Stuff I Wish I'd Known When I Started Working

by Fergus O'Connell

Don't learn the hard way—get work advice from some of the world's most successful people, all in one place! Work is a tricky business—the politics, the workload, the career ladder. It can take years and years of battling away and learning through mistakes to fully get to grips with the dos and don'ts. What if you could fast track that process? Cut out all those years of learning the hard way and working it out for yourself? Enter Stuff I Wish I'd Known When I Started Working, the unique guide to making work work! Fergus O'Connell has had a wonderfully varied career spanning three decades, and in this book, he will teach you the things it takes others years to figure out. You'll also find nuggets of wisdom and invaluable career advice from some of the world's most successful people—people like Oprah Winfrey, J.K. Rowling, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos. Whether you're new to the workforce, changing roles, or just stuck in a professional rut, this book shows you what you need to know to get ahead. By learning from the common mistakes of others, you can avoid making those mistakes yourself—and possibly skip a few rungs on the corporate ladder. You'll spend the majority of your waking hours at work for the majority of your life. Make it time well spent. Learn how to be more effective, more accountable, more visible, and less afraid. If you want a seat on the bullet train to success, Stuff I Wish I'd Known When I Started Working provides the tips and tools you need. Buckle up.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

179 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2014

About the author

My mum read Treasure Island to me when I was four and I think that was when I decided to become a writer.

I used to think I’d like to spend all my time writing, but spending all day alone in a room with your imaginary friends isn’t necessarily the healthiest way to pass the time. (It’s easy to see why so many great writers’ best friend has been the whisky bottle!) So I also write books and teach and speak on project management. I’ve written sixteen non-fiction books and had seven novels published. My most recent, The Paradise Ghetto is now in development based on my own screenplay.

I’ve been shortlisted for prizes – the Kerry Ingredients Irish Fiction Prize for my first novel, Call The Swallow; in non-fiction, for my book on common sense, Simply Brilliant which was runner-up in the W H Smith Book Awards. My books have been translated into twenty-five languages.

So far, all my novels have been set during wartime but I don’t think of myself as a war novelist. I write about people caught up in great events and how they try to find love in the most difficult of circumstances.

I’m widowed, have two grown-up children and have lived in lots of places. Currently I’m living in England but that could be about to change.

Reviews

[Thi Nguyên (Thảo Điền) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuốn sách dành cho ai chưa đi làm thôi nha =))

Cá nhân mình thì thấy cuốn sách cũng không đến nổi tệ, cũng có khá nhiều bài học và kinh nghiệm cho các bạn sinh viên hoặc mấy bạn mới đi làm. Còn với đa số các nhân viên đi làm lâu năm, thì cuốn này cũng chả có gì mới mẻ cho lắm.

Điều mình thích là tác giả là một doanh nhân có đam mê viết tiểu thuyết, một sự cân bằng mà mình thích thú. Và tác giả cũng hay dùng những trích dẫn từ những bài phát biểu trong những buổi lễ tốt nghiệp, những câu nói ấy khá truyền cảm hứng với mình.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was hoping this book would be useful but sadly - not really. Tends to talk from the perspective of a boss and not as an employee - which doesn't work since the book is supposedly for those starting work.

Rolled my eyes at the "most bosses aren't psychos" and how apparently you can just hit them with facts to win your arguments. Clearly have never had bosses pull rank, make excuses, lie, deny, get defensive or question why you were prepared with facts.

Had a weird section he thought the Victorians are great with communication because they didn’t get mail that often and weren’t "silly" enough to open and respond immediately. Clearly never hustled in London today - I told a friend about an opportunity, he didn't respond for 3 hours and the job was gone.

Writer is one of those people who say “I hate email because why can’t people just talk face to face - I like rEaL conVErsaTioNs wiTh HuMAns” along with "do what you love and you’ll never have to work!!!"

It still feels like work because it IS work.

Long live email. Bite me.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was yet another book that I read during downtime at work for lack of anything better to do- and even then, I wish I hadn't. I found nothing of use here. The entire vibe of the book is out of touch, and considering the fact that it's supposed to be geared toward people who are just starting out in their careers, it feels like it's written much more from the point of view of a boss or business owner and really isn't relevant to someone just getting started. There were a few interesting quotes included within the book, but I could have found those just as easily by Googling "good quotes about work."

[Arman Hilmioğlu · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are still valuable lessons but if you're interested in success stories you've probably seen / read / watched some of the critical material here, from commencement speeches to books like lean startup, some management books etc... I still enjoyed it but can't say learned a lot.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this to see if there was anything helpful for my professional development course -- on career preparation. Many quotes/proverbs and some personal insights, but not many specific strategies or the approaches for early career or new professionals was very broad in scope.

[David Kurniawan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is easy to read, with adequate examples from the author's experiences in the working world. While some of the advices are playing in the so-called grey zone, he managed to give decent reasoning on that.