Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence Helps Job Seekers Launch a Career, Get Noticed and Achieve Early Success
Recent college graduates preparing to enter the workforce as well as anyone returning to work following military service, child-rearing or a pandemic-related furlough will find an abundance of wisdom in Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence: Practical Christ-Centered Advice for Entering or Re-entering the Workforce, the new book from former president of New York Life Insurance Company Fred Sievert.
“I believe you have achieved a ‘career of consequence’ if you have identified your calling and your passion, you have identified your spiritual gifts, and you’re using those in the workplace,” Sievert said during a recent interview.
In the book, Sievert shares five biblical principles chosen to help individuals create a strong foundation for fulfillment in their careers. Then, he elaborates on 10 practical and proven strategies that individuals can implement immediately to gain visibility and early success as they enter the workforce for the first time, move to a new company or re-enter the workforce after a period of absence.
“The advice applies equally well to small or large corporations and to entrepreneurial ventures,” he said, adding, “The book was inspired by a request for advice from my daughter on how to be identified as a high potential employee and advance her career as she languished in an entry-level position at her large global company. The advice proved to be very effective as she was rapidly promoted into positions with greater levels of responsibility.”
Chapters explore universal career-relevant topics such as: Demonstrating Commitment; Embracing the Company’s Vision and Mission; Developing Cultural and Organizational Awareness; Understanding the Financial Underpinnings of the Business; Demonstrating Strategic Thinking Capability; Over-preparing for Every Meeting; Making Every Presentation a Command Performance; and Balancing Faith, Family and Career.
Sievert drew upon his unique combination of experiences as a Christian executive, a mentor and a college instructor to develop a book packed with practical Christ-centered advice for those wishing to add a spiritual dimension to career pursuits.
“During my career, and afterward, I mentored many young employees and executives — at least 10 of whom went on to become presidents or CEOs of their organizations,” Sievert explained.
Ultimately, Sievert hopes to show others the value of nurturing a symbiotic relationship between faith and career.
“Since most of us will spend more than half of our waking hours at work, I really felt it was important to talk about ways in which you can bring and follow biblical principles in the workplace, and at the same time, get some really valuable business tips from a guy who’s been there,” he added.
About the Author
Raised in a lower-middle-class family that only occasionally spoke of God, Fred Sievert received an unexpected visit from God when he was 12. Despite his subsequent experiences as an adult, transitioning from a math teacher to the president of a Fortune 100 company — a journey driven by an aggressive pursuit of the American dream — his habit of thoughtful reflection and his spiritual longing from that one encounter in boyhood informed his decisions for the rest of his life.
In retirement, Sievert’s overwhelming passion is to positively impact the lives of others in service to the Lord by writing and speaking about his faith and his business experience.
