SALLY GELARDIN RECOMMENDS . . .
Ready Aim Hired: Survival Tactics for Job and Career Transition by Fred E. Coon, GAFF Publishing, 2003. Can one ever read enough self-help books? I thought I never wanted to look at another self-help book again after devouring this category of reading material for the past 30 years. Then one day I received an email from Fred Coon requesting that I edit his pre-published Ready Aim Hired in exchange for receiving a free hard-bound copy of the upcoming book.

Realizing that I was one of many who received his email from some career practitioner list did not stem my desire to receive a free copy of the book. Secondly, the title intrigued me. I liked the play on words, especially since the Iraqi war was brewing and so many workers were getting laid off. Ready Aim Hired was especially relevant to the times. Thirdly, I was searching for a title for my own upcoming book, so I was doubly impressed that Fred chose such a catchy title. Fourthly, his use of the Internet for pre-marketing, as well as seeking editing assistance, was an interesting concept. I discovered that exercises and worksheets were both posted on his website: www.readyaimhired.com, and available in CD-Rom. To get the most from the book, the user needs Media Player or Quick Time (free downloads on the web), 64MB ram, video card required to see video clips and sound card for audio clips. The web version of Fred's book is best viewed with MS Internet Explorer and Acrobat can be downloaded for free to read PDF files.

Computer-saavy users will benefit most from this book. However, all adult readers can work through the hard copy of the book – if they apply themselves diligently to complete over 40 exercises. According to Fred, securing a job is like winning a war; similarly, completing the exercises in Ready Aim Hired is a test of endurance and self-commitment that Fred claims will lead to getting a job 40% faster and earning 35% more money. What also motivated me to decide to work through the exercises was his threefold statement of purpose: (1) to keep the reader from being eliminated, (2) to speed up the reader's job search, and (3) to enable the reader to come away with a better hiring package. Ready Aim Hired includes job-search techniques such as self-assessments, resumes (electronic and hard copy), job search, securing the interview, and salary negotiation. It emphasizes self-marketing techniques, overcoming potential barriers (such as age and fear), and keeps the reader on track.

The cover of the book shows the profile of a John Wayne-like successful businessman grinning as if he just beat his competition. Having a more collaborative, supportive style typical of career counselors, I was a bit put off by this aggressive masculine image and the corresponding introductory message, in which Fred compares getting a job to fighting as a gladiator in the Roman Empire. "The last person standing wins," he asserts, "You must avoid being eliminated." As repugnant to me as is the idea of fighting a battle, I recognized the value of his assertion. With my counseling psychology students, my job-seeking clients, and my own career path in mind, I decided to tackle the exercises to discover if his claims really work.

Since I am just beginning to work through the exercises, I cannot tell you if they are effective. Even if I had completed them, you would still have to complete them yourself to discover if they work for you. If nothing else, the reader will learn to focus on the job-search process by reading Ready Aim Hired. Fred claims that if you follow his instructions and complete all the exercises, and "campaign like there is not tomorrow," in addition to his previously mentioned assertions, "you stand a good chance of achieving a more pleasant working situation, developing a more rewarding career path and constructing a better financial future for yourself." It’s certainly worth a try!

Author Fred Coon is President of FEC Enterprises, Inc. He is a licensed employment agent, a Certified Job and Career Transition Coach and active national executive recruiter. He helped put two companies in Inc. Magazine in the top 500 fastest growing corporations in America. He is a featured speaker and conducts high-powered job transition management workshops throughout the US. As a result of a discussion with this reviewer on the value of his book-marketing skills, Fred is now offering a workshop on the do’s and don’ts of publishing your book on the Internet.

Reviewer Sally Gelardin is President of Gelardin Family Lifeworks. She is a career counselor and career educator, with a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology, an E.D. in International & Multicultural Education, and, like Fred Coon, certified as a Job and Career Transition Coach. She conducts Career Development Facilitator workshops and classes and regularly writes career-related articles for professional journals and other print and on-line publications.

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MICHELLE BEESE RECOMMENDS . . .
Composing A Life by Mary Catherine Bateson (daughter of Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead), published in 1990. This book is a classic! Mary Catherine Bateson has written a brilliant and empowering book that explores the lives of five extraordinary women and the "composition of their lives." Bateson’s book is based on her own life, and the lives of Johnnetta Cole, anthropologist and college president; Joan Erikson (wife of Erik Erikson), dancer, writer, and jewelry designer; Alice d’Entremont, electrical engineer and entrepreneur; and Ellen Bassuk, psychiatrist and researcher on homelessness. The book emphasizes our life as a work in progress. It is elegantly written, and truly inspiring. Although it is written about women, it is a meaningful book for men as well.

Major in Success; Make College Easier, Fire Up Your Dreams, and Get a Very Cool Job by Patrick Combs, originally published in 1994, updated in 1998 and 2000. This is a must for anyone working with college-age students! Patrick’s energy jumps right off the page in this easy-to-read book on how to help students be successful in finding their passion. The book is filled with great quotes and Hot Tips on almost every page. Patrick emphasizes the importance of internships and joining professional organizations. He includes a great chart on page 101 listing about 70 professions with the names and websites of professional associations. He also includes a "bonus appendix" with tips for teachers, artists, exchange students, and athletes. There are also some fantastic websites in this section, including Patrick’s, at www.goodthink.com.

Free Agent Nation; The Future of Working for Yourself by Daniel H. Pink, published in 2001. A fun and easy-to-read book supporting the revolution our world of work is undergoing. Pink went cross-country and interviewed several hundred independent workers. Pink talks about fulfillment, freedom, and time. He shares interesting stories and fascinating statistics about the number of people working for themselves. This book is a must for any counselor in private practice and/or anyone helping a client who wants to have their own business. For more information on Daniel Pink visit his website at: www.freeagentnation.com.

What Should I Do with My Life? The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question by Po Bronson, published in 2002. Po Bronson will be one of the keynote speakers at the ICDC conference in Oakland, November 5-9 (check out www.careerccc.com for information on the conference). His book is the result of another cross-country expedition where Po interviewed people across the nation, across the age span, and across economic and educational backgrounds to find out the answer to the ultimate question: What Should I Do with My Life? Many of the people Po interviewed live in California, and all of the stories are inspiring. It is another easy-to-read book with short stories you can read between seeing clients. For more information on Po, and additional exercises and resources, visit his website at www.pobronson.com.

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ROBIN WORTLEY HAMMOND RECOMMENDS . . .
Affiliation in the Workplace by Ron Elsdon, Praeger Publishers, 2003. A refreshing perspective for anyone interested in the application of career development in business and industry. This book is an important, introspective exploration of the relationship shared by employees, and employers, and the organization as an entity, and what that relationship means to each in turn. Elsdon takes a critical look at today’s organizations and the business environment in which they operate and, more importantly, how the individual employee fits, engages, finds personal value, and works within that framework. Elsdon points to one of the most profound workforce changes distinguishing current workers (at least knowledge workers) from those of prior generations: the choice of affiliation, or "the ongoing decision about whether to stay engaged with an organization, and, if so, in what capacity." Through the presentation of case studies, quantified data, and careful analysis, Elsdon clearly demonstrates the economic value in creating a business environment that encourages and rewards individual value-driven affiliation at all levels of the organization.

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LINDA HAX RECOMMENDS . . .
Healthcare Career Resources
Counselors can add two new resources to their career library to assist individuals interested in exploring the growing opportunities in health care careers. Labor Market Information Division’s Health Care Careers and three posters spotlight questions people ask as they examine career options:

• What kinds of jobs exist in the health care industry?
• What would I do?
• Do the jobs fit my interests?
• Would my values be fulfilled with this type of work?
• What kind of wages could I expect from health care work?
• Are there opportunities for career growth?
• What level of education or training is required?
  

Health Care Careers profiles 48 health care occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or less. The easy-to-read format offers brief descriptions, wages, outlook, requirements, sources of further information, and career growth possibilities. Health Care Careers also offers readers tips and tools for deciding whether a career in health care is a good match for them.

Three posters show the scope and variety of occupations available in the health care industry. Many people are familiar with the health care careers of doctors and nurses portrayed on television medical dramas but may not be aware of the many other occupations in health care. Each poster presents a different perspective on health care occupations to help viewers assess their match for a career in health care.

Health Care Industry Careers – Room to Learn and Grow!
This poster presents a career lattice view of the full scope of occupations in the health care industry tiered by wage ranges. Three columns indicate whether the occupation is primarily direct health care delivery, administrative services, or operations support. Symbols specify the level of education or training required. At a glance readers can view opportunities to move up or move laterally. They can observe the relationship between education and earnings. The poster serves as a "map" of the varied occupations and opportunities in the health care industry.

Find a Match for Your Interests in the Health Care Industry
Occupations in the health care industry are organized according to their dominant interest area (Holland Code): Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, or Conventional. Some occupations can be found in many industries, but the occupations in bold font are found only in health care.

Satisfy Your Values in Health Care Careers!
This poster defines work values and shows health care occupations that offer moderate or considerable opportunity to fulfill each value. Occupations not listed would have limited or little opportunity to fulfill that value.

Health Care Careers and these posters are two modules in a suite of four LMI Help for Health Care resources from the Labor Market Information Division of the Employment Development Department. The other two modules, Careers Under Construction, Models for Developing Career Ladders and Help Wanted, Making a Difference in Health Care would interest counselors involved in collaborations to develop curriculum or program design. All these resources may be viewed and downloaded from the Web, at www.calmis.ca.gov. Print copies may be ordered by calling 916-262-2162. There is no charge for these publications.