Take Control of Your Working Life with “Fire Your Boss”

Are you tired of feeling unfulfilled and unappreciated in your job? Do you want to boost your income and find happiness outside of the office? If so, Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine’s book “Fire Your Boss” might just be the career guide you need.

Published by Harper Collins Publishers Incorporated in 2004, “Fire Your Boss” is a 273-page nonfiction book that focuses on career changes, career development, and self-actualization. The authors promise a career plan to take control of your work life, find a better job offer, and ultimately improve your overall quality of life.

The book’s blunt tone might surprise you. As the authors write, “gone are the days of finding satisfaction through your job, gone is the time when your job was secure, and gone are the days when your employer cared about you.” It’s a harsh reality, but one that many people have experienced firsthand.

So, what can you do to take control of your working life? Pollan and Levine suggest a 7-step approach:

1. Fire your boss and hire yourself. Assess your work situation, evaluate your performance, and create a written plan to take control of your career.

2. Kill your career and get a job. Find ways to achieve your desires outside of work.

3. There’s no I in job. Find out what your boss wants and develop ways to meet those needs.

4. Go fish. Keep your resume up to date and stay on top of job openings and opportunities elsewhere.

5. No one hires a stranger. Network, network, network.

6. It’s the money. Chart and evaluate the monetary factors of each job offer.

7. Hello, I must be going. Compare new job offers and determine the best time to leave your current job.

While “Fire Your Boss” may appear cynical at first glance, the authors make some solid points about the importance of taking charge of your career. After all, nobody else is going to do it for you.

What sets this book apart is its blunt honesty. Pollan and Levine aren’t afraid to say what they mean, even if it goes against conventional career advice. They encourage readers to be mercenary in their approach to work, and they don’t sugarcoat the fact that most employers don’t have their employees’ best interests at heart.

That being said, “Fire Your Boss” isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for a feel-good career guide that will tell you to follow your dreams and everything will work out, this isn’t it. But if you’re willing to embrace a more pragmatic approach to your career, you might find the book refreshing and empowering.

One of the most valuable insights in “Fire Your Boss” is the emphasis on networking. Pollan and Levine repeatedly stress the importance of building relationships and staying connected with people in your industry. In today’s job market, landing a job is often more about who you know than what you know, so building a strong professional network can be a game-changer.

Another useful piece of advice from the book is the importance of charting and evaluating the monetary factors of each job offer. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new job opportunity, but it’s important to take a step back and objectively evaluate the financial implications. While money isn’t everything, it plays a significant role in our overall job satisfaction and quality of life.

Overall, “Fire Your Boss” might not be for everyone, but it’s a refreshing take on the traditional career guide genre. If you’re feeling stuck in your career and looking for a fresh perspective, it’s worth checking out. As the authors write, “The only person who can create your job security is you.”