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Renew Yourself: A Six-Step Plan for More Meaningful Work
Ideal for both self-paced study and team-based staff development, this six-step plan will help readers renew themselves, their careers, and their organizations.
152 pages, Paperback
Published December 22, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 6, 2018
I interlibrary loaned this book because it was highlighted in the ALA Fall/Winter book catalog. It described itself as being a book for people of all types, backgrounds, levels of employment and experience--but this book is mostly targeted towards older people who have had a lot of career experience behind them. I've only had two full time jobs so a lot of the advice and "homework" I wasn't able to complete.
Other than that, it's a pretty good book, it's inspirational and it gave a lot of tips on what to do when you feel like you're stuck. Now, I don't feel like I'm stuck in my career. I'm satisfied with my job and I am satisfied with the progress I'm making but there is a part of me that feels like I could be doing more (the book even mentions that as a reason why someone might read the book).
It's great because the book highlighted things I'm already doing. It kinda gave me a feel of if I am progressing appropriately and doing the right thing. It falls apart at the end (for me) when it talks about retiring and talks about the history of jobs you've had and what to do with your many years of experience.
This book is better aimed at established people, ones who have worked a lot and are perhaps older than me. It's also a book you should definitely buy if you're committed to working through the plan because there is a "workbook quality" to this book. I ended up having to photocopy parts so I can do the interactive portions.
The book also has a great bibliography that is work keeping or at least making note of.
Other than that, it's a pretty good book, it's inspirational and it gave a lot of tips on what to do when you feel like you're stuck. Now, I don't feel like I'm stuck in my career. I'm satisfied with my job and I am satisfied with the progress I'm making but there is a part of me that feels like I could be doing more (the book even mentions that as a reason why someone might read the book).
It's great because the book highlighted things I'm already doing. It kinda gave me a feel of if I am progressing appropriately and doing the right thing. It falls apart at the end (for me) when it talks about retiring and talks about the history of jobs you've had and what to do with your many years of experience.
This book is better aimed at established people, ones who have worked a lot and are perhaps older than me. It's also a book you should definitely buy if you're committed to working through the plan because there is a "workbook quality" to this book. I ended up having to photocopy parts so I can do the interactive portions.
The book also has a great bibliography that is work keeping or at least making note of.
April 12, 2018
I have to admit that I was really skeptical when I picked this up at the library. Underemployment plus a general air of negativity in my organization of four years had really worn me down, but I saw this in a recent catalog and decided to give it a try.
Although published by the ALA and written by a librarian, this is not written exclusively for library employees. It does identify the fact that many people working in libraries may have fallen into their field of work, or took on their current jobs even though it is not their end-goal, and now feel somewhat pigeonholed or stuck in their silo. It basically walks you through a SWOT analysis of yourself, professionally and personally, and helps you think about how that plays into your current job and future career plans.
The concept seems kind of feel-good self-care cheesy, but so many of us just end up plodding along in our low-paying jobs, and it really is useful to go through some guided self-reflection and become more conscious of your career path.
However; wait for book to go on sale or get it from your library. $50 is a ridiculous price for this.
Although published by the ALA and written by a librarian, this is not written exclusively for library employees. It does identify the fact that many people working in libraries may have fallen into their field of work, or took on their current jobs even though it is not their end-goal, and now feel somewhat pigeonholed or stuck in their silo. It basically walks you through a SWOT analysis of yourself, professionally and personally, and helps you think about how that plays into your current job and future career plans.
The concept seems kind of feel-good self-care cheesy, but so many of us just end up plodding along in our low-paying jobs, and it really is useful to go through some guided self-reflection and become more conscious of your career path.
However; wait for book to go on sale or get it from your library. $50 is a ridiculous price for this.
January 27, 2020
I found reading and working through this book time well spent, even though there was one section I didn't *quite* get. The author begins by helping you decide what your key values are. Once these are determined, you work through the what, when, why and how you might renew yourself. Thoughout the book the author makes it clear this is not a "change your job" book, though you might decide to. I decided not to.
The book is full of anecdotes, has a good index and is backed by an extensive bibilography.
The book is full of anecdotes, has a good index and is backed by an extensive bibilography.
June 6, 2019
I really liked this book, but the handful of spelling errors I came across really threw me off.
November 4, 2019
Great book for librarians in career transition.
March 5, 2017
This is a book specifically for librarians who feel as though they are at a career plateau. The book takes the reader through exercises to re-identify values and interests and gently directs towards a comprehensive plan for change. Although I feel quite happy in my job at the moment, I imagine this is a book I will come back to again in future.
April 5, 2017
This book targets the library professional, but it really is for anyone wanting to change the dynamics in their work life. Found this to be a bit of a recap of a number of other thinkers on this subject, such as Stephen Covey. Filled with exercises and a positive tone, it encourages a person to think about their values and interests while taking specific steps to accomplish them. So not 100% original, but a good summary of issues to think about when evaluating one's career.
April 21, 2017
This is a book where you need to spend time reading the content and reflecting on your goals. I took two months to finish this not because life gets busy (which it does)- but there were multiple points where I had to ruminate with the goals I started with to see if they were attainable. Ausperk's writing gave me hope that I'm on the right track (and a lot of quotes to keep for future reference), as well as allowed me to define and redefine my personal and professional goals. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews