Recent comments

Comments

Road to teaching : by Hougan, Eric.

Publication: Charleston, SC : Booksurge, 2008 . 177 p. : 22 cm. Date: 2008

Pursuing a career in education can be an exciting time in one’s life; this should not be a daunting process. A “preservice” teaching, meaning any individual actively pursuing a teaching career, typically goes through three phases before becoming a certified teacher: teacher education training, clinical studies (student teaching), and seeking a job. This book provides in depth guidance for each of these phases, giving you the sufficient confidence that you need while pursuing this career. Understanding the teaching process, becoming an expert on a particular concept, how to jump start your teacher portfolio, and advice on the importance of networking are all concepts that are focused upon in this book. Hougan’s book grants you strategies on how to go above and beyond the qualifications of a teacher, allowing you to become to strongest candidate in this field.

FBI careers : by Ackerman, Thomas H.

Publication: Indianapolis, IN : JIST Works, 2010 . xvi, 368 p. : 28 cm. Date: 2010

FBI Careers allows the reader to delve into a world of information, surrounding oneself with a wealth of information! The book begins with the history of the FBI, an important part of applying for any job. It goes into the structure, salary, and even benefits. But most importantly, it goes into details for the different FBI Special Agent Career Opportunities. It speaks to the diverse range of careers one can choose when entering the FBI, and there are many more than expected! Not only does the book detail the different opportunities, but it includes the hiring process and how to make oneself stand out. Assuming you got the job, or are extremely interested in a career at the FBI, they also list the different training that must be passed and even discuss the many aspects of the FBI Internship Program, from the FBI Honors Internship to the National Security Internship. This book truly is a most comprehensive guide on the FBI career opportunities available and on how to receive a job there. A definite read for those who are interested and invested in the FBI for the future.

They don't teach corporate in college : by Levit, Alexandra,

Publication: Franklin Lakes, NJ : Career Press, 2009 . 288 p. ; 22 cm. Date: 2009

Alexandra Levit immediately draws the reader in during the introduction of her book by telling the reader so honestly how her hopes and dreams of finding the ideal job crumbled after college. Her way of completely giving of her experiences sets They Don’t Teach Corporate in College in such a refreshing and relatable light. Levit goes on to educate twenty-something’s on the entire career process; her chapters tackle the job hunt, transitioning from college to the corporate world, networking, goal-setting, time management, career advancement, promotions, and transitioning from one career to another gracefully. Every chapter is easy-to-read and sprinkled with inspirational and informative quotes and various instances of self-reflection. Each chapter concludes with great take home points to remind readers what is most important. It is a great book to force you to begin looking at the difficult questions that are too often put on the back burner for college students.

The soul of a doctor :

Publication: Chapel Hill, NC : Algonquin Books, 2006 . xxii, 248 s. 29 Date: 2006

Thanks to shows like ER and Grey’s Anatomy, everyone has an idea of what it means to resuscitate a patient that has coded. There’s a lot of noise, demands for crash carts can be heard, and the ominous monitor displays a green flat line. What is forgotten are the humans in the room: the person teetering on the brink of death, the family members begging and praying, and the doctors willing the human heart to start pumping blood again. But how long should the doctor try to resuscitate? And when the futility of it all begins to set in, should doctors keep trying? Fourth year medical student Andrea Dalve-Endres wonders about all of this as she watches her attending attempt to revive a six-month-old child. Through poetry, prose and the eyes of medical students, The Soul of a Doctor humanizes the process of medical education. Students share experiences and encounters with patients and coworkers alike. The book allows readers to immerse themselves in the wards, at the morgue, and in the operating room, all the while understanding the regrets that eventually mold the doctors that medical students will become someday.

Ready or not : by Grossman, Justin,

Publication: Bloomington, Ind. : Trustees of Indiana University : | Indiana University Bloomington Career Development Center : | Arts & Sciences Career Services, 2009 . 194 p. ; 21 cm. Date: 2009

One of the reasons the job search is so difficult is because there are so many factors affecting how careers need to be decided. Ready or Not: The Art of the Job Search addresses all of these factors: your personal goals, values, interests, and skills, resumes, cover letters, and interviewing, your financial needs, and the drastic transition from college to the working world. The book has concise, easy to ready sections segmented so that it is easy to focus on a single factor at a time during your search, and every chapter closes with a summary and key points to takeaway. An interesting perspective to the job search, the author talks about the visible and invisible job markets as a way to separate positions you can hear from word-of-mouth or from people you network with along the way. Wherever you are in your job search, this is a great resource for you in moving forward.

Keys to liberal arts success /

Publication: Upper Saddle River, N.J. : Prentice Hall, 2002 . xxv, 278 p. : 24 cm. Date: 2002

This is quite a gem and an amazing book! This is a must read if you are in the college of Liberal Arts and Sciences or in a major that is not deemed “technical” such as history, mathematics, political science, or communications, among others. The writers of this book truly have created a most comprehensive guide for all LAS majors. To begin, they explain why they wrote this book as well as why one should major in the liberal arts. They continue on with success stories, but then bring the individual into the book by asking questions one might have, then answering them such as, “What is the relation between major and career?”. They also have pages to fill out that allow you see what you might be interested in or what sort of learning style might fit you best. But that is not the only things that they include. They also have good study and reading skills as well as critical thinking skills and even listening, memory and note taking skills that one can begin to practice. But they don’t even stop there. They even go so far as to introduce ideas as where to look for careers and answer more questions one might have. This is a must read for all LAS majors looking to find careers.

Innovation, the missing dimension / by Lester, Richard K.

Publication: Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 2004 . ix, 223 p. ; 22 cm. Date: 2004

As the global economy continues to suffer, the prosperity of every business will become more reliant on its ability to produce new and innovative services/products to its consumer base. Lester and Piore offer a case-by-case analysis of the economy’s most dynamic sectors: the cell phone, medical, and clothing industry. These industries are largely managed by analysis and interpretation; although executives regularly utilize the process of analysis to assess various risks and rewards, few choose to invest in interpretation. However, it is the interpretation that provides the creativity needed to sustain any entrepreneurial endeavor. Innovation is a great read for any future entrepreneur or business owner looking to learn the tricks to survive in this economic climate from two world-renowned MIT economics professors. Finally, this book is a great resource to both aid in the understanding of the current economy and while additionally serving to jumpstart the entrepreneurial creativity of any reader.

The medical school interview : by Freedman, Jessica.

Publication: [New York, NY?] : MedEdits Publishing, 2010 . xiii, 81 p. ; 21 cm. Date: 2010

After jumping through hurdles to finish primary and secondary applications to medical schools, applicants are left with one more frontier to conquer: the medical school interview. Interviewing well is crucial to acceptance, especially since members of the admissions committee end up representing (and, if all goes well, defending) candidates they have interviewed. In The Medical School Interview, former admissions committee member Jessica Freedman, MD crafts a concise guide that to medical school interviews. The book is mostly in two parts, with the first part giving general advice—on attire and following up on the interview to name a few—and the second part listing common questions and appropriate answers. Although not filled with ‘secrets’ about the inner workings of medical school interviews, The Medical School Review does a good job of laying out a typical interview, enabling students to prepare for tough questions.

Have no career fear :

Publication: New York : Prentice Hall Press, 2005 . xv, 201 p. ; 20 cm. Date: 2005

The economy may be on the rise once more, but the job market for recent college graduates is just as competitive and cutthroat as ever. You may feel like you know exactly what you need to do to land that dream job. However, Students Helping Students is here to tell you that you’ll need every resource in your arsenal to help you land that dream job. The authors of this book have been through the same post-graduate job search as you; they are here to offer some first-hand advice on how to make your American dream a reality. This book preaches the importance of networking, crafting a perfect résumé, management skills, flexibility, and performance. Through advice on these skills, Students Helping Students provide valuable insight on how to stand out and be the most competitive candidate.

Now what? : by Lore, Nicholas.

Publication: New York : Fireside, 2008 . x, 337 p. : 23 cm. Date: 2008

Every college student is haunted by the question: What should I do with my life? Now What? addresses this question as a resource for finding a career that is not only successful but also satisfactory. It is slightly overwhelming as a resource because it goes through the multitude of factors that go into finding passionate work such as natural talents and innate abilities, personality traits and temperament, rewards according to your values, fulfilled goals, what is interesting and meaningful to you, and a workplace environment that suits you. This book is most useful in pieces when you know what segment you want to focus on. It is filled with dense information about how many people are currently satisfied in their careers and what that reality means in regards to job performance and success. This book is a good starting point for finding your ideal career path, but it is important to know what you want to achieve before opening this book.

Your financial future :

Publication: Alexandria, Va. : Life After Graduation, LLC, 2005 . 173 p. ; 23 cm. Date: 2005

Most recent college graduates lack the financial know-how needed to manage their newfound money and Your Financial Future is a great resource to turn to when making pivotal financial decisions independently for the first time. In this thorough and well organized book, the authors from A Life After Graduation, LLC have put together a demystifying guide to the world of finance. This book covers a wide breadth of topics including, but not limited to, budgeting, debt management, investing, home ownership, and taxes. This reference book is a great resource that can empower students transitioning into the real world to take charge of their own personal finances.

Start Your Own Personal Training Business (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Up). by Press, Entrepreneur.

Publication: Entrepreneur Press, 2003 29 Date: 2003

Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Up Start Your Own Personal Training Business

By: Jacquelyn Lynn

Category: Entrepreneurial

Call #: GV428.5L96 2003

This book is one of the few publications in The Career Center that focuses on building your own business and the details required specifically for personal training. It lays out the requirements for becoming a personal trainer but also shows you the many options you have in the career field. The book also introduces the many small things to consider in building your own business such the necessity for attorneys, bankers, location, liability issues, and marketing. It even discusses hiring your staff and gives example forms that customers might fill out. All in all, this guide is a valuable resource for those interested in the fitness field and specifically personal training.

Networking for people who hate networking : by Zack, Devora.

Publication: San Francisco : Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2010 . viii, 169 p. : 23 cm. Date: 2010

For college students, it is easy to hate networking because it is something unfamiliar and seemingly a part of the “real-world” not yet accessible to them. However as Devora Zack answers in the beginning of her book, networking has high stakes if you “want to find a new job, achieve a promotion, make a new professional or personal contact, improve the world, expand your influence, sell a product or service, write a book, seal a deal, improve collaboration, build a reputation, achieve your dream, or a grow a business.” However, she proves that you do not need to like traditional networking to be good at it, you just need to modify to fit your personality while still making it effective for yourself. Networking for People Who Hate Networking provides readers with a humorous approach to the difficulties of meeting people by giving embarrassing examples from the author’s experience and an overall clever tone to unpacking conventional networking strategy. This is a great resource for anyone feeling overwhelmed because that is the exact audience Zack writes for and was once a part of.

The study abroad handbook / by Lidstone, Anna.

Publication: Basingstoke ; | New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2007 . x, 272 p. ; 22 cm. Date: 2007

Despite the myths that only very wealthy students can afford to study abroad and only high-achieving student study abroad, The Study Abroad Handbook provides students of all backgrounds with the knowledge they need to understand that this great life experience can happen to almost any college student. By offering advice about where to begin in your study abroad process, advice on how to manage your finances, advice for life abroad, and advice for acclimating once you face the normal challenges abroad, Lidstone and Rueckert provide an in depth overview to make this exciting and long process less stressful. Furthermore, this book provides you with the awareness that there are resources available to help you narrow your location of study and resources to help you prioritize where the best fit of study is for you. The book helps clarify that there are several scholarship opportunities to help you cover the costs of studying abroad. These scholarships can range from, but not limited to, university, organization, or government scholarships. Potential issues may arise when you’re studying abroad; Lidstone and Rueckert provide examples of how diversity, stereotypes, and other problems can be handled to provide you with an optimal learning experience.

Strengths-based leadership : by Rath, Tom.

Publication: New York : Gallup Press, 2008 . 266 p. ; 23 cm. Date: 2008

This book has taken the abstract idea of leadership and truly transformed traditional thinking about it. This book focuses on strengths that an individual has and pushes each person to not only find his or her leadership strengths, but to fully utilize and maximize the members of the team with whom he or she is working. The book stresses that while leadership is at some level an individual action, the leader must have a team to work with. It is a book that truly delves into leadership not as an abstract and simple concept, but explains the lesser known details of leadership as well as what makes people follow a leader. Truly, this publication maps out not only the things to develop to become a leader, but why others tend to follow, how teamwork plays into leadership, and what makes a good leader.

Job search strategies : by Clarkson, Bud.

Publication: Lexington, KY : Amazon.com, 2010 . xxii, 145 p. ; 22 cm. Date: 2010

As of January 9, 2009, there were approximately 11.1 million unemployed people in the United States. Right out of the gates, this book claims that the quality of your job search skills is what will earn you a job, not your job skills themselves. Furthermore, this book reaches out to those who are currently unemployed or underemployed, to those who hate their job and want to find a more fulfilling one, to those whose company does not provide outplacement services, and to those who are aware that they need help navigating the job market. In a comprehensive format, Clarkson’s book provides the reader with some basic skills that someone should hone in order to land the job of their choice. This book is not intended to be read from beginning to end; rather, this book is a sort of reference that lists out strategies and quick tips.

Never eat alone and other secrets to success : by Ferrazzi, Keith.

Publication: New York : Currency Doubleday : 2005 . vii, 309 p. ; 25 cm. Date: 2005

Networking is a concept that seems difficult to start practicing until one enters the workforce, but Keith Ferrazzi proves that networking is simply reaching out to other people with the right mindset. It is not something that happens when a particular task needs to be accomplished but rather a way of talking to people. Never Eat Alone breaks networking down into four sections the Mind Set, the Skill Set, Turning Connections into Compatriots, and Trading Up and Giving Back. He further breaks down the barriers to good networking by demonstrating common pitfalls and how to avoid them like “Ping constantly” that gives great examples of how to continue relationships with networking contacts even at times when you don’t need anything from them. Never Eat Alone is easy to read filled with uplifting quotes about the power of relationships, stories of inspirational leaders past and present, and an overall phenomenal approach of how to create a mindset of connecting with people.

Inside a U.S. embassy :

Publication: Washington, DC : American Foreign Service Association, 2003 . xi, 136 p. : 24 cm. Date: 2003



There is a lack of common information about the Foreign Service and many feel it is difficult to find information about what jobs comprise a U.S. embassy. This book clears the misinformation or lack of information up by detailing each type of job available. However, it does this in a very unique and compelling way. When you read this book, you are not simply reading a laundry list of jobs that exist in the Foreign Service or how to apply. You get a typical daily schedule of real members, and examples of the type of work each position does by describing actual events and specific individuals. You are reading a compilation of narratives, stories, of those who hold these jobs. Some are touching, some are scary, but all give firsthand experience of the truly diverse and amazing events those working in these positions have seen. At the back, it also has a list of resources for those interested in this type of work. This book manages to interest readers, through firsthand accounts, in the careers in the Foreign Service and makes known the diversity of the many jobs available.

http://tinyurl.com/InsideEmbassy

Life after school, explained. by Vickey, Jesse.

Publication: [Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.] : Cap & Compass, 2008 . 181 p. : 14 x 22 cm. Date: 2008

If asked, the average college student probably doesn’t know the difference between a PCP, a PPO, and an HMO. There is a whole dimension to being an adult outside of college that students don’t normally bother looking into. While reluctant to be that person with the ‘dumb’ questions, students should understand that asking these not-so-dumb questions is necessary to successfully transition into life after college. In Life After School Explained, the Cap & Compass Writing Team (led by founder Jesse Vickey) has put together a comprehensive guide to help recent grads adjust to life beyond college. The topics vary widely—how to order wines with funky sounding names, where to invest money students suddenly have, what health insurance actually means beyond a jumble of abbreviations, how to shop for an engagement ring or hint at what engagement ring one wants—and the answers are thorough and straight to the point. This book is a nifty little resource to have and it can help students get off on the right foot.

The Idealist.org Handbook to Building a Better World: How to Turn Your Good Intentions into Actions that Make a Difference. by Idealist.org

Publication: Perigee Trade, 2009 29 Date: 2009

The Idealist.org Handbook to Building a Better World focuses on bringing purpose into one’s career, even in a career that hasn’t yet started. It elaborates on volunteering as a student, becoming a board member of an organization with a meaningful cause, working for a nonprofit organization, and integrating a sense of fulfillment in current careers that are lacking a sense of greater good. It is easy to understand how idealism fits into the job search and career path because the author defines the concepts she talks about starting on the ground level of how a nonprofit organization functions. In addition to clarifications, this resource is sprinkled with statistics of nonprofit organizations and tips on ways one can be socially responsible or philanthropic in a various stages of a career regardless of finances and time. From dispelling the top ten nonprofit myths to giving examples of ways to volunteer in every community, this resource can integrate idealism into any career path.

The Career Center
We are one of over twenty Career Services offices on campus.

715 S. Wright St
Champaign, IL, 61820
Hours: 8:30-5:00 M-F
ph: 217.333.0604