Career Advice Podcasts & Job Seeker Network
New Job, New You: Excerpt from Alexandra Levit's new book
My friend and past contributor to the podcast, Alexandra Levit has a new book out called New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Your Career, is available now, and you can visit www.newjobnewyou.com to get lots of free tools for your career change, including a 60 minute webinar featuring Stephen R. Covey.
Here's the excerpt;
It used to be that only celebrities like Madonna reinvented themselves.
But this is the twenty- first century, and the United States
Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the average American will
have about nine jobs between the ages of eighteen and thirty- two.
Some have taken this trend a step further. They have changed not
just their jobs but their fields, and have successfully supported
themselves in different careers over a period of several years.
I’m proud to say that I’m a card- carrying member of this group.
I started off my career as a public relations account executive in New
York City. I chose PR because I had studied communications in college
and liked it. I also wanted to make a lot of money and live in the
big city. When the country celebrated the dot- com boom, I delved into
interactive marketing, and after I received an opportunity to work
fi ve minutes away from my new condo in Long Island, I returned
to traditional PR. My experiences working for a global communications
agency and a Fortune 500 software fi rm taught me not only
the mechanics of publicity, but also how the business world operated
and what young people needed to know to be victorious there.
My second act started mostly by accident. The transition from college
to career was anything but easy, and when things finally started
moving in the right direction, I wanted to share what I’d learned
with other twenty- something employees. I was familiar with the process
of pitching a book, soI went out with the idea for They Don’t Teach Corporate in College:
A Twenty- Something’s Guide to the Business World. The book was
acquired by a small publisher, and I was fortunate that it sold well. I was
doing better in my marketing communications career than I ever had
before, but the next thing I knew I was being asked to write for respected
media outlets and travel around the country to speak about workplace
issues facing young employees. The success of They Don’t Teach
Corporate in College, which was originally intended as a side project,
had established my platform as a twenty- something career expert.
Other books followed, and with the birth of my son in 2008,
I finally completed the transition from PR VP to author, speaker,
and consultant. I couldn’t be happier and more satisfied, for my job
now allows me to make a tangible difference in people’s lives every
day. Although I mastered many aspects of the PR profession during
my time in the business world, I couldn’t necessarily say that my
colleagues and clients were personally and professionally better off
for having worked with me in that capacity.
Twenty- and thirty-somethings (or members of Generations X and Y)
who hear about my journey are understandably curious about it.
Because young professionals so often fi nd themselves on career autopilot
as a result of impromptu decisions made in college or shortly
thereafter, career change is one of the hottest topics today. In fact,
according to a recent CareerBuilder survey of more than 5,700 young
workers, more than a third of respondents (35 percent) said they were
interested in making a career change, and in my experience as a
career expert, career change is one of the most frequently requested
speaking topics on college campuses and at association conferences.
On the whole, members of Generations X and Y are looking
to adapt their work to the lifestyle changes they’re making as they
mature. However, they understand that it’s hard to do— especially
now. The damaged economy and the poor job market have resulted
in extreme competition in all types of fields, including those that
weren’t considered desirable before. In New Job, New You, I’ll show
you how you can stand out from millions of others with the same
goals and aspirations. For example, in many of the chapters I’ll
address how to acquire the right combination of education and
experience for your new fi eld, how to create an inner circle of contacts
and mentors who can propel you forward, and how to move
the needle a little bit at a time so that you stay productive and sane
while your competition is giving up around you. You’ll come out on
top because you’ll have established yourself as the total package: a
person who is ahead of the game emotionally and financially as well
as professionally.
When I announced on my website that I would be working on
New Job, New You, I received dozens of enthusiastic emails. People
wanted a book that would get to the heart of what makes people
take the plunge into a new f eld, a book that included the formula
for doing it successfully despite signif cant societal obstacles. As I
conducted my research, I discovered that career changers have several
common motivations for their decisions, and therefore selected
these motivations as the book’s unifying theme. They are:
• Family: When true work/life balance becomes a necessity
• Independence: When you’ve been bitten by the entrepreneurial
bug
• Learning: When your bookish, curious side takes over
• Money: When an increase in earning potential is on the horizon
• Passion: When you yearn to do what you love with all of your
heart
• Setback: When one door closes, another one opens
• Talent: When you’re too good at something not to give it a shot
Each chapter includes stories of fi ve people who began their careers
in one line of work, and, while in their twenties or thirties, experienced
one or more of these motivations. Moving forward, they used their
existing skills and networking abilities, as well as the education available
to them, to make dramatic and courageous transitions. Throughout,
the book provides mini- assessments, exercises, resource toolkits, and
expert advice for how you can follow similar trajectories.
New Job, New You is about harnessing your own motivations to
execute changes that will enhance your work satisfaction. Let’s start
with a quiz that will help you determine if a career transformation
is something you are seriously ready to consider.
Assessment: Should You Make a Career Change?
Please select “True” or “False” in response to the following
statements.
1. You feel that you are a different person now than when you fi rst
started your career.
True False
2. When you consider your long- term life plan, your current career
path doesn’t match up with where you want to go.
True False
3. If you didn’t need the money, you could walk away from your
field tomorrow and never look back.
True False
4. Your work often feels frustrating and unnatural to you.
True False
5. Your current field doesn’t support the lifestyle you would like to
have for yourself or your family.
True False
6. Looking into the future, you see technology or another
development rendering your job obsolete.
True False
7. You have reached the highest level in your career that you can
reasonably aspire to, and you don’t see additional opportunities for
growth in the foreseeable future.
True False
8. You would like to get another job, but you’re afraid to rock the
boat since your field is small and positions are difficult to come by.
True False
9. You’ve wanted to pursue a certain type of career for a long time,
but circumstances forced you into something else that never quite
fit as well.
True False
10. The work you do on a daily basis doesn’t interest you, and you
constantly fi nd yourself stealing glances at the clock.
True False
11. You’ve spent hours on the Internet researching alternative lines
of work.
True False
12. Your current career doesn’t make good use of your education
and unique set of skills and talents.
True False
13. You’ve had the opportunity to take a different position in your
field, but you don’t see how it would make a difference.
True False
14. The only thing that’s appealing about your job is your
co- workers.
True False
15. You can’t remember what made you choose your industry in the
first place.
True False
16. You know in your heart that you need to move on to a new
field, but you haven’t because you resist change or lack experience.
True False
17. Your field doesn’t afford opportunities to explore new directions
and address fresh challenges.
True False
18. The decision to go into your current field wasn’t your own and
you find it hard to understand why others rave about it.
True False
19. You’ve gone on job interviews in your fi eld where you’ve been
told that you are overqualified, or were asked to accept a salary
much lower than your experience warrants.
True False
20. Although you’ve lost your passion for your work, you are worried
that no one will value you at the bottom rung of a new career.
True False
21. You don’t believe that your current field allows you to contribute
to society or that your work matters, and this bothers you.
True False
22. If you were to give a current college student an informational
interview about your fi ld, it would be difficult to be positive.
True False
23. You’ve been told that you need to acquire additional education
or training to keep up in your field, and you haven’t been
motivated to do this.
True False
24. After a recent vacation, or an event that got you thinking more
about the purpose of life, you returned to work with regret.
True False
25. After years in the traditional workforce, you’ve finally realized
that you won’t be truly satisfied unless you can be your own boss.
True False
Add up the total number of “True” and “False” answers and score
your quiz according to this key.
Five or more “True” answers: You probably sensed this already,
but your current career just isn’t doing it for you anymore. Perhaps
you stay in your field because it’s easier, or because you’re afraid.
The forthcoming chapters will introduce you to possibilities you
might not have considered, and alternate paths that have been taken
by people just like you.
Less than five “True” answers: Perhaps you are already in the
field that’s right for you, but there are some aspects of your current job
situation that aren’t ideal. Depending on your motivations, this book
will provide ways to adapt your existing career to your current needs.
Here's the excerpt;
It used to be that only celebrities like Madonna reinvented themselves.
But this is the twenty- first century, and the United States
Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the average American will
have about nine jobs between the ages of eighteen and thirty- two.
Some have taken this trend a step further. They have changed not
just their jobs but their fields, and have successfully supported
themselves in different careers over a period of several years.
I’m proud to say that I’m a card- carrying member of this group.
I started off my career as a public relations account executive in New
York City. I chose PR because I had studied communications in college
and liked it. I also wanted to make a lot of money and live in the
big city. When the country celebrated the dot- com boom, I delved into
interactive marketing, and after I received an opportunity to work
fi ve minutes away from my new condo in Long Island, I returned
to traditional PR. My experiences working for a global communications
agency and a Fortune 500 software fi rm taught me not only
the mechanics of publicity, but also how the business world operated
and what young people needed to know to be victorious there.
My second act started mostly by accident. The transition from college
to career was anything but easy, and when things finally started
moving in the right direction, I wanted to share what I’d learned
with other twenty- something employees. I was familiar with the process
of pitching a book, soI went out with the idea for They Don’t Teach Corporate in College:
A Twenty- Something’s Guide to the Business World. The book was
acquired by a small publisher, and I was fortunate that it sold well. I was
doing better in my marketing communications career than I ever had
before, but the next thing I knew I was being asked to write for respected
media outlets and travel around the country to speak about workplace
issues facing young employees. The success of They Don’t Teach
Corporate in College, which was originally intended as a side project,
had established my platform as a twenty- something career expert.
Other books followed, and with the birth of my son in 2008,
I finally completed the transition from PR VP to author, speaker,
and consultant. I couldn’t be happier and more satisfied, for my job
now allows me to make a tangible difference in people’s lives every
day. Although I mastered many aspects of the PR profession during
my time in the business world, I couldn’t necessarily say that my
colleagues and clients were personally and professionally better off
for having worked with me in that capacity.
Twenty- and thirty-somethings (or members of Generations X and Y)
who hear about my journey are understandably curious about it.
Because young professionals so often fi nd themselves on career autopilot
as a result of impromptu decisions made in college or shortly
thereafter, career change is one of the hottest topics today. In fact,
according to a recent CareerBuilder survey of more than 5,700 young
workers, more than a third of respondents (35 percent) said they were
interested in making a career change, and in my experience as a
career expert, career change is one of the most frequently requested
speaking topics on college campuses and at association conferences.
On the whole, members of Generations X and Y are looking
to adapt their work to the lifestyle changes they’re making as they
mature. However, they understand that it’s hard to do— especially
now. The damaged economy and the poor job market have resulted
in extreme competition in all types of fields, including those that
weren’t considered desirable before. In New Job, New You, I’ll show
you how you can stand out from millions of others with the same
goals and aspirations. For example, in many of the chapters I’ll
address how to acquire the right combination of education and
experience for your new fi eld, how to create an inner circle of contacts
and mentors who can propel you forward, and how to move
the needle a little bit at a time so that you stay productive and sane
while your competition is giving up around you. You’ll come out on
top because you’ll have established yourself as the total package: a
person who is ahead of the game emotionally and financially as well
as professionally.
When I announced on my website that I would be working on
New Job, New You, I received dozens of enthusiastic emails. People
wanted a book that would get to the heart of what makes people
take the plunge into a new f eld, a book that included the formula
for doing it successfully despite signif cant societal obstacles. As I
conducted my research, I discovered that career changers have several
common motivations for their decisions, and therefore selected
these motivations as the book’s unifying theme. They are:
• Family: When true work/life balance becomes a necessity
• Independence: When you’ve been bitten by the entrepreneurial
bug
• Learning: When your bookish, curious side takes over
• Money: When an increase in earning potential is on the horizon
• Passion: When you yearn to do what you love with all of your
heart
• Setback: When one door closes, another one opens
• Talent: When you’re too good at something not to give it a shot
Each chapter includes stories of fi ve people who began their careers
in one line of work, and, while in their twenties or thirties, experienced
one or more of these motivations. Moving forward, they used their
existing skills and networking abilities, as well as the education available
to them, to make dramatic and courageous transitions. Throughout,
the book provides mini- assessments, exercises, resource toolkits, and
expert advice for how you can follow similar trajectories.
New Job, New You is about harnessing your own motivations to
execute changes that will enhance your work satisfaction. Let’s start
with a quiz that will help you determine if a career transformation
is something you are seriously ready to consider.
Assessment: Should You Make a Career Change?
Please select “True” or “False” in response to the following
statements.
1. You feel that you are a different person now than when you fi rst
started your career.
True False
2. When you consider your long- term life plan, your current career
path doesn’t match up with where you want to go.
True False
3. If you didn’t need the money, you could walk away from your
field tomorrow and never look back.
True False
4. Your work often feels frustrating and unnatural to you.
True False
5. Your current field doesn’t support the lifestyle you would like to
have for yourself or your family.
True False
6. Looking into the future, you see technology or another
development rendering your job obsolete.
True False
7. You have reached the highest level in your career that you can
reasonably aspire to, and you don’t see additional opportunities for
growth in the foreseeable future.
True False
8. You would like to get another job, but you’re afraid to rock the
boat since your field is small and positions are difficult to come by.
True False
9. You’ve wanted to pursue a certain type of career for a long time,
but circumstances forced you into something else that never quite
fit as well.
True False
10. The work you do on a daily basis doesn’t interest you, and you
constantly fi nd yourself stealing glances at the clock.
True False
11. You’ve spent hours on the Internet researching alternative lines
of work.
True False
12. Your current career doesn’t make good use of your education
and unique set of skills and talents.
True False
13. You’ve had the opportunity to take a different position in your
field, but you don’t see how it would make a difference.
True False
14. The only thing that’s appealing about your job is your
co- workers.
True False
15. You can’t remember what made you choose your industry in the
first place.
True False
16. You know in your heart that you need to move on to a new
field, but you haven’t because you resist change or lack experience.
True False
17. Your field doesn’t afford opportunities to explore new directions
and address fresh challenges.
True False
18. The decision to go into your current field wasn’t your own and
you find it hard to understand why others rave about it.
True False
19. You’ve gone on job interviews in your fi eld where you’ve been
told that you are overqualified, or were asked to accept a salary
much lower than your experience warrants.
True False
20. Although you’ve lost your passion for your work, you are worried
that no one will value you at the bottom rung of a new career.
True False
21. You don’t believe that your current field allows you to contribute
to society or that your work matters, and this bothers you.
True False
22. If you were to give a current college student an informational
interview about your fi ld, it would be difficult to be positive.
True False
23. You’ve been told that you need to acquire additional education
or training to keep up in your field, and you haven’t been
motivated to do this.
True False
24. After a recent vacation, or an event that got you thinking more
about the purpose of life, you returned to work with regret.
True False
25. After years in the traditional workforce, you’ve finally realized
that you won’t be truly satisfied unless you can be your own boss.
True False
Add up the total number of “True” and “False” answers and score
your quiz according to this key.
Five or more “True” answers: You probably sensed this already,
but your current career just isn’t doing it for you anymore. Perhaps
you stay in your field because it’s easier, or because you’re afraid.
The forthcoming chapters will introduce you to possibilities you
might not have considered, and alternate paths that have been taken
by people just like you.
Less than five “True” answers: Perhaps you are already in the
field that’s right for you, but there are some aspects of your current job
situation that aren’t ideal. Depending on your motivations, this book
will provide ways to adapt your existing career to your current needs.
Tags: alexandra levit, new job new you
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