Champion Your Career

“No matter what stage of career development you are at, whether just embarking or looking for a change in direction, this is the practical guide you need. A modern-day ‘What Color is Your Parachute,’ but covering the entire life span, it is loaded with strategies, easy-to-use tools, rock solid advice, and a cornucopia of useful resources.” – by DJVS on November 28, 2015

“I found Champion Your Career: Winning in the World of Work by Halimah Bellows to be a very useful book. I also think it is very relevant in today’s dynamic world where so many job opportunities and career paths are available, some of which are little known. Halimah Bellows has a unique, personal style of writing that instantly made me feel connected. Her advice, tips, and techniques are spot on and I am sure will be a huge help to anyone looking to switch careers or just anyone looking to improve their networking, job search, resume writing, and interview skills. I loved learning about the Holland Code model among other things and the detailed categories and related work fields were extremely useful to know. A very helpful read that I would recommend to anyone!" – Gisela Dixon for Readers’ Favorite

“Champion Your Career by Halimah Bellows is aimed at helping one find out what works. One can make one’s own life readers choice 5star-shiny-weband can champion one’s career, becoming successful at whatever the vocation chosen. Beginning with theories of career development, Halimah introduces the Holland code – defining one’s interests, aims and ambitions to reduce the complex problem of selecting and managing one’s career by correctly identifying the value of the code. The importance of a few parameters like ‘passion’ and ‘purpose’ in one’s choice of career also finds mention in this. Helpful questionnaires, forms, charts and step wise procedures to make easy identification of one’s inventory of strengths enable application of tools like SMART and SWOT analysis to career management. The five stages of retirement, tips for a good resume, and chapters on internet resources for jobs make this book a complete guide.

Champion Your Career by Halimah Bellows is, in fact, an eye opener. It taught me many new facets of things I knew, as well as a few I did not, with reference to selection of one’s career and the tools available for that. The book follows a logical flow and each new idea is introduced with ample assistance from charts and lists to make comprehension easy. I found one suggestion contained in it quite apt; why not replace the word ‘retirement’ with ‘renaissance’ or ‘graduation’ or (say) ‘job-re-searcher’? An excellent book as far as selecting, nurturing or managing a career goes.” – Roy T. James for Readers’ Favorite

“Reading Champion Your Career and using the self-assessment tools in it has definitely changed my perspective about how to think about my career. Before I read it, I was just thinking about what jobs were out there that offered the highest pay and opportunities for advancement. In college, I took a lot of classes in subjects that really didn’t interest me because I thought that was what I needed to do to get ahead in life. Now I realize how important it is for me to focus on thinking about careers that really go along with my own interests and values. I don’t have to waste time and effort exploring careers that don’t fit with the things that are most important to me in my life. I feel a lot more confident about my future because I know what my real strengths are.”  – R. Stein. recent college graduate

“The company where I’ve been working for the last fifteen years is downsizing, so I know I need to make a career change soon. Fortunately, I started reading Champion Your Career by Halimah Bellows, and I’m finding out how I can transfer lot of the skills that I have to a work environment that will be a better fit for me. The book is full of good advice about networking, researching employers and getting up to speed with doing interviews. So when I’m ready to make my move, I’ll have a head start.” – E. Wilder, customer service representative

"Champion Your Career: Winning in the World of Work is a non-fiction occupational self-help book written by Halimah Bellows. The author is a career counselor who coaches people of all ages on how to get their dream jobs, and she also offers workshops on personal and professional development. Her book begins with a personal assessment on what the reader’s ideal future looks like, and she asks the reader to consider what things they enjoy doing or simply feel they are good at. She cautions against relying on others’ opinions on what you should do and to instead start writing down those things which make you feel enthusiastic and involved. To this end, Bellows offers a look at the Holland Code Model which can help people determine what type of jobs are most suitable for their distinct personalities and preferences. She follows this analytical chapter with advice on embarking on second or third careers, increasing one’s skills, building a strong network and finding fulfilling ways to spend one’s retirement years.
Each chapter offers exercises designed to make career championing a personal quest and includes links to relevant literature. Bellows dedicates a chapter to students that showcases the various assessment tests and informational guides that are available for students.

Halimah Bellows’s non-fiction self-help book, Champion Your Career: Winning in the World of Work, shows how to make that dream job a reality if you’re willing to put in the effort required. Many of the exercises she proposes are fun and make a lot of sense at the same time. I particularly enjoyed those that had the reader look back at things he/she was good at as a child or young adult, as so many of those past pleasures or accomplishments can give the job seeker invaluable insights into what occupations will make working a pleasurable and fulfilling experience. Even if you’re relatively happy with your current position/career path, the techniques and information presented in this book may still help make a huge difference in job satisfaction. As the author writes, the average worker dedicates one-third of their lives to their careers, so I was impressed by the suggestions and exercises she presents that show how the opportunity to do what one loves, rather than to suffer through the week waiting for the weekend, can be developed with some diligence and introspection. Her chapter on retirement options is a stimulating and informative guide for those who want to make their retirement years a ‘renaissance’ rather than a withdrawal from life. There’s also a comprehensive appendix filled with links, advice on interview skills and preparation, and literature in the field. Champion Your Career: Winning in the World of Work is most highly recommended." – Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite