Review: Promote Yourself

Promote Yourself

by: Dan Schawbel

Should you read this book? 

Answer: It Depends on if you answer Yes to the following Questions...

Are you a Millennial? 

Do you want to move up in your career? 

If Yes to either question, then YES read the book

If No, then pass. 

 

Here's why:

It was nice to read a book that focuses it's career advice particularly on the Millennial generation. I am on the back-half on the Millennial generation, still in my first job out of college looking to continue to move my career forward. Schawbel offered lots of great advice about how to get a promotion, change careers, and seek new opportunities both in and outside of your employer.

As a proactive employee I agreed with most of the advice Schawbel gave, such as having a continuing conversation with management and expanding both hard and soft skills. I also appreciate how Schawbel emphasized how to deal with different generation in the workforce and what that can mean for your career, particularly how different generations value different things.

The advice I did not agree with was how Schawbel advocates how your social media profile should be extremely career focused. I personally think it is more important to show prospective and current employers that you are well rounded and have interests and a personality outside of work. I do agree that your social media profile should reflect you in your best light, one you would want your boss to see. I just didn't agree with how Schawbel advocated creating such a profile.

Overall, I am definitely going to take some of Schawbel's advice. He had some great points on how to take your career development into your own hands. If you are a Millennial I HIGHLY recommend you read this book, so you to can take the next steps in owning your own brand and career.

Would I read this book again? 

For me, the true judge of a book is whether or not I would read a book again, in the case of Promote Yourself, probably not. This does not mean you should not read it, it just not necessary for me to read again.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Next up on my reading list: Dangerous Curves Ahead by Sugar Jamison

Review: Awaken

Awaken

Abandon Trilogy #3

by: Meg Cabot

Should you read this book? 

Answer: YES! 

 

Here's why:

What a great conclusion to the Abandon trilogy! In usual Meg Cabot style, this book did not disappoint. The conclusion of the Pierce/John saga kept me at the edge of my seat until the very last chapter. Meg Cabot further develops Pierce and John's relationship in a realistic way. Despite the supernatural/Greek mythology overtones, Pierce and John have a realistic teenage relationship. They both struggle with their emotions while figuring out how to love each other. Not only does Cabot do an amazing job of developing Pierce and John further, she also keeps advancing the auxiliary characters of Kayla/Frank, Mr. Smith, etc. while also introducing new characters Reid, Chloe, etc. to keep the story fresh.

Meg Cabot does an amazing job keeping the story moving, making it almost impossible to put the novel down (I advocate still sleeping and eating). Pierce really comes into her own in this novel as a heroine, one that does not need the hero to get the job done. This is a positive message I always appreciate from a novel. Woman don't always need the man to rescue them, they can rescue themselves!

The Abandon trilogy is  a MUCH better option to the Twilight Series. The characters are dynamic, the heroine has her own personality without the hero, and to top it all off ... it is well written. (Note: I have read and enjoyed all the Twilight books, but let's be realistic people, the writing was not the best.)

As a caveat, I suggest reading the trilogy one after the other. I read the third book with some delay and it took me a bit to remember all the nuances of the first two books as Cabot did not really re-introduce the story.

Would I read this book again? 

For me, the true judge of a book is whether or not I would read a book again, in the case of the entire Abandon trilogy the answer is Heck Yes! I love everything about the series as well as how well Meg Cabot writes to her teen audience. 

Next up on my reading list: Promote Yourself by Dan Schawbel