A book by Dan Miller entitled 48 Days to the Work You Love [B&H Books, January 2005] prompts people to seek more than just a pay check and reveals that jobs aren't as secure as most people think.
Hope for People Who Hate Their Jobs
For anyone who goes to a job that they hate just because it brings in a pay check, this book is bound to be an eye opener. In it Miller provides thinking exercises that will help people identify the things that they are passionate about, a way to turn those passions into money making ventures and a game plan to do it all.
Although Miller is the first to say that not everyone should strike out on their own, he is firmly in the camp of entrepreneurship and encourages people to start making money for themselves instead of their employers.
One quote from Miller’s book sums up his views on the workplace best, “Today people are paid for their productivity, not their time, not their seniority”. Once individuals understand this concept, they will understand that sticking with a job they hate because of seniority, or a good benefits package is a dangerous proposition.
A New Job Search Strategy for Job Seekers
Anyone who is currently looking for a new job, either because they have been laid off or are unhappy with their current position, will find an enlightened job search method revealed in the pages of this book.
Miller doesn’t advocate simply responding to job advertisements that are posted in the newspaper or on the major job boards. His reasoning, and rightfully so, is that by the time the jobs are posted there is very little chance that a job seeker will be able to compete with the thousands of others applying for the job.
Instead, he outlines a way to uncover jobs before they are even advertised and advises job seekers to take a proactive role in the job search by approaching the employer first.
Understand the Differences Between Vocations, Careers and Jobs
According to Miller, most people have difficulty understanding the difference between their vocation, their career and their job. A vocation is a calling, or the compelling reason why people go into a certain field. A career is the field of work a person is in and a job is what they do on a daily basis to earn income. Jobs may come and go but if people pay attention to their calling and enter into careers that are properly aligned with them, they will have no problem finding jobs.
Introduction to New Work Models
Unlike many career counselors, Miller does not advocate the traditional employer employee relationship. Although the book certainly talks a great deal about obtaining work using this model, it also touches on the new emerging work models, including telecommuting, independent consulting and entrepreneurship.
One concept of Miller’s that seems to resound most loudly with his readers is his belief that you should map out the life that you want and then find a way to make a living. This is in direct contrast to the way that most people live their lives, moving all over the country simply to follow job opportunities that may or may not pan out.
Who is Dan Miller?
Dan Miller is a self proclaimed career coach who has been a lifelong entrepreneur. He is the author of the book 48 Days to the Work You Love, as well as its follow up No More Mondays [Bantam Dell Pub Group, January 2008]. He has built a solid business around helping others find fulfilling work that they love.
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Kimberly Johnson - Christina Jones is an experienced freelance writer who contributes articles to many different websites and publications.
