Book Review: How to Develop Your Career Path in a Post Pandemic World

Reviewed by Erin Britton

Kick start your post-pandemic career with the plethora of helpful tips in this handy guide.

Securing gainful employment is particularly tricky at the moment, with temporary and zero-hours contracts abounding, personnel increasingly being replaced by technological solutions, and workers’ rights being eroded by the existence of an employers’ market. All these difficulties are in no small part due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Indeed, as Zail Dugal notes in the introduction to How to Develop Your Career Path in a Post Pandemic World, the “COVID-19 pandemic […] has acted as a catalyst for profound changes in the global workforce, leading to widespread job losses, furloughs, and shifts in employment dynamics.”

In light of such changes and the problems they create for individuals seeking to gain, maintain, or improve their employment prospects, Dugal has written this helpful guide to navigating and surviving in the post-pandemic job market. Through personal stories and general observations, she breaks the contemporary employment journey down into its constituent stages and addresses what should be accomplished (and avoided—seriously, don’t be a Kevin) to excel during each of them. In so doing, she uses relatable examples—such as that of student Alice and her food blog—to provide step-by-step insights into the myriad ways a person’s real-world skills and experiences can be leveraged to help propel their career forward.

As her intention is to map out concrete steps that people can take with regard to beginning, enhancing, or resuming their career journey, Dugal starts with preparation for the process of searching for a job. “It’s a process that demands self-awareness,   strategic planning, and resilience.” 

As such, she recommends first thinking about “your skills, experiences, and aspirations. Identify your strengths and weaknesses across various domains, including communication (both oral and written), mathematical abilities, technological proficiency, and any other relevant skills. Assess your past experiences, hobbies, and extracurricular activities to uncover transferable skills that can be applied to different job roles.”

A general personal inventory of this kind is a good idea—one that is likely to be overlooked in more specialized careers guides—and it emphasizes the fact that How to Develop Your Career Path in a Post Pandemic World is intended to benefit anyone who is aiming to alter their employment position, whatever their education, background, skills, and prior experience. Also, highlighting the rapidly changing nature of the job market is both necessary and consoling, serving to reassure people that they are not the only one finding it difficult to secure a job. In terms of moving through the application process, the advice about preparing for interviews is practical, sensible, and welcome.

Similarly, Dugal’s summation of the current employment landscape (“Gone are the days of staying with a single company or industry for an entire career. Instead, professionals are embracing the idea of career transitions as a means of growth, fulfillment, and adaptation to changing circumstances.”) provides a solid grounding for any job search and helps to set expectations regarding the kinds of work contracts and conditions that are now widely available. Her advice follows a very holistic approach, emphasizing the whole person who is seeking employment and providing a plethora of tips to address all the relevant facets of standing out in a crowded market. The chapters detailing how to perform a self-assessment and identify core competencies are particularly helpful in this regard.

Of course, this approach also means that some of the tips might seem obvious to some readers, but the key point is that Dugal has included advice to suit all employment situations and circumstances. Plus, it never hurts to have a gentle reminder of the things that everyone is apparently supposed to know. Moreover, some of the technological recommendations and the idea of having a “compelling personal brand” may well be new information to those who have been out of employment for a while.

In addition, while How to Develop Your Career Path in a Post Pandemic World is intended as a guide for all those seeking to jump start their career trajectory, Dugal does place a particularly emphasis on working parents, a “demographic significantly impacted by career interruptions.” She highlights the specific issues likely to impact this group: “Balancing the demands of raising a family with professional aspirations is a delicate tightrope act, one that often necessitates temporary hiatuses from the workforce.” What’s more, she offers tailored advice for them, such as explaining gaps in employment during interviews, referencing day-to-day activities to showcase employment-related skills and abilities, and overcoming the challenges faced by working mothers.

Another group who might find the book particularly helpful are those seeking to return to the workplace after a period of illness. As a cancer survivor who has also been through a number of career transitions, Dugal is well placed to offer guidance, motivation, and inspiration in this regard. Importantly, rather than sugar-coating matters or straying into the realm of toxic positivity, she recognizes a realistic starting position. “Rebuilding one’s career trajectory post-illness requires not only navigating the practicalities of job searching but also grappling with the psychological impact of illness on self-perception and confidence.” From here, she emphasizes the importance of believing in yourself, ignoring the naysayers, and recognizing a job search to be a numbers game.

A quick and highly motivating read, How to Develop Your Career Path in a Post Pandemic World is a practical careers guide, written in a straightforward, friendly, and conversational way, which provides an abundance of bite-sized information and a host of actionable tips for those seeking to move forward in their employment journey. 

Whether looking for a first job, returning to the workplace after a career break, or hoping to transition to a new employment adventure, Dugal offers useful advice and sound inspiration to all jobseekers.

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Thank you for reading Erin Britton’s book review of How to Develop a Career Path in a Post Pandemic World by Zail Dugal! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.