Get A Better Job: From starting out to changing direction, returning to work or facing redundancy: a practical career guide - Couverture souple

Is this the right book for me?

The current world of work is tough whether you are looking for work or just looking to make better life choices. Things are changing fast and the 'job for life' is a long forgotten myth. This book, perceptively written and full of practical advice, tells you exactly how to become a hot property in the competitive job market. Filled with self-check questions, exercises and case studies it will help you to understand yourself and improve your chance of a fulfilling career.

Written to appeal to the broadest spectrum of readers, it will prove invaluable whether you are starting out on your career, returning to work, looking to change direction or coping with redundancy or early retirement. Learn to understand your motivations, grow confident in what you have to offer and go get that job!

Get a Better Job includes:

Chapter 1: Moving from employment to employability

Understanding how these changes are affecting you

Understanding the future work

What is a job?

The decline and fall of the job

What has happened to make job certainty disappear?

Restructuring the workplace in the twenty-first century

Facing up to the issues

Self-check questions

Case studies

Chapter 2: Getting to know yourself - what you are

Charting progress

Identifying those who have influenced you

Identifying what you do

Maintaining your employability

Being a rounded person

Rating your confidence in your employability

Case studies

Chapter 3: Getting to know yourself - who you are

Starting to feel comfortable with being you

Life-mapping

Identifying your needs and desires

How will you be remembered?

My epitaph

Case studies

Chapter 4: Motivation at work

What motivates me?

Elton Mayo - acknowledging the human element

Abraham Maslow - satisfying inbuilt needs

Clayton Alderfer - levels of need

Douglas McGregor - alternative ways of managing people

Frederick Herzberg - identifying the sources of motivation and demotivation

How motivating employees can rescue the industry

Case studies

Chapter 5: Understanding what you have to offer

Understanding what employers seek

Developing your transferable skills

Identifying your transferable skills

Becoming a SWOT

Devising your own SWOT

Describing yourself

Case studies

Chapter 6: Developing your skills

Offering more than qualifications and experience

Communicating effectively

Networking

How good are you at team-working?

Team-working with colleagues

Seizing opportunities to enhance your skills

Mentoring

Case studies

Chapter 7: Assessing your attitude to life

Recognizing yourself

Identifying your personal values

What is your attitude to life

Are you an optimist or pessimist

Personality

Knowing what suits you

Multiple intelligences

Emotional intelligence

Checking the lifeboat

Case studies

Chapter 8: Where are you going next?

Making the most of choices

Accepting support networks

Managing time

Managing stress

Marketing yourself

Maintaining your employability

Seize the day

Applying for jobs

Case studies

Chapter 9: Action planning

Devising an action plan

Keeping yourself in mind

Prioritizing activities

Talking yourself up

Keeping on track

Evaluating progress

Evaluating by considering key points

Case studies

Postscript

Learn effortlessly with a new easy-to-read page design and added features:

Not got much time?

One and five-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.

Author insights

Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience.

Test yourself

Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.

Extend your knowledge

Extra online articles to give you a richer understanding of job hunting.

Things to remember

Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts.

Try this

Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

Rod Ashley has experience as both a lecturer and Staff Development Officer at Swansea University. He now provides consultancy and training services to a wide range of organisations and has written many publications.