Career Success: Right Here, Right Now! by Peter M. Hess

Preface-Success Starts Here: Step Right     xiii
Acknowledgments     xx
New to the Second Edition     xxiii
Self-Assessment-Before You Get Started     xxiv
Success as a Path     1
Defining Success     2
Discovering Who You Are: Your Values     2
Discovering Who You Are: Your Interests     6
Discovering Who You Are: Your Personality Type     12
Discovering Who You Are: Your Beliefs     14
Discovering Who You Are: Your Self-Belief     18
Your Basis for Success     20
Determining What You Want to Accomplish: Your Dreams     20
Determining What You Want to Accomplish: Your Goals     23
Formulating Your Action Plan     27
Following Your Path to Success     30
How Close Are You to Success?     32
Success in the Job     39
At the Crossroads of Success     40
Matching Yourself to a Career     41
Setting a Career Objective     50
Components of a Successful Job Search     52
Conducting a Successful Job Search     52
Developing a Personalized Job Search     61
Writing Your Resume     67
Resume Requirements     77
Obtaining References and Letters of Recommendation     78
Writing Cover Letters     79
Preparing a Portfolio     81
Completing Employment Applications     82
Launching Your Job Search     82
Attaining and Maintaining a Positive Attitude     83
Success Before, During, and After the Interview     91
Types of Interviews     92
Preparing for the Interview     93
What Interviewers Look for in a Candidate     99
How Interviewers Treat Candidates     100
How to Put Your Best Foot Forward in an Interview     101
Handling Typical and Tough Interview Questions     107
The All-Important Follow-Up Letter     114
Second Interviews     118
When You Are Not Selected for a Job     118
When You Are Offered a Job     120
Assessing a Job Offer     121
The Art of Negotiating: Salary, Benefits, Perks     126
Declining a Job Offer     127
Accepting a Job Offer     127
Success Through Networking     133
What Is Networking?     134
Informal Versus Formal Networking     134
The Win/Win Aspects of Networking      136
Being Open to Opportunities     138
Promoting Yourself     139
Paying Attention     140
Taking Action     142
Getting Involved     150
Volunteering     151
Appreciating Those Who Make Success a Little Easier     154
Success on the Job     161
Obtaining Support for Your Vision     162
Knowing the Requirements of Your Job     163
Cultivating the Right On-the-Job Attitude     163
Assembling a Working Wardrobe     165
Basic Communication Skills     167
Listening     167
Speaking     169
Effective Conversations     171
Speaking on the Telephone     172
Writing     174
Managing Your Time     175
Procrastination     176
"I Just Don't Have Enough Time!"     177
Wasting and Misusing Time     180
Managing Your Time     182
Being Organized Is Key     182
Time Management Tools     186
Your Planner     186
Strategies for Managing Your Time     190
Meeting the Demands of Others     191
Just Say No      191
Using Bits and Pieces of Time     192
Success as Your Own Boss     199
Which Direction Will You Choose?     200
How Do You Stack Up?     207
Getting Started on the Path to Being Your Own Boss     212
Writing a Business Plan     215
Funding a Start-Up     217
Managing a New Company     220
The Hybrid Career Path: Intrapreneurship     231
Success from the Ashes of Failure     241
Failure: It's a Matter of Degrees     242
Success for Life     259
How Mentors Assist in Achieving Goals     260
Finding and Working with a Mentor     261
Becoming a Mentor     263
How Life-Long Learning Contributes to Life-Long Success     265
Ways to Become a Life-Long Learner     266
Building Blocks of Commitment to Success     273
Soaring to Success     274
360[degree] View of Life-Long Learning     276
Self-Assessment-After You Have Finished     285
Success Interview Notes     287
Index     305