What is the main message of The Career Playbook?

The main message of The Career Playbook is to guide readers in achieving success and fulfillment in their careers.

Who is the author of The Career Playbook?

The author of The Career Playbook is James M. Citrin.

Career & Success

The Career Playbook Book Summary - The Career Playbook Book explained in key points

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The Career Playbook summary

Name: The Career Playbook
Rating: 3.9 (73 reviews)
Author: James M. Citrin

James M. Citrin

Essential Advice for Today's Aspiring Young Professional

3.9 (73 ratings)

16 mins

Brief summary

"The Career Playbook" by James M. Citrin is a practical guide for navigating the job market and building a successful career. It offers actionable advice on networking, interviewing, resume writing, and more.

Topics

Networking Job Hunt Career Progress

Table of Contents

The Career Playbook
Summary of 8 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 8

What’s in it for me? Learn how to play the cards of your career.

You’re just out of college and you’re ready to make a start in the world of work. Work is your oyster, and you dream of a job that aligns with your passions and career choices – and that starts you off at a healthy salary to boot. And yet, if this is your dream, you’re likely to be disappointed, at least at first.

Almost everyone is initially met with disappointment, including all those executive managers whose positions you want so badly.

In these blinks, you’ll learn why. You’ll learn that everyone’s career path differs, and how you can make the smartest (but maybe not the most immediately rewarding) career moves as a young professional wishing to get ahead in your work life.

In these blinks, you’ll discover

what John F. Kennedy has to do with your career path;
why you shouldn’t say “you know” in a job interview; and
how to get a job that requires job experience that you don’t have.

Pursuing your dreams by balancing the three points of the Career Triangle: job satisfaction, compensation and lifestyle.

The Bermuda Triangle, an expanse in the Atlantic covering one million square miles, has enveloped wayward ships and planes for centuries. The Career Triangle might seem less dangerous, but it can be just as challenging to navigate.

Why? Because in the early stages of your career, you have to struggle to balance your job satisfaction, lifestyle and compensation.

It’s very unlikely that you’ll have the freedom to explore and discover yourself during the first few years of your career. You'll probably have to choose between making money and pursuing your own ideas, and the best-paying options probably won't be the most fulfilling.

So don't expect to maximize your income and secure your dream job right away; in the beginning, you'll have to trade your job satisfaction and lifestyle for higher compensation.

When faced with this prospect, you might be tempted to pursue your passion and abandon everything else. However, that's not such a good career strategy.

In Psychology Today, Marty Nemko, a prominent career coach, explained the risks of chasing your dreams. Nemko writes that most people's passions center around travel, entertainment, fashion or political causes, like education or environmentalism – making jobs in those fields hypercompetitive.

That means employers in such fields usually pay below the market-compensation standard, because they have access to so many candidates who are willing to work either for free or for very little. If you dream of entering the fashion industry, for instance, you better plan on competing with droves of others for basic entry-level positions or internships. That means planning to be undercompensated.

A strong network helps you land a better job.

Why do some people secure top positions in their organizations, even when they're not particularly skilled? Chances are, they've built and put to use a powerful network.

In his survey, over half of the author's respondents reported securing their jobs through networking – by being recruited by someone they knew or getting a job recommendation from a colleague.

Every career passes through three phases: the Aspiration Phase, the Promise Phase and the Momentum Phase.

Consider the career paths of a doctor and a mechanical engineer. They're certainly different, but they both pass through the same three phases: the Aspiration Phase, the Promise Phase and the Momentum Phase.

The Aspiration Phase starts in your college years and continues into your first few years in the workplace. This period is about discovery, introspection and getting to know yourself. Remember: your value in the career market is almost entirely determined by your potential.

Spend time seeking out meaningful interviews and present yourself in a straightforward manner.

Once you know how you want to balance your Career Triangle, the next step is figuring out how.

The first step is to get yourself noticed in your field. A lot of people start by developing their LinkedIn profile – but how do you make yourself stand out?

Build your credentials and uncover your hidden skills when you're looking for your first job.

What's the first barrier you face when looking for your first job? For most, it's all those job postings that require prior experience. How are you supposed to get experience if you can't get a job?

This is called the permission paradox, and there are a few ways to overcome it.

Present yourself well in interviews by preparing as much as you can.

How do you feel about job interviews? If they make you anxious, you certainly aren't alone. Most of us feel uncomfortable with this part of the job-application process. But don't worry – there's a simple way to present yourself in interviews as a strong candidate.

An important strategy in interviews is to communicate in an open and equal way with your interviewer. Speak as if you're on common ground – not as if you're the interviewer's subordinate.

Strive to always make a good first impression.

Imagine that you're meeting a friend's friend for the first time. You try to break the ice by making a risqué joke, but it doesn't go over well. It wouldn't be surprising if that person avoided you in the future; first impressions have a big impact!

So how can you make the best first impression? One important strategy is to always maintain a positive and enthusiastic attitude.

Progress through your career laterally – not just in a straight line.

How do you think people become top CEOs? Most people assume that CEOs climb the career ladder one step at time, going from junior management to middle management to upper management, building their skills along the way. In reality, however, it's not that simple.

Most successful people get to the top with a bit of lateral maneuvering. They don't slowly climb a single ladder – they hop between multiple ladders, and each step isn't necessarily higher than the last!

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What is The Career Playbook about?

The Career Playbook (2015) is based on interviews with top professionals as well as a survey of thousands of graduates and young professionals. It offers valuable advice for launching and building a strong career; by acquiring the right skills, building the right network and presenting yourself well, you’ll be on your way in no time.

The Career Playbook Review

The Career Playbook (2015) by James M. Citrin is a valuable resource for anyone navigating the professional world. Here's why this book is worth your time:

It provides practical strategies and advice that can be applied immediately, helping readers advance their careers and achieve their goals.
Backed by research and personal experience, the book offers a comprehensive guide to finding and landing the right job, as well as thriving in the workplace.
With its insightful interviews and real-life examples, the book brings the content to life, making it not only informative but also engaging and relatable.

Best quote from The Career Playbook

Certainty exists only in hindsight, when youre looking back on the decisions and actions you took that eventually led to career success.

—James M. Citrin

Who should read The Career Playbook?

People hoping to launch their career
Seekers of new job experience and skills
Those wanting to stand out among other job candidates

About the Author

James M. Citrin is an expert on leadership, governance and professional success. He's the leader of Spencer Stuart's CEO Practice, the world's premier executive search firm. He's also given roughly 5,000 executive interviews.

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