MY CAREER JOURNAL

February 14, 2024

MY CAREER JOURNAL

by Fatemah Mirza

GENRE: NonFiction

Are you seeking to enhance your career and significantly increase your salary? 'My Career Journal' by CareerTuners is your guide to achieving these goals. This practical workbook, enriched with insights from my 13+ years as a career and salary coach, is tailored for individuals at any career stage - whether you are just starting or looking to make major changes.

In 'My Career Journal', you will:

- Set clear, achievable career goals with defined weekly, monthly, and quarterly milestones.

- Track and record your accomplishments, laying the groundwork for salary negotiations.

- Build and refine a professional portfolio that showcases your strengths and achievements.

The strategies in this workbook have been refined through my extensive experience and continual input from over 3,000 recruiter partners. This is how I have empowered marketing leaders to approach their promotion plans with renewed vigor.

'My Career Journal' is especially for those:

- Who are deeply creative and have great ideas they are eager to put into motion.

- Committed to changing their job search strategies.

- Who aspire to align their career success with making a meaningful difference in their field, using their work as a platform for positive change.

The workbook encourages you to take action and think creatively to overcome professional challenges. It is designed not just for planning but for doing. By working through 'My Career Journal,' you will rediscover the passion that drives your career success and be equipped to double your salary through strategic planning and execution. Dive into this journal to take control of your career journey and propel yourself towards greater achievements.

Enjoy an Excerpt:

About the Author:

Fatemah Mirza is a Certified Resume Master and a highly sought-after speaker and coach who helps ambitious job seekers find higher-paying, more fulfilling jobs. She’s been helping job seekers since 2010 when she founded CareerTuners, which is a small team of skilled professionals from various industries who specialize in providing professional resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and many more career-related services to help ambitious people land their dream jobs and achieve career goals.She has created free resources that have seen more than 160,000 downloads, helped hundreds of clients increase their pay, and built a network of more than 3000 recruiters.

Q&A With the Author:

What was your inspiration for writing this book?
Here's a little snippet of the backstory that eventually inspired me to create "My Career Journal."
I first applied to college during the recession, my mother's tiny salary barely covering our family of five. To ensure I wasn't straining her financially, I spent the summer applying to -- and winning -- scholarships.
Eventually, my only expense at UCLA was the 50-cent bus I took from Torrance to LAX, and then to campus.
So when other students complained that tuition had gone up, I asked, "Have you tried applying for scholarships within your department? How about with fraternities? You don't even have to be a member to apply -- isn't that nuts?"
After a few months at UCLA, I had more students asking for my help than I could handle, not just with scholarships, but applications for medical school, internships, and jobs.
That's when I started publishing my advice on how professionals can talk about their strengths in a way that makes sense to decision-makers.
Hundreds of professionals came to me stressed out, unemployed, not having health insurance for their children, and I helped them get jobs they were ecstatic with, sometimes with double pay.
I even coached a woman who cut her hours from 60/week to 30 while still saving her team's faltering morale and output, thereby saving her own physical health and sanity.
Throughout the years, I've worked closely with many recruiter partners, gaining valuable experience as a certified interview, salary, and career coach and always wanted to compile my knowledge into an actionable tool that professionals can utilize whenever and wherever, and thus — "My Career Journal" was born.
I designed it to encourage you to critically evaluate your current situation, plan for the future, and translate your creative energy into actionable steps.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I'm particularly passionate about mentoring professionals and guiding them to articulate their value better and secure desirable terms regarding salary, perks, and overall compensation.
"My Career Journal" is the tangible result of that.
The journal's sections such as the salary negotiation checklist — my personal favorite — are loaded with the best advice from a hiring manager's point of view AND a career coach's POV and can help professionals advance significantly in their careers.
Just recently, I guided a client to an astonishing $70,000 salary increase..

Do you have any other books you are working on that you can tell us about?
I actually am the author of a best-selling book, "Resparking Creativity: A Marketing Professional's Career Guide Towards Becoming a Director,” that launched back in July and has been a tremendous success, with over 3000 downloads and a recently released audiobook version!
Other than adding "best-selling author" to my accomplishments, I am thrilled to have assisted numerous ambitious managers in reigniting their creative energy and advancing their careers.
In the book, I discuss:
practical strategies on creating a compelling project portfolio
crafting an attention-grabbing job application
and effectively advocating for oneself during relationship-building to negotiate a competitive salary package.

Can you tell us about what you have planned for the future?
Absolutely! Looking ahead, I'm incredibly excited about the future endeavors I have in mind. Firstly, I plan to continue expanding CareerTuners' offerings, delving deeper into innovative career development resources and services. I'm exploring the possibility of developing online courses and workshops tailored to address specific career challenges professionals face in today's dynamic job market.
I've been working on developing an app that would leverage Natural Language processing, Machine learning and data analytics to provide tailored career development services to people who can not afford high-end services. I have already developed an MVP that automates feedback on resumes and LinkedIn profiles. The career services would include creating resumes from scratch, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters, career coaching and interview coaching, and more.
Furthermore, I aim to collaborate with industry experts to host live events and webinars, providing invaluable insights and guidance to individuals seeking to enhance their professional journey.

Anything more you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and enthusiasm. It's your encouragement and success that fuels my passion for helping professionals thrive in their careers. Stay curious, stay proactive, and never lose sight of your goals. Every setback is an opportunity for growth, and every achievement is a testament to your resilience and determination.