Careers Books

My 17 year old son's teacher gave this book to him to read. My son shouted about how he wanted to be a level 6 and his life goals have changed. I was so surprised to see my son act this way because he is very shy laid back person with no sense of direction. Within a few weeks my son order two items off an auction website and created his own business. It was like he was a new person on a mission. I asked him about the book and researched it, then ordered it myself.

What do you know! I too was changed for the better. I am very interested it striving for the top more than ever. I do see things differently now on all levels. This book has really changed my life and I enjoyed every page. I have loaned it out many times and was informed by others they can't believe no one have told them about this book.

If you want to really know about life levels, and understand the HUMAN race more, this book is for you. When you first read it you think it is all about business, however you will learn it is really about life. If you want to play this game of life or not you are stuck in it and you may as well understand how to win.

Refreshingly candid, Harvey J. Coleman's, 'Empowering Yourself...' has the courage to outline the true course of upward mobility.

I have used this book in the past and is a valuable HR resource for me.

This is one of those reference material books. A classic and must read for anyone and everyone desiring to attain any level of success. This book is one that you must go back and read many times as you will not gain all the insight by reading once. This book highlights a valuable life lesson that it's not all about me. The author with passion and excellence explains in no uncertain terms "The Game". I imagine that this was a labor of love and catharsis for the author. Once you have the information do with it what you wish the responsiblity is yours. Remember knowledge applied is wisdom.

The insights and candor found in this book are at times chilling. Mr. Coleman hits the nail on the head, and this book should become a part of the "corporate player's" library.

Congratulations to Stanlee Phelps and Nancy Austin on the 4th edition of their book, "The Assertive Woman". They've been at it since 1974 (I've gotten each edition and referred them to my clients during my 30 years as a career and management consultant and coach.) This revised and updated edition continues to be a timely, relevant and reliable resource for women as they navigate the landmines on their assertiveness journeys. The book offers real-world examples, communication guidelines, self-awareness exercises and lessons learned in the authors' work with corporate and entrepreneurial women. (And I believe the solid advice and information is valid for all women of all ages regardless of their work status.... especially young women in high school and college who are just starting their assertiveness journeys.) I found the 14 page Resource Guide an especially helpful tool as it includes additional books, articles, newsletters, videos, websites, and professional associationsas available for any woman to find what she needs to support her in her assertiveness journey. I also loved the cover. Every photo has an interesting story behind it to convey that one size of assertiveness does not fit all! And it shows how far we've come.....

The only problem with this book is the resentful femenist tone it conveys. Some of the chapters seem to contradict one another, like "I'm funny, you're sarcastic." The retorts that Phelps and Austin have come up with ARE sarcastic.

Other than that, it is still decently laid out. I like the way there were sections to write in to evaluate yourself. There were also example scenarios of how a woman could handle herself in particular situations. It wasn't quite what I expected it to be, but I'd recommend to a woman with low self-esteem.

I have found this book very helpful. It gave a lot of examples of assertive and non-assertive behavior and helped me identify my non-assertive actions. I always thought I had a lot of self-confidence and high self-esteem, but recently I discovered that on the surface I do and that inside I really must not. I am currently leaving a verbally abusive relationship, and this book is giving me the confidence and strength (along with a few other books) to make sure I'm treated with the repect and love that every woman (person) is entitled to.

I read this book just around the time I started to build my own tax practice.

Why? Only because my first corporate client was Stanlee Phelps' Career Concerns. And it seemed wise to read my client's book.

What an eye-opener!

For someone starting out on their own (man or woman), it was THE best book I could have picked up.

Stanlee Phelps and Nancy Austin provided tangible information about how to get what you want or to make your point. They did it, though, by imparting a sense of grace and sanity, not present in the days of Women's Lib. (Don't worry, the Feminist feelings do run strong in the book.)

Their questions and exercises helped me learn so much about myself. It made it much easier to make the changes necessary to become a success in business. (And, inadvertantly, it helped me overcome my fear of public speaking. And how!)

One of the best lessons I took away from that book, (to paraphrase)

"Just because you CAN be assertive, doesn't mean you always should."

Holding my tongue, at times, has gotten me greater rewards than speaking up - just because I could.

If you're out there selling your products or services, making bids on contracts, working with contractors and staff...even if you're a man, pick this book up. It's a quick read

I've never told Stanlee quite what an effect this book had on me. But, really, it was remarkable. Thank you!

As the sister of one of the author's I am sure anyone would expect me to give a positive review, and I do! Not just because Nancy is my sister but because I have been taught since I was a young girl how to be assertive by my sister and at the age of 44 I now see how vital that teaching has been for me over the years. Nancy and Stanlee have given their best in this book and I have to say that every reader with a sister needs to share this book with them. My personal sense of identity comes as a direct result of being taught by Nancy at the age of 10 that I don't have to allow myself to be intimidated for fear of alienating someone by telling them "no". I learned self respect at a young age because I didn't allow myself to be "labeled" as a young lady when I felt that was not a proper discription of who I was! I was a young woman, big difference! I also learned that I don't have to accept someone else's name in marriage just because society expects me to! I was given the gift of freedom by my sister and her teachings and now I have a manual to refer to when I get lost along the way. I am also a counselor and have found that assertivenss does not only apply to women! I have male clients that benefit from the techniques I have learned through the book! Way to go Nancy and Stanlee!

Since `our habits determine our future' a lot of self-help revolves around changing our habits (not so easily done.) I like this particular book because it doesn't present NLP as an easy fix but instead they take quite a bit of space to explain how we think and act in habits and patterns. The authors then offer NLP techniques to help change your patterns until you develop new habits. As in all self-help there's not really much new here and anyone who has read Tony Robbins will be familiar with most of the concepts presented. It's a good book, though, and very useful for understanding the development of habits and cycles. I recommend it as a more objective presentation of NLP without all the fire walking hoopla.

The NLP Coach is indeed a practical guide for those interested in moving forward and achieving better results in life. This book is easy to understand and is laid out in a systematic way that makes reading and referencing easy. As a life coach and educator I often recommend The NLP Coach to my clients and students. Ian McDermott and Wendy Jaga take their many years of experience and wrap it into a well thought out book that is both practical and helpful.

As a vivid reader and a practioner of NLP I enjoyed reading this book. Not only is it a great step-by-step guide through many aspects of NLP, but it also works with you in evaluating your own life as you learn.
The book is easy and pleasant to read and Ian McDermott truly is among the best reads on the topic of NLP and coaching using NLP.
As an NLP coach I would highly recommend this book to people that are both starting out in personal development and in NLP. Very informative and triggers you to think about things from a new perspective using techniques as you are learning about them.

If you had to buy one book on NLP and coaching, this is it!!!
After reading it, I felt like I had just been revived from a coma! This book should be read and reread so as to get the full impact. Afterwards, reflections and a reframing of your life's experiences most assuredly will result.

Betty did a great job with this book. I read one of her first additions and she helped me find my focus which ultimately led me to my career. Anyone who is unsure of where they want to go with their career should pick up Betty's book.

This book is a well balanced text for all career searchers. It is filled with solid information, great exercises, humor, practical steps, and hope. I use it as a primary text for the Career Exploration, [Community College] class that I teach. It is also used at other institutions.

The text is currently in revision which will make it a 5 Star Text. I would recommend you purchase the new 7th edition, to be released this summer.

I loved that book. It is kind of hard. betty is a nut though i think she needs to review her work. Some of the work is no longer correct. Life has changed alittle since this book was written, at least in my expericence.

I had taken a number of career definition tests in my career as an employment counselor (trying to figure out what was my true calling and how I could earn more money). Then I did the work in Michelozzi's book and came up with the scoring that indicated I would be good at counseling/social work (which I was already doing) or contract negotiations. I didn't even know what a contract negotiator was!

I discussed this outcome with my friend who worked at a large corporation. She introduced me to the head of their contracts department. I interviewed him and his staff about the work they were doing. They happened to have a trainee position open (which paid more than what I was getting as a counselor). Now, eighteen years later, I can truly say that Betty Michelozzi's book, Coming Alive from Nine to Five, is the one book which has completely turned my life around. I have loved almost every day of my changed career and I am far better paid at this work than I would e! ver have been as a counselor.

I recommend this book to all of my acquaintances who suspect it is time to change careers--and I recommend it to you. Thank you, Betty, for this truly wonderful opus!

Very well done. We use this text in our Career Planning Psychology class at Tarrant County Junior College, S.C., Ft. Worth, Texas, in the Women In New Roles Program. The class is blended and integrated with Human Relations Psychology. It is a college credit program (WINR) for women in transition of returning to school. It blends beautifully with our Human Relations Psychology text...

A corporate name is everything - it's what holds your reputation and value. "Value Creation: The Power of Brand Equity" is a guide for business managers to make the most of their brand and to make it make them money. Highlighting that a corporation's values can play a big role in attracting customers, and keeping those customers. Also highlighting essential advice to help whoever manages a brand to maintain the value and not lose it, "Value Creation: The Power of Brand Equity" is highly recommended for community library business collections and for any in charge of there brands future.

From a consumer or client point of view, a brand is essentially an implied contract that reduces purchase uncertainty. A successful brand increases trust and reduces uncertainty among buyers, employees, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders.

Ron Strauss and William Neal dive deep into brand importance and mechanics in their new book Value Creation: The Power of Brand Equity. This book shows the role that brands play as intangible assets, why intangible assets are a large share of a firm's market value, and how investors associate brands with a firm's intrinsic market value.

Brand value, the authors argue, can be and should be measured. When the asset-value of brands is measured, it can be effectively managed to improve stockholder value. What's measured can be improved. It's worth improving your company's brand, as strong brands:

* provide a platform for efficient new product launches
* reduce marketing and selling costs per sales unit
* create pricing and margin advantages in the near term
* build and protect near and long term enterprise market value for stakeholders
* create meaning, relevance and loyalty for stakeholders (employees, channels, etc.)

A brand is a defensible long-term asset a company owns, say Strauss and Neal. Competitors can quickly replicate product or service performance; they can meet or beat prices; they can enter channels and markets freely. But competitors cannot quickly build the confidence of consumers and clients. And therein lies the value of a brand.

The authors, both 35-year veterans of the branding and market research world, begin with this manifesto: "Brands are the most valuable assets that a corporation owns. Brands are the key source of sustainable competitive advantage. Brands are the `invisible hand' of management, leading employees to do the right things. Top management understanding of the company's corporate, product and service brands and how they create value is the key to long-term success. If a company has weak brands, it is automatically at a competitive disadvantage - price competition and cost cutting will dominate management thinking and actions; employee morale will suffer."

Neal and Strauss are evangelizers of the brand--your brand. Most companies, they note, do not actively measure their brand assets or lead their organization in a way that maximizes that value. But companies should be doing so. In Chapter 6, "The Current State of Brand Measurement," the authors examine popular brand value/brand equity measurement systems and academically demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of each of those systems. They introduce and explain a new measurement system and explain how to calculate brand value, brand equity and total brand value.

Throughout the book are many examples of companies that have systems and processes to actively measure and improve their brands. From Starbucks to Honda to Mayo Clinic, the authors dissect and examine what makes a good brand. And these are the elements of a successful brand:

* key stakeholders' values are reflected in the brand's attributes
* the company's mission and vision are consistent with the brand strategy
* management `interrogates reality' outside the company to keep the brand differentiated and relevant
* the brand's unique set of attributes, less its costs of ownership, yields benefits sufficient to drive choice within its consideration set
* what the company thinks, how it acts, what it does, all support the brand promise so that stakeholders' experiences with the brand meet or exceed expectations

I recently spoke with Ron Strauss by telephone and asked him two questions regarding brands:

How should companies make decisions?
"If one accepts our premise, then it spawns a fundamental shift in the way corporations are led and managed. Decisions are driven by what improves the brand asset value of the firm. Assessing how investments will improve the total value of the firm's brand assets drives investment priorities. The inevitable financial trade-offs that management faces should be driven by this question: How, and by how much, will this investment improve the asset value of our brands?"

How does building a brand apply to a small business or service-based business?
"A key to business success is loyal customers and employees. Making your employees and customers your most vocal advocates is a great way to generate effective word-of-mouth communications and referrals.

"One of the greatest reasons customers leave is `perceived indifference.' Customers think they're taken for granted. Make sure that you recognize your customers (and employees) and make them feel special. Or make sure that when they call you, they can reach you, and if they can't, that you'll get back to them within a specified period of time. Then do it! Keeping promises, small and big, is fundamental to building trust, and trust is one of the core values of all brands. In fact, trust is fundamental to all relationships.

"Your brand can act as an organizing principle for your company, encoding values, behaviors and performance so that all parts of your company mesh to create brand experiences that make customers come back, employees proud, and owners happy."

If creating value is a top initiative in your business, you'll want to read this book.

my child has always wanted to be a vet. this book is good for young children probably up to age 7 or 8. for older kids, the James herriot books might be good.

I read this book on the recommendation of a friend who lived abroad. Unfortunately, it did not apply in most cases to the 20 countries in which I traveled and tried to find work, not only because I'm American and this book is aimed at UK natives, but because of the brevity of info offered.

Americans and Canadians have a more difficult time finding work simply because of EU citizenship requirements, though it is also true that English taught with an American accent is more desirable. The latter, however, does not mean Americans will be better paid or even employed.

Many times, schools fill positions with natives who studied English abroad, even if their command of the language is quite poor. British natives are often preferred over Canadians or Americans simply because they have no work or residence permit issues if you're in the EU. Americans, at best, can find tutoring jobs through placing an ad in local newspapers (and it helps to write the ad in the local language to attract students) and will not be paid as well...in fact, half the rate in many cases of a native speaking substandard English.

In the majority of cases, some previous teaching experience, credentials and certificates are required in order to be considered for a position. In addition, some knowledge of the local language is extremely useful, often required. This book does not stress this. Standards have changed in the world, and those wishing to find a job simply because they know how to speak English is not enough. Buying and reading this book, however helpful it is in small ways, is also not enough.

As with anything, there are exceptions to the rule. My best friend from California was placed in Poland, well-paid and provided housing for 2 years without any experience, certification or previous interview; last year he taught in Turkey during his vacation under nearly the same conditions. Another woman who contacted me for advice found a job in Romania quite easily and is having a great time. Sometimes it's about connections, sometimes about luck.

If you're American, Teaching English Overseas by Jeff Mohamed is more relevant. Then, take a TEFL course, get a copy of Living Abroad Magazine, check the availability of jobs in local papers of the country(ies) you choose and have an agency place you keeping your options flexible to the many beautiful countries worldwide (South America, Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe). That's more practical and realistic.

I always recommend this book to people who tell me they are thinking of getting into teaching English as a foreign language. I think it provides a fabulous overview of the industry, and the pros and cons of teaching abroad. The book helped me to narrow down what was most important to me in an overseas teaching position. I found the personal anecdotes to be illuminating, and they were one of many factors that eventually steered me away from teaching in Asia or the Middle East. ...

Although the book does have a slant towards a British audience, this book is NOT only useful to Brits. I am an American, and it helped me to get my first job teaching in Europe. It also helped me decide where to get my TESL certificate. I sent away for more information from many of the TESL certification schools listed in this book, and eventually decided to do a Trinity College certification course in London rather than an equally expensive but non-Trinity, non-Cambridge course in the US. I have never regretted this decision for a minute, and in fact it led to an excellent job with excellent perks in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Yes, like most of us unlucky Americans, I eventually had to face reality and give up the dream of working in an EU country!)

It is true that Griffith could spend more time focusing on job opportunities in non-EU countries, especially Latin America. Hence, only 4 stars out of 5. However, this book is an excellent starting point for those considering teaching English abroad. Naturally, no single book can cover all bases. It goes without saying that your experiences in a foreign country will be as unique as you are, and may differ wildly from the teachers quoted in the book. But for my money, this is the best introduction to teaching abroad in one single publication. Read and enjoy, and if you end up in a scrape in some dicey teaching position abroad, don't say that Susan didn't warn you!

In Part II, on page 344, in the section on Middle East, under the heading Saudi Arabia, Philip Dray is quoted:

"I decided against Saudi Arabia. The money was most appealing, but I could not think myself into a situation where there was no nightlife, limited conact with women and no culture or history. A year may seem short when you say it fast, but you could get very depressed in a situation like that. Money is nearly everything but it can't buy you peace of mind. So I opted for a job at a school for boys in the U.A.E. which, from the description, sounds sociable, inviting and accessible."

Griffith elaborates on Dray's quote above, "After Philip's arrival at the Oasis Residence in Dubai, he was well pleased with his decision, since living conditions in his luxury apartment complex complete with pool, steam room, squash court and gym, were just as lavish as he would have been given in Saudi. High salaries can also be earned in the United Arab Emirates."

That is all the author has to say about the U.A.E. She goes into great detail describing how to get a job in Saudi Arabia and many other countries, while warning that you'll probably hate it. She has a separate section for each such country. Then she says under the Saudi Arabia section that the best option is definitely the U.A.E. And yet she made no section for it, and gave no contacts, as she did with the others.

That is not a funny joke played on the earnest reader.

Also, the author agrees with another source I have concerning Poland. Griffith says on page 293, first sentence under the section on Poland, "Prospects for English teachers in Poland, western Poland in particular, remain MORE PROMISING THAN ALMOST ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD."

However, she does not mention how much a teacher can save per month on average (as she does with most other countries). And from the looks of the numbers that ARE quoted, it doesn't seem like you could save anything, compared with the $1000 to $1500 per month you could save in the Middle East or Japan, or the $1000 you could save in Korea, etc.

The author does give some seemingly useful tips, but it's difficult to trust the author who gives you all the information you could ever want on the countries you'd never want to visit, and none of the info you really want on the countries you want to visit.

By the way, I am an American, but I have no gripe against the book being geared toward Brits, and I hardly think it could be more useful to either. The author does a fine job making it accessible to anyone with half a brain.

Clearly set out

Up to date contacts

Crisp, clear writing

Excellent for getting a job teaching english abroad!

This book has some good information, but it's like carrying a phone book, and a lot of the info is addresses. There's too much stuff here. A good guidebook for teaching overseas is 'The World is a Class'. Everything written is to the point, and it's a lot easier to carry.

Although I graduated from a good college and managed to build a successful career, I can only imagine the amount of time and wasted efforts I would have saved had I read this book earlier. I now recommend this to all my students. This isn't just another "work hard, be nice, and network" book; it gives specific advice on quitting dead-end jobs, becoming a rainmaker, or hitching your start to the right people. As mentioned, it's best suited for someone just starting out, so if you know anyone who's about to graduate from college, this would make a great gift.

Nothing earth shattering here. Maybe my expectations were too high as soo many folks recommended this book. Unless you've never read ANY career advice book, I'd suggest another.

While I have not worked through this book as directed (hey--I'm just being honest here!), I have worked through most of the exercises and prayers over about a year. I loved them, and doing this work has helped me have a deeper magical practice, and to be more of who I have always wanted to be.

the magic of the fey folk is often deceptively simple--but very potent. Ms. De Grandis guides her reader forward, and ever deeper into true magic, while having that work often appear simple and fun.

I am a different person having worked through this book (as well as her others).

And if you've enjoyed working with this book, go get The Modern Goddess' Guide to Life: How to Be Absolutely Divine on a Daily Basis. It's Ms. De Grandis' humor book--and when I'm having a bad day, I like to pick it up to read to remind me of all I learned about myself and The Goddess in this book and GODDESS INITIATION.

I've given this book to three women and two men interested in the craft. It's a fantastic book, with some good exercises in it, not just for beginners, but for more advanced practitioners as well (I've beeen in the craft for 10 years now).

currently, I am doing lessons from this this book.It is an excellent book to get in touch with the goddess.It has a lot of powerful information.A++

What a writer...what a woman....what a shaman..... written with info, humor, honesty, and lots of potent inner work. greeeeaaaaat book.

At first, I started to read with a bucketful of salt, because of the claims in the title, which seemed a bit 'instant magic', but I think Ms De Grandis presents her views and the way she works in a really helpful manner, and I found the lesson plan & week by week format really helpful. After researching other people's views, I came to understand the inaccuracies, but there is a section at the beginning where Ms De Grandis says that she uses some terms interchangeably, whereas their meanings are not all the same, so I didn't have a problem with the Celtic Shamanism/Wicca/Witchcraft/Faery Trad issue at all.
I think this book contains a lot of relevant information, and I think even if you didn't agree with some of the content, you could at least get a lot of extremely good prayers/exercises from this book. I think the psychology and overall explanations are detailed enough, and this book really made a difference to me. I thought it was excellently written and really, really useful and informative.
I read other reviews and learned that some people were displeased with this book, but to be honest, I doubt anyone is only going to read one book on this subject, and if you read a wide range of material, you can get a feel for what is right or wrong for you, and gather more information. I mean, you don't just accept everything there, you read more about Celtic Shamanism or Wicca from other authors, and your knowledge grows. The more you read, the more you learn!
This is a fantastic book that I would recommend to anyone to read, but I would always advise reading a wide range of material!

Here is an excellent book for HR staff who needs to be updated on career development programs and counseling. It gives a practic and simple check list to go thru this, somethimes, complicated process. 5 well deserved stars to the author.

I bought this book because I wanted an off-the-shelf framework to put punch into staff development. The book met my needs.

Be aware that the approach includes an approach for assisting individuals in assessing their "motivated skills" and "values". I think that's important but others may find this too broad.

Hey, you're not buying a condo. This is [money] well spent.

I used Knowdell's book to write a paper- applying the implementation steps to an actual case study. It is well written and easy to follow, however, given that career development is a hard sell to management, implementation needs to include evaluation of the program as well. Without showing the benefits of the program to management, career development within an organization will be seen as nothing more than a generous perk. Many organizations pay for employees undergraduate and/or graduate education - and that often is a generous perk. But organizations do see that while the employee is still there in the organization, the training and knowledge gained from the education is benefitting the organization. The same needs to be said about career development. Knowdell does not provide a lot of how this can help organizations, other than perhaps as a motivation tool for employees. If you need that info, you'll need to do extra work to look at what research says in that area. Overall, career development and tuition reimbursements do attract the best candidates to an organization, are developed within the organization, and are retained because they feel valued by the organization.