Don't Quit Your Day Job

Book description

Learn how to survive and thrive within organisations

In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, former Google and Twitter executive Aliza Knox delivers hands-on, practical steps for achieving career success.

Driven by Knox’s four decades working in and leading some of the world’s most celebrated firms, and featuring candid accounts of other people’s successes and missteps in global tech, consumer goods, healthcare, academia, social services and more, this book is an essential guide to integrating your professional and personal goals to build a fulfilling, complete life.

The book also includes:

  • Invaluable advice to power up your people skills and soft skills, and how to care for your career like you would any other relationship.
  • Effective perspectives to help balance your working life and personal life and to build stamina for the long haul.
  • A global outlook that reveals how to excel in today’s hybrid, often dispersed world of work.

Whether you’re just starting your first job or you’re ready to rise to the C-suite, Don’t Quit Your Day Job will help you advance and flourish in the workplace.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Don't Quit Your Day Job
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Letter to the reader
    1. The six mindshifts, in brief
    2. Notes
  6. mindshift one: Go for both: Your work and your life are on the same team
    1. The ‘Ah‐Hah!’ of Suzy's story: step off the seesaw of work‐life balance
    2. Power Perspective #1: Embrace outside interests — and know they can contribute to career success
    3. Power Perspective #2: Make work fun
    4. Power Perspective #3: There are very few truly ‘wrong’ decisions (so don't agonise over them)
    5. Power Perspective #4: See the serendipity in your life … and act on it
    6. Notes
  7. mindshift two: Stamina is a muscle. Build yours!
    1. The ‘Ah‐ha!’ of Barbara's story: stamina is a success superpower
    2. Power Perspective #1: Self‐care supports stamina
    3. Power Perspective #2: Don't over‐focus on the negative
    4. Power Perspective #3: Remember that you have options
    5. Power Perspective #4: Acknowledge that you are not totally in control
    6. Notes
  8. mindshift three: Connection trumps tech savvy … even in tech
    1. The ‘Ah‐ha!’ of Rahul's story: careers are built by real connection
    2. Power Perspective #1: Amass that other critical capital: social capital
    3. Power Perspective #2: Consideration is currency
    4. Power Perspective #3: Praise often, and in public
    5. Power Perspective #4: Master the art of feedback
    6. Notes
  9. mindshift four: You are in a relationship with your career: Nurture it
    1. The ‘Ah‐ha!’ of Katrien's story: Like a partner, your career responds to what you do
    2. Power Perspective #1: Keep your eye on your prize
    3. Power Perspective #2: Make sure your success gets seen within your firm and beyond
    4. Power Perspective #3: Fight back (skilfully) when wronged
    5. Power Perspective #4: Set boundaries
    6. Notes
  10. mindshift five: Get a move on! Use movement to stay energised and thrive
    1. The ‘Ah‐ha!’ of Lisa's story: movement can maximise your value
    2. Power Perspective #1: Prepare for your promotion
    3. Power Perspective #2: Be flexible and persistent
    4. Power Perspective #3: Make one change at a time
    5. Power Perspective #5: Create momentum where you are
    6. Notes
  11. mindshift six: Distant is the new diverse: Include the international and working‐from‐home team
    1. The ‘Ah‐ha!’ of Sierra's story: be open to where in the world your career may take you
    2. Power Perspective #1: Let your thirst for adventure turbocharge your career
    3. Power Perspective #2: Remove the ‘R’ from remote (as in, emote)
    4. Power Perspective #3: Choreograph opportunities for connection
    5. Notes
  12. Moving forward
  13. Acknowledgements
  14. Appendix: Quick reference guide
  15. Index
  16. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Don't Quit Your Day Job
  • Author(s): Aliza Knox, Wendy Paris
  • Release date: April 2022
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780730396598