"The Career Fix-It Book: How to Make Your Job Work Better For You" by Diana Pace is a workbook designed to help you think about the concept of career in your life. The book is full of exercises to make you think about those things that are really important to you and to evaluate just where you are and where you want to go in terms of your career and life. It really is a book to be used, not just read.
The book begins with a chapter on clearing out the cobwebs, for as the author puts it, in order to take a fresh look at what's wrong or right in your work life, you must first clear out the old misconceptions. There are then a series of exercises which are as good as the work you put into them. These focus on remembering what you wanted when you were young, recognizing the influences of your past and present, what career means to you, and exploring traditional versus nontraditional paths.
The book progresses in a similar manner with short chapters and many exercises and questions to ask yourself. The author suggests in chapter two that you choose your career as you would a lover. Not bad advice really. The book continues with chapters on being stuck, parts of the job such as co-workers, environment, and the transition between home and work to determine the areas you are happy and not. Chapter five was interesting because it talked about standards, but also had an exercise to help determine if you are a workaholic or not. Sure, a simple little quiz does not tell everything, but if you are honest, these quizzes and questions just might bring answers out of you that will surprise you, and if they do, that will be the start of your journey toward something better.
Maybe it is time to move. Chapter six explores this possibility. The next chapter looks at financial matters, while chapter eight takes account of your life outside of work. Volunteering fills a void for many people and chapter nine looks at this. Chapter ten discusses being prepared with the right skills for the career you desire. Next, the author addresses career development and then looks at jobs are just jobs. The last two chapters are on the free agent concept and putting it all together.
This is a short book and very easy to read. However, if you take the time to really think about the questions Pace asks throughout the various chapters, it could take quite a bit of time, and that time would be well spent, because the questions are aimed at determining just what you want out of life and your career. The more you put into answering the questions, the more you will get out of this book, and the more you will expand your thinking to areas not covered here. If you are feeling lost in your career, this book just might provide the questions to help you find the answers.
Alain Burrese, J.D. is a writer, speaker, and mediator who teaches how to live, take action, and get things done through the Warrior's Edge. He is an expert on conflict and mediates and teaches conflict resolution and negotiation. Alain combines his military, martial art, and Asian experiences with his business, law, and conflict resolution education into a powerful way of living with balance, honor, and integrity. He teaches how to use the Warrior's Edge to Take Action and Achieve Remarkable Results, as well as resolve conflict and negotiate. Additionally, he teaches physical conflict skills in his Hapkido and Self-Defense courses, lectures, and seminars. Alain is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From The School Of Hard Knocks, the DVDs Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking series, and numerous articles and reviews. You can read more articles and reviews and see clips of his DVDs as well as much more at http://www.burrese.com/ and http://www.yourwarriorsedge.com/
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