CAREER TIPS FOR THE ULTRA SAVVY

Book Review: Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk

Submitted by Jenny Ferry and Lynne Gall

The generation finishing formal education in the US right now will experience such instability in the job market that they will have held more than 8 jobs by the time they reach the age of 34. Not so comforting news as you’re ready to grab your diploma and make your mark on the world. So here’s the solution proffered by Penelope Trunk in her brilliant new book, Brazen Careerist, which is bursting with ultra savvy career tips, especially for: insert your name here - Accept the reality and start thinking about job-hunting as a lifestyle rather than an unpleasant task. She adds, “But the hunt is not for the money. It’s for more interesting work and a better personal life. So what can you do to make sure you get a job that will encourage new experiences both at work and at home?” Here’s more road-tested advice:

Break job-hunting rules. “Even though the advertisement says no calls, a call is a great way to get someone to pay attention to you when there’s a huge pile of resumes.” If you have an excellent reference, like a CEO of a Fortune 500 company who is friends with your parents, have the reference call right after you send a contact your resume.

Survive the hunt. If you have been job hunting for a while and have exhausted most of your resources the thing to do is cold call. If you have a company you are interested in, make the call. When you connect with the person that has the power to hire you be friendly, informative and fast. Your pitch must be good. Not all positions are advertised and some companies will find a position for the right person. A key to a successful job hunt is an optimistic attitude. Allow yourself enough time to find the job that is right for you.

Question authority. Ask a lot of questions in the interview. Prospective employees who get information on the internet, through networking and word of mouth are more prepared to ask better questions in an interview. Then, when you walk out of an interview, close the deal. This means saying “I would really like this job, do you have any reservations about hiring me?”  It’s better to confront any issues right then and there.

Watch and learn. Banish all preconceptions and everything they told you at the interview from your mind. (Wait a minute, what about the answers to all my great interview questions?) Instead, observe the culture and your boss very closely and flex your style around those realities once you are in the job.

Don’t ask for a raise. Training is the new currency. If you can get your employer to spend some dollars on improving your key skills and ensuring that your knowledge is up to scratch, it's worth far more that another half-percent on your raise. Achieve professional growth by asking to get on a team that will teach you how to do something you think is important and asking to sit in on meetings you wouldn’t normally get to see.

Be an entrepreneur. The most surprising and satisfying chapter in the book is Chapter 5, “Corporate Life is Risky—Start Your Own Business Instead.” This chapter is an example of what really sets this book apart from all of the other career books out there. She gives it to you straight about the pros and cons of both corporate life AND entrepreneurial life. This will resonate with students who may begin work in corporate America, but hope to live entirely off their own business in the near future.

Penelope’s book is a must-read full of even more no-nonsense advice and her no-holds-barred attitude. The 34 easy-to-read chapters are loaded with nuggets from her personal experiences, observations, and research. She is a career columnist for the Boston Globe whose syndicated column has run in more than 200 publications. Our advice: Buy a copy, read it, mark it up, put it on your bedside table, keep it at your desk. And by all means, check out her blog: blog.penelopetrunk.com

Stop by our booth at the Career Expo to enter your chance to win one of two 3-month sessions of personalized Career Development Coaching valued at $1,050. Or visit our websites for more resources and information on building a successful strategy for your own Career Development.

Jenny Ferry: www.bigbluewavecoaching.com and Lynne Gall: www.successcoachingconnection.com