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Commandments
Rob Yeung
How To Books
The
Ten Career
Commmandments
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The
Ten Career
Commandments
Rob Yeung
howtobooks
Published in 2002 by
How To Books Ltd, 3 Newtec Place,
Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE, United Kingdom
Tel: (01865) 793806 Fax: (01865) 248780
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NOTE: The material contained in this book is set out in good faith for
general guidance and no liability can be accepted for loss or expense
incurred as a result of relying in particular circumstances on
statements made in the book. Laws and regulations are complex
and liable to change, and readers should check the current position
with the relevant authorities before making personal arrangements.
Contents
About the author 9
Preface 11
3 Make It Happen 35
Take one step at a time 36
Identify your constraints 37
See yourself as others see you 39
Go for the grand plan 42
Celebrate success 44
5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
6 Thrive on Change 67
Embrace personal change 68
Get involved in change 70
Help others in uncertain times 72
7 Overcome Obstacles 75
Recover more time for yourself 75
Learn to say ‘no, but . . .’ 77
Tackle problems 78
8 Network to Success 82
Analyse your network 83
Prepare to network 84
Maintain your network 88
6
C O N T E N T S
9 Get Headhunted 91
Raise your profile 91
Understand how recruiters work 93
Approach recruitment consultancies 94
Hunt on the Internet 95
7
About the Author
Rob Yeung
9
Preface
Have you ever wondered if there’s more to working life
than the daily grind of your job? Do you sometimes
worry about where you’re going and what you should
be doing in five or ten years’ time? Do you want to
earn more money from your work? Do you ever wish
you had a career and not just a job?
If you can answer yes to any one of these
questions, then this book is for you. It’s time to sit
up and take action to get what you want.
Only a few decades ago, people could join one
organisation and stay with it until they retired. They
could wait for their parent-like company to send them
on training courses, tell them what to do, hand them
promotions on a plate and eventually usher them off to
a happy retirement. An employee simply didn’t have to
make plans or take decisions to manage his or her
career.
However, times have changed. Today’s economic
climate is much more competitive. What with cost-
cutting drives, delayering, downsizing and even ‘right-
sizing’, no one can be guaranteed a satisfying job for
life. While most people will probably be able to find
1 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
Rob Yeung
1 2
1 Set Your Sights
You need to know where you want
to go before you can get there.
In this chapter:
X Recognise your likes and dislikes
X Identify your priorities
X Understand your core values
X Write your eulogy
X Pull it all together
1 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
X Check e-mail.
X And so on.
1 4
S E T Y O U R S I G H T S
1 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
1 6
S E T Y O U R S I G H T S
1 7
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
1 8
S E T Y O U R S I G H T S
1 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
2 0
S E T Y O U R S I G H T S
2 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
Now you’re ready for the rest of this book, which deals
with what your next career moves might be in order to
achieve your goals.
2 2
S E T Y O U R S I G H T S
REMEMBER TO. . .
2 3
2 Understand Your Talents
Skills, abilities, capabilities – what are yours?
In this chapter:
X Recall your accomplishments
X Appraise yourself honestly
X Get a second opinion
It’s all very well having goals in mind. But do you have
the skills you need to achieve your goals?
2 4
U N D E R S T A N D Y O U R T A L E N T S
Think back over your life and try to recall all of your
major accomplishments. Again, it might help you to jot
these down on a clean sheet of paper.
What have you achieved in your life that you’re
proud of? These can be in your work or outside of it.
Don’t forget areas such as:
X academic achievements;
X personal triumphs.
2 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
2 6
U N D E R S T A N D Y O U R T A L E N T S
2 7
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
2 8
U N D E R S T A N D Y O U R T A L E N T S
2 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
3 0
U N D E R S T A N D Y O U R T A L E N T S
X current colleagues;
X ex-colleagues;
3 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
Ring round
3 2
U N D E R S T A N D Y O U R T A L E N T S
3 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
REMEMBER TO
3 4
3 Make It Happen
Don’t just wish and dream – get out there and do it.
In this chapter:
X Take one step at a time
X Identify your constraints
X See yourself as others see you
X Go for the grand plan
X Celebrate success
3 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
3 6
M A K E I T H A P P E N
3 7
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
3 8
M A K E I T H A P P E N
3 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
X Ambitious = Ruthless
X Confident = Arrogant
X Assertive = Bullying
X Extraverted = Loud
X Tough = Uncaring
X Independent = Isolated
4 0
M A K E I T H A P P E N
X Practical = Unimaginative
X Cautious = Indecisive
X Spontaneous = Disorganised
X Thorough = Obsessive
X Tolerant = Uncaring
X Realistic = Pessimistic
X Honest = Tactless
X Fun = Frivolous
X Caring = Meddlesome
X Trusting = Gullible
X Supportive = Submissive
X Honourable = Moralistic
X Loyal = Servile
4 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
4 2
M A K E I T H A P P E N
4 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
CELEBRATE SUCCESS
4 4
M A K E I T H A P P E N
4 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
REMEMBER TO
4 6
4 Get Your Own Way
Convincing, cajoling and commanding
others are probably the most critical skills
you will ever need in your career.
In this chapter:
X Make the right impact
X Influence others
X Negotiate for what you want
4 7
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
4 8
G E T Y O U R O W N W A Y
INFLUENCE OTHERS
4 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
Convince others
Is this you?
5 0
G E T Y O U R O W N W A Y
Cajole others
Is this you?
5 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
Command others
Is this you?
5 2
G E T Y O U R O W N W A Y
5 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
5 4
G E T Y O U R O W N W A Y
4. Agree compromises
5 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
5 6
G E T Y O U R O W N W A Y
REMEMBER TO
5 7
5 Boost Your Skills
Continuing Professional Development is today’s big
buzz-phrase. Are you doing enough of it?
In this chapter:
X Work across teams
X Get qualified
X Learn new skills
X Broaden your horizons
5 8
B O O S T Y O U R S K I L L S
5 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
6 0
B O O S T Y O U R S K I L L S
GET QUALIFIED
X Diplomas.
6 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
X a musical instrument?
6 2
B O O S T Y O U R S K I L L S
6 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
6 4
B O O S T Y O U R S K I L L S
6 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
REMEMBER TO
6 6
6 Thrive On Change
Change or die.
In this chapter:
X Embrace personal change
X Get involved in change
X Help others in uncertain times
6 7
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
6 8
T H R I V E O N C H A N G E
6 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
7 0
T H R I V E O N C H A N G E
7 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
7 2
T H R I V E O N C H A N G E
7 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
REMEMBER TO
7 4
7 Overcome Obstacles
Obstacles are a part of life. Successful people are the
ones who don’t let them get in the way.
In this chapter:
X Recover more time for yourself
X Learn to say ‘no, but . . .’
X Tackle problems
7 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
If you are faced with a task, ask yourself why you need
to do it. Is it something that really needs doing? Will it
make a real difference to you or your colleagues or
your organisation? If the answer is ‘no’, perhaps the
memo or request could just slip into the bin unnoticed!
7 6
O V E R C O M E O B S T A C L E S
7 7
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
TACKLE PROBLEMS
7 8
O V E R C O M E O B S T A C L E S
7 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
2. Generate options
8 0
O V E R C O M E O B S T A C L E S
REMEMBER TO
8 1
8 Network to Success
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know and who
they know, too.
In this chapter:
X Analyse your network
X Prepare to network
X Maintain your network
8 2
N E T W O R K T O S U C C E S S
8 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
X customers or clients;
PREPARE TO NETWORK
8 4
N E T W O R K T O S U C C E S S
1. Identification
8 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
2. Ice-breaking
3. Impression
8 6
N E T W O R K T O S U C C E S S
4. Information-gathering
8 7
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
5. Introductions
More often than not, any given person you meet may
not have the information you need. So what you might
need is an introduction to someone else – further
contacts that you can speak to.
For example, you could say: ‘You were talking
about X earlier. Do you happen to know anyone else
that I could talk to about that?’ As long as you are
polite, most people will only be too happy to think
about other people they might know.
And don’t worry about calling on people you’ve
never met. If someone approached you and asked you
about your job and your views on your industry, how
would you feel? Most people would feel flattered and
only too happy to talk.
8 8
N E T W O R K T O S U C C E S S
8 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
REMEMBER TO
9 0
9 Get Headhunted
Why look for a job when a job
can come looking for you?
In this chapter:
X Raise your profile
X Understand how recruiters work
X Approach recruitment consultancies
X Hunt on the Internet
9 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
9 2
G E T H E A D H U N T E D
So, here are some tips for dealing with a recruiter who
might get in touch with a potential job offer:
9 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
9 4
G E T H E A D H U N T E D
9 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
These are just a few of the better ones for you to try:
X www.workthing.com
X www.fish4jobs.co.uk
X www.jobpilot.com
X www.totaljobs.com
9 6
G E T H E A D H U N T E D
REMEMBER TO
9 7
10 Make a Successful Move
Is that next job what you really, really want?
In this chapter:
X Interview prospective employers
X Negotiate your package
X Find your feet in a new job
X Have a great future
9 8
M A K E A S U C C E S S F U L M O V E
9 9
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
Once you’ve met them all, try the ‘airport test’. How
would you feel about being stranded with your
prospective colleagues at an airport for 24 hours?
1 0 0
M A K E A S U C C E S S F U L M O V E
1 0 1
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
X starting salary;
When you have all the answers, ask for a written offer.
Then take at least a couple of days to weigh it all up.
1 0 2
M A K E A S U C C E S S F U L M O V E
1 0 3
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
1 0 4
M A K E A S U C C E S S F U L M O V E
Good luck!
1 0 5
T H E T E N C A R E E R C O M M A N D M E N T S
1 0 6
Other books by Rob Yeung
(all published by How To Books)
Coaching People
Leading Teams
Anyone Can Sell
Making Workshops Work
Ron Yeung’s Insider Guide to Successful Interviews