Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in an old village in East Sussex UK with my wife, my 2 daughters having now flown the nest.
Much of my career has been freelance, I have been fortunate to work all over the world. In 2001 I moved away from IT management and began career coaching, since then I have assisted hundreds of my clients in to new roles and have found it very rewarding work.
Previously I have written three short books about how to do certain things of a technical nature, these have now been unpublished as they are out of date.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is titled “Congratulations! You’re Hired”.
The book is about how to really make an impact at interview and really make the most of every opportunity. Having been a hiring manager for over 30 years I have interviewed many people and a constant theme has been how comparatively few were properly prepared for it. As a career coach most of my clients have wanted interview training and many have said that it made it a big difference for them.
There is a lot of misinformation on the Internet about job interviews and how to perform well, the book explains what actually works and also explains why.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure what a usual habit would be! I wrote the book in my spare hours alongside my paid work whenever the opportunity presented itself.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read extensively and buy books all the time. Too many to list but I like to have a fiction book and a non fiction book always on the go. As part of my work I have studied Psychology and I like reading books about the human condition and what makes people tick. this is invaluable in my coaching activity.
What are you working on now?
Currently I am working on a book about how to write a really strong Resume or CV. In common with job interviews very few people are taught how to do this or know how to sell themselves well.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My previous short books were sold mainly via mailing lists and on Amazon plus a few other publishing platforms.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I can only speak from my experience. Carving out the time, committing to doing it, and keeping going were what made the difference for me. Its very easy to talk yourself out of it and I know other people who have done so. I also learned from other writers about how to structure a non fiction book and what makes them effective.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t be afraid to be yourself, everybody else is taken.
What are you reading now?
Dead Man’s Sins by Caimh McDonnell, and Performance by Robin Stuart Kotze
What’s next for you as a writer?
The intention is to produce a series of books related to job search and career management, after that I will see what else I fancy doing.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Definitely a couple of books about survival as I wouldn’t know where to start. I would also take something really meaty like War and Peace that would keep me going and something with some humour in it to make me laugh.
Author Websites and Profiles
David Wedge Website
David Wedge Amazon Profile