Business books deliver inspiration and advice
By Barbara Lloyd McMichael, The Bellingham Herald
May 14, 2012
With gas prices, European elections and an American presidential campaign all contributing to an uncertain economy, job growth has been anemic this year. If you’re one of the many people out looking for work right now, you know it can be a daunting experience. Two new books by Northwest authors offer strategies for taking charge of your career even in these unsettled times.
After Carol Evanoff retired to the Olympic Peninsula, she decided to write “Mapping Your Career Success” as an extension of the mentoring she had done during her career. In 35 years, Evanoff had gone from production line worker to sought-after defense contractor executive.
One of her priorities as a manager was to develop methods to help her employees examine their work histories and address gaps in their skills and training. Not only did they become more effective in performing their jobs, they also became more adept at advancing their own careers.
This workbook offers coaching in goal-setting, seeking mentors, optimizing the feedback you receive in performance reviews, documenting your career, and making a positive impression when you interview. Conceived as a guidebook, this book relies heavily on travel metaphors such as “Compass Points” and “Road Hazards” to guide your career development journey.
In terms of content, “Mapping Your Career Success” is full of good ideas and effective assignments on how to move up in a corporate environment. There are worksheets galore in this book – great for self-analysis.
