Mike Jay Interviews the authors of FireProof Your Career

In the mid 90’s when Anne Baber was laid off from corporate America, she was amazed to find that she had done (quite intuitively) all the things she needed to do to launch a new career. A magazine editor friend asked her to write an article outlining the career survival strategies she’d found so useful and empowering. Anne then teamed up with Lynne Waymon to interview more than 200 people, asking them, "What do you wish you'd done to create more career security before you were laid off?" That research grew into a book, How to Fireproof your Career: Survival Strategies for Volatile Times which was first published in 1995 by Berkley Putnam. Baber & Waymon's newest book is Make Your Contacts Count (2002,2007, NY, American Management Association).

Anne has had 13 different jobs -- that’s an average number in today’s unsettled economic climate. She’s been a high school teacher, magazine editor, technical editor, association executive, corporate communications director, and an executive speechwriter, to name a few. She has a master's degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri. She resides in Kansas City, combining writing and professional speaking with traveling to visit her far-flung family.

Lynne Waymon has been the President of her own training and speaking firm for 20 years. She’s known nationwide for her innovative and interactive keynotes and workshops in career development, networking, negotiating and influencing, presentation skills and supervising former peers. She has competed more than 80 hours of training in Accelerated Learning Techniques. She holds a masters degree in Education from Florida State University.

In 2002 she received the highest award given by the National Capital Speakers Association for expertise on the platform and contribution to the profession of speaking.

The original How To Fireproof your Career paperback garnered rave reviews and a mention on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Anne and Lynne have presented keynotes and workshops on fireproofing for more than a decade to audiences of 5 to 500 and from all walks of life. They have continued to up-date the material and customize it for various clients, and have been amazed and gratified at how relevant and valuable workshop participants have found the ideas. “Anyone who works should know and employ these ‘fireproofing strategies.’ They provide a solid foundation for lifetime career security,” says Anne.

Fireproof Your Career:

Helping Your Clients Be Eager To Stay

And Prepared to Go!

with Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon,

Career Security Experts, Speakers, &

Authors of the new Fireproof Your Career ToolKit

Are your clients worried about their career futures? Don’t let organizational earthquakes upset their plans. Help them prepare for the inevitable layoffs, downsizings, outsourcings, and mergers. Baber and Waymon asked 200 people who had been laid off, “What do you wish you’d done before you got laid off?” In this interview with Mike Jay, Baber and Waymon will reveal the 5 career protection strategies they developed from their research:

• Liberate Your Mind Change the way you think about work. Learn 5 ways to be psychologically self-employed, no matter who’s signing your pay check.

• Lean Out of Specialization Develop multiple options. Don’t get caught with no where to go! Discover 20 ways to go besides up!

• Learn for Employability Career security is all in your head. 101 ways to keep your skills current so your next job interview doesn’t throw you for a loop.

• Line Up Your Finances Make your decisions support you instead of trap you. Plan ahead. Avoid the financial fog. Get ready for periods of paychecklessness.

• Link Up With People Build a safety network! Make who knows you just as important as what you know and who you know. Become the natural & only choice when opportunity arises.

Baber & Waymon have provided training and consulting for large and small organizations for the past 17 years. Recent clients include Corning, Inc., DuPont, Lockheed Martin, the Chesapeake Healthcare Forum, the Edison Electric Institute, The Mayflower Group, Association, Wharton Alumni Club, the Maryland Library Association, the International Association of Business Communicators, and the US Departments of Agriculture, State, NIH, Interior, Health & Human Services, & Navy.

“Powerful career tools to survive & thrive in the new environment.
Many are taking more responsibility using the strategies you taught.”
Pam Kiefer, Human Resources, Corning, Inc.

“Helpful information and tips. Excellent instructor.”
Patti MacLeod, Naval Sea Systems Command

Click here for Contact Information.

The FireProof Your Career ToolKit

By Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon

Call Lynne Waymon at 301-589-8633 to find out how to license this ToolKit for your organization’s use or how to become an affiliate and share in the revenue.

The FireProof Your Career ToolKit prepares you to take charge of your career. It includes 10 downloadable tools (5 text and 5 audio).

1. The FireProof Your Career E-Book:

5 Strategies to Protect Your Future In Volatile Times

This downloadable, 157-page, highly practical e-book

· Gives you the most complete guide to career preparedness, so you are ready for whatever the future may bring.

· Translates today's confusing economic news into messages that make sense.

· Shows you how job loss can impact your life and gives you ways to let go and move on.

· Helps you set goals and priorities for what to do when you’re scared.

· Gives you complete information on the 5 interlocking FireProofing strategies.

· Shows you step-by-step what to do before you get laid off. If you've already been laid off you'll get all the help you need to bounce back.

2. Risk Assessment: Is a Lay-Off Likely?

This 79-item questionnaire about what to ask yourself to calculate how much risk you’re shouldering in your current situation

· Stops aimless, unproductive worry.

· Shows you how anxious you really should be.

· Directs you toward productive research about your industry, your company, your job, and 3 other important areas, so you know what's up.

· Gives you criteria with which to evaluate the viability of future job offers.

· Eliminates surprises. You’ll be prepared – unlike 80% of people who say, "I didn't see this lay-off coming. Why didn't someone warn me?"

· Gets you off your duff and into action – before it's too late.

3. Career Security Profile: Rate Your Readiness

This 30-item self-assessment, field-tested with thousands of people in all walks of life, provides a baseline and

· Shows you whether you are well prepared to bounce back after a lay-off.

· Helps you personalize and prioritize your planning so you shore-up your most vulnerable areas first.

· Gives you a before and after picture of your career security preparedness. Take the assessment before you begin FireProofing your career and again after you've implemented the 5 essential strategies.

· Indicates the amount of time you will need to spend (6 months to 2 years) to become fully FireProofed.

Mike Jay Interviews Anne Baber & Lynne Waymon