambition.

Antonyms

• Team player: A person who prioritizes group cooperation and success over individual ambition.
• Idealist: A person guided by principles and ideals, often in contrast to pragmatic self-advancement.

Noun

1. a professional who is intent on furthering his or her career by any possible means and often at the expense of their own integrity