Today’s special guest is writer Fatemah Mirza and we’re chatting about her new non-fiction, My Career Journal.
During her virtual book tour, Fatemah will be giving away a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
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.
Welcome, Fatemah. Please tell us a little bit about your new release.
My newest release, “My Career Journal”, is a practical workbook enriched with insights from over a decade as a career and salary coach, and tailored for individuals at any career stage — whether they’re just starting or looking to make significant changes.
Ultimately, it’s the perfect guide for anyone who wants to level up from where they currently are, identify their career goals, bridge any skill set gaps, and secure the job they’ve been aiming for with a salary that’s potentially doubled.
What inspired you to write this book?
As I embarked on my college journey during a recession, my family’s financial situation was tight, with my mother’s modest income supporting our family of five. I dedicated my summer to applying for scholarships, successfully securing funding that made my UCLA education financially feasible.
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.
Throughout the years, my collaboration with recruiters has deepened, enriching my expertise as a certified interview, salary, and career coach. The idea of consolidating my knowledge into a practical resource accessible to professionals from all walks of life took root, culminating in “My Career Journal.”
You can click on this link to check out an excerpt from the introduction to the book.
What’s the next writing project?
After the successful launch of “My Career Journal”, I’m thrilled to share that I plan to release my third career-related book soon, so stay tuned.
What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)
Writing a book is tough and definitely easier said than done! There were days when I’d wake up and feel so much dread. “How am I going to write this part? How am I going to do this? I have no idea what this section is going to have.”
Those were slow writing days, but I’m glad I decided to stick with it because every word was progressing forward. However, since I’m already familiar with the process after writing “Resparking Creativity”, I reminded myself of how rewarding the result is, and that’s what kept me going!
If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?
I feel like writing a non-fiction book, a career journal in particular, is easier and harder because you only have so much room in the sandbox. There are very clear boundaries within which you find yourself in. Especially if you’re targeting a specific niche.
For me, I had a very clear idea of what I wanted “My Career Journal” to be about, and with over a decade of experience as a career coach, that made outlining things pretty easy.
Since I wanted to ensure “My Career Journal” became an all-encompassing tool for enhancing and bettering one’s career, I focused on creating exercises, assessments, and checklists based on holistic advice and my tried-and-true knowledge of the contemporary job industry.
What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.
I like to think of my writing space as the heart of my ambitions. My desk has seen the brunt of my work, quite literally. It stands as a testament to the countless hours spent researching, strategizing, managing, and assisting clients in their career journeys. And my study chair, hoisting me up and probably straining under the constant weight, knows this hustle all too well.
Beyond my window lies my backyard oasis — a comfy patio shaded by pretty trees. The best part? The place soaks my writing space in stunning natural light. Sometimes, I find myself just staring out my window and admiring the chirping birds and soft rays of sunlight.
What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?
John Steinfeld. And I love a good romance novel. I think they’re incredibly fun to read and engage with. You can give me a fun romance novel any day of the week, and I’ll be keen to try it out!
Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?
I hope people pick up “My Career Journal” because it’s the perfect tool for professionals to evaluate their skills, strengthen their job applications, and better advocate for themselves in interviews and salary negotiations. I want people to feel excited about their next career step!
Links:
LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Amazon | Website | Amazon Buy Link
Thank you for featuring this book and author.
Would you rather stay in or go out on a Friday night?
This looks like an informative read.
Sounds like a really good read.
This looks very informative. Thanks for sharing.