Career by Design : Communicating Your Way to Success

by Hanna, Sharon L.

• ISBN13: 9780131149601
• ISBN10: 0131149601
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

For courses in Career Development, Career Placement, Employment/Job Search and Career Counseling. Exceptionally readable, well-illustrated, and current, the third edition of this unique presentation of career development techniques and skills emphasizes the necessity of communication and interpersonal skills. Designing a successful career requires self-awareness, effective communication, and strong interpersonal skills combined with the practical nuts and bolts of goal achievement throughout an entire career. This book has all of it. This explanation/suggestion-packed text also has a variety of thought-provoking questions/thinking-doing activities. It inspires and guides students to think creatively and critically rather than just engage in or accept a one-way job hunt. Up-to-date information and a research-based approach make this a must-have text.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
About the Author	xiii
Beginning with the Self	1	(44)
Your Developmental Areas	2	(8)
Physical Self	2	(2)
Mental Self	4	(3)
Emotional Self	7	(2)
Social Self	9	(1)
The Whole Self	10	(1)
Personality: The Unique You	11	(7)
Personality Preferences and Types	12	(6)
Self-Concept: Your Image of Self	18	(1)
Self-Efficacy: Your Sense of Competence	19	(1)
Making Positive Changes	20	(8)
Key Advice: Keys to Academic Success	20	(3)
Developing an Internal Locus of Control	23	(1)
Becoming Assertive	24	(2)
Building and Strengthening Self-Esteem	26	(2)
Sharpening Your Basic Skills	28	(2)
Evaluating Your Career Potential	30	(2)
Key Points	32	(1)
Online Resources	33	(1)
Key Steps	34	(11)
Interacting Positively with Others	45	(40)
Being Open-Minded	46	(3)
First Impressions	46	(1)
Acceptance and Appreciation	47	(2)
Using Assertiveness	49	(2)
Communicating: The Key to Success	51	(25)
Characteristics of a Positive Communicator	53	(1)
Becoming a Positive Listener	53	(8)
Developing an Open Style of Verbalizing	61	(4)
Increasing Your Verbal Effectiveness	65	(2)
Monitoring the Content of a Message	67	(4)
Verbalizing About Issues	71	(2)
Understanding Paralanguage and Body Language	73	(3)
Key Points	76	(1)
Online Resources	77	(1)
Key Steps	78	(7)
Getting What You Want	85	(48)
Seeking Career and Job Satisfaction	86	(12)
Matching Yourself to a Career	89	(5)
Matching Yourself to a Job	94	(3)
Being Realistic and Practical	97	(1)
Achieving Your Goals	98	(3)
Getting Motivated	98	(1)
Assessing Goals	99	(1)
Figuring Out the ``How''	99	(2)
Researching Careers, Jobs, and Employers	101	(5)
Why Research?	102	(1)
How to Research	102	(4)
Planning and Conducting Your Job Search	106	(16)
Finding Potential Employers	107	(1)
Seeking Help in Your Job Search	108	(2)
Using Your Network	110	(1)
Fine-Tuning Your Information	111	(1)
Selecting References	112	(1)
Contacting and Using References	113	(1)
Making Direct Contact	114	(3)
Using Advertisements and Online Job Postings	117	(1)
Utilizing Placement Services	118	(2)
Seeking Interships, Volunteer Work, and Special Program Help	120	(1)
Handling Rejection	121	(1)
Key Points	122	(1)
Online Resources	123	(2)
Key Steps	125	(8)
Presenting Yourself in Writing	133	(52)
Developing Your Resume	134	(26)
What Is a Resume?	134	(1)
Reasons for Resumes	134	(1)
Resume Requirements	135	(1)
Types and Formats of Resumes	136	(8)
Decisions and Steps in Resume Writing	144	(12)
Key Advice: What Do You Like or Not Like on a Resume?	156	(4)
Writing a Cover Letter	160	(6)
What Is a Cover Letter?	160	(1)
Guidelines for Cover Letters	161	(1)
Contents of a Cover Letter	161	(1)
Key Advice: What Are Your Recommendations About Cover Letters?	162	(4)
Writing Other Letters	166	(3)
Follow-Up Letters	166	(1)
After-Rejection Letters	167	(2)
Filling Out a Job Application	169	(8)
Application Information	170	(2)
Guidelines for Applications	172	(5)
Key Points	177	(1)
Online Resources	178	(1)
Key Steps	179	(6)
Interviewing with Confidence	185	(42)
Preparing for an Interview	186	(5)
Preparing Yourself Mentally	187	(1)
Knowing What Employers Want	188	(1)
Key Advice: What Do Employers Want?	189	(2)
Selling Yourself During the Interview	191	(28)
Presenting Your Best Self	191	(6)
Behaving in Impressive Ways	197	(3)
Selling Yourself Nonverbally	200	(2)
Selling Yourself Verbally	202	(2)
Sample Questions and Possible Responses	204	(1)
Key Advice: What Is Important in an Interview?	205	(13)
Ending the Interview	218	(1)
Evaluating Yourself	219	(1)
Following Up	219	(1)
Key Points	220	(1)
Online Resources	221	(1)
Key Steps	222	(5)
Developing Your Career	227	(44)
Negotiating and Accepting an Offer	228	(3)
Understanding Benefits	228	(1)
Negotiating Salary	228	(3)
Accepting a Position	231	(1)
Rejecting an Offer	231	(1)
Beginning Your New Job	232	(4)
Maintaining Balance	236	(1)
Keeping Personal Records	237	(1)
Making Contacts	238	(2)
Handling Performance Reviews	240	(7)
Preparing Yourself for Criticism	240	(1)
Avoiding Negative Responses to Criticism	241	(1)
Responding Positively to Criticism	242	(3)
Discussing Salary Increases	245	(2)
Continuing to Learn	247	(2)
Key Advice: What Will Maximize Career Success?	248	(1)
Advancing in Your Career	249	(6)
Taking Action	249	(1)
Making Relocation Decisions	250	(1)
Fostering Leadership Skills	251	(4)
Changing Careers and Jobs	255	(5)
Owning Your Own Business	260	(2)
Ending Your Career	262	(2)
Key Points	264	(1)
Online Resources	265	(1)
Key Steps	266	(5)
Building Relationships at Work	271	(32)
Promoting Positive Relations	272	(14)
Positive Communication	272	(1)
Realistic Expectations	272	(1)
Positiveness and Friendliness	273	(1)
Sensitivity and Understanding	274	(2)
Supportiveness	276	(1)
Cooperation and Collaboration	277	(2)
Consideration and Helpfulness	279	(4)
Teamwork	283	(1)
Praise	284	(1)
Appreciation of Diversity	284	(2)
Managing Conflict Effectively	286	(6)
Choices in Conflict Situations	286	(1)
Obstacles to Eliminate	286	(1)
Characteristics of Effective Conflict Managers	287	(2)
Conflict Management Skills	289	(3)
Dealing with Difficult People	292	(2)
Types of Difficult People	292	(1)
Effective Behaviors	292	(2)
Forgiving and Moving On	294	(1)
Key Points	295	(1)
Online Resources	296	(1)
Key Steps	297	(6)
Handling Career Challenges	303	(34)
Discrimination	304	(4)
Sources of Discrimination	304	(1)
Handling Discrimination	305	(3)
Sexual Harassment	308	(1)
Family Issues	309	(3)
Time Management	312	(7)
Finding Time	313	(1)
Eliminating Time Wasters	314	(2)
Defeating Procrastination	316	(1)
Effectively Managing Time	317	(2)
Burnout	319	(2)
Symptoms and Effects of Burnout	319	(1)
Overcoming Burnout	320	(1)
Stress	321	(9)
Effects of Stress	321	(1)
Healthy Stress	322	(1)
Sources of Stress	322	(4)
Taking Charge of Stress	326	(4)
Key Points	330	(1)
Online Resources	331	(1)
Key Steps	332	(5)
Recommended Reading	337	(4)
References	341	(7)
Index	348

Excerpts

Why do people work?The first answer that often comes to mind is money. Yet, is that all there is to it? If so, thousands of educators, including myself, would have pursued other careers. As you design your career, you are wise to ponder the question of why you want to work and consider the reasons you have chosen a particular path. If your career involves what you consider to be meaningful work, the rewards are innumerable. These include: To gain a significant purpose in life To use talents and abilities To broaden knowledge To enlarge one's social sphere To become more interesting and interested To experience enjoyment and have fun To increase self-esteem To develop better physical and mental health To make a meaningful contribution The list is a long one. To avoid or shortchange this vital part of life would be a major mistake, and to work only for money invites dissatisfaction and disappointment. Think of the most personally rewarding reasons for pursuing a career. Then, consider what would be the most satisfying career for you--just the first of several important decisions. After a selection, the active design of your career takes center stage. Without deliberate planning and action, it's possible that you will achieve satisfaction--but not likely. This book leads you through an entire career life. Beginning with the self,you will gain insight and understanding of all the elements of a successful career. Learning to interact positively with others, including ways to improve interpersonal skills, follows. The actual career design includes research and choices, then culminates with a successful job search. The final chapters invite you to examine the entire career path, develop positive work relationships, and learn how to handle challenges. As you either have discovered or will discover, one point is clear. No one way is 100 percent best for everyone's career development. This book contains many opinions, ideas, research findings, and recommendations. Even though general consensus exists, much is debatable, and critical thinking can help you choose what will work best for you. As the subtitle of the book suggests, the ability to communicate and interpersonal skills will lead individuals to success--or to failure. A Rider University survey of 428 companies named interpersonal relations as one of the top five entry-level requirements and listed it as the top barrier to promotion. In looking at the new workplace of the future, publications in the United States (Carrig, 1999) and Canada (Canadian Manager,1999) rate interpersonal and communication abilities as essential. In fact, the assertion is made that interpersonal and communication skills will either make or break a person's career success (Carrig, 1999). Recognizing that this is true, this book does what most career books do not: it interweaves communication and other interpersonal skills throughout the chapters. You can benefit greatly both professionally and personally from learning and practicing the interpersonal skills that are not a "given" for anyone. The most challenging task for this edition was to explore and understand all aspects of online technology in terms of career development. Use of the Internet for career and job research and for job seeking has virtually exploded. This book will assist you in being an active participant in the electronic revolution of career development. Changes in this area occur so quickly that any book runs the risk of being outdated, and the personal responsibility of job seekers is to stay abreast of new developments. What will not change are the basics of presenting yourself honestly and confidently in writing and in person. As you design your own career, this book can be a useful companion and valuable guide. l agree with La