Take Control

THE WORKSCAPE HAS CHANGED. HAVE YOU?

The workscape has changed—one of the most dramatic transformations of the past few years. Think about it. For so many people just starting their careers, working virtually is all they know. For everyone else who has had the remote option, work is no longer synonymous with a physical location. In this push-pull world, that means navigating and negotiating between the flexibility and opportunity you want—and the commitment and performance that organizations need. In other words, you need to take control.

Whether you're focused on getting your next job or you are striving to get ahead where you are, this is the book to guide your career path. In the first section, you'll understand how you're wired—your A.C.T. (being authentic, making a connection, and giving others a taste of you who are you), tapping your right brain, and learning as the secret to sustainable success. In the second section, you'll figure out how to get the job—and get ahead, from targeting your next opportunity to nailing the interview. And in the third section, you'll master working with others—from the 4 Career Knockout Punches, to getting along with your boss and workers, navigating culture, and communicating and connecting.

In Take Control, you'll discover how you can have the career you've always wanted.

Introduction 4

Section 01 How You’re Wired

Chapter 1. Your Opening A.C.T. 22

Chapter 2. Tapping Your Right Brain 44

Chapter 3. Learning It All 76

Section 02 How To Get The Job – And Get Ahead

Chapter 4. Networking and Targeting 94

Chapter 5. Your Resume – The Necessary Evil 120

Chapter 6. The Interview – On Screen, In Person 156

Section 03 How To Work With Others

Chapter 7. The 4 Career Knockout Punches 190

Chapter 8. Getting Along with Your Boss and Coworkers 206

Chapter 9. Navigating Your Company’s Culture to Get Ahead 234

Chapter 10. Communicating and Connecting 256

Introduction

Appendix

Resume Samples

Gary Burnison is the CEO of Korn Ferry, a global organizational consulting firm.

THE WORKSCAPE HAS CHANGED. HAVE YOU?

Everything has been turned on its head. Today, career nomads are looking for change early and often. People are working everywhere and anywhere. Boomers are retiring, and talented professionals have never been more at a premium. Amid this time of great transition, opportunity abounds. It’s time to Take Control of your career—whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been at this for several years. Instead of merely moving from job to job, without a real plan, consider where you really want to be, what motivates you, inspires you. As author Gary Burnison advises in Take Control, the goal is to get not only the right job, but also the right career—the one that makes you feel that you really are connected to something bigger than yourself.