Tarzan hardly looked like the King of the Apes when he arrived at his treetop home late one evening.

His mate, Jane, was dismayed to see him limp through the front door, a look of exhaustion clouding his handsome face, his loincloth in tatters.

"Tarzan, you look bushed," she said. "Did you have a bad day at work, dear?"

Wearily shaking his head as he accepted the cup of fermented coconut juice she offered, he murmured, "I tell you, dear, it is a jungle out there. There're wild beasts behind every bush."

We can sympathize with Tarzan because there are "animals" that bear careful watching in the veritable jungles where work to earn career success

Career Counseling: Beasts Lurk On The Career Path

Let's consider some of the beasts that ready to pounce on the career path.

Beware of monkeys, men or women who are always smiling; those who have a joke or wisecrack to make in every situation; court jesters who cavort about to attractive attention.

Be vigilant around the person who is both ignorant and arrogant. There is no more dangerous "animal" in the jungle. This beast combines the worst of both worlds. If he is ignorant, he doesn't recognize he suffers from arrogance. If he is arrogant, he doesn't recognize he is ignorant. He is a loose cannon, thrashing around disrupting and destroying career plans.

Be leery of the person who is at the church every time the doors open. This is the beast that is constantly proclaiming his virtues, assuring the world that he always acts on the highest moral principles. There is something awry with the beast who constantly parades his piety.

Beware of the person who always agrees with you. He is either so weak that he doesn't have a mind of his own or he is dishonest, at least part of the time. Be equally cautious around the person who praises you profusely and too often.

When you have an item to sell, never trust the person who says, "I really don't have any need for the thing-of-a-jig, but I will take it off your hands just to help you out."

Don't lower your guard around the person who says, "I am just a country boy. You can trust me."

Be wary of the gazelles; don't depend on them. They are those nimble, swift-of-foot "animals" that seem to move with effortless grace from one spot to another. They are sights to be admired when they volunteer for every prominent assignment. They claim the credit for launching the project; but before it is completed, they leap to another assignment, leaving behind the work in the trenches. Never mind if the project fails, they are on to another place in the spotlight, dazzling one and all with their footwork. They are almost impossible to pin down.

Tread lightly around alligators.They show up at meetings and sit there with their eyes half-closed, their teeth bared, appearing to be asleep. But they can rouse suddenly for no apparent cause and chew your plans to shreds. Then they slink out of sight when it's time to get to work.

Look out for the wise owls, those persons who have immediate answers for every question and insists that they are the only viable solutions.

Steer clear of peacocks that strut about, displaying their colorful fan of feathers, leaving the work to the plain birds.

Job Advice: Odds are you will encounter some of these troublesome beasts as you move toward your career goals. Keep them on your radar screen so you can avoid them...or tame them.