This past weekend I thought I’d do a touch of reading. I haven’t actually read a book in a very long time, however I was approached by @graduateswhatyouneedtoknow with their short book, The Guide to Accelerated Career Progression: Graduates What You Need To Know. So, I thought let’s give it a read and share my experience with you. Here’s what I thought.

The author

The guide is written by a young career professional, Thomas-V.Doran, who spent six years failing to follow a direct career path. Instead, he pursued professional qualifications whilst working full-time, set up and ran a family business, read the most popular career guides for graduates and completely screwed up his work-life balance. He now would like to share his top tips and blunders with other graduates who are unsure with what lies next in their career.

Do you know what your career progression looks like?

Figuring out your career path isn’t always the easiest of tasks. When you graduate you either go straight into a job, travel or start looking for a career. But how do you know it’s the right career path and whether you will love it. You are not the only person in this situation. Thousands of graduates are clueless about what they want to do once graduating. That’s where this guide will help you.

If you feel you have made a mistake with the job you currently are in, or by deciding to study further, then this guide will help you. Not only will it help build your confidence, it will help elevate your career to the next level. The insights Thomas provides will further help build a balanced mindset when seeking employment.

Are you one of the many graduates that struggle to write a good CV and cover letter? I’ve touched upon this in our post, How to write a killer CV, however this guide will provide you with the steps you need to take to write a great CV, and it further empowers you to secure job interviews and reach your career goals. Thomas goes that one step further to provides tips to guide you though the first weeks of your working life, ensuring you reach your full potential.

Thomas’ style of writing is down to earth and relates with his readership. The guide has been developed to be easily read within 2 hours. Thomas sets out tips, and helps you create a plan that will lead to results. He says if you want to travel, then do it, and do it now! If you want a job on the other hand, then by making a list of things you don’t like doing will surely help you find a list of things you might like to do.

Thomas is completely open and straight to the point. He doesn’t tell you that you must do x, y and z, but lets you make your own decisions in life, which are entirely down to you and you alone. The power exists in your hands and you shouldn’t let anyone dictate your future.

I absolutely love how he finishes his guide with this incredible quote:

If you don’t will something, then you cannot dream it, if you cannot dream it, you can never force it into reality. 

If you’re struggling to figure out what’s next, then take a little break from it all, grab a coffee and a slice of cake and have a read of this fantastic book, The Guide to Accelerated Career Progression: Graduates What You Need To Know. It only costs £7.99 and you can buy a paperback version here.