Pamela Slim is a seasoned coach and writer who helps frustrated employees break out of the corporate business and start off on their own. You may know her as the woman behind Escape From Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur.

Pam Slim started out in college as an international service and development major. She was always passionate about economic change, spent time in Mexico and Colombia, and wanted to be an aid worker. She then worked in the nonprofit circuit within an art and science museum. Then, 17 years ago, she worked for a corporation, continuing along as a consultant. When she started her blog “Escape From Cubicle Nation” she didn’t know it would turn out to be her business. Pam is quick to point out that she is not anti-corporate. In fact, she describes herself as a work-mode agnostic. She knows the upsides and downsides of the corporate world, but believes that many are able to thrive in the corporate environment.

Her new book Body of Work builds upon everything she has ever done. It is no mystery that in the entrepreneurial world we have a light and dark side approach to work mode (working for yourself is GOOD, working for a corporation is BAD…). There is no RIGHT way to work. Given the economy and the lack of job stability, we need a new way of looking at careers in this new world.

What are the contributions we want to make? What are the tangible things? What books, software, music do we want to put out there? The more focused we are on our SPECIFIC body of work, the more successful we become. Our body of work is the ONLY thing we can control.

Pam Slim says her goal is to make people feel more optimistic, to agree that maybe nothing will feel stable again and assume that perhaps instability is the norm and become more ADAPTABLE, FLEXIBLE and more EMPLOYABLE. We will have more enthusiasm about our careers and make things that are more VALUABLE and MEANINGFUL.

What are the skills we must learn and develop in order to be ready in the face of a new business order?

1.      Ability to create things QUICKLY, to deliver concrete things in a timely manner, to get things done, to create and execute an idea. Should you ever find yourself needing to freelance between positions, this skill will set you apart.

2.      Ability to create networks of people who help you LEARN, connect with people who are SMART, to build relationships inside your organization as well as peer circles outside of your company. This type of building is incredibly beneficial to corporate person and entrepreneur alike.

3.      The ability to master STORYTELLING. There is always the story that you tell yourself about why you’re uniquely qualified to do what you’re doing and the story that you tell to the market. It is easy to feel confident within your profession, but when you go off on your own you may begin to doubt your own experience and question why anyone would want to hire you. You have to be able to tell yourself a good story in order to tell the same story to the market. Be COMPELLING.

What are you creating? How are you solving problems? What sets you apart?

Pam Slim’s new book entitled Body of Work is slated to come out on December 31st, and the way to stay afloat is to jump on her mailing list at the top right corner of www.escapefromcubiclenation.com

She can be found on Twitter @PamSlim and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pamslim