Career Opportunities with Douglas E. Welch

From Career Compass: Finding Your Career North…

“In order to fit in we might be denying our unique skills and the knowledge that could lead us to exceptional careers — not just an average one.”

Download a sample of this book, or buy your own copy, via Amazon.com.

** You can read Kindle books on nearly any device including your computer, tablet or smartphone.

Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age by Clay Shirkey

I am in the midst of reading this book and enjoying it a lot Shirley seeks to provide some background as to why people volunteer their time and energy on various Internet-conncected pursuits as varied as online communities, sharing Instagram photos and raising money for charities online. I am finding that I am highlighting quite a few sections to consider later, as I read.

It is important for every careerist to understand how this new hyper-connected world effects not only what we do, but who we are. Understanding the tools and the motivations that drive their use is a great career advantage that should not be ignored.

From Amazon.com…

“The author of the breakout hit Here Comes Everybody reveals how new technology is changing us for the better.

In his bestselling Here Comes Everybody, Internet guru Clay Shirky provided readers with a much-needed primer for the digital age. Now, with Cognitive Surplus, he reveals how new digital technology is unleashing a torrent of creative production that will transform our world. For the first time, people are embracing new media that allow them to pool their efforts at vanishingly low cost. The results of this aggregated effort range from mind-expanding reference tools like Wikipedia, which allows Kenyans to report acts of violence in real time. Cognitive Surplus explores what’s possible when people unite to use their intellect, energy, and time for the greater good.”

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

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The Pursuit of Wow! by Tom Peters

While I don’t think I would ever pay the expensive fees required to attend a Tom Peters seminar in person, I am more than happy to read what he has to say. The constant instigator, Peters may say things you don’t agree with, but he will also make you think. My favorite parts of the book are the examples, using companies both large and small, that demonstrate how even the small things can have big effects. Peter’s bias towards front-line personnel is also heartening. I too believe that a company’s fortunes are made just as much at the front counter as they are in the company headquarters. Often, front-line personnel have access to important information that could help executives build their company, or in some cases, save it from destruction.

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Thinking for a Change: 11 Ways Highly Successful People Approach Life and Work by John C. Maxwell

This is on the short list of books which I will buy for my firends and aquaintances whenever they come to me with issues with organization or managing their time. Maxwell has a series of books and each one has its own strengths, but I have found that this one provides me the biggest triggers for further thought.

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The Art of Possibility by Benjamin Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander

From Amazon.com…

“Presenting twelve breakthrough practices for bringing creativity into all human endeavors, The Art of Possibility is the dynamic product of an extraordinary partnership. The Art of Possibility combines Benjamin Zander’s experience as conductor of the Boston Philharmonic and his talent as a teacher and communicator with psychotherapist Rosamund Stone Zander’s genius for designing innovative paradigms for personal and professional fulfillment.

The authors’ harmoniously interwoven perspectives provide a deep sense of the powerful role that the notion of possibility can play in every aspect of life. Through uplifting stories, parables, and personal anecdotes, the Zanders invite us to become passionate communicators, leaders, and performers whose lives radiate possibility into the world.”

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Rules of Thumb by Alan M. Webber

Yet another interesting find via my Amazon recommendations. This book is giving me a lot of food for thought. I have found myself makings lots of notes in my journal, not necessarily about the book, but great ideas and thoughts it is bringing to mind. While “Rules of Thumb” is ostensibly about business, the “rules” apply to life and other pursuits in many ways.

From Amazon.com…

“That’s the context for Alan M. Webber’s Rules of Thumb, a guide for individuals in every walk of life who want to make sense out of these confusing, challenging, and compelling times. Drawing from his own experiences as cofounding editor of Fast Company magazine and a wide range of interactions with some of the world’s leading thinkers and highest achievers, including Nobel Prize winners and global change agents, Webber has produced 52 “rules of thumb”—a collection that is as wise as it is useful and as honest as it is helpful. The rules come from real-life lessons learned and recorded on three-by-five cards, a trick borrowed from one of the many mentors whose teachings Webber captures and catalogues in this book.”

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

1. Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
2. Bulb Planting Tools
3. Blue Snowball Microphone
4. Seagate Backup Plus 500 GB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
5. Logitech C920 HD Web Cam
6. We Are All Weird by Seth Godin
7. Sunset Western Garden Book – New Edition for 2012
8. The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings
9. Garden Mysteries by Anthony Eglin
10. The Creative Habit/The Collaborative Habit by Twyla Tharp
11. Moleskeine Journals
12. Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening (3rd Edition): Month by Month
13. Podcasting for Dummies/Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies
14. Wacom Bamboo Splash Pen Tablet
15. Radical Careering by Sally Hogshead
16. The $64 Tomato
17. Blue Yeti Microphone
18. BioLite CampStove/HomeStove
19. Getting Things Done by David Allen
20. The Curious Gardener
21. Anything You Want by Derek Sivers
22. GoPro HD HERO 3
23. Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart
24. The Starfish and the Spider by Orj Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom
25. Microphone Boom Arms
26. The Information by James Gleick
27. Handy Farm Devices And How To Make Them (1909)
28. Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas
29. Apple iPhone 5
30. Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod
31. Killer Ratings by Lisa Seidman
32. Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It by Karen Solomon
33. Zoom Portable Recorders (H1, H2, H2n, H4n)
34. Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds
35. My Teenager’s Favorite Games
36. The Compassionate Instinct: The Science of Human Goodness
37. In a Mexican Garden: courtyards, pools and open-air living rooms
38. Fields of Plenty: A farmer’s journey in search of real food and the people who grow it
39. Apple iPad/iPad Mini
40. The Back of the Napkin by Dan Roam
41. Cucina Rustica
42. The Great Potato Book
43. Rode Podcaster Microphone
44. High-Tech Fitness Monitors
45. Books by Douglas E. Welch
46. Tribes by Seth Godin
47. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
48. The Italian Slow Cooker cookbook
49. The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need
50. Classes from The Institute of Domestic Technology
51. Olympus PEN E-P1 12 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera
52. Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Susan Warren
53. Cocoon GRID-IT Organizer Packs
54. Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
55. Podcast Solutions by Dan Klass and Michael Geoghegan
56. The Craft and Business of Songwriting by John Braheny
57. Dexim Visible Green Smart Charge & Sync Cable
58. Wells Lamont Wet and Muddy Latex Coated Gardening Glove
59. Rosanne’s Top 5 Books for Film Buffs
60. Bon-Aire HN-10C Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle
61. Microphones from Giant Squid Audio Labs
62. Re-Imagine by Tom Peters
63. Razer Gaming Mice
64. Garden Hod harvest carrier
65. Nest Learning Thermostat
66. Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas
67. Yes, You Can! And Freeze and Dry It, Too: The Modern Step-By-Step Guide to Preserving Food
68. A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative
69. Fiskars 7936 PowerGear Pruner
70. Chi-qoo Solar Power Pack Kit from Bootstrap Solar
71. Read This Before Our Next Meeting by Al Pittampalli
72. Sterling Audio ST51 Large Diaphragm FET Condenser Microphone
73. DollarSeed.com – One Stop Seed Shop
74. 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
75. Desktop Microphone Stands
76. Logitech Harmony 650 Remote Control
77. Maple Sugaring Startup Kit from Tap My Trees
78. Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones
79. Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool’s Guide to Surviving with Grace
80. Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bags
81. The SeedKeeper Company
82. Jump Start Your Brain by Doug Hall and David Wecker
83. Joby GP1-A1EN GorillaPod Flexible Tripod
84. Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirkey
85. How Carrots Won the Trojan War: Curious (but True) Stories of Common Vegetables by Rebecca Rupp
86. Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History
87. Behringer XENYX X1622USB Premium 16-Input 2/2-Bus Mixer
88. Starter Kit for Newsite Arduino Uno R3
89. RAM Vehicle Mounts for iPhone (and nearly any other device)
90. The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities by Amy Stewart
91. Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity by David Whyte
92. Seeing Trees: Discover the Extraordinary Secrets of Everyday Trees
93. Don’t Send a Resume: And Other Contrarian Rules to Help Land a Great Job
94. Olloclip 3-in-1 Lens for iPhone

Don’t Send a Resume: And Other Contrarian Rules to Help Land a Great Job

This is the book about job hunting that I would have written myself, had not Fox beaten me to it. I highly recommend this book and have written about similar tactics in my Career Opportunities columns over the years.

The world of work has changed drastically over the last decade and this calls for new tactics in getting your first job or your next job.

According to Fox, it all comes down to selling yourself to your future employer. It matters little what you want out of job or a career. What matters most is how you fulfill the needs of the hiring company. Of course, you should be trying to fulfill your work need, but the person interviewing cares little or nothing about your needs and only about their own. A hard fact to face, perhaps, but an extremely important one.

Fox goes on to give hard examples of how to use letters, not a resume to gain an interview, how to prepare for that interview and how to do everything possible to get the job you want.

While I am sure that some human resource people and corporate management will take issue with some of Fox’s advice, as they have with my columns about resumes. This is because Fox’s tactics seem to make their job more difficult. HR staff can no longer winnow large amounts of resumes down to a select few quickly and easily. What they don’t realize is that if all candidates used these tactics, hiring would be easier and the company would be hiring better people.

Highly Recommended

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

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Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bags

Available in an amazing collection of colors and designs, The Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag makes a great all-purpose carrying case. It can hop dour laptop and other gadgets as well as everything else you need to keep around on a daily basis. Check out the full product line on Amazon.com.

Every careerist needs a great kit bag — that looks great — to carry around all their gadgets, books, journals and more that make up part of every day. Why not do it with a little style?

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

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Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirkey

From Amazon.com…

“One of the culture’s wisest observers of the transformational power of the new forms of tech-enabled social interaction is Clay Shirky, and Here Comes Everybody is his marvelous reckoning with the ramifications of all this on what we do and who we are. Like Lawrence Lessig on the effect of new technology on regimes of cultural creation, Shirky’s assessment of the impact of new technology on the nature and use of groups is marvelously broad minded, lucid, and penetrating; it integrates the views of a number of other thinkers across a broad range of disciplines with his own pioneering work to provide a holistic framework for understanding the opportunities and the threats to the existing order that these new, spontaneous networks of social interaction represent. Wikinomics, yes, but also wikigovernment, wikiculture, wikievery imaginable interest group, including the far from savory. A revolution in social organization has commenced, and Clay Shirky is its brilliant chronicler.”

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

1. Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
2. Bulb Planting Tools
3. Blue Snowball Microphone
4. Seagate Backup Plus 500 GB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
5. Logitech C920 HD Web Cam
6. We Are All Weird by Seth Godin
7. Sunset Western Garden Book – New Edition for 2012
8. The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings
9. Garden Mysteries by Anthony Eglin
10. The Creative Habit/The Collaborative Habit by Twyla Tharp
11. Moleskeine Journals
12. Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening (3rd Edition): Month by Month
13. Podcasting for Dummies/Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies
14. Wacom Bamboo Splash Pen Tablet
15. Radical Careering by Sally Hogshead
16. The $64 Tomato
17. Blue Yeti Microphone
18. BioLite CampStove/HomeStove
19. Getting Things Done by David Allen
20. The Curious Gardener
21. Anything You Want by Derek Sivers
22. GoPro HD HERO 3
23. Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart
24. The Starfish and the Spider by Orj Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom
25. Microphone Boom Arms
26. The Information by James Gleick
27. Handy Farm Devices And How To Make Them (1909)
28. Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas
29. Apple iPhone 5
30. Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod
31. Killer Ratings by Lisa Seidman
32. Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It by Karen Solomon
33. Zoom Portable Recorders (H1, H2, H2n, H4n)
34. Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds
35. My Teenager’s Favorite Games
36. The Compassionate Instinct: The Science of Human Goodness
37. In a Mexican Garden: courtyards, pools and open-air living rooms
38. Fields of Plenty: A farmer’s journey in search of real food and the people who grow it
39. Apple iPad/iPad Mini
40. The Back of the Napkin by Dan Roam
41. Cucina Rustica
42. The Great Potato Book
43. Rode Podcaster Microphone
44. High-Tech Fitness Monitors
45. Books by Douglas E. Welch
46. Tribes by Seth Godin
47. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
48. The Italian Slow Cooker cookbook
49. The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need
50. Classes from The Institute of Domestic Technology
51. Olympus PEN E-P1 12 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera
52. Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Susan Warren
53. Cocoon GRID-IT Organizer Packs
54. Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
55. Podcast Solutions by Dan Klass and Michael Geoghegan
56. The Craft and Business of Songwriting by John Braheny
57. Dexim Visible Green Smart Charge & Sync Cable
58. Wells Lamont Wet and Muddy Latex Coated Gardening Glove
59. Rosanne’s Top 5 Books for Film Buffs
60. Bon-Aire HN-10C Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle
61. Microphones from Giant Squid Audio Labs
62. Re-Imagine by Tom Peters
63. Razer Gaming Mice
64. Garden Hod harvest carrier
65. Nest Learning Thermostat
66. Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas
67. Yes, You Can! And Freeze and Dry It, Too: The Modern Step-By-Step Guide to Preserving Food
68. A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative
69. Fiskars 7936 PowerGear Pruner
70. Chi-qoo Solar Power Pack Kit from Bootstrap Solar
71. Read This Before Our Next Meeting by Al Pittampalli
72. Sterling Audio ST51 Large Diaphragm FET Condenser Microphone
73. DollarSeed.com – One Stop Seed Shop
74. 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
75. Desktop Microphone Stands
76. Logitech Harmony 650 Remote Control
77. Maple Sugaring Startup Kit from Tap My Trees
78. Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones
79. Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool’s Guide to Surviving with Grace
80. Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bags
81. The SeedKeeper Company
82. Jump Start Your Brain by Doug Hall and David Wecker
83. Joby GP1-A1EN GorillaPod Flexible Tripod

Jump Start Your Brain by Doug Hall and David Wecker

Looking for a great selection of tools to “Jump Start Your Brain?” This book is for you. It is full of great ideas on how to come up with…well…great ideas. The wide variety of tools here means that anyone should be able to find one that works well for them. We all think in different ways, so it only makes sense the we all need different tools. Jump Start Your Brain today and keep on changing the world with your great ideas!

From Amazon.com…

“Ideal for inspiring marketers, artists, teachers, and anyone who needs fresh ideas for work and home, Jump Start Your Brain helps readers crank up both their cranium and career. Featuring smart and creative methods for providing better leadership, igniting sales and marketing, and realizing dreams with breakthrough innovations, this book teaches time-tested practices that generate creativity and innovation. Relying on the latest research, the author pinpoints which methods and techniques work best in today’s high-stress world so readers can get a leg-up on the competition.”

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

1. Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
2. Bulb Planting Tools
3. Blue Snowball Microphone
4. Seagate Backup Plus 500 GB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
5. Logitech C920 HD Web Cam
6. We Are All Weird by Seth Godin
7. Sunset Western Garden Book – New Edition for 2012
8. The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings
9. Garden Mysteries by Anthony Eglin
10. The Creative Habit/The Collaborative Habit by Twyla Tharp
11. Moleskeine Journals
12. Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening (3rd Edition): Month by Month
13. Podcasting for Dummies/Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies
14. Wacom Bamboo Splash Pen Tablet
15. Radical Careering by Sally Hogshead
16. The $64 Tomato
17. Blue Yeti Microphone
18. BioLite CampStove/HomeStove
19. Getting Things Done by David Allen
20. The Curious Gardener
21. Anything You Want by Derek Sivers
22. GoPro HD HERO 3
23. Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart
24. The Starfish and the Spider by Orj Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom
25. Microphone Boom Arms
26. The Information by James Gleick
27. Handy Farm Devices And How To Make Them (1909)
28. Zarrella’s Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas
29. Apple iPhone 5
30. Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod
31. Killer Ratings by Lisa Seidman
32. Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It by Karen Solomon
33. Zoom Portable Recorders (H1, H2, H2n, H4n)
34. Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds
35. My Teenager’s Favorite Games
36. The Compassionate Instinct: The Science of Human Goodness
37. In a Mexican Garden: courtyards, pools and open-air living rooms
38. Fields of Plenty: A farmer’s journey in search of real food and the people who grow it
39. Apple iPad/iPad Mini
40. The Back of the Napkin by Dan Roam
41. Cucina Rustica
42. The Great Potato Book
43. Rode Podcaster Microphone
44. High-Tech Fitness Monitors
45. Books by Douglas E. Welch
46. Tribes by Seth Godin
47. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
48. The Italian Slow Cooker cookbook
49. The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need
50. Classes from The Institute of Domestic Technology
51. Olympus PEN E-P1 12 MP Micro Four Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera
52. Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Susan Warren
53. Cocoon GRID-IT Organizer Packs
54. Art & Fear: Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
55. Podcast Solutions by Dan Klass and Michael Geoghegan
56. The Craft and Business of Songwriting by John Braheny
57. Dexim Visible Green Smart Charge & Sync Cable
58. Wells Lamont Wet and Muddy Latex Coated Gardening Glove
59. Rosanne’s Top 5 Books for Film Buffs
60. Bon-Aire HN-10C Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle
61. Microphones from Giant Squid Audio Labs
62. Re-Imagine by Tom Peters
63. Razer Gaming Mice
64. Garden Hod harvest carrier
65. Nest Learning Thermostat
66. Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas
67. Yes, You Can! And Freeze and Dry It, Too: The Modern Step-By-Step Guide to Preserving Food
68. A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative
69. Fiskars 7936 PowerGear Pruner
70. Chi-qoo Solar Power Pack Kit from Bootstrap Solar
71. Read This Before Our Next Meeting by Al Pittampalli
72. Sterling Audio ST51 Large Diaphragm FET Condenser Microphone
73. DollarSeed.com – One Stop Seed Shop
74. 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
75. Desktop Microphone Stands
76. Logitech Harmony 650 Remote Control
77. Maple Sugaring Startup Kit from Tap My Trees
78. Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones
79. Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool’s Guide to Surviving with Grace
80. Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bags
81. The SeedKeeper Company