Po Bronsons What Should I Do With My Life

Po Bronsons What Should I Do With My Life Book Reviews Po Bronsons What Should I Do With My Life? By Natasha Stanley * A philosophical read, grounded in real-life stories, Po Bronson's book is one of a kind. But it may not be for everyone. Here's what Careershifters' Kimberley thought of it and her top take-aways. Po Bronson’s What Should I Do With My Life? is a collection of tales from career-changers around the world, interwoven with a memoir of the author’s own career change. Bronson believes that work gives meaning to a person’s life. He highlights how being in the wrong role can wreak havoc with your emotional well-being, and in a broad range of stories from people of all backgrounds (from healthcare to space aviation to forestry management), skilfully captures the related frustrations, lessons and consequences. For example, we learn how Heidi Olson's career was driven by being part of what was hot and newsworthy in society at the time. After a career spanning senior roles in investment banking, the art world and international development, Heidi landed a job in arguably the most newsworthy company of that decade: she was headhunted to rebuild Cantor Fitzgerald after so many of its employees were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. What Should I Do With My Life? reinforces the idea that there is no single right way to change career. The older we get in life, the more we realise we’re all just making it up as we go along. And that's OK. Bronson argues that it’s as much the process of finding work we love that brings fulfilment and self-awareness as the doing of the work itself. If you’re unhappy in your current role and considering a career change, this book will give you plenty of food for thought about your next steps. However, if you’re looking for a step-by-step guide to changing careers, be warned: Career Change for Dummies it is not! This is a book better suited to those of a philosophical temperament than those looking for practical guidance, as it poses as many questions as it answers. For me, what this book lacks is the ‘feel-good factor’. It’s true that the journey to a more fulfilling role is sometimes littered with troubles, but it can also be a blast and full of excitement, and that isn’t reflected here at all. However, it’s worth persevering with. Everything from managing a pay cut to handling your parents’ disappointment is covered here, and that makes this book really useful for anyone considering or in the early stages of a career change. Our Top Takeaways If you think changing careers isn’t a realistic goal, think again! As a distillation of over 900 interviews with people who have changed career, this book is testament to the fact that career change is both possible and achievable. However, there is a caveat: while it’s certainly possible, don’t expect changing career to be a walk in the park. In fact, “It’s not easy. It’s not supposed to be easy. Most people make mistakes. Most people have to learn the hardest lessons more than once.” Vocations are overrated. “Finding your calling is not ‘the answer.’ Callings are vehicles that help us let our real selves out.” Don’t despair if you’re in a job you hate but don’t know what you want to do, or if you’ve changed careers but still haven’t found your niche, because the job itself is not what matters. The issue is about being true to yourself. So if you follow your heart you will find peace with yourself, no matter what your job role. Dream jobs, like everything else in life, are not all they’re cracked up to be. Even the jobs we are best suited to â€" the jobs that most closely meet our ideal picture of professional lifeâ€"will have elements we struggle with. If you’re realistic about that from the start, and if you’re honest with yourself about what you can and cannot compromise on, you’ll be in for a much less bumpy ride. Having said that, don’t forget that the bumps are the things that test your mettle and ultimately make you a stronger and more fulfilled person. Embrace them!

Professional Blogging is All About ROI - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Professional Blogging is All About ROI - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Dont hesitate; just jump in there and do it! Every company is starting one.   If you dont do it, youre way behind the competition! I hear bloggers preach on and on about how professionals and companies need a blog.   Its the only way to get a job!   Its the only way to tap your market!   But, is this really the case?   Will a blog actually help you get a job in finance, medicine, or law? Will a blog help you reach a demographic of 40 60 year olds? A blog is a vitamin Look, just because everyone is doing it, it doesnt mean you have to as well.   Countless of my friends from UCLA have been promoted, made the jump from I-banking to private equity, and been laid off without having blogs.   I dont have a single friend in the management consulting or finance world that has a blog.   So, does this mean that blogging is useless outside of social media or journalism positions? Saying anything is useless is really taking it to the extreme.   I think that having a blog will only be beneficial to you if the blog is very industry centric. For example, if you want to be a management consultant, then a blog will only help you if you talk about business and strategy.   Furthermore, a blog will only count as a small boost to just beat out your close competition.   For example, if you have the same GPA, same experience, and same major as someone else, but you have a business blog and he doesnt, then yes, you might have that little edge that could potentially land you the job. I believe that a blog can land you a job in finance, medicine, or law.   Your blog just needs to be directly related to these fields. Companies suck at blogging Yes they do.   Even startups run by 20-somethings have blogs that are completely useless and a waste of time.   Sure, a blog can be anything you want it to be, but if youre a company, then I think the whole point behind blogging is to get people to read your material.   If no one is reading it and converting into clients, then you absolutely have no ROI. Let me say that again: Dont start a company blog just because everyone else is doing it!   You need to have ROI! With that said, what is the best way to get ROI from your blog? To be honest and cliche, it takes a lot of hard work or a lot of money.   It will take a lot of hard work because it takes 2-4 hours to write a quality blog post.   More importantly, you need to be able to write well and engage your audience.   This isnt something just anyone can do.   If youre like most companies and just copy and paste industry news or your PR newsletters, no one is going to give a hoot about your blog. It could take a lot of money because hiring a quality writer does take a lot of money.   I have written posts for companies before on a freelance basis, and I got paid $80 per article.   Now, I did spend 2 hours on the article (which means I only got paid $40/hour), but it was a 10 article contract which means that I made a smooth $800 for this one project.   That is just an example of how much you can expect to pay for a quality writer. Does blogging reach out to 40-60 year olds? Sure, there are some 40-60 year olds that are tech savvy.   And if the tech savvy 40-60 year old is your target demographic, then you better be engaging them through the blogosphere.   But to be perfectly honest, the majority of these people do not use the internet for social interaction.   Some lack the knowledge; most are too stubborn to use new technology. The best solution that I have found is to teach your customers and clients about blogging and twitter.   If you are the first one to teach them, then you will be the first company blog or twitter that they follow. If you are able to successfully introduce them to new technology, they will trust you that much more and will remain a loyal customer or client. Keep in mind this doesnt work 100% of the time and it will be very hard work as well.   But then again, isnt everything in life hard work? Author: Jun is the Founder and CMO of Viralogy, the platform that ranks all of the top blogs.   His personal blog, How to Succeed as a Young Entrepreneur, gives a real, unfiltered view of the Startup Life so that current and aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from his successes and mistakes.

How to Become an Engaged Leader Using Social Media

How to Become an Engaged Leader Using Social Media Should leaders be active on social media? And if so, how can they go about being engaged and social on digital platforms? We spoke to Charlene Li, founder of Altimeter Group, and author of The Engaged Leader to hear what she has to say. You can listen to the podcast interview on iTunes, Soundcloud or keep reading for a summary of our chat. Questions by me,  answers by Charlene. About Altimeter Group and  Charlenes Role: Altimeter Group is an analyst list firm that I started back in 2008 after being at Forrester for many years, almost a decade. And we conduct research on the biggest disruptive trends that are hitting organisations. So everything from social, to digital, to Internet of Things, content, analytics, big data, big hairy problems that require holistic ways to think about them because these types of disruptions arent limited to a single industry or even a function inside an organisation. And recently we were acquired by a company called Prophet, a brand strategy and consulting firm thats based in San Francisco, but with offices all around the world. So now, we have the capabilities of being able to put our research into practice which is a fantastic way, again, to feed our research too. Why leaders need to master a new way of developing relationships: Networking has gone digital: Well, I think business has changed in a  way, in particular, the ways  we form relationships have  changed. And the fact that business is global, you have larger organisations working remotely oftentimes. Being a leader is no longer about walking around, looking people in eye, shaking their hands and saying, Are we good? in a face-to-face way. So leadership has had to evolve in ways that are in keeping with this digital era. The standards of leadership that people are inspired, to be led by the leaders still remains the same, but the way we develop and nurture and deepen those relationships has changed because of these digital tools. And I think a lot of the practices around leadership havent taken that into account. How social media can help you  enhance  company culture: Allows employees to show personality:  I think more than anything else, it allows for differences to be surfaced. It allows us to bring our full selves into the organisation. Theres a saying oftentimes in diversity circles, its a question of how much do you check at the door? Its not even a question of what do you check yourself at the door. Everybody checks a piece of themselves at the door. Encourages openness: And I think the opportunity is now with more social, more human workplaces is that we bring more of our full selves to work. And that means I can exhibit my sense of humour, my political points of views, my religious point of views. All of these different parts that make me, and bring perspective into my work, and the contributions I can make are appreciated. The benefit of diversity  for organisations: Understand different markets: I think diversity in all spirit, formats, age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic background helps you understand different types of thinking. And the reality is we serve a very diverse set of customers typically. We tend to not just sell to people who are like ourselves, either in B2C or B2B. And so having diverse people, first of all, helps you think about people different than you so that you can avoid groupthink. Different ways of thinking: But then its also having different ways of thinking help you approach a tough nutty problem, which is what these disruptions cause, in a new and interesting and different way. So I think the sooner you can get diversity into your organisation, and I think about diversity in backgrounds but also ways in the thinking. Its hard though because its a lot more comfortable to be around people who are like yourself, but you have a much richer organisation and richer strategy and culture if you have differences. A  step by step guide to becoming an  engaged leader: I think engagement is something that every leader aspires to. Its like Im engaged, Im involved. People feel like I know about them and I care about them. So the difference is that in the digital space, there are three things, three skills, I believe. 1. Listen at scale First of all, you can listen at scale now. Instead of just listening to people one on one, you can listen to pretty much everybody, all of your employees, and your customers, and partners in the ecosystem. And I think the thing here is not to get overwhelmed by trying to listen to everything, but to listen to the people and the voices and their topics that are going to help you make the best decisions, the most important decisions that are important to you as a leader. What I realise with leaders, its not an absolute that you listen to everything or do everything. Its about your top leadership objectives. And every successful leader knows exactly what they need to accomplish and have their organisation accomplish, their teams accomplish. So listening with a purpose is what I really recommend. 2. Share to shape The second thing, you have so many different opportunities to share your own thoughts. And communication is a key part of being a leader. And so this is sharing in order to shape that relationship between the leader and the followers. I think curation is always a great place to start, but at some point, we want to hear from the leader, well, what are you thinking about? People will spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out, what does our leader want? What are they thinking? Well, just spell that concern and tell them exactly whats going on. 3. Engage to transform And the third part is engagement at a totally different level. And youre engaging now with the purpose of transforming that relationship. I will use David Thodey  of  Telstra as an example. One of the first things he did as the new CEO was to go onto their instance of Yammer and post a question that said, Please post your top 10 wasteful processes and procedures and well either get rid of them or explain why were keeping them. And 700 responses came within the first hour. Thats a lot of pent up demand. @jasonsbradshaw @Telstra not sure what the problem isI will ask the team to check if there are any problems David Thodey (@davidthodey) December 17, 2014 And to his credit, to his executive teams credit, they didnt go off into a room. They came back into that post and started engaging people like, Oh, yeah, thats a really good point. Thats a good one to get rid off, or This is exactly why were doing it. And they did this inside of that channel. And it made the point now that were going to be taking our relationship as leaders, as executives in this organisation, and were turning this around. It was that engagement, that willingness to listen and share, but most importantly to engage people at this level, and with that level of transparency that really started building trust with employees, that frankly, it wasnt there before. Common mistakes  leaders make  on social: No interaction: I think for them to think that it is a place where they can broadcast, and all they have to do is just put out what they would normally put out in an email and then walk away. Relying on others:  Where they feel like its somebody elses job, its marketings job, or its internal communications job. Its not my job to go out there and actually post something and engage with people. Its somebody elses job, right? Not putting themselves on the line: And I think, no, no, this is not again just a place where you put up pre-defined and pre-scripted memos. This is a place where you bring yourself as a leader. And put yourself out there a little bit on the line. Every time you go out there and step outside of your office and engage with people in real life, youre putting yourself on the line, and this is no different. Daily habits leaders should adopt for digital and social: Listen every day:  Listen to what people are saying. If its your Twitter account what are the notifications, what mentions are people pinging you about. What are people saying? So if you set up your listening policy in a good way then it should be pretty easy to listen. Follow people  you care about: So for example, I have set up my Twitter account to follow about 400 people and these are 400 people I care about, the brands, or their clients, or theyre just people I have come to see are very helpful to me in understanding whats going on.  So I use my Twitter stream very strategically and Im constantly culling and adding new people and deleting other people. Its the best way, I have set it up. Other people may want to have news alerts set up. It could be around topics, it could be anything but find ways to spend 15 minutes. Check social media on your break: What David Thodey at Telstra does and its what quite a few other people do. They just pick up their iPad or their phone and when theyre at a break or over coffee, they just kind of spend through and see what the leading discussions are inside of their internal social network. But its building that habit so that listening becomes a foundation of everything that you do as an engaged leader. Charlenes Social Experience: Twitter LinkedIn: I am pretty active on Twitter not to the extent that some people would say. I might go for weeks sometimes without doing a single tweet and then I might go to a conference and put out 20 tweets. The other thing, I use quite frequently is LinkedIn. Blogging: What I have found is blogging, I go hot and cold depending on the phase of what Im working on.  If I have a lot of ideas, Ill be sharing that pretty frequently. Other times, when Im more on execution mode of the ideas. So recently, between the acquisition and other things, I have not been blogging, Ive been more doing op-eds on other sources, doing podcasts for example, to get the ideas of the book out. So I flex, I go back and forth. Share interesting content: But more than anything else, Ive always been focused on making sure that the content I create is helpful to people. It has never been about getting more influencers or more followers or getting a response. It is always keeping in mind who my audience is and how I can develop a better relationship to help them and to make sure that the things that I do have impact and are pragmatic and offer value.

How To Get Health Insurance For The First Time

How To Get Health Insurance For The First Time When you’re finally out of the college bubble and just starting out in the job world, one of the biggest shocks is the cost of living. If you have been on your parent’s health insurance policy your whole life and must now figure out how to cover those costs on your own, the process can be more than daunting. It can also be difficult to find the best plan to cover your specific health needs when faced with so many options. But, the trick is to go about it with focus and knowledge of exactly what you need. Here are some tips to get started: 1. Determine your most pressing health needs It really doesn’t matter what insurance provider you go with or how much (or little) you pay for your monthly premium; if you don’t have insurance that you’re going to be able to use for the things you need most, you will be wasting money. If you have a pressing health concern or a precondition, make sure to tailor your plan around those needs and make sure you find a plan that will cover them. 2. Consider your employer’s health care first If you have the opportunity to go with a company-provided health care plan, it is almost always the best way to go financially. Employers will often cover a part of your monthly insurance premiums and can buy policies in bulk by forming relationships with one insurance provider. This allows employees to get health care benefits for less than what they would pay individually. If you are trying to decide between multiple plans provided by your employer’s health care company, it is best to speak with HR and contact the insurance company directly to get more details and clear up hesitations. 3. Take the time to shop around This may seem obvious, but that’s only because it’s true. Finding the perfect insurance policy is enormously time-consuming, and trying to get any sort of usable information about what types of things will be covered from insurance company representatives can feel like pulling teeth. However, the worst thing you can possibly do is give up before you’ve examined all your options. Don’t simply call two companies and go with the provider that seems better, take a look at four or five different companies and see what they can offer. 4. Don’t go for just the lowest monthly rate It’s always tempting to just go with the insurance policy that will set you back the least every month when it comes time to pay your premium. However, the whole point of getting insurance is to pay money monthly in order to cover yourself from possible financial loss. If you have a policy with a super cheap premium, but that only covers absolute emergencies, or doesn’t cover routine check-ups, you will lose money every time you go to the doctor. Look for policies that cover all or most of regular doctor visits, common medical procedures, and medication. And make sure you have a policy with a deductible that won’t send you into major debt in the event of an emergency. What do you wish you would have known when you had to get health insurance for the first time? Todays post is written by Susan who is a freelance blogger who enjoys writing about automotive and health news, technology, lifestyle and personal finance and she provides consumers with access to a  insurance quote guide.

Is Lying on Resume Reddit Advice Helpful?

Is Lying on Resume Reddit Advice Helpful?You've probably seen someone who has earned a promotion to the head of the department through Reddit posting in their LinkedIn profile about their new position and claiming they started at the lowest salary on their resume. It's sad, but it's also understandable given that most resume writers aren't trained in what an applicant can expect to earn at each job level, and how long an employee will remain in a job.However, employers may be put off by such lies, especially if they see them often and/or repeatedly on the job listing page, or on another employment page. There is nothing illegal about posting false information on a resume, as long as it's done correctly, but if you post untrue statements regularly, it will draw unwanted attention to yourself, which may deter potential employers from hiring you. It's important that you are honest with yourself and honest with the people you approach for a job, whether you're posting or not.To avoid thi s problem, make sure you know what the job description of the company you're applying for is before you post your resume; if the person you're applying for doesn't have a job description, don't lie about it! Even if you haven't been hired yet, it's better to let them know what you have been told so far and see if there's room for negotiation than to get on the phone as soon as you find out you may have been passed over.You should also be open to having your resume revised if you are contacted about it or you are contacted by the employer. Don't lie to them or say something 'better' than what the job description states. The truth is, employers want to hire and retain talented employees and are willing to pay for it. The only thing they don't want to pay for is a dishonest, unprofessional employee.You can always take your time to fill out the online application service's questionnaire, but be honest and put your best foot forward. With experience, you'll start to hone your communicati on skills, develop rapport with the hiring of staff, and you'll be more prepared for whatever comes your way.Never use a 'signature line' when you've never used it before at work. You don't want to be accused of faking your qualifications, so make sure your signature line looks sincere and expresses your personal experience in the position you're applying for. Be real and treat your resume as it was written, not as a marketing strategy.Make sure you're able to show the hiring manager that you're a team player, both as a leader and as an employee. Give them a reason to hire you and not just an email address or picture in a picture. You need to demonstrate the qualities employers are looking for, not just the ones you think they want.Always double check your resume before sending it out. If it has any errors or omissions, you need to fix them immediately. These types of mistakes make employers distrustful of a resume, and they won't hire you, no matter how much money you're offering.

Its Never Too Late to Follow Your Dreams

Its Never Too Late to Follow Your Dreams Have you ever felt uninspired? Have you ever thought about passion and purpose only to feel as if you dont really have much of either? If so, you are definitely not alone. Many of my clients come to me for help uncovering their true aspirations. (To read my article on Finding Your Purpose, click here.)The key is to recognize that 1) you DEFINITELY do have passion and purpose. It may only be a a little burning pilot light but deep within you there is a knowing of who you are and what youre in this life to become. And 2) sometimes you need a spark to fan that flame into a beautiful, blazing fire.For me that pilot light was burning for my desire to sing. I love helping people with careers but part of me always dreamt of being a singer. I never thought it was something I could make a living at so I didnt sing at all. Until recently.About 2 years ago, a colleague was coaching me about writing and said, You should take a writing class. Immediately a thought sprang to mind from deep within, If youre going to take a writing class, you have to take a singing class FIRST. You want to be a singer not a writer. It was an epiphany!I immediately started surfing the web to find a singing coach but there were so many options, I didnt know which to choose. I emailed a contact I had met at SIRIUS XM who was a career opera singer for recommendations. Coincidentally, she gave voice lessons and also needed some career coaching, so we set up a barter.It was as if my little pilot light of a dream had sparked into a flame! I started taking lessons and after about a year and a half of building my skills and confidence, I was ready for my first cabaret show. That was last July. To see a clip, click here.That show was one of the scariest and most rewarding things Ive ever done. Im also convinced it sparked many other great opportunities in my career. After my first cabaret show I was asked to do more career talk radio on SIRIUS XM. To tune into for free to my weekly radio show, click her e. And after my second show in October of last year, I was asked to make my first appearance on CNN as a career expert. To see a clip, click here.Now this coming Saturday, April 25th from 4-5pm Im putting on my Follow Your Dreams cabaret once again. Ive been blessed with a fabulous trio of musicians trained at none other than Juilliard! All the songs I sing have an inspirational message and you even get the chance to think about and share your own dreams as part of the show.I recently saw an off-Broadway show on the life of the first lady of song Ella Fitzgerald. Seeing that show inspired me and fanned the flames even more. Its my hope that if youre in need of a little inspiration, that youll join me next Saturday at Dont Tell Mama in NYC from 4-5pm. Life dont mean a thing if it aint got that swing!

7 Tips to Becoming a Business Ghostwriter - CareerAlley

7 Tips to Becoming a Business Ghostwriter - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The ghostwriting niche is an especially lucrative one. Look into business ghostwriting and thats where youll find most of the money. Companies will spend thousands of dollars just to find the right business ghostwriter for them. They are desperate to put out a publication that meets their high standards. If you want to be an expert in this niche, follow these seven tips. Understand the Industry Understand that there are some big differences between business ghostwriting and every other form of ghostwriting. Just like there is a difference between ghostwriting and co-writing. For a start, you are working for a company not an individual. Secondly, you are likely writing a book exclusively to meet the needs of a highly targeted audience. Your writing must be tighter and your level of professionalism higher than it ever has before. To this end, you should market yourself only in the areas where you are knowledgeable. You may have marketed yourself as a jack of all trades as a freelance writer, but a lack of expertise and experience will show through during a business ghostwriting interview. Think about what you are good at and what you could bring to a business. Pick a Niche Within a Niche Every business ghostwriter will have strengths and weaknesses. Since business is so diverse, you have to pick a niche and settle on it. You cant create publications for both a bank and a small modern art business, for example. The needs are so different that it would not only be hard to market yourself, but actually meeting the needs of both audiences is more hassle than its worth. Have Your References in Check When a company is spending so much of its budget on one thing, you need references ready to go. While the budding author will likely have few problems working alongside a new or inexperienced ghostwriter, companies go through a strict auditing process. Form a Schedule This may not be a problem for you, but if you are the sort of writer who likes to work as the crow flies you can forget about it. A schedule is essential for success in business ghostwriting. You will be expected to produce regular progress reports and hold meetings with various project managers. There are many tools for making up schedules. You can find these for desktops, smartphones, or you can stick to a paper calendar sitting above your desk. Just remember that you wont always have the freedom to dictate your schedule. Most companies do work with writers to find a mutually convenient time for meetings and deadlines, but the chances are there is going to be some compromise. Become a Better Professional Even though you might work at home in your pajamas, this isnt going to fly during the Skype call with the marketing team. You may be a freelancer, but you will be expected to meet their expectations when it comes to professionalism. This is where you need discipline and willingness to compromise on the way you work. Meet Tighter Deadlines Everyone knows that the most successful ghostwriters are able to meet tight deadlines. Its not uncommon to start a project and have to meet an objective to release a milestone payment, for example. Business ghostwriters need to train themselves to stick to tighter deadlines. The way many writers maximize their incomes in the business ghostwriting world is to obtain performance-related bonuses. Bonuses are usually awarded based on a writers ability to meet specific deadlines. This is where a big portion of their income comes from. Can you work with the discipline needed to stick to these tight deadlines? Have the Time Business ghostwriting is a steadily growing industry because organizations are only just realizing the value a ghostwritten publication can hold. Writers are realizing that becoming a business ghostwriter is lucrative too. Companies are finding they have to deal with an increasing number of potential ghostwriters. This is why the interview process is continuing to get longer and becoming cutthroat. To maximize your chances of landing that initial crucial gig, we recommend sticking to conventional ghostwriting and using the rest of your time to work on transitioning into the business ghostwriting world. This will take time, but once you get a foothold theres nothing to stop you from making an impression on the industry of today and tomorrow. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Visit Joeys profile on Pinterest. Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search