Career Warfare: 10 Rules for Building a Successful Personal Brand and Fighting to Keep It

by David F. D'Alessandro

Book Overview

"A refreshing message . . . from someonewho has fought many corporate wars."--The New York TimesWith the latest stories from D'Alessandro's neverendingcollection of corporate derring-do and newinsight... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0071417583
• ISBN13: 9780071417587
• Release Date: November 2003
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 1.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Wish I'd read this before my last contract...

You know, this book is right on about 98% of the stuff in it. I just wish I'd read it before my last big contract, as I made some of the "classic mistakes" David talked about in the book. I've been in high tech for 11 years, and I love it. But, I wince every time I look back at my career, as I've blundered through a lot of stupid mistakes - mistakes this book would have saved me from. Read this book. It's short, easy to read, and full of ideas that will save your you-know-what out there in corporate America. I can't say enough good things.

Go forth and be successful, but do it deliberately.

I read this book after graduating with an MBA (BS in Comp. Sci.) to gain insight into how to market myself. My only criticism is that this book wasn't available when I graduated with my Bachelor's Degree 11 years ago. Like most people (including Mr. D'Alessandro by his own admission), I have made some mistakes in my career. This book helped me recognize those mistakes (in retrospect) and evaluate them. Others here have described the book in great detail, so I won't. Instead, I'll say that if you're new to the working world, stagnating in your current job, wanting a new career or promotion, or just starting a new job as a leader with aspirations for more, read this book! Reflect on your past and learn from it. Then go forth and be successful! Who shouldn't read this book? Those who are happy with the status quo of their self, their career, and their life. Those who are not ambitious (not everybody is, and that's OK). And lastly, those you work with, for they need to know nothing about your implementation plans for your brand and your career. If you don't believe this branding 'stuff' is real, take a look at pricing for premier products and compare them to lower priced products or, gulp!, a generic. Hand soap, shampoo, engine oil, CPUs (Intel vs. AMD). How many of you really believe that $10 soap is really going to clean 10x (1000%) better than $1 soap? I'm not suggesting there aren't differences because there are (some perceived, some real). They just may not total up to 10x better, which is precisely my point. Wouldn't you rather be paid 10x more (or even 2x more for that matter) because of your premier personal brand? If you're happy as a generic, great! There's a place for those, too. Just not on the top shelf.

Indispensable guide to building your professional reputation

The main premise behind Career Warfare is that one should approach building their own reputation the same way that companies approach building their brand - thoughtfully and methodically, not forgetting for a moment that having a terrific brand is the key to success. This book trains you to be conscious of how your actions, words, and even appearance have a direct impact on your brand. The book, written by David F. D'Alessandro (with Michele Owens), has a decidedly practical tone. Mr. D'Alessandro draws upon his numerous professional experiences (including both successes and mistakes), as well as many colorful examples from the world of business and politics, to create in effect a handbook for building your reputation. Reading this book is akin to having a frank conversation with a seasoned mentor who is willing to give you candid advice on how the world of business really works and warn you about the multitude of potential pitfalls. The different parts of this book will apply to different stages in your professional life: starting from the very beginning with instructions on building credibility in your very first job to the summit of your career, coaching you on how to handle power and visibility and not get burned. Some of the other key lessons include "managing" your bosses, minding your manners, handling your enemies, navigating the day-to-day corporate jungle, and dealing with setbacks. While it gives an excellent overview of the different issues and strategies to be aware of throughout your career, it only manages to scratch the surface of many subjects. Even though the book may sometimes lack depth, its conversational style, combined with key points highlighted and singled out throughout the book, makes it an enjoyable and highly digestible read. Its limitations aside, Career Warfare is a book that I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in enhancing their personal brand - particularly, those who work (or plan to work) in a corporate environment. It is never too early (or too late) to start building or modifying your brand, and this book is an indispensable guide to doing so.

Career Warfare Made Easy...or, at least, clearer

I guess I came across mention of this title in an issue of Fast Company, but I can't be sure. It seems like something they would feature in the magazine, though. I wasn't that interested in this book initially, but it quickly grew on me. D'Alessandro (in partnership with Michele Owens) speaks from with an assured voice and what is, obviously, real-world experience. Even more, the book is filled with clear and illustrative examples of what can go wrong, and right, as you build your career. I am happy to see a CEO focus on something of use to everyone instead of the usual accounts of how they crushed the competition and turned themselves and their shareholders into ultra-millionaires. Everyone works. Everyone has a boss and nearly everyone can benefit from this book. D'Alessandro speaks about the need to "analyze" your boss into one of the 7 archetypes he has developed from his experiences. Are they a "Little League Parent" or a "Mentor"? A "Wastrel"? A "Pariah"? How can you identify the and how do you develop your career with, or in spite, of them. While you certainly want to judge people solely on the management skills, understanding the basic types can help to make you life easier. The author's experiences and insights dovetail nicely with my own career experiences. I have seen almost all of the boss varieties he describes, both bad and good. It is always a reassuring to hear that you aren't the only person to have struggled with career issues. Career Warfare is one of those books that should be given to every college student sometime around their junior year. I know I certainly would have been spared a lot of "hard knocks" learning had this book been available back in the early 80's. Reading this book could prepare new careerists for the realities that will face and give them a "leg up" into the working world. Current managers can also benefit, as well. The book is an excellent way to do a "gut check" and see if you are really the manager you want to be. Idealistically, I would also recommend this book even the most experienced managers so they might recognize any bad habits they might have adopted over the years and seek to correct them, even at this late date. D'Alessandro gives some excellent advice for "getting along" in troublesome work environments, but shares my assessment that there are times when you should never compromise your ethics. It is always better to find a new job than find yourself under investigation. Being out of work damages your personal brand much less than becoming a convicted felon. Ask Martha Stewart. Overall, this book was an easy and engaging read. One that reinforced my own experience and beliefs, yet also elicited new thoughts and concepts on what it means to have a career.

good sportsmanship

As in sports, companies often have playbooks, rules and expectations for good sportmanship, as well as star players. If you want to know how to get off the bench into the starting line-up at work, this is the book for you. D'Alessandro tells you how and when to follow the rules - and when to break them. I really enjoyed this book because it gives honest, useable advice and it's full of really funny stories.