Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life [Paperback]

Carole Kanchier PhD. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2000

Designed to understand how you and your career grow and change through life, and how you make important life decisions. Provides practical advice and tools; questionnaires, exercises and case studies to help you move beyond traditional thinking about careers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gives pointers on everything from investigating unfamiliar fields of work to taking the plunge." -- The Vancouver Sun

"Lots of good new ideas by a skilled career writer ... too good to keep on the shelf." -- Bob Calvert, Editor, Career Opportunities News

A change from the typical, popular career books. ... It dares you to look at your life... -- Beverly Carlozzi, New York Personnel Management Association Bulletin

An exception to career books ... offers unique ways to view career development." -- Thomas Bachhuber, PhD, Editor, Career Waves

Review

"I just came across a brilliant book on career change - Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life by Carole Kanchier. It inspires readers with new ways to consider career advancement by discussing `how you and your career grow and change, and how you make important life decisions' The book encourages thinking out of the box with practical advice, questionnaires, exercises and case studies." --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 325 pages
• Publisher: Jist Publishing; 2 edition (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563705567
• ISBN-13: 978-1563705564
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,150,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do You Dare?, February 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life (Paperback)

Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life, 2nd Edition

This is one great book for someone who may be unhappy in their life or career - and needs a reality check. I've read a number of so-called "self-help" books over the years - and this one really did it for me. I'm delighted to say that the new 2nd Edition merits equal praise.

I especially recommend this book for lawyers who are thinking of making a change. I had left the law and had a vague feeling of disquiet concerning my non-legal position that I had held for some three years. When I had completed the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire found in Chapter 7, I found out that I hated my new career even more than my former position in the legal field. I liked the book so much, and since we were in the same metropolitan area, I retained Dr. Kanchier as my personal career consultant. Now, as a "Quester", I'm off to something new, but back to the law.

The author has created a new description of a particular type of person, which she refers to as a "Quester." This is someone who may change occupations or status levels, and sacrifice financial rewards and position for self-expression and personal growth. Flexibility, self-expression, and freedom from conventional restraints identify Questers. They are independent, innovative spirits who generally have an optimistic outlook on life and want a healthy balance between work, love and leisure time. They seldom get bored unless they make the mistake of staying on a particular career path longer than they should. Chapter 3 in the book has another questionnaire to help the reader determine whether he or she is a "Quester."

The book includes a number of questionnaires and checklists to assist the readers in evaluating their strengths, weaknesses and choices throughout the quest. Dr. Kanchier has years of professional and "life" experiences upon which to draw, and is well-qualified to author such a book. It is based upon personal research involving more than 30,000 individuals.

The book focuses on feelings and personal concerns - it is not a superficial "how to get a job" book - but a life journey that takes the reader to a far deeper level of introspection and self-assessment than the usual book of its type.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh Outlook on Careers and Jobs, June 11, 2000

By 

Peter Emerson, EdD., LPC (Southeastern Louisiana University) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life (Paperback)

"Dare to Change Your Job -- And Your Life"

This book provides a fresh outlook on careers and jobs. Kanchier initiates the concept of "Questers" and utilizes it to both explore the segment of the population that fits its definition and elucidates how an individual can become more Quester-like. Quester's have a unique approach to careers as exemplified by the famous Quester, Pablo Picasso, who stated:

"What is always there is your work. It is the extension of you, not your child but you. You are the work. The passions that motivate you may change, but it is your work in life that is the ultimate seduction."

After describing what a Quester is like, and providing examples of famous Questers, Kanchier poses the question in Chapter 3 "Are you a Quester?" There is an interesting and enjoyable self-scoring, 149 item, questionnaire that identifies Questers.

If one were to just read Picasso's rendition on work, one may confuse the Quester with a workaholic. However, Kanchier's Quester is definitely a mentally healthy, well balanced individual. The Quester is in fact unlike a workaholic in every way except the focus on work. Indeed, the Quester values personal relationship that are "extremely rich." The balance of Chapter 3 defines healthy qualities of the Quester including: self-confidence, purpose (meaning of life), autonomy, achievement, innovativeness, androgyny, risk and growth. After each characteristic and its definition she provides useful tips on how to develop each characteristic of the Quester.

Another interesting aspect of the book, in Chapter 4, differentiates between the traditional ladder climber and the Quester. Unlike those individuals that see up as the only desirable alternative, Questers many times opt for "sideways" and even "down" in terms of traditional career advancement. They do this because "they have learned to do a little investigation into their needs, values and purposes". So the tradition "down" in dollar terms might be "up" for a Quester in terms of quality of life with the family.

The reward system that motivates a Quester is also highlighted. Questers often refer to their jobs as "fun" and "pleasurable", with such qualities of the job being more rewarding than titles or money. Chapter 7 provides the reader with another self-assessment to determine the reader's current level of job satisfaction. The book concludes with challenges to risk and to change.

This book would be an excellent reference for a career counselor. It would also be ideal as a supplementary text in career development classes. The book is also clearly designed as self-help book and would be highly helpful to anyone reflecting upon a career or job at any developmental stage. This reviewer found the book both interesting and enjoyable to read.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last!, June 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life (Paperback)

Well, it was about time, finding a book that answered all my questions about what I really wanted out of life and, but of course, my fears and doubts. I was so trapped in my job, believing every manipulation corporate America put into my head. Now, I know what I want to do, and I am not afraid to risk and lose. Job satisfaction is more important than the money I'll lose, or that I'll make in the future. I just want to be happy. Security? There's no security anywhere, so the only risk I can avoid is the risk of not trying it. You should, too. Just read the book, and see what I mean.