The Exceptional Professional: What You Need to Know to Grow Your Career

by Callista Gould

"Why do employers have interview meals? Because sometimes, it's like cracking open a can of crazy. Issues and character flaws that would not appear in a regular interview, suddenly surface. Relating the story, the executive recruiter said, 'I've never been so appalled and embarrassed in my life.'" The Exceptional Professional is an entertaining read, that looks at the little actions that move your career forward, in the areas of Networking, Social Media, Interviewing, Travel, Dining, Entertaining, Meetings, Speaking, Attire, Workplace Relations and more. It's full of true stories of triumphs and disasters in the world of business and non-profits. The Exceptional Professional is essential reading for new professionals and entrepreneurs and a great refresher for seasoned professionals. It's a fresh look that demonstrates that being a professional in any field is not about perfection, it's about connection.

472 pages, Paperback

Published February 23, 2018

Reviews

[Katy Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have genuinely learned more from this book than I ever expected to! I’m sure I will revisit it often.

[Jaime]

My mother-in-law gave me this, which at first I didn't think really applied to me since my job is 100% remote. However, I quickly discovered I was wrong and that it does indeed apply to me and everyone else who has any type of job at all. Although at the outset it seemed like it would be mind-numbingly boring, I became engrossed right away. The writing is charming, yet down to business. Peppered with delightful dad jokes and full of absolutely essential information, even if you are never in the "professional" world. Learn how to write a proper email or letter, pack for a four-day conference in only a carry-on, select a wine with dinner, organize a resume so that the recruiter will actually look at it, write and respond to a business email, the list goes on. I can't say enough good things about The Exceptional Professional or about Callista Gould. It is definitely going in my "reference book" collection.

[Tej Dhawan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I knew the book would be good as Callista’s newsletters are quite useful, I wondered if I knew these things after nearly 35 yrs of working. Spoiler alert: I didn’t. Candidly, some of the advice is dated due to shifting norms post-pandemic but her underlying guidance of making others comfortable remains timeless.