Friday, May 11, 2012

Need a Job or a Career Change? Meet Paul Rega!



It’s great to welcome a great non-fiction author for a change, especially when this author can provide so many people with so much good advice! First of all, Paul, you have recently published How To Find A Job: When There Are No Jobs.




What is the one top tip that you could give my readers if they are job-hunting at the moment?
The most important advice I can give to any job seeker especially in today’s weak job market is to plan and map out exactly the type of work you want to do. Develop a target list of companies you want to work for and then take action towards achieving your goals by directly contacting the key decision makers in each of these companies. As simple as all that may sound, most people do not take the necessary amount of time to first plan ahead. Be prepared!


What is the biggest mistake that people make when they are job hunting?

The biggest mistake most people make when looking for a job is that they fail to prepare for their search. It’s vitally important in today’s hyper competitive job market to know exactly what direction you want to go and what type of position you want before starting any type of search. It’s akin to an airplane pilot not plotting out their course prior to taking off. I have developed a unique 12 step career self-assessment plan in my book called “Intuitive Personal Assessment” that helps the reader discover their unique career path. The plan also incorporates a goal setting program that is the vehicle used to turn your desired career path into reality.  The program was developed over a period of 25 years and has had a tremendous amount of success.

What do you think will happen to the job market in the near future? Will it get better or worse?

I can’t accurately answer that question as there are a so many factors that control the direction of the job market today. My hope is that over time it will get better as seems to be the case of late. However, it makes it even more imperative that the job seeker properly plan ahead and be armed with the best job search knowledge available.

What led you to write this book?

This is my first book and I started writing it over 14 years ago while on a sort of sabbatical from my executive search business. I have always enjoyed writing and thought it would be wise to write about a subject I really knew something about. 

What are you currently working on at the moment?

am currently writing a novel about the true story of 32 Boy Scouts that rode their bicycles from Wood Dale, Illinois to Florida in 1972. It’s a coming of age story that speaks of the value systems which were a large part of our culture at that time and were directly responsible for our success. The story spans over several decades beginning in the early 1900’s when the scouting movement first began in England. 

What kind of job did you want to have when you were growing up?

From a very early age I wanted to be a veterinarian and in fact worked at two separate animal hospitals when I was in high school and college. I have always had a love for the animals.

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

There are really two things I love to do and I am doing both of them. I have a deep passion for my writing that goes all the way back to my high school days. I am also very involved in the martial arts and have had my own school in the past. I am currently in the early planning stages of opening up another dojo.  

Do you have any final parting comments or advice?

In terms of someone currently job searching; I will pass on to your readers a bit of advice that I had personally received from a gentleman who was a career counselor employed by the state of Illinois unemployment office in 1984. I had just been laid off from my first job out of college and was being interviewed by this particular counselor. As we were coming to the conclusion of my interview, the older man said to me, “Son, push on, no matter how disgusting.” Those simple but sage words have stayed with me my entire career. This man had been where I was and understood my feelings of despair.

I just want to thank you, Katheryn, for including me in your great blog. 

Thank you so much Paul for sharing that and for taking the time to chat with me here.

To find out more about Paul Rega visit:

Web: www.howtofindajobwhentherearenojobs.com

Author: www.amazon.com/author/paulrega

Twitter: http://twitter.com/paulrega

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Paul-Rega


If you’re job hunting, or thinking of changing careers, click HERE to grab yourself a copy of Paul Rega’s bestselling book, How To Find A Job: When There Are No Jobs, from Amazon.  

15 comments:

  1. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for direction in their life and ultimately their career. It is written by a recognized authority in the field of executive search and is filled with practical, real world career planning advice that works in today's sluggish job market.

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    1. Thank you for the comment and recommendation.

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    2. Thank you very much for your great comment! As many are discovering, the old paradigm for securing a job no longer exists. Planning is even more essential to a successful job search than ever before. My book addresses that critical issue with a unique self-assessment tool called “Intuitive Personal Assessment” or IPA. My only hope is that the book does help some folks who are either looking for a new job or want to make a career change.

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  2. Paul opened up his life to share with us in the hopes of helping us through our journey of locating an income source. Thank you Paul for writing this book and looking forward to reading the book you are now in the process of writing. Awesome interview.

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    1. Glad you like the interview, Angela. Thank you for stopping by.

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    2. Thank you very much Angela. I am glad that my book has been helpful to your career! As you may know from reading my book, making money is only one part of the equation, and as we all know, money comes and money goes, but doing something you enjoy will be everlasting.

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  3. As someone who has written a novel on the same topic, this book sounds very interesting. The think that I think some people (myself included) often miss about loosing a job is that it can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. Whether it is just giving you the chance to spend more time with family or friends, or to go get that job you've always wanted, there is always an upside.

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    1. Good point Christopher - as one door closes, another one opens

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    2. Hello Christopher, Thanks for your comment on my book. I stopped over to your book site as well and think it looks very interesting. Some great insight. This is a quote from one of my readers. "This is much more than a job search book, it will motivate you and reveal the secrets to understanding life and how to mold your career in a way that you could have never imagined."

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  4. “Son, push on, no matter how disgusting.” Love that.

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    1. Hi Van,

      Yes, that is a very neat saying. The complete story about that encounter is part of the last chapter of my book which happens to be my favorite chapter.

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    2. I agree. It's a great quote!

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  5. Great advice in such a short space. I have several friends I'll be recommending this book to. Paul, I'd take you in my corner any day!

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    1. Thanks to you Jamie and Katheryn for your great support with my book! As one of my readers said in a recent review: "My advice is to use the time you have to read this book wisely as the exercises will become your truth. The language the author uses makes you feel that he is speaking directly to you, and knows exactly how you are feeling in all the situations you may be facing in your present job or career."

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  6. Job market is really getting tougher. One should select the job at the most specific preference. Books are very useful. It holds the best for the job search plan.
    executive search firm

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