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The Episodic Career

How to Thrive at Work in the Age of Disruption

About The Book

“Journalist and policy analyst Chideya tackles how to survive in a time of broadening inequality and dwindling job market prospects…The Episodic Career is part policy summary, part journalistic narration, part self-help book” (The Guardian).

Award-winning author Farai Chideya provides a “must-read for anyone seeking to navigate the new world of work” (bestselling author Daniel Pink) in this “smart and savvy” (Publishers Weekly), clear and accessible guide to finding your best, most fulfilling work in an age of rapid disruption.

Understanding how America is working (and not working) is a critical first step to finding your best place in the employment world. Chideya brings her extensive research and her own solutions to work/life balance in The Episodic Career, an accessible manual to help you chart your course in the workplace, use your skills, and find your “sweet spot” within the variety of independent and corporate work structures today. The Episodic Career is a powerful new tool for determining success on your own terms.

“Numerous interesting stories about people in a wide range of careers…are woven through this well-written book, which has at its center a Work/Life Matrix that… will help you ‘Know yourself, set your goals, play by your own rules’” (BookPage).

About The Author

Photograph by Ajit Jagdale

Farai Chideya has combined media, technology, and socio-political analysis during her twenty-year career as an award-winning author, journalist, professor, and lecturer. She is a senior writer at the data journalism organization FiveThirtyEight, and has taught at New York University and Harvard. She frequently appears on public radio and cable television, speaking about race, politics, and culture. She was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated magna cum laude with a BA from Harvard University in 1990. Find out more at Farai.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atria Books (January 26, 2016)
  • Length: 304 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781476751528

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Raves and Reviews

The Episodic Career provides an unfettered view of how the world of careers has evolved today--and how to work it to your advantage. Farai Chideya shares personal stories from across America that explain how we face real job challenges and create opportunities for ourselves and others. A must-read before you leave for work tomorrow.”

– Gail Evans, author of Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman

"Careers that once promised stability and security are imploding. The concept of the lifelong employer is receding into legend. The reality is in the title of Farai Chideya’s excellent new book: Your career will be episodic and multi-faceted. Fortunately, Chideya offers guidelines and real-life examples to help you march across this new terrain. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to navigate the new world of work."

– Daniel H. Pink, author of DRIVE and TO SELL IS HUMAN

"The rapidly changing world of work is both confusing and exhilarating. The Episodic Career will help you make sense of what’s happening and give you great tools for navigating the new world of work. Chideya’s personal experiences coupled with in-depth research makes this valuable to anyone wanting more satisfaction and joy in their working life.

– Barbara J. Winter, author of Making a Living without a Job

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