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Get a Job, Build a Real Career and Defy a Bewildering Economy
You hear it everywhere: the days of good jobs, great careers - even with a college degree - are over and dead. That the economy has become so mystifyingly controlled, convoluted and convulsive that a lifetime career has become a fantasy pursuit for chumps. In this bewildering environment, how do you get direction, and more importantly, move forward? In Get a Job, Build a Real Career, and Defy a Bewildering Economy, respected financial blogger Charles Smith (oftwominds.com) turns the conventional wisdom on its head. This book delivers the insight and positive action plan to get you employed. Just starting out? Laid off? Trying to restart you career? Get a Job, Build a Real Career, and Defy a Bewildering Economy arms you with the knowledge you need. Are you a parent, grandparent, friend or counselor helping others sort education and career options? Get a Job, Build a Real Career, and Defy a Bewildering Economy assays the current economic maelstrom to give you a fresh, invigorating perspective - and the competitive edge - to understand how to get a job, and build the career you want. This book is designed to tilt the odds in your favor, whether you are a high school or college student, a recent college graduate pondering graduate school or someone re-entering the workforce after a layoff.
- GenresBusiness
164 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2014
51 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 19, 2017
This is a well-written book, with a few typos that got past the editors. I thought that Smith's style was eminently readable, and shows a good grasp of economics and job markets in the US. For me, though, this fell a little short of what I was expecting. I was hoping for more practical tips for job-seeking or mid-life career change. I did appreciate his ideas about accrediting oneself for the job market, but I felt like he spent too much time delving into economic theories which, while interesting, were not really what I wanted. At the beginning of the book, he says that he will spend a short time giving a brief economic background explanation, but that "short" background ends up taking about 2/3 of the book.
Again, I think he did a good job of dealing with economic ideas, but if that's the main goal of the book, then perhaps a different title would be in order. All in all, I still recommend this as a worthy read.
Again, I think he did a good job of dealing with economic ideas, but if that's the main goal of the book, then perhaps a different title would be in order. All in all, I still recommend this as a worthy read.
February 24, 2026
Well structured and reasoned advice for the person who wants to take charge of his life and work.
Charles Hugh Smith claims that explaining things is his great gift. He has a genius for surveying a body of human activity, summarize it in bullet points, and present the bullet pointed list of the implications.
Two years ago I was attracted to his "Why things are Falling Apart and What We Can Do about it." It was a very solid analysis of the problems that beset the governments of the Western world, especially the United States, and a prescription of steps that might be taken to alleviate problems. Since then he has restricted his scope a bit. It is no longer "what we can do about them" but "what you can do about them." Smith has accepted the reality of the fact that a person who would buy and read his books is above average. He will probably achieve success by virtue of those characteristics that set him above the common man. Therefore, rather than preach to the common man in the hopes that they will come to their senses, he now offers advice to individuals with regard to how to cope with the world as it is, common men included.
This volume builds on Smith's theses in "The Nearly Free University and The Emerging Economy: The Revolution in Higher Education." The American system of higher education, like that of most of the world, was established decades or centuries ago. The rationale was that education had to be centralized because (1) educational resources, primarily books, were scarce and expensive, (2) education had to be delivered in person, and (3) communication and transportation were slow, so students and educators had to be in the same place.
Higher education created a cartel. They control a scarce commodity, a credential called the "University Diploma," which is perceived as necessary for a person to advance into the workplace. They perpetuate the misconception that this credential is some kind of a testament to the capability and attainments of the graduate. Not only is this not true, but it has become increasingly less true as more and more students, increasingly less qualified students, are funneled through the system. The price of tuition has risen much faster than inflation, at the same time that actual learning has diminished. This is an overripe field for the kind of creative destruction that the Internet has brought to so many other fields, such as travel, law and newspaper publishing.
Every sector in which expenses, especially compensation, has grown out of proportion is ripe for "creative destruction." Costs that cannot be sustained will not be sustained. Health care, government and K-12 education are massively inefficient. Rather than calling for reform, as he has in previous books, Smith merely warns his readers to avoid these sectors of the economy. Just because some Newport Beach lifeguards have been able to retire at 50 with a $100,000 pension does not mean that one should look for that job today. No – that particular sinecure has been bled dry. The tax and tuition money is simply not there to support historical growth trends in government, medicine and education. An S curve graph depicts the birth, growth and stagnation of just about any field of endeavor. Higher education was in the growth phase of the S curve right after the war, when there were lots of returned servicemen and a great demand for educated workers. It has now peaked. College has an unsupportably high cost structure, and many graduates, mired in debt, cannot find professional jobs.
Smith's point is that people need to take charge of their lives: education, career, and personal lives. At the most fundamental level, people should not pay you unless your work offers them value. This is self-evidently true of paper boys, tax preparers and auto repairmen. If they can't fix your car, you don't hire them.
The fields to avoid are those in which the consumer has no choice. In public education, the parents have little choice over the teacher. Under socialized medicine, they have little control over the doctor or the costs. It is all controlled by bureaucracies. The bureaucracies must eventually collapse of their own weight and become unable to support all of the deadwood, employees who add no value. It may be a long time coming – and in that time the overpaid, deadwood employee is stultified by unfulfilling work and, due to being overpaid, not free to easily find something more satisfying. There is a reason why postmen "go postal" and teachers burn out. They feel trapped.
This book includes a number of useful lists. Here is what he says about professionalism.
Commit yourself to continuing to learn.
Apply your knowledge as you master a subject.
Be adaptable, responsible and accountable.
Take ownership of your work.
Learn to work collaboratively.
Master the art of communicating, orally, in writing, and via numbers and graphics.
Continue to build your networks.
Lastly, the only technical mastery in the list: learn to keep and to read financial and project management records.
Smith offers a number of suggestions for building your networks, building your value to an employer or client. The take-home message is that every individual must take charge of his or her own life. Institutions that claim to have an interest in your personal development generally do not. They, and their employees, are more interested in their own success than yours. Learn to look for opportunities to excel, how to present yourself so that you are given the opportunity, and how to take credit for your successes in a way that you can pass on to other prospective clients and employers.
A five-star book. My only caveat is the obvious one. The majority of people do not have the innate talent to follow his advice. Of those who do, a majority will still look for the easy way out, a steady job rather than taking charge of their career. It leaves room for those who really want to succeed – Smith's readers.
Charles Hugh Smith claims that explaining things is his great gift. He has a genius for surveying a body of human activity, summarize it in bullet points, and present the bullet pointed list of the implications.
Two years ago I was attracted to his "Why things are Falling Apart and What We Can Do about it." It was a very solid analysis of the problems that beset the governments of the Western world, especially the United States, and a prescription of steps that might be taken to alleviate problems. Since then he has restricted his scope a bit. It is no longer "what we can do about them" but "what you can do about them." Smith has accepted the reality of the fact that a person who would buy and read his books is above average. He will probably achieve success by virtue of those characteristics that set him above the common man. Therefore, rather than preach to the common man in the hopes that they will come to their senses, he now offers advice to individuals with regard to how to cope with the world as it is, common men included.
This volume builds on Smith's theses in "The Nearly Free University and The Emerging Economy: The Revolution in Higher Education." The American system of higher education, like that of most of the world, was established decades or centuries ago. The rationale was that education had to be centralized because (1) educational resources, primarily books, were scarce and expensive, (2) education had to be delivered in person, and (3) communication and transportation were slow, so students and educators had to be in the same place.
Higher education created a cartel. They control a scarce commodity, a credential called the "University Diploma," which is perceived as necessary for a person to advance into the workplace. They perpetuate the misconception that this credential is some kind of a testament to the capability and attainments of the graduate. Not only is this not true, but it has become increasingly less true as more and more students, increasingly less qualified students, are funneled through the system. The price of tuition has risen much faster than inflation, at the same time that actual learning has diminished. This is an overripe field for the kind of creative destruction that the Internet has brought to so many other fields, such as travel, law and newspaper publishing.
Every sector in which expenses, especially compensation, has grown out of proportion is ripe for "creative destruction." Costs that cannot be sustained will not be sustained. Health care, government and K-12 education are massively inefficient. Rather than calling for reform, as he has in previous books, Smith merely warns his readers to avoid these sectors of the economy. Just because some Newport Beach lifeguards have been able to retire at 50 with a $100,000 pension does not mean that one should look for that job today. No – that particular sinecure has been bled dry. The tax and tuition money is simply not there to support historical growth trends in government, medicine and education. An S curve graph depicts the birth, growth and stagnation of just about any field of endeavor. Higher education was in the growth phase of the S curve right after the war, when there were lots of returned servicemen and a great demand for educated workers. It has now peaked. College has an unsupportably high cost structure, and many graduates, mired in debt, cannot find professional jobs.
Smith's point is that people need to take charge of their lives: education, career, and personal lives. At the most fundamental level, people should not pay you unless your work offers them value. This is self-evidently true of paper boys, tax preparers and auto repairmen. If they can't fix your car, you don't hire them.
The fields to avoid are those in which the consumer has no choice. In public education, the parents have little choice over the teacher. Under socialized medicine, they have little control over the doctor or the costs. It is all controlled by bureaucracies. The bureaucracies must eventually collapse of their own weight and become unable to support all of the deadwood, employees who add no value. It may be a long time coming – and in that time the overpaid, deadwood employee is stultified by unfulfilling work and, due to being overpaid, not free to easily find something more satisfying. There is a reason why postmen "go postal" and teachers burn out. They feel trapped.
This book includes a number of useful lists. Here is what he says about professionalism.
Commit yourself to continuing to learn.
Apply your knowledge as you master a subject.
Be adaptable, responsible and accountable.
Take ownership of your work.
Learn to work collaboratively.
Master the art of communicating, orally, in writing, and via numbers and graphics.
Continue to build your networks.
Lastly, the only technical mastery in the list: learn to keep and to read financial and project management records.
Smith offers a number of suggestions for building your networks, building your value to an employer or client. The take-home message is that every individual must take charge of his or her own life. Institutions that claim to have an interest in your personal development generally do not. They, and their employees, are more interested in their own success than yours. Learn to look for opportunities to excel, how to present yourself so that you are given the opportunity, and how to take credit for your successes in a way that you can pass on to other prospective clients and employers.
A five-star book. My only caveat is the obvious one. The majority of people do not have the innate talent to follow his advice. Of those who do, a majority will still look for the easy way out, a steady job rather than taking charge of their career. It leaves room for those who really want to succeed – Smith's readers.
December 8, 2014
Probably one of the best books I've read all year. The book discusses the changing economy, the changing dynamics of higher education, and the changes regarding getting hired in our near future. The author is all about lists and data so just about every point has either evidence to back it up, or a list of five things to accomplish the goal. The author is very negative about higher education in America, and believes the best way to ensure success in the future is through multiple streams of income and through successfully completing AND documenting various projects with a trusted network of individuals. It's a short book (150 pages or so) with tons of good information.
June 3, 2018
Has an interesting take on one possible way for millenials to get their feet on the life ladder.
February 3, 2017
A Blueprint for the New Economy
Great read! Charles Hugh Smith has written a compelling blueprint for the new economy. It is about understanding the forces that are transforming the way we work and adapting accordingly. The material is presented in an insightful style that avoids jargon and the usual self-help b.s. to provide a practical guideline that readers can actually put to work themselves.
Great read! Charles Hugh Smith has written a compelling blueprint for the new economy. It is about understanding the forces that are transforming the way we work and adapting accordingly. The material is presented in an insightful style that avoids jargon and the usual self-help b.s. to provide a practical guideline that readers can actually put to work themselves.
December 3, 2017
In principle, this book was fine and had solid advice. Lacked the steps to help you make a plan in your job hunt, so I wouldn't recommend it for recent graduates who've never interacted with the workforce before.
Definitely helpful once you have a job though, in showing you how to promote your experiences and work to continue your career.
Definitely helpful once you have a job though, in showing you how to promote your experiences and work to continue your career.
Read
November 21, 2020Used the Audiobook edition. Heavily bookmarked. I will go back and review the more compelling sections. Might even spring for the ebook.
The book is approachable but dense. He makes strong arguments about the nature of the economy. Spends too much time dismantling the reputation of conventional schooling.
The book is approachable but dense. He makes strong arguments about the nature of the economy. Spends too much time dismantling the reputation of conventional schooling.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews