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- Description
- Table of Contents
- About the author
- Reviews
Listen to a podcast about this book now!
Unplanned careers affect everything and everyone. They can lead to frustration, negativity, and apathy at a time when we need to be focused, energized and motivated. Though your library career might have started "accidentally," you can overcome organizational restructuring, changing job titles, and shifting responsibilities by cultivating a mindful existence in the library workplace. Building on the simple and fun approach that have made her previous books bestsellers, Hakala-Ausperk offers up a DIY-style program for revisiting personal values, understanding your options, identifying skill gaps, and creating plans for growth. Whether you're a library veteran who's feeling burned out, a new LIS grad just starting out, or somewhere in mid-career, this book will
- introduce methods to help you examine your individual interests, desires, and goals;
- show you how to understand your workplace's priorities and culture, and offer tips for identifying where there's either a match or a gap;
- demonstrate how you can improve your current position;
- prepare you to move forward through the creation of a personalized strategic professional plan that addresses professional development, gaining additional experience, and other options for growth;
- include tips for effective self-marketing, networking through colleagues and friends, and acing an interview;
- present ways to stay happy and engaged in a new role or position; and
- offer guidance for sharing your skills and experience through mentorship, and retiring with grace.
Ideal for both self-paced study and team-based staff development, this six-step plan will help readers renew themselves, their careers, and their organizations.
Preface
- Why Did I Write This Book?
- Why Are You Reading It?
Introduction
- How Does This Book Work?
5W1H
Who Are You?
Introductions
Things That Really Matter
Your Renewal Plan: Step One—Who?
Life So Far . . .
The Process
That Old Life Ladder
Stay Out of Your Way
What Do You Want to Do?
Define Mission
What Is Work?
Your True Identity
What Did You Do?
What Do You Do Now?
What Would You Love to Do?
The Secret Formula: Values + Mission = Action
Your Renewal Plan: Step Two—What?
"Night, Montreal"
When Is the Time Right?
Timing Isn't Everything
When Does Success Begin (and Will You Recognize It When You See It)?
Meet Anna, Successful Writer
The Life Cycle of Purpose
Your Renewal Plan: Step Three—When?
Where Should You Be?
Right Place, Right Time
Stay or Go?
Culture
Money
The Boss
Talents
Vision
Passion
Security
Colleagues
Work/Life Balance
Attitude
Starting Over
Before You Go
While You're Looking
What to Look For
Values Are Everywhere
Your Renewal Plan: Step Four—Where?
Why Bother?
Why Not?
What's the Worst That Can Happen?
OK Then, Why?
Your Renewal Plan: Step Five—Why?
How Do You Do It?
How Do You Eat an Elephant?
It Wasn't Raining When Noah Built the Ark
Your Renewal Plan: Step Six—How? (Part One of Three)
Your Renewal Plan: Step Six—How? (Part Two of Three)
This Is Happening
Your Renewal Plan: Step Six—How? (Part Three of Three)
My Renewal Plan
Bibliography
Index
”Through her engaging, encouraging style, the author guides readers to find their own answers by providing a path that makes the renewal process clearer as she offers renewal strategies to help readers make smart choices and take positive action in their careers going forward … Relevant and applicable to individuals across all professional lines. The need for self-renewal – and the benefits of doing so – is a common theme for all of us today."
— Career Convergence
”There is no better time than now to explore new career paths, plan that adventure you’re dreaming about, or jump in to that degree work! … [this book] is a professional development tool that is useful to librarians, career and life coaches, social workers, and others seeking a pathway to meaningful occupations."
— ARBA
”This book will help the new LIS graduate, a mid-career staffer, or a library veteran who is burned out. The author discusses strategies to help a stifled or frustrated worker cope with their existing situation. This is a wonderful work to encourage the reader to learn to flourish and grow in their work life and add meaning to their work life. Highly recommended!"
— Journal of Hospital Librarianship
”Each chapter provides examples and motivational/inspirational quotes, but most importantly asks readers to think long and hard about their lives and to answer pointed questions that will help narrow down what brings happiness and how that might translate into professional success ... There are many books out there advocating doing what one loves, finding peace in difficult situations, and changing careers. The great advantage of this one is the step-by-step approach to identifying and acting on one’s mission."
— Catholic Library World