How to be Resilient in Your Career: Facing Up to Barriers at Work

207 Pages·2023·4.377 MB·English

by  Helen Ofosu

“Dr. Ofosu integrates knowledge from years of study, profes-
sional thriving and lived experience into her work. The relevance
of her book cannot be timelier. She brings heart, brains, and guts
to her book and makes me proud of my profession.”
Dr. Tatijana Busic, Ph.D., C.Psych., Clinical and Organizational
Psychologist
“This is the book we’ve been waiting for! Dr. Ofosu has a deeper
understanding and wider breadth than most of her peers. She
unfurls sensitive and complex issues, integrating them into a digest-
ible and progressive manner to guide employers and employees.”
Esther Schvan, M.A., Career Development and Transition Coach
“As a former executive, I see tremendous value in this book if/
when employees hit rough patches at work. This will also be a great
toolkit for leaders and HR professionals who aspire to be more
modern and inclusive.”
Tina Walter, M.A., Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant
“This is a valuable resource for employees working in organiza-
tions where problematic and traumatizing behaviours are rampant.
Clinicians who help clients cope with these situations and their
fallout will also appreciate this book.”
Kafui Sawyer, Registered Psychotherapist, Trauma Consultant,
Founder and Executive Director of Joy Health and Research Centre
“Dr. Ofosu explores important yet overlooked career issues and
addresses ‘the elephant in the boardroom’ highlighting the chal-
lenges that racialized communities face in their careers. She provides
thoughtful and practical information to help people avoid or bounce
back from career-related adversity.”
Dr. Janet Mantler, Associate Professor, Organizational Psychology,
Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

HOW TO BE RESILIENT
IN YOUR CAREER
This book shares vital career advice to help professionals navigate
common “internally disruptive” career experiences such as harass-
ment and bullying, imposter syndrome, membership in an under-
represented group, toxic workplaces, discrimination, and more.
Dr. Helen Ofosu draws on 20 years of helping employers acquire
talent and coaching professionals through difficult career choices
to unpack these layered and complicated issues in an easy-to-
follow way. Dealing with the dark side of management, the book
outlines various issues that can occur in the workplace, or during
a person’s career journey, and offers practical advice on how to
overcome these obstacles and setbacks. Using her considerable
HR experience, Dr. Ofosu also offers coveted insights from the
employer’s point of view. For people who have already tried other
options to resolve their complicated career issues, this book offers
an essential guide that equips readers with a knowledge base to
make informed decisions around building and sustaining a thriv-
ing and resilient career.
How to Be Resilient in Your Career: Facing Up to Barriers at Work is
a reliable resource presented with nuance, depth, and specificity.
Psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, and HR profes-
sionals who are looking for effective advice when supporting peo-
ple struggling with these issues, will greatly benefit from this book,
as will early career professionals and established earners looking
to resolve their career issues.
Dr. Helen Ofosu is an Organizational Psychologist who offers
Coaching, HR Consulting and Training/Public Speaking through
I/O Advisory Services Inc., Canada. She is also an Adjunct
Professor of Psychology at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.

HOW TO BE
RESILIENT IN
YOUR CAREER
FACING UP TO BARRIERS AT WORK
Helen Ofosu
Designed cover image: © Getty Images
First published 2023
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Helen Ofosu
The right of Helen Ofosu to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ofosu, Helen, author.
Title: How to be resilient in your career : facing up to barriers at work /
Helen Ofosu.
Description: First Edition. | New York, NY : Routledge, 2023. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2022036659 (print) | LCCN 2022036660 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781032358178 (paperback) | ISBN 9781032358529 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781003328988 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Career development–Psychological aspects. |
Psychology, Industrial. | Self-help techniques.
Classification: LCC HF5381 .O46 2023 (print) | LCC HF5381 (ebook) |
DDC 650.1–dc23/eng/20220805
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022036659
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022036660
ISBN: 978-1-032-35852-9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-35817-8 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-32898-8 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003328988
Typeset in Palatina and Scala Sans
by KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.
Access the Companion Website here: www.theresilientcareer.com
This book is dedicated to the people who have been encour-
aging and supportive about the book – and the work that it
is based on. In 2012, when I announced my plan to start a
coaching and consulting practice based on my foundation
in Psychology, some people looked at me a little sideways.
But, from day one, my partner Errol, my brother Kofi, and
my parents agreed with my belief that it was the best way
forward. My son Kojo was similarly and consistently encour-
aging, cooperative, and supportive.
Years ago, my sister-in-law Lori innocently said, “You should
have a blog, everyone else has one, and you have so much
to say …” I’m glad I listened because, without the experi-
ence of ongoing blogging, this book would probably have
seemed too daunting. My long-time friend Amber gave me
valuable advice about writing relatable and engaging mate-
rial and using social media for professional outreach. All
that informal writing served as essential practice that made
this book possible.
I also dedicate this book to clients whom I’ve supported
(and who have supported me) over the years.
Disclaimer: This book is intended for educational purposes and as such, it does
not constitute professional advice.
Contents
Acknowledgments x
Introduction 1
1 Psychometric Testing 9
2 Underemployment or Being Overqualified 14
3 The Impostor Syndrome 38
4 Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination 47
5 Navigating Professional Boundaries 61
6 Toxic Workplaces 76
7 Identity Is Complex 99
8 The Importance of Networking, Mentorship … and
Diligence 130
9 Workplace Scapegoats and the Glass Cliff 142
10 Avoiding and Coping with Burnout at Work 155
11 When It’s Time to Change Jobs 162
Conclusion 177
References/Further Reading 180
About the Author 186
Index 188
ix