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Boost Your Career: How to Make an Impact, Get Recognized, and Build the Career You Want
An exclusive guide to besting the competition and rising to the top in your career.
Many people spend years working themselves into the ground, only to be passed over for the promotions, recognition, and pay raises they deserve. Today, there is a new set of unwritten rules for getting ahead, and they are all about making an impact. In Boost Your Career , Sander and Mechele Flaum expose what many people have taken years to Success depends on the "impact dynamic."
Defined as projects that make a resounding difference in an organization, with the added benefit of impressing key stakeholders, the impact dynamic is what separates over-deliverers from average workers. Drawing on their many years in business in a variety of high-level roles, the Flaums teach readers exactly what they need to know in today's job how to identify opportunities and successfully lead projects that will propel their careers.
Packed with real and exclusive stories from seasoned professionals, newbies in big roles, and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries, this book shares the hidden hurdles, aha! moments, and tips for getting ahead in a competitive environment. Whether you've been at the same company for twenty years, you're starting a new job tomorrow, or you own your own business, Boost Your Career will make a resounding difference in how you view your professional role and frame your accomplishments.
Many people spend years working themselves into the ground, only to be passed over for the promotions, recognition, and pay raises they deserve. Today, there is a new set of unwritten rules for getting ahead, and they are all about making an impact. In Boost Your Career , Sander and Mechele Flaum expose what many people have taken years to Success depends on the "impact dynamic."
Defined as projects that make a resounding difference in an organization, with the added benefit of impressing key stakeholders, the impact dynamic is what separates over-deliverers from average workers. Drawing on their many years in business in a variety of high-level roles, the Flaums teach readers exactly what they need to know in today's job how to identify opportunities and successfully lead projects that will propel their careers.
Packed with real and exclusive stories from seasoned professionals, newbies in big roles, and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries, this book shares the hidden hurdles, aha! moments, and tips for getting ahead in a competitive environment. Whether you've been at the same company for twenty years, you're starting a new job tomorrow, or you own your own business, Boost Your Career will make a resounding difference in how you view your professional role and frame your accomplishments.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
208 pages, Hardcover
Published August 15, 2017
10 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 23, 2017
This relatively short book shares tips on getting ahead in your job. The chapters framework tagline are akin to space exploration. I love the insightful tips such as be indispensable, make an impact and most of all get recognised by not only your bosses but also your peers.
July 8, 2023
This book was ok to read but it didn't really have anything that really wowed me as the advice was pretty generic. Advice such as: spread credit around, even to those who ordered your dinners when you stayed late so as to show humility, know your audience, use metrics, the SMART acronym for goal setting.
In Chapter 1 - Build Your Platform for Takeoff on page 27, the authors write that the best thing isn't to create something new - it's getting rid of something people dislike. I was like, isn't this just a fancy way of saying, figure out how to improve processes and how to make things better? I mean to me that was pretty generic. Most job ads say they want someone with this trait but that doesn't mean the company has policies and staff that are open to change. People like their routines.
I think this is what I found problematic about the book. It just simplifies the culture in companies. It doesn't really address the complexities there are when it comes to advancing. Obviously this depends on the field you are in. I'm a female and finally found my first role in tech. In my past non-tech jobs (enumerator, office admin, and a general labourer), I'm usually one of the top performers and yet I've never been promoted in my life. I am for the most part liked by coworkers. I've been laid-off 3 times in five years, which made me decide to finish my education and change my field. I've worked in well over 50 different companies in my life time (mainly due to my being a temp for 3 years in my 20s) and the reasons why someone gets promoted has always seemed like a mystery to me and I was hoping to have someone shed light on that because there really doesn't seem to be a consistent reason. This book doesn't go into this, which I think would have been helpful.
In Chapter 2 - Fuel Up with the Support You Need on page 49, the authors write that the team is more important than winning or losing. You win as a team and you lose as a team. I think this is a nice belief to have but at the end of a day, the company is about winning and it does care if you are a losing team because that could result in your job loss or your whole team to be downsized. I don't think the potential of having a job loss should be a reason to live in fear because we have to realize we can bounce back from 'failures' but this advice is out of touch with what the whole point of a business is (to make money). A manager may find this advice useful but a manager can't let his/her ship sink. You have to win or have losses that don't hurt the company's profit.
Later on in this chapter on page 53, the authors talk about 'the magic of diversity.' Basically they give an example of how a female science professor had a hard time fitting in since most of her colleagues were male and she felt like an outsider. The authors state that the social activities in male dominated field tend toward things that appeal to men which can make it difficult for women to form quality bonds. Things such as drinking or golf. The female science professor they reference says that she finds men form bromances at work so it's easy to feel marginalized sometimes. I think it's the same way in female dominated areas or just regular work environments where the genders ratio is fairly even. I have seen females with sismances (is that the female equivalent of a bromance?) and it does make you feel like an outsider. The thing I didn't like was that they assumed that men have the same type of social activities. Let's get real. Part of being social means you follow what the group is doing and you 'go with the flow.' So while maybe it looks like drinking and golf is a guy thing, maybe people just like socializing and are just going with an easy route for socialization.
On page 55 in this chapter, the generic advice they give if you feel like an outsider is to start talking with colleagues you don't usually talk to. They write to make it known subtly that you would like to be included in social activities. My problem with this section is they don't say what you should say to be subtle. There is no practical information. They assume everyone is skilled in communication. Yes that's nice to advise people to branch out socially but in a professional manner, what actual words should we use? This was just lazy advice.
In Chapter 3 - Project Ideas to Spark Your Ignition on page 62, they give a list of career boosting 'project' ideas. They list 18 and use this chapter to go over them. This is probably the most interesting section of the book but again, most of it is pretty generic and stuff you could come up with a simple google search. For example, number 14 is 'Stay Current-Update Your Website.' Number 4 was 'Maximize Your Personal Presence' and they suggest things such as getting a presentation skills coach, join Toastmasters, record yourself giving a mock presentation and critique your own performance, or consult with a mentor. They listed other activities you can try for this 'project.'
Again this book is pretty boring and generic so don't bother with it unless you get a copy from the library (which is where I get all my books).
In Chapter 1 - Build Your Platform for Takeoff on page 27, the authors write that the best thing isn't to create something new - it's getting rid of something people dislike. I was like, isn't this just a fancy way of saying, figure out how to improve processes and how to make things better? I mean to me that was pretty generic. Most job ads say they want someone with this trait but that doesn't mean the company has policies and staff that are open to change. People like their routines.
I think this is what I found problematic about the book. It just simplifies the culture in companies. It doesn't really address the complexities there are when it comes to advancing. Obviously this depends on the field you are in. I'm a female and finally found my first role in tech. In my past non-tech jobs (enumerator, office admin, and a general labourer), I'm usually one of the top performers and yet I've never been promoted in my life. I am for the most part liked by coworkers. I've been laid-off 3 times in five years, which made me decide to finish my education and change my field. I've worked in well over 50 different companies in my life time (mainly due to my being a temp for 3 years in my 20s) and the reasons why someone gets promoted has always seemed like a mystery to me and I was hoping to have someone shed light on that because there really doesn't seem to be a consistent reason. This book doesn't go into this, which I think would have been helpful.
In Chapter 2 - Fuel Up with the Support You Need on page 49, the authors write that the team is more important than winning or losing. You win as a team and you lose as a team. I think this is a nice belief to have but at the end of a day, the company is about winning and it does care if you are a losing team because that could result in your job loss or your whole team to be downsized. I don't think the potential of having a job loss should be a reason to live in fear because we have to realize we can bounce back from 'failures' but this advice is out of touch with what the whole point of a business is (to make money). A manager may find this advice useful but a manager can't let his/her ship sink. You have to win or have losses that don't hurt the company's profit.
Later on in this chapter on page 53, the authors talk about 'the magic of diversity.' Basically they give an example of how a female science professor had a hard time fitting in since most of her colleagues were male and she felt like an outsider. The authors state that the social activities in male dominated field tend toward things that appeal to men which can make it difficult for women to form quality bonds. Things such as drinking or golf. The female science professor they reference says that she finds men form bromances at work so it's easy to feel marginalized sometimes. I think it's the same way in female dominated areas or just regular work environments where the genders ratio is fairly even. I have seen females with sismances (is that the female equivalent of a bromance?) and it does make you feel like an outsider. The thing I didn't like was that they assumed that men have the same type of social activities. Let's get real. Part of being social means you follow what the group is doing and you 'go with the flow.' So while maybe it looks like drinking and golf is a guy thing, maybe people just like socializing and are just going with an easy route for socialization.
On page 55 in this chapter, the generic advice they give if you feel like an outsider is to start talking with colleagues you don't usually talk to. They write to make it known subtly that you would like to be included in social activities. My problem with this section is they don't say what you should say to be subtle. There is no practical information. They assume everyone is skilled in communication. Yes that's nice to advise people to branch out socially but in a professional manner, what actual words should we use? This was just lazy advice.
In Chapter 3 - Project Ideas to Spark Your Ignition on page 62, they give a list of career boosting 'project' ideas. They list 18 and use this chapter to go over them. This is probably the most interesting section of the book but again, most of it is pretty generic and stuff you could come up with a simple google search. For example, number 14 is 'Stay Current-Update Your Website.' Number 4 was 'Maximize Your Personal Presence' and they suggest things such as getting a presentation skills coach, join Toastmasters, record yourself giving a mock presentation and critique your own performance, or consult with a mentor. They listed other activities you can try for this 'project.'
Again this book is pretty boring and generic so don't bother with it unless you get a copy from the library (which is where I get all my books).
January 4, 2018
Here's to finishing the first book of the new year!
Boosting my career is one of my major goals for 2018, so this book was an easy first choice. It's incredibly short and filled with plenty of advice that's akin to what you would read in a Business Insider article. The authors compare advancing your career to space travel with phrases like "Build Your Platform for Takeoff" and "Get Beyond Your Current Atmosphere." The themes are quite fitting as this book aims to help you launch your current status into brand new territory.
Much of the points are generic and I had trouble figuring out to apply some of it to my own situation. Examples include: "Support other people's ideas," "Make yourself valuable to everyone," "Respect everyone's workload," "Find your niche and be valued for it." Nuggets of wisdom like this feels like it could've been copied and pasted from things you'd find on The Balance or The Muse.
However, the most interesting thing the book offers is the idea of high-impact projects. These eighteen different projects include gathering and using customer feedback, launching high-interest groups, and starting a "war game" where you try and find strategies to beat your competitors. To me, this section is the meat of Boost Your Career -- these actions are the ones that will make a lasting impact and the beginning and end chapters all help support this middle chapter.
There's certainly some insightful ideas here, though it's difficult for me to figure out how these it into my own job. The authors recommend several other books such as Strengths Finder 2.0, Emotional Intelligence, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, most of which might be more helpful than this book. Like most other self-help books, the trick lies in finding out how this advice applies to you and that's what I'm struggling with. Boost Your Career isn't even 200 pages long, but there's so much to take in that it's difficult to determine which parts are most relevant. I suppose there's something in there for everyone.
Boosting my career is one of my major goals for 2018, so this book was an easy first choice. It's incredibly short and filled with plenty of advice that's akin to what you would read in a Business Insider article. The authors compare advancing your career to space travel with phrases like "Build Your Platform for Takeoff" and "Get Beyond Your Current Atmosphere." The themes are quite fitting as this book aims to help you launch your current status into brand new territory.
Much of the points are generic and I had trouble figuring out to apply some of it to my own situation. Examples include: "Support other people's ideas," "Make yourself valuable to everyone," "Respect everyone's workload," "Find your niche and be valued for it." Nuggets of wisdom like this feels like it could've been copied and pasted from things you'd find on The Balance or The Muse.
However, the most interesting thing the book offers is the idea of high-impact projects. These eighteen different projects include gathering and using customer feedback, launching high-interest groups, and starting a "war game" where you try and find strategies to beat your competitors. To me, this section is the meat of Boost Your Career -- these actions are the ones that will make a lasting impact and the beginning and end chapters all help support this middle chapter.
There's certainly some insightful ideas here, though it's difficult for me to figure out how these it into my own job. The authors recommend several other books such as Strengths Finder 2.0, Emotional Intelligence, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, most of which might be more helpful than this book. Like most other self-help books, the trick lies in finding out how this advice applies to you and that's what I'm struggling with. Boost Your Career isn't even 200 pages long, but there's so much to take in that it's difficult to determine which parts are most relevant. I suppose there's something in there for everyone.
January 14, 2018
I wish I had this book earlier in my career. It contains excellent techniques for bona fide increase in a richer work life, and making successful impacts. I have used some of the techniques before reading the book, but learned new aspects of them in the book. I definitely learned techniques new to me as well. A very insightful read, and based on my experience, right on the money with substantive advice.
October 23, 2019
A one of impressive books I Liked
Nice! For employee career book.
Several good quoted and ideas/principle to pursues jobs. And overcome obtacles.
Recomment to read if you're working employee like me.
Nice! For employee career book.
Several good quoted and ideas/principle to pursues jobs. And overcome obtacles.
Recomment to read if you're working employee like me.
January 23, 2018
Smart ideas, actions and steps required to make an impact to improve your career.
September 3, 2019
Good advice and a quick read, just unfortunately didn't really learn anything new.
October 6, 2019
This book was great! It gave me some excellent advice for work and was a really engaging read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews