Dustin Dumas Weeks didn’t intend to write a book.
All she wanted to do was write a list of things that she needed to know about advancing her career. She had been laid off twice in one year from jobs in California’s Silicone Valley. But instead of letting the situation get her down, she used it as an opportunity to pursue a career as a consultant.
Now a Jersey City resident, Weeks will bring her book and her story to Unique Books in Bayonne on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. She will also talk to people about the details of their own careers and how to pursue their goals.
The book, called “Lessons from a Recovering Worker Bee,” took two years to evolve from a list of things she ought to do to a book of career savvy other people could use to advance their careers.
While people should do their jobs well, Weeks said they should not lose their own objectives either.
“You should do the best you can at a job, but you should make sure you keep your own goals in sight,” she said.
26 lessons
The book is a collection of 26 lessons taken from her personal experiences, strategies for career advancement that she continues to use with clients and even in book promotion.
Some people, she says, do not advance in the workplace. Though they do a good job, they often do not look ahead to the next steps.
The book may well serve people currently facing forced career changes due to the downturn in the economy. Weeks has worked for banks and investment firms, and believes the strategies she has outlined will help people navigate through career changes and advancement.
She has given talks and appearances at TV and live venues across the county, and has written articles for a variety of publications.
She said one important fact people should know is that life isn’t fair and often other people get promoted or receive a raise that you thought you should have gotten. She said this should not become a road block to your own success.
“You just have to get over it and move on,” she said. “There are other opportunities out there.”
Some of the recommendations include how to toot your own horn without appearing to be bragging. This means that if you’ve done a good job, show your bosses using facts and figures. If you want a promotion or a raise – and can prove you deserve it – ask for it.
“A lot of people work extremely hard and expect the boss to notice,” she said. “But unless you ask for what you want, you might be passed over.”
Weeks said her appearance at Unique Books will be interactive.
“I want to talk to people,” she said.
She has divided the book signing and lecture into three segments that include “Three Things You Can Do Today to Better Manage Your Career,” “Answers to the Most Often Asked Career Advancement Questions,” and “Why Work/Life Balance is Important and How to Achieve It.”
The cost of the book is $15. Unique Books is located at 464 Broadway. The phone number is (201) 436-4426.