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

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.