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Heather Harper

Heather Harper is the lead content manager for The Career Project. Her interests include organizational psychology and the impacts of variables upon workplace productivity and job satisfaction. Heather holds an MSc in Organisational Psychology from the University of Manchester, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from University of Lincoln. While at the University of Manchester, she completed her master's thesis which was entitled: "The variability of personality expression in response to situational cues and it’s relationship to job satisfaction". Heather is based in Cambridge, UK.

Book Review: So Good They Can’t Ignore You

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Over the last few days, I have spent some of my time reading and reviewing the fantastic work of  Cal Newport and his book ‘So Good They Can’t Ignore you’. At just over 200 pages, the book is a quick and easy read. Throughout the book, Newport cleverly and neatly introduces four simple rules that he believes will lead us all to successful and fulfilling careers. Of course, many of us believe that rules are made to be broken, but I think these might be some rules you’ll want to follow very closely. Rule 1) Don’t follow your passion (its […]

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book

Book Review: Man’s Search for Meaning

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Written by Austrian Neurologist-psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl, ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ was in intense, reflective and incredibly insightful read. The first one hundred or so pages of the book describe Frankl’s harrowing and traumatic experiences in concentration camps during World War Two. I must say, I started to read this book whilst on a flight back from a six-month trip to Australia and New Zealand and I have never felt more grateful. Despite describing the worst suffering that one could imagine; the first section is written with grave consideration, to avoid being overly depressing and cynical. Frankl explains

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The Truly Inspiring Career Path of Erika James

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Erika James is the first women and the first African-American to be appointed as the dean of The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in its 139-year history. Pretty impressive, right? But how exactly did she get there? Erika James’ education and career Described as an “award-winning scholar and teacher and a strong proven leader“, Erika began her successful career at Pomona College, where she studied psychology. Back in those days, she dreamed of becoming a management or human resources consultant. However, after attending the University of Michigan, where she achieved a master’s degree and Ph.D. in organizational psychology, James was

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Should you follow your passion at work?

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It’s one of the most researched and debated questions out there – should we base our career on what we’re passionate about? On one hand, many strongly advocate that if you follow your passion, the rest (e.g., fulfillment, money and success) will follow. Whereas others place their feet firmly in the notion that following your passion really is terrible advice. Side A: passion is the key to success We spend so much of our lives at work, no one can deny that it is crucial that we enjoy it. Those on this side of the debate firmly believe that if

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Six careers

Six Things to Consider when Choosing Your Dream Career

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I don’t think that you need me to tell you that picking the right career is very important. It is possibly one of the most important decisions you’ll ever have to make. You’ll have to do it day in, day out. And, for a very long time. If you get choosing the right career for you correct the first-time round, then you save yourself a bit of time and stress. However, with most people going through an average of 5-7 careers in their life, if you’re in the wrong career right now, don’t sweat it. What we all know, is

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Holland Codes

HOW Are You Intelligent? An Introduction to the Holland Codes (RIASEC)

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The question the Holland Codes answers may not be, “Are you intelligent?” but rather, HOW are you intelligent? This is a question that is asked, and answered by the “Holland Occupational Themes” theory, also commonly known as the RIASEC work-personality types model. Holland’s 6 Unique Types The Holland Occupational Themes theory and its “Holland Codes” were introduced by American psychologist John L. Holland in the 1970s. It’s a type theory of personality that looks specifically at careers and vocational choice. Holland proposed that there are six unique personality types, which are determined by our interests and how we approach life

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Career Counselors vs. Career Coaches: What’s the difference, and which do you need?

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For most of us, deciding what career we want to do, or changing our career path, is a big thing that requires careful thought, consideration and planning. While some of us are happy to source our help from online resources, such as blog posts like mine (I hope!), others turn to seeking professional help that will aid them in their decision making. Our satisfaction with our job or career (remember, there’s a difference) will rub off onto many other aspects of our lives, such as our satisfaction at home and our well-being. As we typically spend the rest of our

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Quarantine: 7 “New Career” Jobs You Can Train For in 6 to 12 weeks

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As the time we spend on lock down appears to be getting longer and longer, some of us are fortunate enough and happy to be working from home in the jobs we already have. However, some of us are not that fortunate to still be in employment. Or, we’ve had some time to reflect and have realized that we actually hate our jobs. Regardless of in which position you find yourself in, this time is boring, frightening and for most of us, frustrating as we will feel lost or like our careers have ground to a halt. One hard thing

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What Makes a Dream Job? Hint: Aim for Contribution

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We all want to find the ‘dream job’.  Or ‘dream career’. Spending endless hours scrolling through the internet in the desperate hope of finding a career that gets us excited to get up each morning. Something stress free. Something that unites our budding passions with a fantastic career. Something that pays us so exceptionally well that we can spend our weekends chilling out at the Hamptons. But, is it really as simple as that? Well, no… First, let’s look at a couple of myths or misconceptions about what makes for a dream job. Myth 1: “Money buys you happiness” Ah,

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Job vs. Career

Job vs. Career: What’s the Difference?

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The terms ‘job’ and ‘career’, as well as many other work-related terms, are often used interchangeably. Sure, they all refer to the same sort of things… How much money you’re earning, your hours, where you’re working, or your purpose. However, they actually mean different things, and understanding this can help you decide what you want to do for a living. What is a career? In short, a career is a series of connected employment opportunities that offer you skills, experience, and development and networking opportunities. In general, careers tend to be more long-term focused. More often than not, careers are

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