Book Review: 15 Ways to Take Control of Your Career Now

I love reading books and have started to spend more and more time reading business related books. It helps that I get a lot of free books on my Kindle that I can read through – but I also purchase a lot of books specifically related to my current career path.

One of the things I have found in this past year, is that I can glean some relevant information out of almost any business book (and often even out of fiction books) that I can apply to myself to help make me a better person or apply to my skill set and knowledge base so that I can become a better employee. It doesn't matter if the information applies directly to my current projects or position, what matters is taking the information and using it to help me improve my talents and skills and benefiting my employer.

In the past several years, my company has undergone some changes based upon ownership and leadership shifts. I have seen some co-workers choose to become significantly less productive and take a more negative attitude as a result of those changes. I'm sure almost anyone who has been in similar circumstances has seen the same kind of shifts. While I have had my moments of struggle, overall I have been able to adapt and grow as a result of accepting these changes.

When I downloaded '15 Ways to Take Control of Your Career Now', I did not realize that this compilation of articles was geared towards workers facing unemployment, but I found many concepts in this book that I can still apply towards my existing career and in my existing organization.

I particularly liked how the book related the concepts to kayaking. One of the things I am learning as I work more and more in Project Management is how to review the projects I am involved in and learn from each success or failure. I have a long way to go until I may ever be participating in a 'perfect project', but I think that the ability to look critically at the work I have done as well as my co-workers and assess how I can do things different or better the next time an issue arises will allow me to take a more positive and proactive role in my company.

I do recommend this book for all employees. It is an easy and enjoyable read.

Notes from BA Collective Podcast: Business Analysis Use Cases

What is a use case and how are they used?

• A Use Case is a detailed description of a user's interaction with a system
  
• The only requirements are an actor and an object to be acted upon
  

A Use Case consists of seven components:

• Name – represented in the form of an action
  
• Description
  
• Preconditions – criteria that must be met before the execution of the scenario
  
• Scenario – anticipated series of actions and responses
  
• Results
  
• Alternate Paths – variations on the scenario. Represent failures in the system.
  
• Additional Business Rules

Notes from BA Collective Podcast: Business Analysis Documentation

• When people don't read documentation, it's as much a reflection on the writer, as it is on the reader.
  
• When a BA creates documentation it needs to get not only the attention, but the respect of the audience.
  
• 1) Balance documentation style and substance
  
• Know your audience
  
• 2) Use Word to its full potential
  
• 3) Create a documentation platform and strategy
  
• Keep documentation up to date
  
• Keep historical documentation
  

  
   

Podcast Review – Product Management Pulse

This past week I have listened to 10 or so podcasts from the Product Management Pulse series. They were relatively insightful and I liked them because they were all 30 minutes in length. Much longer that seems to drag a topic on too long.

One of the books mentioned by an interviewee is The Product Manager's Desk Reference. This looks like a pretty good volume to purchase, and I have added it to my wish list for when I finish two of the books I currently have backlogged to read.

It was reassuring to me to find that a common thread in these podcasts is that there is no set career path for Product Managers and that the more diversified a career was before moving into this arena, the better rounded the Product Manager is. If that's the case – it appears that I am on the right track.

What is Business Stew?

I work for a small organization called HRN Management Group. I have been with HRN since early 2004 and been involved in almost all areas of the organization. That is one of the great things about working for a small company - you get a little bit of everything thrown at you.

I started out in Client Support, but was also involved heavily in the IT Department from the beginning because I assumed responsibilities for our database. I also functioned as a backup in Sales and Accounting and learned a lot helping out in those arenas.

My current title is Business Analyst. I am still learning what a Business Analyst is. I will also be learning how to do Product Management and Project Management. Again - I am not totally sure what is involved in both of those positions.

Working at a small organization does have the drawback that there really isn't a training budget. Most of my knowledge growth is done on my own free time and with materials I choose to purchase myself.

Since assuming this title in March, I have purchased several books and am reading through them. I have also started listening to podcasts, subscribing to newsletters and following blogs. Almost all of these areas have indicated that one of the best ways to grow is to share your knowledge.

As I was running last night, I decided it was time to start a business blog. I don't claim to know much about any aspects of my job. In many ways I feel like I am starting from scratch.

Since I am starting from scratch and not focusing on any one position title, I consider my job to be similar to a pot of stew. Hence the title, Business Stew. I will be throwing in a little bit of this and a little bit of that as I go along and hope in the end to have the most delicious pot of business stew you ever tasted.

Feel free to join me on my journey.