We support organizations in enhancing
performance, productivity and effectiveness
through revitalized workforce relationships and
leadership practices.
How to Build a Nontraditional Career
Path Book Review from Career Planning
and Adult Development Journal
How to Build a Nontraditional Career Path: Embracing Economic
Disruption, by Ron Elsdon. 2014. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger. 200 pages. Hardcover.
Reviewed by Michele DeRosa, career management and workforce development consultant, corporate career coach, curriculum designer and instructor. Source: Career Planning and Adult Development Journal, Volume 31, Number 1, Spring 2015, Book Reviews 2015, Maggi Kirkbride Book Reviews Editor, 11-12.
How to Build a Nontraditional Career Path: Embracing Economic Disruption, by Ron Elsdon provides spot-on support and guidance for doing just as the name of the book implies. Career changers and budding small business owners would do well to use this book as a guide throughout their journeys. This book will also work as a textbook for courses in entrepreneurship and career development as well as a resource for work search seminars. According to Elsdon, a non-traditional career is about creating more than one source of income from work components designed to match individual skills, interests, and motivations while addressing market needs. Part I of the book, "Laying the Foundation," addresses the differences, opportunities, benefits, and challenges between traditional and nontraditional ways of working. It offers a broad range of examples of combining fairly similar to very different types of work, and it introduces issues such as locus of control, necessary skills, financial and logistical factors, and defining fulfillment and success for oneself.
Elsdon recommends self-assessment and provides targeted resources for exploring values, interests, and personality - not to determine if a nontraditional career is the best way to go - rather to assist with clarifying purpose, staying true to values, and knowing what one has to offer in the marketplace. For instance, during the discussion of values, Elsdon skillfully relates all eight of Schein's "Career Anchors" to how each contributes to success in a nontraditional career. The remainder of the book delves deeper into how to launch, grow and evolve a nontraditional career. All along the way, Elsdon demonstrates his concepts by using several real life examples of himself and others in various life and career stages, occupations and professions, situations, and levels of connectedness among what he refers to as the career components. His own grappling with learning the art of public speaking and the how-to's of an automated payroll system make for wonderful and instructive storytelling.
Part II focuses on "Strategic Factors To Consider" when developing and sustaining a nontraditional career. Two chapters are devoted to selecting, connecting, and balancing the career components that comprise the type of professional activities taken on and how time and energy are spent.
The informative chapter on "Finding Differentiation" points out the necessity for determining one's niche(s) in the marketplace, significant for an effective initial career launch as well as for ongoing sustainability. Elsdon explores a variety of possible sources, e.g. distinct products/services, operational excellence, team capability, ability to tailor to customer needs, speed, cost, etc. In another chapter, Elsdon recognizes the value created through the synergy of "Partnering" with external customers and colleagues as well as for building internal capabilities. He describes partnering as "... building relationships to prosper in today's fluid world [with] mutual benefit," and "... pooling resources and knowledge leading to an outcome that would not have been possible without it." He encourages nurturing one's network through active listening and curiosity, being visible and trustworthy, and ongoing acknowledgement. Critical venues include professional/trade associations and social media. Additional chapters on "Pace of Entry" and "Building Needed Skills" round out this substantial middle section. Part III presents "Practical Steps and the Path Forward." The "Infrastructure: Nuts and Bolts" chapter covers a broad range of essentials needed to conduct one's business effectively and efficiently. Elsdon goes into detail regarding business structure, regulatory factors, internal infrastructure, and customer considerations. The final chapter on "Moving Forward" chronicles the life cycle of a nontraditional career from initial entry to launch, then growth and evolution to completion. A robust list of questions assists in ongoing evaluation of each phase.
Elsdon offers and explores gems throughout the book that are valuable for both career development professionals and clients considering a nontraditional path:
- Many combinations of work activities such a career can encompass
- Necessary skills blending solid content knowledge, consulting capabilities, organizing skills, and personal attributes
- Updated and functional definitions of oft-used work search terms
- Questions to Consider at the end of each chapter
- Timing (gradual vs. immediate immersion) and balancing components (related vs. discrete work activities)
- Detailed logistical guidance and tips for what needs to be in place and in process to get started and move forward
- Reminder that growth and evolution will depend on staying current with business trends, technology and customer needs as well as ongoing self-assessment of aspirations
A hallmark of Elsdon's approach is his outstanding ability to address both the intrinsic and practical aspects of a topic with equal assurance and enthusiasm, and then to provide usable tools, assessments, templates, tables, and checklists to facilitate implementation. This book follows suit. In this well organized and thoughtfully written book, Elsdon provides extensive information and support for pursuing an out-of-the-corporate-box career. He sums up well what this publication delivers when he writes, "... a nontraditional career path offers an opportunity to integrate the emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and practical parts of who we are. It can be a journey with delightful surprises, with kindred fellow travelers, that brings personal fulfillment and community benefit."
Disruption, by Ron Elsdon. 2014. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger. 200 pages. Hardcover.
Reviewed by Michele DeRosa, career management and workforce development consultant, corporate career coach, curriculum designer and instructor. Source: Career Planning and Adult Development Journal, Volume 31, Number 1, Spring 2015, Book Reviews 2015, Maggi Kirkbride Book Reviews Editor, 11-12.
How to Build a Nontraditional Career Path: Embracing Economic Disruption, by Ron Elsdon provides spot-on support and guidance for doing just as the name of the book implies. Career changers and budding small business owners would do well to use this book as a guide throughout their journeys. This book will also work as a textbook for courses in entrepreneurship and career development as well as a resource for work search seminars. According to Elsdon, a non-traditional career is about creating more than one source of income from work components designed to match individual skills, interests, and motivations while addressing market needs. Part I of the book, "Laying the Foundation," addresses the differences, opportunities, benefits, and challenges between traditional and nontraditional ways of working. It offers a broad range of examples of combining fairly similar to very different types of work, and it introduces issues such as locus of control, necessary skills, financial and logistical factors, and defining fulfillment and success for oneself.
Elsdon recommends self-assessment and provides targeted resources for exploring values, interests, and personality - not to determine if a nontraditional career is the best way to go - rather to assist with clarifying purpose, staying true to values, and knowing what one has to offer in the marketplace. For instance, during the discussion of values, Elsdon skillfully relates all eight of Schein's "Career Anchors" to how each contributes to success in a nontraditional career. The remainder of the book delves deeper into how to launch, grow and evolve a nontraditional career. All along the way, Elsdon demonstrates his concepts by using several real life examples of himself and others in various life and career stages, occupations and professions, situations, and levels of connectedness among what he refers to as the career components. His own grappling with learning the art of public speaking and the how-to's of an automated payroll system make for wonderful and instructive storytelling.
Part II focuses on "Strategic Factors To Consider" when developing and sustaining a nontraditional career. Two chapters are devoted to selecting, connecting, and balancing the career components that comprise the type of professional activities taken on and how time and energy are spent.
The informative chapter on "Finding Differentiation" points out the necessity for determining one's niche(s) in the marketplace, significant for an effective initial career launch as well as for ongoing sustainability. Elsdon explores a variety of possible sources, e.g. distinct products/services, operational excellence, team capability, ability to tailor to customer needs, speed, cost, etc. In another chapter, Elsdon recognizes the value created through the synergy of "Partnering" with external customers and colleagues as well as for building internal capabilities. He describes partnering as "... building relationships to prosper in today's fluid world [with] mutual benefit," and "... pooling resources and knowledge leading to an outcome that would not have been possible without it." He encourages nurturing one's network through active listening and curiosity, being visible and trustworthy, and ongoing acknowledgement. Critical venues include professional/trade associations and social media. Additional chapters on "Pace of Entry" and "Building Needed Skills" round out this substantial middle section. Part III presents "Practical Steps and the Path Forward." The "Infrastructure: Nuts and Bolts" chapter covers a broad range of essentials needed to conduct one's business effectively and efficiently. Elsdon goes into detail regarding business structure, regulatory factors, internal infrastructure, and customer considerations. The final chapter on "Moving Forward" chronicles the life cycle of a nontraditional career from initial entry to launch, then growth and evolution to completion. A robust list of questions assists in ongoing evaluation of each phase.
Elsdon offers and explores gems throughout the book that are valuable for both career development professionals and clients considering a nontraditional path:
- Many combinations of work activities such a career can encompass
- Necessary skills blending solid content knowledge, consulting capabilities, organizing skills, and personal attributes
- Updated and functional definitions of oft-used work search terms
- Questions to Consider at the end of each chapter
- Timing (gradual vs. immediate immersion) and balancing components (related vs. discrete work activities)
- Detailed logistical guidance and tips for what needs to be in place and in process to get started and move forward
- Reminder that growth and evolution will depend on staying current with business trends, technology and customer needs as well as ongoing self-assessment of aspirations
A hallmark of Elsdon's approach is his outstanding ability to address both the intrinsic and practical aspects of a topic with equal assurance and enthusiasm, and then to provide usable tools, assessments, templates, tables, and checklists to facilitate implementation. This book follows suit. In this well organized and thoughtfully written book, Elsdon provides extensive information and support for pursuing an out-of-the-corporate-box career. He sums up well what this publication delivers when he writes, "... a nontraditional career path offers an opportunity to integrate the emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and practical parts of who we are. It can be a journey with delightful surprises, with kindred fellow travelers, that brings personal fulfillment and community benefit."
Copyright © 2015 New Beginnings Career and College Guidance; © 2015 Elsdon Organizational Renewal
Send an e- mail to renewal@elsdon.com or newbeginnings@elsdon.com with questions or comments.
Send an e- mail to renewal@elsdon.com or newbeginnings@elsdon.com with questions or comments.