CAREERS NOW 04-21-10

Books To Help You Move Up in the World

DEAR JOYCE: My favorite niece is graduating this year. What book do you recommend as a graduation gift? - S.W.

A new one that fills your bill is written by a mentor-and-protégé team: "Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job" by Emily Bennington and Skip Lineberg (Ten Speed Press).

Bennington, the lead author is a successful young professional and the Lineberg is her mentor in a work of bite-sized lessons showing first-time employees how to zip up the line without screwing up. It's terrific for readers with short attention spans who grew up texting.

A more traditional book filled with career assessment quizzes, personality exercises and experienced advice from a career coach, who herself has changed careers five times, will appeal to today's large number of people who are unhappy with their work. It's the revised edition of "I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This" by Julie Jansen (Penguin Books).

An inviting book at the other end of the experience spectrum is "More than a Paycheck: Inspiration and Tools for Career Change" by career counselor Ruth Glover (Smoking Dog Publishing). This straightforward and deeply insightful guide will appeal to many spiritual readers who are choked with confusion and who welcome true stories of success about people once in their shoes.

DEAR JOYCE: I've been told that research jobs in sociology are really scarce. How much education would I need to beat the odds? - K.G.

I'm not sure you can. Although a master's degree is the minimum requirement for a newbie sociologist, nothing less than a doctorate in sociology will equip you to overrun the competition for full-charge research positions.

The market's long been a desert for bachelor's degree holders, who are likely to migrate to low-end counseling jobs in welfare agencies, or end up assisting researchers.

Information about careers in sociology is available from the American Sociological Association, asanet.org.

DEAR JOYCE: Other than doctors, dentists and registered nurses, who are the highest and lowest paid health workers? - K.A.

Here are ballpark figures: At the high end ($60,000 to $110,000 median pay) we find pharmacists, physical therapists and dental hygienists. At the low end (up to $40,000 median) are pharmacy technicians, medical assistants, home health aides and nursing aides.

DEAR JOYCE: I plan to semi-retire within the next couple of years. I am interested in pursuing public speaking as a volunteer activity. And if I make a few bucks at it, that's great! I'm told that I'm a pretty good speaker before groups. First step? - H.O.F.

Good thought. You can fuel platform speaking from nearly any career - from insurance representative to heart surgeon to firefighter.

And you've got the right idea: The vast majority of talented non-celebrities embrace podiums for fun or modest fees. Many presentations are based on special skills, exotic experiences, and mastery of a subject or humor.

Your potential learning ground to realize your plan is enormous, from books to speaking clubs to Web workshops. Check out the National Speakers Association (nsaspeaker.org) and the International Platform Association (internationalplatform.org).

DEAR JOYCE: I don't know if I'm interested in a computer career or not. My last child is in college and I helped him all through high school to master his electronic tools. zIs there an up-to-date online booklet that describes today's opportunities? - M.K.

Look for the free brochure "Computing Degrees & Careers" at computingcareers.acm.org. The brochure describes career options in a variety of computer specialties. Published by several computer membership organizations, the brochure is also available in Spanish.

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