44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Get ready to do some work!, August 23, 2007
This review is from: Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: 9 Steps to Get You Out of Your Funk & on to Your Future (Paperback)
The LIFE'S A BITCH AND THEN YOU CHANGE CAREERS book is pretty informative for people who hate their jobs and want to make a change. But be prepared to do some work.
The first eight chapters/steps in the book are writing assignments! You answer many questions about what you enjoy, what type of environment you'd like to work in and with who, what skills you've picked up along the way etc., etc. and you don't define a job title at the beginning. The questions are easy enough to answer but really take some soul-searching and introspection.
At first, I thought the exercises were amusing but after doing them every chapter it got frustrating. Many of the questions would repeat and I didn't get why the author was doing this...other than to fill pages. Well, in the end I did see why. The exercises help you understand that you are more than just a job title and that you can switch to something else if you aren't happy. Answering the questions, in a way, also answers the nagging fears and self-doubt that keep popping up in your head when you do decide to change careers.
The book is designed to help people figure out what they want to do next, as well as help those who already know what they want to do, make sure they've made the best choice. That's why you do all the damn exercises! But there's also another plus to answering all those questions; you'll then have the answers to what goes into your updated resume, what you should say in a cover letter, and what you'll say when you get an interview. So it's not a waste of time.
The ninth and final step/chapter is what's really helpful because the author, Andrea Kay, goes into what to expect such as fear, self-doubt, what to do when you encounter resistance, and how to gain experience in a field you've never worked in before. Very helpful, although the suggestions on getting an internship were odd because Kay writes that you can get internships outside of Universities etc., you just have to be willing to work for free. The problem with that is that companies are not allowed to hire anyone and make them work for "free," even if it's an internship. Interns, who don't receive pay(stipend), must be getting credit which means you have to go through a college. And I'm not saying it's not possible to work for free and no credit blah-blah-blah, but then this is how people get taken advantage of. So beware if that's the road you choose to take.
But aside from that, the book is really helpful. And I was surprised to find that I've been doing many of the things in the book already. I gave four stars because I think some people will be turned off by all the Q&As!
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67 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Saved My Life, February 14, 2006
This review is from: Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: 9 Steps to Get You Out of Your Funk & on to Your Future (Paperback)
I've been stuck in a dead-end job in a career I've grown to hate. My father told me I should be an accountant. I became one. But it's just not "me." I ran across this book at a bookstore and it struck a chord so I bought it. It's been life-saving. I was inpired by the stories of what other people have done to change careers and am now following the author's step-by-step approach to discovering who I really am and where I fit into the world of work. I'm overwhelmed by the opportunities and different careers I never even realized existed. I'm amazed because I've just begun this journey and can already see the light at the end of the tunnel. My new career will engage my creativity and I can't wait to get started. The book is helping me plan how to get from where I am to where I want to be - and I'm doing it without sacrificing my regular income. The second half of my life will be much more personally fulfilling than the first half. Just wish this book had come out 10 years ago.
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38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finding my passion, December 10, 2006
This review is from: Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: 9 Steps to Get You Out of Your Funk & on to Your Future (Paperback)
I was in a fast-paced corporate career, making more money than I had imagined possible...yet I wasn't happy. At 49 years of age, I was looking for something more meaningful in my life for my remaining working years. Andrea's book forced me to answer questions about my likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, and be truthful about my tolerance for change.
By the time I finished all of the steps, I discovered what I was passionate about...and found a career path in the senior care industry.
I researched the industry, compared organizations, and got a dream job!
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