The Information and Knowledge Professional's Career Handbook

Table of contents

1. Cover image
2. Title page
3. Table of Contents
4. Copyright
5. Chapter 1: Introduction: an invitation
   1. Overview: what is in the book
6. Chapter 2: An opaque profession: special challenges
   1. Some professions are universally understood
   2. What do people know about what we do?
   3. Fashioning the value message
   4. Implications: getting used to promotional activities
   5. Show us the money: what money?
   6. You mean… I have to sell myself constantly?
   7. The good news: selling value by giving value
7. Chapter 3: Knowing who you are: your ‘work personality’ and your ‘best fit’
   1. Work preferences are personal
   2. Our fundamental approach to work vs. personal life
   3. Questions to ponder
   4. Implications for types of environments
   5. Your natural role
   6. Developing your personal skills: a growth plan
   7. What can you do? Plenty!
8. Chapter 4: Developing your brand: the professional image
   1. Do you know how others see you?
   2. The core of our brand: the value we offer, the difference we make
   3. Choosing a brand: rely on natural strengths
   4. Supporting a brand: reputation and visibility in traditional and new media
   5. Professional associations: key to brand building
   6. Professional demeanor: it’s all about confidence
   7. Professional polish: appearance matters
   8. Tattoos, piercings, and purple hair: proceed with deliberation!
9. Chapter 5: Looking for a job: tips and tricks
   1. Going on a hunt
   2. Conventional and unconventional hunting locations
   3. Using bait to attract big game
   4. Big game sighted!
   5. Surviving the interview call
   6. Who pays for the hunting road trip?
   7. Hunters look for tracks (or what do your feet say?)
   8. Big game crossing
   9. We’ve been there
10. Chapter 6: Creating your story: crafting a compelling resume
    1. Print vs. online
    2. Resume as sales instrument
    3. Three common myths: don’t believe them!
    4. Essential sections in a resume
    5. Accuracy, consistency, and economy of words
    6. Visual appearance
    7. The cover letter
11. Chapter 7: Knowing where you want to go: plan… but let chance have a chance!
    1. Getting ready for the trip
    2. Taking a detour… or two
    3. Watch out for rough roads ahead – but use them to your advantage
    4. Arriving at your destination
12. Chapter 8: Navigating organizational culture: understanding politics
    1. Become familiar with the organizational structure and culture
    2. Gain political power
    3. Understand the words
    4. Create a common bond
    5. Deal with abuse
    6. Deal with conflict
    7. A few dos, don’ts, and watch-outs
13. Chapter 9: Winning support: ‘selling’ proposals with the business case approach
    1. But don’t good ideas sell themselves?
    2. What is the business case approach?
    3. If money isn’t involved – what about grassroots support for an idea or initiative?
    4. How are credibility and social capital built?
    5. What does grassroots persuasion ‘look like’?
    6. The ‘business case in reverse’: demonstrating existing value
    7. The testimonial evidence
    8. The ROI calculation
14. Chapter 10: Making the leap to a managerial role: being the boss
    1. A management role is not a must
    2. What is the definition of ‘manager’?
    3. What does a manager ‘do’?
    4. Typical management challenges
    5. How can one learn to become a (better) manager? There has to be a way!
    6. What you need: basic skills
    7. What you need: personal abilities
    8. A unique challenge: being promoted from a team to manage it
    9. Reap the rewards
15. Chapter 11: Resilience at work: coping when things get tough
    1. It’s tough all over – let’s pull together
    2. An attitude of gratitude
    3. A positive atmosphere is everyone’s responsibility
    4. Dealing with difficult people
    5. ‘But I hate my work’
    6. Should you quit?
    7. The bottom line: trust your gut
16. Chapter 12: About the money
    1. What are you worth?
    2. What is in a compensation package?
    3. What is in a benefits package?
    4. When benefits are more important than money
    5. How to assess a job offer and negotiate your compensation
    6. The salary roller coaster
    7. Trade or labor unions
    8. Other professional organizations
    9. In the end, it’s not about the money
    10. Measuring your success
17. Chapter 13: Passing it on: collegial support or mentoring
    1. Passing on knowledge and skills to others
    2. What is meant by mentoring?
    3. Where do you start? Just go ahead!
    4. The unmentorables
18. Chapter 14: Our colleagues speak: career snapshots
    1. Constance Ard
    2. Lori Bell
    3. Patrick Danowski
    4. Eli Edwards
    5. Nicole Engard
    6. Sergio Felter
    7. Stacey Greenwell
    8. Michael C. Habib
    9. Bruce Harpham
    10. Ruth Kneale
    11. Jane Kinney Meyers
    12. Alison Miller
    13. Pauline Nicholas
    14. Karolien Selhorst
    15. Bente Lund Weisbjerg
    16. Questions our colleagues want to ask
19. Chapter 15: Jill and Ulla speak: our professional journeys
    1. Jill’s story
    2. Ulla’s story
20. Epilogue
21. Resources
22. Index