Ahead of the Pack
Subtitle
Professional Advice for Candidates - Insight to Successfully Navigate Your Career
This book addresses how to most effectively navigate a career with greater awareness, purpose and tools. It is clearly for "candidates" who can use advice from a seasoned vet who was often a candidate, a career senior executive and a retained executive recruiter, to get "ahead of the pack." Many important aspects presented in this book will be exceptionally helpful for those displaced by the pandemic and world affairs in general, as well as provide a very good guide as you navigate a career. What to do and how to do it from basics to more thoughtful applications of good career management. The book is written by an author who cares and wants to help others be successful. It provides tools and advice that will stand the test of time while developing good management practices from someone who has walked in these shoes. There are professional recruiters who help client companies find the best talent to match their needs. And there are the professionals, "candidates," actively managing their career trajectory, evaluating opportunities that might fit their target career path while always sharpening their skills, experience and gaining comfort with their personal characteristics and leadership style. This book is for candidates.
Bio
Michael L. Cooper graduated from ASU with a degree in marketing and an MBA with a finance emphasis. He served as a director of finance and accounting at the Dial Corporation following early learning years at Hallmark Cards in their corporate finance department. Cooper was recruited to Shady Brook Farms (Rocco), where he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer.
Praise for this book
Michael is always part of my career story when I talk to new recruits or discuss my career path with others. His encouragement, trust and guidance were instrumental in my development and growth as a worker and as a leader. I always appreciated how he let me try new processes and picked me up when I failed – I am always grateful for the opportunities he provided me and a path forward. While I have refined my leadership style over the years, I still maintain and utilize many of the exceptional traits Michael displayed and ingrained early in my career.
Gregg Maxwell group vice president, Albertsons Companies
The differentiating added value from this book results from the unique combination of events in life of the author. That includes a long and successful career in executive recruiting, at the highest levels, and someone with a successful career as an executive in business and industry. Michael not only led a multi-billion-dollar, global consumer products company, he also served in a key board position for over a decade with one of the largest public food products companies in the world. His combination of skills, experience and resulting knowledge and judgment provide added value.
Bill Lovette former CEO of Pilgrim's Pride
