I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This: A Step-By-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work

I have been in the same career since 1987 (I am an airline pilot), and have been seriously considering a change for the last five years. Many of the reasons I have been considering a career change (mismanagement and economic disaster in my industry, lack of long-term career prospects, lack of respect, and boredom, to name but a few) are directly addressed in this book. The book is primarily geared to mid-career professionals, but I think it is applicable to any situation in which a fairly radical career shift is being considered. Because of the author's background, human resources, accounting and similar occupations are most frequently cited in the examples, but the principles apply to other occupations equally well. The book is easy to read, but sometimes is time consuming due to the exercises, which are frequent and detailed. To really get the most out of the book, the exercises must be done, although I confess to not doing all of them the first time through the book myself. Even without the exercises, though, the concepts in the book are enormously helpful in focusing a job hunter. Although the author breaks career changers into six primary groups, you may very well find yourself in more than one category as I did. That's not a bad thing, and in fact, in my case it helped me consider facets of my career desires that I had not previously contemplated. One of the things that Jansen does very well is realistically quantifying tolerance for risk, and that is especially well conceived in chapter seven "Yearning to be on Your Own," in which starting your own business and entrepreneurship are covered. I especially like that she doesn't simply guide a reader to a decision about their suitability for self-employment, but that she also discusses the different types of businesses, to include partnerships, which are often overlooked by other guides. The "Resources" section at the end of the book is an absolute gold mine of excellent publications, organizations, and Internet sites. This section alone fully justifies the purchase price of the book. This book is a practical and genuinely helpful guide for those seriously considering a career transition. The assessments, advice, and resources in this book are first rate, and I highly recommend it to anyone with even a modest interest in a career change, and think it is essential to someone actively in the job market.

This is THE book you MUST read if you are a victim of a layoff or pondering "What do I truly want to do with the rest of my work life?". As a maniacal researcher and reader, I bought and borrowed dozens of job search/career change books; none came close to the results I achieved from Julie Jansen's step-by-step, no-nonsense guide.Within 3 weeks of completing this book, I am now employed in my dream job; a job that came true because of the many exercises that are used in "I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This."Ms. Jansen's guide will have you writing notes to yourself, staying up late dreaming about the life you really want to have, and getting up early to implement the suggestions that are found througout this classic book.Do yourself a huge favor: stop searching the web, stop browsing at the bookstore, and simply order this book NOW! P.S. As part of my severance package, I worked with a world-famous outplacement firm. This book was so responsible for my successful career change, that I strongly advised the outplacement firm to make Julie's book mandatory reading for all new clients!

Ever looked around at what you're doing at work and wondered how on earth you got to this awful place where you hate getting out of bed in the morning? Ever feel like there's something about your so-called 'successful career' that makes you feel vaguely rotten inside? Feel like what you really wanted to be when you grew up got lost somewhere along the way?Through a series of exercises, Julie Jensen helps you rediscover your values and passions, and to see why where you are right now is so frustrating. This book isn't about finding a job, it's more about defining yourself and seeing where you shine and where you don't.She categorizes people 'stuck' in their careers into six types (Where's the Meaning, Been there, Done that, Need the Money, Bored and Plateaued, Bruised and Gunshy, One Toe in the Retirement Pool), and then works through specific exercises to help those archetypes set goals that will move them towards more connection in their life. The book is nice in that it isn't all about having to be an entrepreneur to be happy. Most find-yourself-through-your-career books push entrepreneurship really hard and completely devalidate the whole work concept. Jensen suggests that working for someone else is fine, but making sure your needs are met is important. Many books about career change are horribly vague about how to figure out what you want to do. Jensen provides concrete exercises and examples of how people applied what they learned. The biggest problem I had was trying to fit myself into an archetype, since I honestly fit into three or four of them. But everything in the book is useful, even if you may not immediately think it applies to your situation.

Julie Jansen's book is inspiring, practical, and thoroughly readable - a rare achievement in the self-help field. She writes with confidence and enthusiasm from a deep well of knowledge and professional experience. This book has been essential to help me maneuver through a major career change and has directed me to the right path - a switch from the profit sector to a more meaningful non-profit job. The self-discovery exercises are fun and provide many surprising insights into one's psyche. Her concise, direct suggestions for job search, networking, and interviewing have provided an extremely useful refresher course for me. The book also includes a splendid list of valuable additional resources for further guidance.

Ms. Jansen's new book is THE definitive resource for those seeking a job change or career makeover. Her series of self-assessments is both thorough and insightful. Definitely a tool to help one get more in touch with oneself -- essential before embarking on any job or career change. The author uses real examples to which the average person can relate. This is not just an executive job search tool, but one for career changers at every level -- those just starting out, those who are burned out, veteran job seekers, would-be entrepreneurs.... It's never too late to learn more about yourself, particularly during these challenging economic times when there's even more at stake with every career move. Read it, take the tests, and prepare to become enlightened!