I’m thrilled that my good friend Laurie Ruettimann has a new book out this month, Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career.  Laurie’s writing and speaking is always irreverent, funny, and straight to the point, and this excellent new book is no exception.  If you are thinking about making a career shift, or doing a better job in your current one, Betting on You will take you to the top in no time.  Here’s an edited version of a recent conversation we had on the book. 

Nick: Thanks for your time, Laurie! Let’s get right into it. Is a pandemic a good or a bad time to be looking for work? 

Laurie: Even in the best of times, looking for work is terrible. Recruiters are dodgy. HR departments aren’t honest about compensation upfront. Nobody calls you back, or they call you back and ask you to clear your calendar for yet another interview for reasons that aren’t clear to you.

The only way to endure the turmoil of looking for a job during a pandemic or otherwise is to create a life so good that work doesn’t rattle you. Take extreme ownership of your happiness. Invest in your wellbeing. Be curious and focused on learning new things. Have solid relationships and people in your life who can help you bounce back when life is complicated. That’s how you survive a job search in any climate.

Nick:  Tell us about Betting on You — what would you like readers to know before reading? 

Laurie: There’s been no innovation in the career advice industry since Napoleon Hill wrote Think and Grow Rich in 1937—and that was a terrible book.

I wrote Betting On You because work has been broken for millennia, and companies and leaders won’t fix it anytime soon. In fact, that’s not the point. We fix work by fixing ourselves first. By investing in ourselves on a personal level, we elevate our professional life. That’s what the book is all about.

Nick: I was afraid you were going to make me responsible for my own future! What are the most egregious career mistakes people make?

Laurie:  People show up too much for their employers and not enough for themselves.

Sometimes, people are afraid of losing their jobs if they use their PTO or set limits on their work. Mostly, these are just stories we tell ourselves. You can implement boundaries and say no without getting fired. I believe that working less is the key to performing better. Give me a slacker — someone who gets the job done right the first time and takes plenty of PTO — over someone who whines about working 80 hours a week.

Nick: OK, no whining!  What are the three steps every career-minded person should take to get ready for when the pandemic is over?

Laurie:  First, you need to survive the pandemic. Good health is a crapshoot, but give yourself better odds by investing in your wellbeing. I just finished Sanjay Gupta’s new book, and there’s overwhelming evidence that a good life is built on a foundation of exercise, rest, and relationships. Start there.

Next, focus on learning something new. Do you need to improve your communication skills? Are you bad with conflict? Want to be a more compassionate leader? The training you get at work is focused on the job you’re doing today. We’re in the golden age of learning. Hit the internet and invest in the person you’d like to become tomorrow.

Finally, learn how to take better risks. If you’re worried about quitting your job and finding something new, let’s test those concerns with an exercise called the premortem. Set a timer for a minute and write down your fears—the rational, irrational, and irreverent ways you might fail. When the timer goes off, look at your list. Separate the serious concerns from the silly, and fix the pressing stuff within your control. If you can address your anxieties before becoming legitimate problems, you set yourself up for success during the pandemic and beyond.

Nick: Sound advice. I particularly like that premortem idea!  Tell us more about Laurie — how did you come to write the book, and what makes you tick?

Laurie:  When I was younger, I had a perfectly polished elevator pitch crafted to signal my job title, status, and education. I leaned on that career identity statement because of a deep-seated form of imposter syndrome. Look at how smart and successful I am!

I’ve ditched that approach and adopted a #humanstatement. Now, I introduce myself as an author who had an HR job but left the world of work to focus on my wellbeing. When I’m not working, I volunteer my time with an animal rescue. Saving stray cats and dogs is my passion. Then I change the subject and ask people what they do for fun.

What do you do for fun, Nick? Let’s talk about that. It’s so much more interesting than work!

Nick: Thanks, Laurie!  Great advice and a great book!