Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Two Excellent Books on Finding a Great Job

How to Get Any Job                                        
(Or how to avoid living in your parent’s basement)
Life Launch and Re-launch for Everyone Under 30

By Donald Asher

“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Confucius.

This is an excellent book with much wisdom, knowledge and advice about how to find just the right job for you. The book details a plan to help you discover your interests and talents. Implementing this plan will take time and thought on the part of the student/young person but will save you from many mistakes and from landing in a dead end job that doesn’t fit you.



Part 1 will teach you to examine employment interests and develop a plan for your life.

Part 2 takes this further in helping you explore your interests in “the real world.”

Part 3 will teach you how to get a job.

Throughout the book there are case studies that flesh out the issues being taught. These are very helpful. Any student who is uncertain about his/her career direction should study this book and follow every suggestion in order to discover the type of career that will best suit you. Do the homework first and you will be able to find what you want and will be ready to do well in job interviews.

In the last chapter on the job Interview Asher explains much about the hidden job market – how many jobs are filled from within or from a friend of a friend. And many jobs are filled with a persistent job searcher who doesn’t take no for answer.

To whet your appetite a bit here are some interesting thoughts from the book:
  • Prior generations needed to find 9 jobs between college and retirement. Asher believes the current generation will need to find 20-30 jobs!  Pg 4
  • 40-60% of CEOs are liberal arts majors. pg 7
  • Don’t compound a poor choice of major with a poor career choice. Pg 8
  • You will be fired through no fault of your own. Pg 14 
A little failure is part of every successful life. Walt Disney’s first cartoon production company went bankrupt. Elvis Presley got a C in high school music, and his teacher told him he couldn’t sing. Edgar Allen Poe was expelled from college. Einstein dropped out of school without finishing his degree.” 133

I highly recommend this book.

What Color is My Parachute? 
A Practical Manual for Job Hunters and Career Changers

By Richard Bolles

What Color is My Parachute is another excellent  book for job seekers. It is updated frequently so the information will fit today’s job market.The author, Richard Bolles, asks what is your purpose in life? Most of us think we’ll be happy at work if we make good money and are valued for what we do. 

Bolles says that’s not enough. He says that the happiest people at work are those who have discovered their mission in life. They have found a way to use their skills and abilities to earn a living and to also make a difference in some small part of the world. He will tell you how to find your mission and thus how to find a job that will do more than just give you financial support. While we think we’re in control of our lives, we never really are - but God is.  Pray for guidance about his plan for you.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17

Blessings, Dottie



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