Your Career From Here in easy steps

It will not have escaped your notice that there aren't so many job opportunities out there at the moment and those that are being advertised are being chased by more people. But people are still finding jobs - you just need to make sure you have the edge that will put yourself above the others when it comes to employers choosing who will fill the available roles.

You may have been recently made redundant, you may be looking to return to work after a career break or maybe successful in your role but just bored or disillusioned with your current role. Whatever your reasons, take a step back and re-appraise your work life and then take positive action towards putting your career on the right path and finding your next role.

So many people find themselves in roles, not through choice but through good fortune, opportunity or sometimes through a lack of alternatives. People seldom have the opportunity to take a step back and truly take stock of all they have achieved and where they want to take their future careers. Whatever your current circumstances, this book will guide you through all the essential decisions and equip you with the ideas and tools to help improve your chances of finding and securing your next role.

Being without a job or being stuck in one that's not going in the right direction can be a very stressful experience. In this book you will find many practical suggestions and exercises to keep you feeling motivated and positive about the way ahead.

Make a decision now to plan what you are going to do with your life and your career from here. Determining a new career direction can feel daunting but we will show you how it can also be a highly motivating and enlightening thing to do.

Target audience:

Jon Poole has been a development specialist for more than 20 years, running his own development practice for the past 10 years. During this time Jon has developed a coaching model in conjunction with top sporting names (for example past England cricket captain Graham Gooch), taking trusted coaching methodologies from the world of sport and applying them within a sound business context. This model has been the basis of highly popular and successful workshops he has run for managers at all levels. He also has first hand experience of having personally coached many senior managers over the past 20 years in the commercial, public and not-for-profit sectors.

1. Embracing the Change
   • Introduction
   • Your Career So Far
   • Coping With Being Laid Off
   • Managing Change
   • Stuck in a Rut
   • The Need to Grow
   • Keeping Positive
   • Circle of Influence
   • Key Elements in Your Life
   • Taking a Step Back
2. Get to Know Yourself
   • What is There to Know?
   • Knowledge and Skills
   • Behaviors
   • Transferable Skills
   • SWOT
   • Your Personal Values
   • Values Exercise
   • What Motivates You?
   • Your Motivation Profile
   • Your Traits
   • Using Personality Profiles
   • Your Lifeline - Past
   • Your Lifeline - Future
   • Seeing Through Others' Eyes
3. Your Future Career
   • Your Interests
   • Your Ideal Role
   • Picturing Your Future
   • Visioning Your Ideal Role
   • What Are Your Options?
   • Employment Options
   • Interim Roles
   • Thinking of Self-Employment
   • Other Factors to Consider
   • Considering a Franchise
   • Voluntary Roles
   • Taking a Sabbatical
   • Making Your Decisions
   • Deciding Your Next Role
   • Do Your Research
   • Getting The Timing Right
4. Marketing Yourself
   • Finding Your Next Role
   • Getting Your Resumé Right
   • Preparing Your Resumé
   • Your Cover Letter
   • Planning Your Campaign
   • Doing Your Research
   • Using Employment Agencies
   • Online Employment Sites
   • Managing Your Networks
   • Networking Exercise
   • Speculative Approaches
   • References
   • Keeping up the Momentum
5. Successful Interviews
   • Preparing For Interviews
   • Your Appearance Matters
   • Body Language
   • Some Interview Tips
   • Behavioral Interviews
   • Handling Questions
   • More on Handling Questions
   • Your Turn to Ask
   • Getting Feedback
   • Assessment Centers
   • Aptitude Tests
   • Personality Tests
6. Developing Yourself
   • Defining Your Needs
   • What Are Your Options?
   • Working Out a Plan
   • Maximizing Your Strengths
   • Aligning Your Career Plans
   • Returning to Studying
   • Considering an MBA
   • Retraining For a New Career
7. Looking After Yourself
   • Having the Right Mindset
   • Using Your Time Effectively
   • Keeping Motivated
   • Positive Visioning
   • Believing in Yourself
   • Managing Stress
   • Stress - Recognize the Signs
   • Keeping Active
   • Healthy Habits
8. Starting a Business
   • Working For Yourself
   • Working From Home
   • Writing Your Business Plan
   • Purpose, Vision and Values
   • Getting Into the Detail
   • Marketing Basics
   • Promotion and Sales
   • Being Self-Employed
   • Business Partnerships
   • Other Options
9. Seeking Help
   • Benefits of an External View
   • Where to Look For Help
   • Turning to Your Friends
   • Using a Personal Coach
   • Choosing an Accountant
   • Looking for Business Advice
   • Financial Advice
10. Money Matters
    • Investing Your Payout
    • Your Household Budget
    • Budget Busting Tips
    • Financing Your New Venture
    • Other Financing Options
    • Applying For Finance
    • Getting State Support
    • Negotiating Your Salary
    • Finalizing the Deal
11. Additional Resources
    • Transferable Skills Inventory
    • Personality Resources
    • More on Personality Traits
    • Freeing up Your Mind
    • Thinking Differently
    • Two More Quick Exercises
    • Resumé Resources
    • Resumé Template
    • Further Reading
    • Practice Questions
    • New Business Resources
    • US Tax and Job Links
    • UK Tax and Job Links
    • It's Not About Luck