Escape from Corporate America: A Practical Guide to Creating the Career of Your Dreams

by Pamela Skillings

Does your corporate career leave you stressed out, burned out, or just plain bummed out? You’re not alone. The good news is that there’s a way out–and you’re holding it. Written by career expert and corporate escapee Pamela Skillings, Escape from Corporate America inspires the cubicle-bound and the corner-office-cornered to break free and create the career of their dreams–without going broke. With no-nonsense advice and unflagging humor, Skillings shows you how to assess your job’s “suck” factor–from terminal boredom to boss from hell identify your true calling–brainstorm fantasy careers and test-drive your dream jobs develop your Escape Plan–set goals, figure out your timing, and evaluate your finances and health insurance options find jobs that don’t bite–entrepreneurial corporate environments, energetic start-ups, the nonprofit sector, and flexible work options be your own boss–explore entrepreneurship and freelancing, assemble an advisory team, and start a business while you collect a paycheck follow your creative dreams–learn how to make time for your artistic passion and develop a plan to quit your day job overcome any obstacle–deal with fear, doubt, negative people, and other bumps along the roadPlus, Skillings shares success stories from dozens of corporate escape artists, including celebrity TV chef Andrea Beaman, Cranium CEO Richard Tait, and many others.Full of practical strategies and fun-to-follow exercises, Escape from Corporate America will help disgruntled office workers everywhere find more meaningful, fulfilling careers.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

I am excited to share my new book, Job Interviewing for Dummies, a comprehensive guide to help you ace your next job interviews and land your dream job.

The advice is based on 15 years of experience as a career coach helping thousands of clients. I am also the Chief Coach and Co-founder at Big Interview, the job interview training system trusted by 300+ universities and millions of job seekers.

I am passionate about helping people find more fulfilling careers and have been featured as a career expert by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, ABC News, and many other media outlets.

I am also passionate about reading and looking forward to connecting with the Goodreads community.

Reviews

[Chad]

Contains helpful questions to figure out which career you should pursue, or which business you should start. The back of the book lists helpful books and online resources. I skimmed the book, skipping the chapters for those who are currently employed in corporations or seeking to be employed in corporations. I focused on content related to self-employment.

I read this because it was mentioned in I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This by Julie Jansen.

Notes
True Callings and Wrong Numbers
"Stop hoping for an epiphany and take some action to find a career path that inspires you. Epiphanies don't usually show up until you've done the prep work."

Career Fantasy
• What were your childhood career fantasies?
• What were your adolescent career fantasies?
• What successes, achievements, skills are you most proud of?
• If money was no object, what would you do?
• What do people think you're good at? What do they ask for your advice about? What compliments have you received?
• What would you do on your perfect day?
• Whose job would you love to have? Why?
• Search job sites for interesting careers.
• What do you love to talk, read, or think about?
• What activities put you in flow state?
• What were sweet spots in your career (or volunteering or schooling)?

Detective Work
1. Review list from Career Fantasy and find ideas or job titles that jump out.
2. Put all items from Career Fantasy list into 1 of 3 lists: Interests, Skills and Talents, Job Titles.
3. Drill down on each item to get as specific as possible.
4. On Skills and Talents list, note your best abilities.
5. On Job Titles list, note pros and cons of each job.

Go Solo
Solopreneurs brainstorming
• What professional skills could you sell on a freelance or consultant basis?
• Could you help others learn to do what you do? Do you know a lot about a particular subject?
• Do you know how to solve a common problem for people or companies?
• Do you have a hobby or passion that could become a business?

The Escape Tool Kit
Career tests
• Values Profile Quiz: find values in line with career
• The Career Key: paid Holland personality test
• MAPP Assessment: find fulfilling types of work. Paid assessment with basic free version
• Skills Profiler: free tool for uncovering career paths that fit your skills

Books for finding your calling
• What Color Is Your Parachute? By Richard Nelson Bolles
• Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger
• I Could Do Anything if I Only Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher
• Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra
• What Should I Do with My Life? by Po Bronson

Books for entrepreneurs
• The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki
• Before You Quit Your Job by Robert Kiyosaki
• Start Your Own Business by Rieva Lesonsky

[Julie]

Do you daydream about starting your own business, doing the 4 hour houd work week, not having to answer to anyone but yourself...if so, this is definitely the book for you. Pamela Skilling makes it all seem so easy, until you realize you still need to pay your bills. She figured out her escape route and suggests anyone can quickly come up with a business plan and rope in clients in no time, but the reality is it takes more planning and experience before one can hatch such a plan. Although its titled Escape from Corporate America, it seems as if she is trying to reach a larger audience than those in just corporate america; and as a result makes those not in corporate america feel neglected. The best part is there are lots of great resouces provided to get you thinking, what if....

[Joe]

Pamela Skillings writes a well-rounded book about creating opportunities and strategies for escaping corporate america. And while it has moments of insight, there's really nothing new that she mentions that I haven't read in the cornucopia of other books on the subject. While the book lacks some originality, she has written a fairly comprehensive book on the matter that I'm not sure I've encountered elsewhere. Also, I got the impression that Pamela Skillings truly understands the ridiculous of corporate america and why people strive to move on.

I recommend this book above most others on the subject, however, don't expect anything groundbreaking.

[Miquela]

The book walks you through the questions to ask yourself to find a career that is more fulfilling. There are a million books out there like this. I think her humor made this more enjoyable. Unfortunately it was a library book so I didn't complete all the exercises. I will pick up a copy at the bookstore for sure.

[Gina Lynette]

Reading this book helped me determine that I am a better candidate for an "intropreneur" position--where I can be creative and in control of my calendar, but without the risk of a solo venture. So, even if you aren't sure you want to make a leap out on your own, it may prove a solid source of thought-provoking support.

[Annm]

I found this book t be full of good ideas and information. i think the authors way of looking at life path and careers is helpful, and I would recommend the book to anyone questioning their current path. On the other hand, the author doesn't talk about downsudes of noncorporate paths s much as upsides, so I wonder if thay aren't glossed over.

[Susan]

I admire this author's sense of humor about a subject which, at its worst, is demoralizing and dehumanizing. I belong solidly in the Work Should Be Meaningful generation and sincerely hope the exercises and advice in this guide will prove useful in my search for my True Purpose.

[Jonathan]

A good guide for reading when the time comes to consider a new career path or starting a side business. The author brings up many good points to consider when contemplating moving careers and how to balance more than one job or planning a transition to running your own business.

[Kathleen]

I skimmed through this and it seems like a really helpful resource for making a career change.

[Jenny]

There were lots of fun exercises and enough commiserating that the reasons for picking this up in the first instance feel legit.

[Shannon]

It's definitely worth a read!