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	<title>CAREERBRIGHT &#187; Book Reviews</title>
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	<link>http://careerbright.com</link>
	<description>Illuminate your Career</description>
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		<title>Employees First Customer Second Turning Conventional Management Upside Down &#8212; A book review</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/employees-first-customer-second</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/employees-first-customer-second#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:36:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Second (EFCS)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customers Second: Turning Conventional Management Upside Down]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[develop and train employees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employee First]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employees First]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employees First Customer Second – Turning Conventional Management Upside Down -- A book review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trust between employees and managers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vineet Nayar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vineet Nayar is the CEO of HCL Technologies]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;Employees are the heart and soul of every company. Vineet Nayar&#8217;s book tells the story of how management can step out of the way to let employees lead&#8211; and to let engagement and productivity soar.&#8221; &#8211;Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com With personal experiences and insightful leadership approach, Vineet Nayar puts forward a well tested and new [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/employees-first-customer-second" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><strong><em>&#8220;Employees are the heart and soul of every company. Vineet Nayar&#8217;s book tells the story of how management can step out of the way to let employees lead&#8211; and to let engagement and productivity soar.&#8221; &#8211;Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/EFCS-VINEET-NAYAR.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1207" title="EFCS-VINEET-NAYAR" src="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/EFCS-VINEET-NAYAR.jpg" alt="" width="132" height="200" /></a>With personal experiences and insightful leadership approach, Vineet Nayar puts forward a well tested and new management mantra for the world to see and follow – <strong>Employees First, Customer Second</strong>. It certainly is not a radically new concept – employees have always been the main and best asset of a company but how many organizations actually respect and most importantly implement this concept in totality? Of the thousands of large and mid size companies I can think of only a few. A company culture that fosters and strives to develop and train employees as well as clarifying the overall vision of the organization has helped HCL rise like a phoenix above all odds in the last few years to become one of the top runners in the IT industry in India and the world. It was not so long before when the employee motivation and enthusiasm was at the bottom rungs, but through careful analysis and a change in the management style, Vineet Nayar, the CEO of HCL Technologies Ltd., has been able to turn around the graphs from negative to a solid positive for his company and has made <strong>Employee First, Customer Second (EFCS)</strong> not only a catch phrase but a model to follow. And that is what the book is about – an inspiration to the managers, a wakeup call for the HR to model open employee appraisals and a motivating read for any entrepreneur who in future will or has employees to nurture.</p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="480" height="385" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/O_RQNtho0Lg&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/O_RQNtho0Lg&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p><strong>The EFCS model is based on 5 main tenets:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Accepting imperfections as catalysts for transformation</li>
<li>Seeding trust by stretching the envelope of transparency</li>
<li>Reversing accountability by bringing the bottom to the top</li>
<li>Decentralizing decision-making</li>
<li>Collaborating to create value</li>
</ol>
<p>Through this philosophy Vineet Nayar has been able to achieve transparency and accountability within the organization, two very important attributes most valued by the employees. Through such a culture employees find motivation and pride in working for the company and of course quality work and loyalty follows.</p>
<p>The book takes us through some examples and experiences on how their <strong>smart service desk, transparency in performance reviews, interactive meetings, career planning and development initiatives, reward and recognition portal, face to face interaction with the customers</strong> and <strong>effective feedback process </strong>has resulted in satisfied employees and an increase in revenue for the company.</p>
<p><strong><em> Employees First, Customers Second: Turning Conventional Management Upside Down</em></strong> not only depicts the journey of HCL from the slowdown days to the fresh new achievement of being the forerunner in the IT industry it is also a brilliant leadership manual for those who wish to learn from others’ experience and implement what has been well tested and liked by employees. After all, it is tough to find, motivate and retain good employees; so developing and taking good care of the best asset of your company should always be a priority.</p>
<p>Find this book at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Employees-First-Customers-Second-Conventional/dp/1422139069" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</p>
<p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="480" height="385" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jk8ahiwYMIs&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jk8ahiwYMIs&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>About the author</strong>: <strong><em>Vineet Nayar</em></strong> is the CEO of HCL Technologies Ltd., India’s leading global IT Services Company. Fortune magazine called his leadership style The World’s Most Modern Management and the London Business School cites him the leader of organizational innovation.</p></blockquote>
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		<title>Life is What you Make it – A book review</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/life-is-what-you-make-it-%e2%80%93-a-book-review</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/life-is-what-you-make-it-%e2%80%93-a-book-review#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 May 2010 17:06:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[book review of life is what you make of it]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Find your own path to fulfillment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life is What you Make of it]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[living the life to the fullest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luck]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[patience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Peter Buffett]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[taking on the reins of your destiny]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The true path to success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[timing of the luck happening to us]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trust and how we use our time]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://careerbright.com/?p=1178</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“I’d like to define vocation as the tug we feel toward the life that is right for us, the life that is truly our own.” – Peter Buffett, Life Is What You Make It The first thoughts I had when holding a book written by Peter Buffet (yes, the son of the billionaire investor Warren [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/life-is-what-you-make-it-%e2%80%93-a-book-review" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><strong><a href="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/peterbuffett.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1179" title="peterbuffett" src="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/peterbuffett.jpg" alt="" width="182" height="280" /></a>“I’d like to define <em>vocation</em> as the tug we feel toward the life that is right for us, the life that is truly our own.” – Peter Buffett, <em>Life Is What You Make It</em></strong></p>
<p>The first thoughts I had when holding a book written by Peter Buffet (yes, the son of the billionaire investor Warren Buffet) was why would this person talk about<em> life is what you make it</em>, when he is the one born with the silver spoon? This was anticipated and pretty much thought about as you get an instant answer reading the abstract of this book “<strong>You may think that with a last name like his, Buffet has enjoyed a life of endless privilege. But… that is the only inheritance handed down from his parents was a philosophy: Forge you own path in life</strong>.”</p>
<p>And that is exactly the subtle message that Peter conveys in this amazingly down to earth book, <strong><em>Life is What you Make of it</em></strong>, which reaches out not only to those starting on a new career but also largely to parents on how to set expectations for their kids or teenagers.<br />
On rewards and lavish gifting Peter says; “<strong>In the normal course of things, rewards come gradually. That is part of the suspense and joy in life – that we sense ourselves moving forward, gaining in competence and knowledge, and being compensated for our progress, whether in money, or professional advancement, or creative satisfaction. Success, however we define it, happens little by little</strong>.”<br />
Well said. How often we tend to make it easy on <em>ourselves</em> by gifting our kids based on not what they <em>need</em> but what they <strong>want</strong> – or is a trend with their friends or society – thereby taking away from them the most valuable lesson of life – your own experience to find out what is right and what is wrong.</p>
<p>This is also very true in this present world where everyday there is a lure of making easy money and when people need it the most in current situation, the short term ‘success’ in making a few bucks can affect their long term goals and benefits. If you are out there either making it big or just starting out on a new career, Peter’s new book has the most inspiring message for all of us -  <strong>taking on the reins of your destiny, living the life to the fullest, luck, timing of the luck happening to us, patience, trust and how we use our time</strong> – some things very basic and often we tend to overlook or ignore as we go on with our lives; all these have been brought in beautifully together in this book.</p>
<p>It is a life’s perspective from someone who has gone through trial, error and a varied experience which many of us have gone through or are presently going through but that makes life what it is – complete and rich with experience which is yours and no one else can make what you can out of the time you have.</p>
<p>As a career writer, I found this book very inspiring for my audience and young students who are stepping into this world which largely depicts affluence and making ends meet is not a struggle anymore, there is more likely a chance of falling for the short cut to success or even just spending what you have and finding later on that on the financial front we were perhaps never taught what we should have been.  The true path to success is – through <strong>honesty, confidence, peace of mind, philanthropy</strong> and just going the <strong>experience</strong> and journey of making it to you success goal by doing what <strong>you</strong> want.</p>
<p>A highly inspiring book for anyone from age 16 to 100, it brings to you insight and in depth thoughts from a person who had the chance of growing up in affluence and an influential surname which could take him anywhere but he decided to follow – Life is what YOU make of it. Interspersed with guidance on how anyone can really follow their dreams, it is this combination of Peter’s life experiences with inspirational advice that developed <em>Life Is What You Make It</em> into a rewarding and poignant read.</p>
<p><strong>Find your own path to fulfillment.</strong></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Peter Buffett</strong> is an Emmy Award-winning musician, philanthropist and Random House-published author. Know more about him and his book at <a href="http://peterbuffett.com/">http://peterbuffett.com</a> and look up the excerpts of this book at <a href="http://www.peterbuffett.com/bookexcerpts.pdf">http://www.peterbuffett.com/bookexcerpts.pdf</a> .</p></blockquote>
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		<title>Book Review &#8211; Work with Passion in Midlife and Beyond</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/review-work-with-passion</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/review-work-with-passion#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 May 2010 20:19:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Book Review - Work with Passion in Midlife and Beyond]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nancy Anderson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parcells’s rule of leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[post-retirement or after a layoff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[streamlining life midlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work with Passion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work with Passion in Midlife and Beyond: Reach your Full Potential & Make the Money you Need]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://careerbright.com/?p=1134</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“Given the volatile economy, rising costs of living, and likelihood that safety nets like social security and savings may not cover expenses when you are older, it is imperative that you start now to find the work that engages your heart and soul,” Anderson writes in the introduction to her new book, Work with Passion [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/review-work-with-passion" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><a href="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/WorKWithPassion.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1135" title="WorKWithPassion" src="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/WorKWithPassion.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a>“<strong>Given the volatile economy, rising costs of living, and likelihood that safety nets like social security and savings may not cover expenses when you are older, it is imperative that you start <em>now</em> to find the work that engages your heart and soul</strong>,” Anderson writes in the introduction to her new book<strong>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Work-Passion-Midlife-Beyond-Potential/dp/1577316940">Work with Passion in Midlife and Beyond: Reach your Full Potential &amp; Make the Money you Need</a>.</strong></p>
<p>An extremely inspiring title indeed and a very helpful book for those who are contemplating a career change, or have been in a layoff and see the need to reinvent themselves to achieve success in their careers.</p>
<p>I couldn’t agree more when I during the first few pages of the book I came across this statement: “<strong><em>Identifying and facing your fears is a crucial step in the first stage of change</em></strong>.”</p>
<p>The book revs up in a gentle massaging way, the author focuses your attention on how to streamline your life – the <strong>mental preparedness</strong> is essential to any strong beginning and if you need a major re-work in your life to begin on a fresh start to rewrite your story of life. You might wonder if you go through the first 80 pages of this book as to why it was so important t0 re-visit my triumphs and failures in life and why I need to clarify more on who I am today? But then, look again, the title of this book has an important word “<strong><em>passion</em></strong>” for those in midlife and beyond, and it is through revisiting your life history and an in-depth analysis of your present stand you slowly start seeing the light – to create a template of success to find the work you would love to do &#8211; when work is no more work, it is a passion and true bliss.</p>
<blockquote><p>Some wonderful thoughts that I truly loved in this book are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Notice what you enjoy that others think is hard work.</li>
<li>A sense of timelessness is another clue that you are on the passion path.</li>
<li>Your mind is on what’s in front of you, like a child on the beach with a bucket and shovel building a sand castle.</li>
<li>Parcells’s third rule of leadership is to set and reach small goals. When people set small, visible goals, he says, and they achieve them, they get it into their heads (their subconscious) that they can succeed.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>I admired deeply the authors’ take on providing us with a step by step look at some must do action items, it not through reading, inspiration alone that one can achieve the path to success; you achieve so by crafting practical goals and time bound action plans. Perhaps this book could have achieved more if it had the worksheets and all, but hey at time you just need such a book to motivate you to action, to clear up the many cobwebs of mind and the surroundings and at times you just need such a book to put your legs up and soak up some wise valuable suggestions and insights on how your personality type influences success in a particular career.</p>
<p>Nancy Anderson takes a good take through this book on streamlining life midlife, post-retirement or after a layoff and can be many such women would find a lot in common to some of the stories which the author narrates throughout the book and will find helpful as they search for a new career or job or perhaps it is the right time to reinvent and start something new altogether!</p>
<blockquote><p> Learn more about Nancy Anderson and <em>Work With Passion In Midlife And Beyond</em> <a href="http://www.workwithpassion.com/">here</a>.</p></blockquote>
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		<title>Where the JOBS are NOW– A Book Review</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/where-the-jobs-are-now-review</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/where-the-jobs-are-now-review#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:39:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environmental engineers are experiencing the fastest growth at 25 percent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[faster growing service industries that are generating most of the employment growth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Joe Watson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review book Where the JOBS are NOW]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Where the Jobs Are Now: The Fastest-Growing Industries and How to Break Into Them]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Where the JOBS are NOW– A Book Review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://careerbright.com/?p=1115</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Unemployment rate is the highest ever, many new grads are unable to find decent jobs or any job for that matter and we are not even sure whether the lost jobs are ever coming back. The job market is not at all a happy place for millions, and as the struggle continues we find solace [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/where-the-jobs-are-now-review" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><a href="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/joe-watson.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1116" title="joe-watson" src="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/joe-watson.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>Unemployment rate is the highest ever, many new grads are unable to find decent jobs or any job for that matter and we are not even sure whether the lost jobs are ever coming back. The job market is not at all a happy place for millions, and as the struggle continues we find solace in advice and direction from career experts and authors. Now you can add one more person on your list- Joe Watson! Joe Watson is the CEO of Without Excuses (<a href="http://www.withoutexcuses.com/">www.withoutexcuses.com</a>) and StrategicHire and his book <strong>Where the Jobs are Now (McGraw hill)</strong> comes in time to explain the new job market and the new jobs and resources we must be learning more about this year.</p>
<p><strong>Who is this book for?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>If you are looking for a career change in the new emerging industries, or even in the existing ones like health care, education and government, then this book is for you.</li>
<li>If you have been unemployed for a long time and would like to know more about the green industries, the jobs they offer and for example what kind of jobs and how many are/would be available in the green energy sector then this book could be for you.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><em>Where the Jobs are Now</em></strong> will not help you in getting a job but is a good resource to know what is going around these days – the stats and predictions are all over the web, but the author presents a good discussion on where the emphasis would be in near future and how you could possibly think about diversifying in those areas if you can. For example read this:</p>
<blockquote><p>Environmental engineers are experiencing the fastest growth at 25 percent, while civil engineers are seeing the largest employment increase, with an estimated 46,000 new jobs by 2016. .. Even in slower growing or declining manufacturing industries, engineers are still needed design, build, test, and improve products, but it’s the faster growing service industries that are generating most of the employment growth.</p></blockquote>
<p>And how about the financial sector:</p>
<blockquote><p>Joe says: We’ve got 77 million baby boomers who are getting ready to retire and will need help managing their money. As the economy rebounds (because it always does), the retirement of the baby boomer workforce will mean expanded job opportunities for personal financial advisors, as well as their corporate cousins, financial analysts. In fact the BLS has forecast that personal <a href="http://careerbright.com/2009/11/career-in-financial-planning.html" target="_blank">financial advisors </a>will be one of the 10 fastest growing occupations in the nation.</p></blockquote>
<p>Another great aspect of this book is the appendix, in itself it is a great resource for any job seeker to spend some time on the internet and gain more knowledge on new emerging industries, career self-help advice blogs and websites, IT, freelance and many others through the numerous relevant links here.</p>
<p>Visit the book’s website: <a href="http://www.wherethejobsarenow.com/">http://www.WhereTheJobsAreNow.com</a></p>
<p>Get your copy on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Jobs-Are-Now-Fastest-Growing/dp/007170339X">Amazon</a>.</p>
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		<title>The Career Within You– A Book Review</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/the-career-within-you-review</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/the-career-within-you-review#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:56:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elizabeth Wagele and Ingrid Stabb]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Career Within You: How to Find the Perfect Job for Your Personality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Career Within You– A Book Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wagele-Stabb career finder]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[“If you are a romantic, you want to work for a company whose policies you agree with or to sell a product you believe in. If you are an adventurer, you love freedom and variety, the thought of sticking with one job for the long haul may cause you some anxiety.” What career type are [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/the-career-within-you-review" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><a href="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/careerwithinu.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1106" title="careerwithinu" src="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/careerwithinu-239x300.jpg" alt="" width="239" height="300" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana; color: blue;">“If you are a romantic, you want to work for a <a href="http://careerbright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/careerwithinu.jpg"></a>company whose policies you agree with or to sell a product you believe in. If you are an adventurer, you love freedom and variety, the thought of sticking with one job for the long haul may cause you some anxiety.”</span></p>
<p><strong>What career type are you?</strong></p>
<p>The authors Elizabeth Wagele and Ingrid Stabb discuss 9 career types which will help you identify your career strengths, weaknesses and interests.</p>
<p>An overview of what to expect in this book:</p>
<ul>
<li>A quiz to determine your personality’s “Career Type”</li>
<li>Worksheets that fit a selection of jobs to your strengths, needs, and objectives</li>
<li>Extensive tables of jobs that currently offer your choice of what you’re looking for, whether the most money, the most opportunities, or the greatest flexibility</li>
<li>Sample résumés that will catch an employer’s attention</li>
<li>Detailed tips on preparing for a successful interview</li>
<li>Success stories of people just like you.</li>
<li>Exercises to help prioritize what you want most in a career</li>
</ul>
<p><em>The Career Within You: How to Find the Perfect Job for Your Personality</em> (HarperCollins) presents a good understanding of the Wagele-Stabb career finder, a tool which <span style="font-family: verdana; color: blue;">“leads you some suitable careers by asking you to match up your two or three favorite strengths to possible jobs that also call for that combination.” </span>After each chapter which elaborates on a career type, the authors include a career-finder worksheet which is extremely helpful in putting together and getting a better insight of how to translate your personality type to a suitable career. Once you are done with the analysis you can note if your favorite career fields match your needs and requirements for an ideal job.</p>
<p>Wagele and Stabb do a great job in putting together this book by using numerous examples of how a personality type would fit into a career description, for example:<span style="font-family: verdana; color: blue;"> “An adventurer might be a marketing director putting a new spin on the positioning of a company, a travel guide scouting out new venues for ecotourism, a product developer adding new features with the latest technology or an executive coach helping clients explore their full career potential.” </span>A wide range of choice but you can most certainly figure out on the best match based on your skills and interests.</p>
<p>It turns around to be a great book to read once, at least to know more about what your work traits are and how you respond to particular situations are your current workplace, or even for the first time job hunters to know more about yourself. And that perhaps is the most important step in achieving anything in this world!</p>
<p>Get to know more about the book at the authors’ website: <a href="http://careerwithinyou.com/" target="_blank">http://careerwithinyou.com/</a></p>
<p>You can get this book at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Career-Within-You-Perfect-Personality/dp/0061718610" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</p>
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		<title>All Things At ONCE</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/career-woman/all-things-at-once</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/career-woman/all-things-at-once#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:23:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career Woman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[All things at once book review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[career woman balance family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family and relationships should be central]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MIKA BRZEZNSKI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work-life balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working woman]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[“Some of us are wired for work. It’s in our bones. Some of us are wired for family. And some of us are wired for all of it.” Mika Brezenski in All things at Once. It is tough to strike a balance between work and family life and Mika tells her story in an honest [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/career-woman/all-things-at-once" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/S2IUohzItpI/AAAAAAAAGGY/ux2IJYnpYig/s1600-h/All_Things_At_Once1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431926787062412946" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 125px; cursor: hand; height: 189px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/S2IUohzItpI/AAAAAAAAGGY/ux2IJYnpYig/s400/All_Things_At_Once1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><strong><span style="color:#000099;">“Some of us are wired for work. It’s in our bones. Some of us are wired for family. And some of us are wired for all of it</span></strong>.” Mika Brezenski in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Things-Once-Mika-Brzezinski/dp/1602861110" target="_blank">All things at Once</a>.</p>
<p>It is tough to strike a balance between work and family life and Mika tells her story in an honest and straightforward way. In fact, it is just not Mika’s story so many full-time moms around the world would relate to the daily struggles and pains that we all go through trying to have it all – or just trying to maintain a balance in our personal and professional lives.</p>
<p>Mika’s story relates poignantly to any working mom’s journey of growing, learning and the struggles to achieve a balance between work and personal life.<br />
And we all connect with it easily. I admired Mika for this statement in her book: “<strong><span style="color:#000066;">Your job can be a big part of who you are, but it shouldn’t be the whole package. Your family and relationships should be central, but they needn’t be front and center at all times</span></strong>.” Wouldn’t you agree?</p>
<p>Discussions, blogs, articles, books when talking about the work-life balance suggest not to “have it all”, you have to give some to get some, but many women that we see around have done “all things at once”. To have a busy high flying career, a family life and a healthy marriage; but all of this comes with a trade-off – some give and take as you miss out on the kids schedules, miss out on being part of their lives when they want to turn back and say “look mommy, I did this”. For a woman managing a high flying career and family with young kids is mighty tough. Going through one mad scramble after another we miss out on the overall goals and objectives of our existence.</p>
<p>Mika says: “<strong><em><span style="color:#000099;">Later on, going over this frantic period in my life, trying to understand my impulse and motivation, I began to realize that women sometimes make life-altering career decisions with a kind of gun to their heads. We put ourselves in these false do-or-die scenarios that leave us thinking if we don’t overextend ourselves, or push, push, push after opportunities when they appear, that we’ll never accomplish our goals or rise in the estimation of our peers. That was me, there was the CBS night shift, only I failed to consider that I’d already accomplished my primary goals; I was married to an amazing man, with a beautiful baby girl and a career I loved</span></em></strong>.”</p>
<p>See a <a href="http://www.charlierose.com/view/content/10826" target="_blank">video here</a> as Mika talks about her book.</p>
<p>We all have stories of our lives but not all of us can or have shared it to encourage or intrigue others to a discussion on how difficult it is for a working mother to aspire for career promotions and work hard to keep the family together. Love you Mika for sharing and inspiring – great book that many working moms all over the world will enjoy reading and learning that it is great to slow down once in a while but also sometimes “shedding your identity as a professional can be as damaging as holding it too close.”</p>
<p><span style="color:#000099;">MIKA BRZEZNSKI is a co-host of &#8220;Morning Joe&#8221; and an MSNBC anchor. She will also co-host the new WABC New York radio show, &#8220;Joe &amp; Mika,&#8221; which plans to go national next year. Brzezinski also reports on &#8220;NBC Nightly News&#8221; and is an alternating news anchor for &#8220;Weekend Today.&#8221;Prior to joining MSNBC, Brzezinski was an anchor of the &#8220;CBS Evening News Weekend Edition&#8221; and a CBS News correspondent who frequently contributed to &#8220;CBS Sunday Morning&#8221; and &#8220;60 Minutes.&#8221; In September 2001, she became CBS&#8217;s principal &#8220;Ground Zero&#8221; reporter for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.</span></p>
<p>Get this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Things-Once-Mika-Brzezinski/dp/1602861110" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color:#000066;">(Please Note: I have not been paid to write this review, it is a sincere opinion and my wish to present the readers of this blog to get to know good books that bring value to day to day work life and overall improve our strengths)</span></em></p>
<p><em><strong><span style="color:#000066;">Related Posts:</span></strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://careerbright.blogspot.com/2006/12/work-life-balance-what-it-means-to-you.html" target="_blank">Work-life Balance &#8211; What it means to you, or does it really mean something?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://careerbright.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-matters-most-making-more-money-or.html" target="_blank">What matters most – Making more Money or having a more Satisfying Job?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://careerbright.blogspot.com/2007/06/is-career-woman-happier-than-stay-at.html" target="_blank">Is a Career Woman Happier than a Stay at Home Mom?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://careerbright.blogspot.com/2007/06/is-second-income-worth-it.html" target="_blank">Is the Second Income worth it?</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Careerbright &#8211; Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women</div>
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		<title>Never Fly Solo – A Book Review</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/never-fly-solo-%e2%80%93-a-book-review</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/never-fly-solo-%e2%80%93-a-book-review#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:48:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Never Fly Solo Book Review]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;Many of us have an intense desire to take bold new action in our lives but never do for fear of failure. We are essentially pouring on the power with the brakes still applied. Consciously or subconsciously, we sabotage our success by living with our foot on the brakes. Releasing those brakes and simply going [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/never-fly-solo-%e2%80%93-a-book-review" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><span style="color:#000099;">&#8220;Many of us have an intense desire to take bold new action in our lives but never do for fear of failure. We are essentially pouring on the power with the brakes still applied. Consciously or subconsciously, we sabotage our success by living with our foot on the brakes. Releasing those brakes and simply going for it is how we grow in our personal and professional relationships.&#8221;</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/S0zh0kC5YuI/AAAAAAAAGEw/DxuomNESWZE/s1600-h/NeverFlySolo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425959944219878114" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 287px; cursor: hand; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/S0zh0kC5YuI/AAAAAAAAGEw/DxuomNESWZE/s320/NeverFlySolo.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />
<em>- Lt.Col. Rob Waldman</em>If you are wondering what this book is about, you don’t have to look much further than the tag line of this inspiring book which says &#8211; <strong>Lead with courage, build trusting partnerships and reach new heights in business.</strong> The author <strong>Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman</strong>, MBA, is a former decorated U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, sales manager, and professional leadership speaker.</p>
<p>I started reading this book some time back and every chapter had a “high flying” inspiration to it. It made me pause and think about how similar were the situations faced by this person in the cockpit talking about his fears and motivation to that of someone at a workplace or in a leadership position. For instance consider this piece from the book:</p>
<p><span style="color:#000099;">“In order for it to accelerate and remain airborne, the F-16 must overcome any opposition to lift. This opposition is any aerodynamic force that resists the forward or upward motion of the jet and is known as <em>drag</em>. Every flight of every aircraft is an ongoing battle between the forces of lift and drag.<br />
Fighter pilots have to deal with two kinds of drag: <em>induced drag</em> and <em>parasite drag</em>. <em>Induced drag</em> is a natural byproduct of lift and is considered a “good drag”, caused by the shape of the aircraft..<br />
<em>Parasite drag</em> is the opposite. It battles against the good drag, slowing the aircraft and hampering maneuverability.<br />
No matter how skilled or motivated you are, you’re always going to have some degree of both parasite drag and induced drag in your life. And just like a fighter pilot, you must manage it and not let it hold you back from accomplishing your mission.&#8221;</span></p>
<p>I sure did get to learn new “air force terminology” and gained quite a bit knowledge on how fighter pilot gains new heights.. but it all applied so well to our “civilian” lives. Some interesting story telling and motivational incidents in this fighter pilot’s life connect with you immediately. Whether you want to ace the next business contract, deal with new customers or just get along with your co-workers, you’re sure to find some impressive tips and action item to wing it all!</p>
<p>Watch the author’s interview on CNN here:</p>
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<p><span style="color:#000099;">Waldman shares a message that is both human and business critical: we all must overcome the missiles of adversity and change and we can’t do it alone. He reveals how the same steadfast interdependence of wingmen in combat is necessary to transform relationships with colleagues, co-workers, and friends into interdependent partners for success.<br />
Through compelling, real world stories, Waldo movingly describes how his wingmen helped him take action despite his fear of combat and a life-long battle with claustrophobia by teaching him lessons that work in a cockpit as well in a cubicle. These include: </span></p>
<div></div>
<p><span style="color:#000099;"></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Check Six</strong> &#8211; When wingmen cross check each other’s blind spots, they promote mutual support and build mission critical trust in times of high stress and adversity.</li>
<li><strong>Chair Fly</strong> – By briefing every mission with your team and rehearsing emergencies and unexpected “what if’s,” you won’t be caught unprepared. Preparation leads to power.</li>
<li><strong>Integrity First</strong> – Integrity is the #1 core value in the military. It not only means telling the truth and honoring your word, but also admitting when you’ve made a mistake.</li>
<li><strong>Walk the Flight Line</strong> – Leaders must reach out to the wingmen that support the overall mission. By connecting on a personal and professional level, you build more loyal, committed teammates.</li>
<li><strong>Break Right</strong> – Mission critical feedback is vital for success. To build trust with your wingmen, you must be willing to call out the missile launches to your wingmen and communicate effectively.</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="color:#000099;">Whether you are a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, or new to the business world, creating a work environment based on mutual support and trust is crucial. <strong>Never Fly Solo</strong> is a flight plan for success that will help you earn your wings as a high performance leader and help you soar to new heights.</p>
<p></span>Read more about it on the <a href="http://www.neverflysolo.com/index.html">book’s website</a>. You can get this book at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Never-Fly-Solo-Trusting-Partnerships/dp/0071637060">Amazon</a>.<em><span style="color:#333399;">(Please Note: I have not been paid to write this review, it is a sincere opinion and my wish to present the readers of this blog to get to know good books that bring value to day to day work life and overall improve our strengths)</span></em></p>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Careerbright &#8211; Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women</div>
<p></span></p>
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		<title>Losing Your Job May Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You &#8211; Guest Post</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/career-self-help/losing-your-job-may-be-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-you-guest-post</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/career-self-help/losing-your-job-may-be-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-you-guest-post#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career Self-Help]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career Woman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Allison Maslan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blast Off One-on-One Coaching Program and Blastation Interactive Life Coaching Software]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Losing Your Job May Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[myblastoff.com]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Losing Your Job May Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You By Allison Maslan You have heard the story many times. What seems to be a tragedy, such as in an illness, job loss or divorce ends up turning to triumph when the person ends up making drastic positive changes through their forced [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/career-self-help/losing-your-job-may-be-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-you-guest-post" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/Sy-mtGTWdAI/AAAAAAAAF-A/KcEHXzv3H3I/s1600-h/blastoff.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417732170466096130" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 240px; cursor: hand; height: 288px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/Sy-mtGTWdAI/AAAAAAAAF-A/KcEHXzv3H3I/s320/blastoff.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> <em><strong>Losing Your Job May Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You<br />
</strong></em></div>
<div><em>By Allison Maslan</em></div>
<p>You have heard the story many times. What seems to be a tragedy, such as in an illness, job loss or divorce ends up turning to triumph when the person ends up making drastic positive changes through their forced set of circumstances.<br />
Many have found themselves jobless in these trying times, frightened and wondering what to do next. The interesting twist is that a large percentage of those laid off have often said that they did not “love” their job. The job has represented security, which is of prime importance, however, in many cases, their work was not completely satisfying or fulfilling. In fact, a study prior to this economic downturn showed that 87% of people polled disliked their jobs. Since we spend approximately 75,000 hours at work from age 25 to 65, this seems to be an even sadder circumstance than a difficult job market.</p>
<p>Connie Delonge, president of Breakthrough Grief Recovery, wanted to start her own business for a very long time, but was afraid to take the leap and leave her job. She had been in the mortgage business for years for financial reason’s only. “It is very stressful work and even though I am good at it, it was never very fulfilling for me.” Connie’s true passion has been grief recovery support which she had been doing for years on a volunteer basis through Horizon Hospice of Poway, California.<br />
“This economy forced me to find a new way to pay the bills. My gut was telling me that at this point in my life, I could no longer work at a job that was unsatisfying. Life is too short to not go after your dreams. My life coach, Allison Maslan, helped me move past my fear of becoming an entrepreneur, and then supported me in laying out a step-by-step strategic plan to create my own grief counseling business. I have not been this excited about my life in years.”<br />
Connie is just one example of many individuals that are taking advantage of a challenging time and turning it into an opportunity to take the entrepreneurial leap. Slowdowns don’t have to be roadblocks to starting new businesses, experts say.</p>
<p>It might seem counter-intuitive to start a new business when the economy is flailing, but a recession can actually be the ideal time for launching a new enterprise. In fact, many well-known and successful organizations were born during hard times because it is often easier to start a new company than find the right job during a recession.</p>
<p>Here are some examples of companies that laid the groundwork of their enterprise during tougher economic times. Hyatt Corporation opened its first hotel’s doors at the Los Angeles International Airport during the Eisenhower recession (1957 to 1958). Bill Gates and Paul Allen launched Microsoft during the recession in 1975. CNN started its humble beginnings as a little-known station called The Cable Network News during the 1980 recession. The Fortune 500 is full of companies that were founded during down times: from Johnson and Johnson, to Disney, Cisco and Intel.</p>
<p>Prerna O’hara, president of Your Company Concierge has been working with the Blast Off Program over the past several to months develop her dream business. She was also employed as the Concierge/Patient Liason for a San Diego medical and day spa. When they let her go due to the down economy, it was the perfect excuse for Prerna to speed up the pace of her new business launch. She is taking the expertise she offered her employer and putting it to work for herself.<br />
“I may have taken longer to get my business up and running, so losing my job has actually motivated me to open for business now. As Allison has said, poverty is a great motivator and failure is not an option! I have had so much fun putting all of this together. I am so passionate about my new business and I am dedicated to making it work.<br />
A recession can offer many advantages to a budding entrepreneur including, lower rents, better deals with suppliers, and employees are often willing to start in for less.<br />
Often the worst of times can end up being an opportunity for the best of times, just as turning lemons into lemonade could be your most profitable and satisfying venture.<br />
If you have a vision, go for it. It is never going to be the perfect time to go after your dreams. But if you don’t do it now, years could pass and you may find yourself saying, “Why didn’t I?”</p>
<p><em><strong>Allison Maslan,</strong> HHP, CCH has been an entrepreneur for the past 25 years and has a vibrant array of nine successful businesses to her credit. She is an author, life and career coach, homeopathic physician and international speaker. Allison is the president of The Blast Off Life and Business Coaching. Through her years of working with thousands of clients on a one-on-one basis, she has come to understand how and why human beings create their own personal limits in every aspect of their lives. Her Blast Off One-on-One Coaching Program and Blastation Interactive Life Coaching Software help people tap into their passions, learn to release their self-limiting roadblocks, and guides them through a step-by-step flight plan for success and fulfillment in all areas of life. </em><a href="http://www.myblastoff.com/"><em>www.myblastoff.com</em></a><em> 888-844-3550<br />
</em></p>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Careerbright &#8211; Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women</div>
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		<title>Self Promotion for Introverts – A book review</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/self-promotion-for-introverts-%e2%80%93-a-book-review</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/self-promotion-for-introverts-%e2%80%93-a-book-review#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[introverts and extroverts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self Promotion for Introverts – A book review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self-promotion and networking is not everyone’s cup of tea]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[What is your elevator pitch? “Hmm.. do I really need one? I don’t think I can say a lot about myself or …” How are you at networking? Are you promoting yourself and your products/services effectively? “Networking is not my cup of tea, I am an introvert and just pushing myself and my products to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/book-reviews/self-promotion-for-introverts-%e2%80%93-a-book-review" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/SyiJCBaPb9I/AAAAAAAAF4s/alW216xZVP8/s1600-h/self-promotion.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415729219744264146" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 240px; cursor: hand; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/SyiJCBaPb9I/AAAAAAAAF4s/alW216xZVP8/s320/self-promotion.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div><strong>What is your elevator pitch?<br />
</strong><em>“Hmm.. do I really need one? I don’t think I can say a lot about myself or …”<br />
</em><strong><br />
How are you at networking? Are you promoting yourself and your products/services effectively?<br />
</strong><em>“Networking is not my cup of tea, I am an introvert and just pushing myself and my products to others is not what comes naturally to me.”</em></p>
<div><em></em></div>
<p> </p>
<p><em></p>
<div></div>
<ul>
<li>Jumpstarting your visibility</li>
<li>Using your introverted preferences (e.g., writing, researching, listening) to your advantage</li>
<li>Promoting yourself without bragging</li>
<li>Managing negative self-talk – those voices of self-doubt in your head</li>
<li>Public speaking for private people</li>
<li>Networking without a bullhorn, both online and offline</li>
<li>Selling that&#8217;s not overly slick</li>
<li>Interview skills and résumés that emphasize your accomplishments</li>
</ul>
<p>Pretty much covers a lot of topics that many of us are looking for in our daily careers or when planning to join the entrepreneurial bandwagon. The books helps a lot in learning how to use your inner strengths and skills to craft the tools and tactics for self-promotion and getting out there and gaining visibility.<br />
You may get this book from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Self-Promotion-Introverts-Quiet-Guide-Getting/dp/007159129X">Amazon</a>.</p>
<p><em><span style="color:#000066;">(Please Note: I have not been paid to write this review, it is a sincere opinion and my wish to present the readers of this blog to get to know good books that bring value to day to day work life and overall improve our strengths)</span></em></p>
<p></em>These thoughts are just not from introverts from the rest of us as well. Self-promotion and networking is not everyone’s cup of tea and some help from good books will be always welcome. If you nodded on any of the statements above or all of them, this is a book you must have on your bookshelf now &#8211; <strong><span style="color:#000066;">Self-promotion for Introverts – the quiet guide to getting ahead</span></strong>.<br />
In today&#8217;s tough economy and ruthlessly competitive job market, nobody can afford to go unnoticed. Too often, introverts get passed over while their chattier – although not necessarily more gifted – colleagues get the jobs and the promotions. But it doesn&#8217;t have to be that way, according to business communication coach Nancy Ancowitz, author of SELF-PROMOTION FOR INTROVERTS®<br />
Whether you are aiming to get hired or promoted, avoid getting laid off, promoting your own business, selling a product, or just want to be heard and recognized, you&#8217;ll find such useful tips as:</div>
<p>“Help, I have a presentation coming up and no way can I do this. I am just not made for public speaking!”</p></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Careerbright &#8211; Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women</div>
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		<title>Your Brain at Work</title>
		<link>http://careerbright.com/career-self-help/your-brain-at-work</link>
		<comments>http://careerbright.com/career-self-help/your-brain-at-work#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:22:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Shweta</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career Self-Help]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work Smarter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[and Working Smarter All Day Long What are your biggest challenges at work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[David Rock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Regaining Focus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Your Brain at Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[What are your biggest challenges at work? Time management, prioritizing, multitasking, staying cool under pressure, succeeding… and the list goes on. We all want a lot from ourselves and wouldn’t it be nice to know how exactly to achieve what we want. Here is a review of the book “YOUR BRAIN AT WORK – Strategies [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wpbuzzer_button" style="float: right"><a title="Post on Google Buzz" class="google-buzz-button" href="http://www.google.com/buzz/post" data-button-style="normal-count" data-url="http://careerbright.com/career-self-help/your-brain-at-work" data-imageurl=""></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/buzz/api/button.js"></script></div><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/Svhhrq-zcnI/AAAAAAAAFxI/-kawf_u1wbA/s1600-h/david-rock.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402175155930886770" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 240px; cursor: hand; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xrwnFVUBnX0/Svhhrq-zcnI/AAAAAAAAFxI/-kawf_u1wbA/s320/david-rock.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><strong>What are your biggest challenges at work?<br />
</strong>Time management, prioritizing, multitasking, staying cool under pressure, succeeding… and the list goes on. We all want a lot from ourselves and wouldn’t it be nice to know how exactly to achieve what we want.<br />
Here is a review of the book “<strong><span style="color:#000099;">YOUR BRAIN AT WORK – Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day long</span></strong>” that attempts to explain how our brains work at work and teaches readers how to organize, prioritize, and perform better in the workplace – despite a daily load of overwhelming challenges (and of course the title says it all too!). Right at the introduction page one, the author, David Rock, tells you how this book can help you:<br />
<span style="color:#000066;">&#8220;This book will help you work smarter, be more focused and productive, stay cool under pressure, reduce the length of meetings, and even tackle the hardest challenge of all: influencing other people.”<br />
</span>That is what we all are looking for. So you get it right there that you have picked up the right book to read today! And that was one of my reasons to read this book – the title captured my attention –“<strong>Your Brain at Work</strong>”; I truly believe that anything is possible if we train our brains that way and if this book helps me understand how I react and how I should react in certain circumstances than this is a must-read book for sure. To be successful one needs to go through a lot of thinking (read brain work) – to get organized, to plan, to execute, to manage, to dream success, to deal with failures and many other things that come along. It is the brain at work that manages it all and how well it manages depends on how well we have trained our brains.<br />
The book is structured in a form of play, the characters are introduced upfront and through the acts I got to know them more and soon became a participant in the analysis of their situations and their reactions to them. It is through vivid examples that we learn much better; and this book has successfully accomplished what it initially took upon.<br />
One of the main problems we all face – time management – has been presented well and some thoughtful suggestions we breeze through the lives of the characters brings in new ideas to avoid being overwhelmed. David rightly summarizes; “<span style="color:#000099;">As the world digitizes, globalizes, unplugs, and reorganizes, having too much to do has become our biggest compliant</span>.”</p>
<p><strong><em>Who is this book for?</em></strong><br />
I would say everyone who wants to understand how to improve performance at workplace or in day-today life. <em>Won&#8217;t you?</em></p>
<p>Some of the tips from this book that you can use right away:</p>
<ul>
<li>Schedule the most attention-rich tasks when you have a fresh and alert mind.</li>
<li>Group information into chunks whenever you have too much information.</li>
<li>To stay in a positive state of mind, find ways to keep coming out ahead of your expectations over and again, even in small ways.</li>
<li>Playing against yourself to improve your understanding of your own brain can be a powerful way of increasing your performance.</li>
<li>Practice using solution-focused questions that focus people’s attention directly on the specific circuits you want to bring to life.</li>
</ul>
<p>For more tips and to know your brain more, get this book at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Your-Brain-Work-Strategies-Distraction/dp/0061771295">Amazon.com </a></p>
<p>See here to know more:</p>
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<p>(<strong><em>Please Note</em></strong>: I have not been paid to write this review, it is a sincere opinion and my wish to present the readers of this blog to get to know good books that bring value to day to day work life and overall improve our strengths)</p>
<p><strong><em><span style="color:#000066;">Related Posts:</span></em></strong><br />
<a href="http://careerbright.blogspot.com/2009/01/leadership-code-book-review.html">THE LEADERSHIP CODE – A Book Review</a><br />
<a href="http://careerbright.blogspot.com/2007/09/leadership-essentials-executive.html">Leadership Essentials &#8211; Executive Intelligence &#8211; A Book Review</a></p>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Careerbright &#8211; Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women</div>
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