Job & Edu

What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here! 44 Insider Secrets and Tips that Will Get You Hired

From St. Martin's Griffin

Author : Cynthia Shapiro
Binding : Paperback
DeweyDecimalNumber : 650.14
EAN : 9780312373344
ISBN : 0312373341
Label : St. Martin's Griffin
Manufacturer : St. Martin's Griffin
NumberOfPages : 304
ProductTypeName : ABIS_BOOK
PublicationDate : 2008-04-01
Publisher : St. Martin's Griffin
ReleaseDate : 2008-04-01
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Customer Reviews

Rating:
Summary: Most Excellent!
Comment: After reading this book, I felt more confident in getting the employment that I wanted. And on my first try, I got the job which I applied for with a bit of luck and knowledge [partly thanks to the author!]. This book is full of first-hand, insightful information and guidelines. I find myself re-reading certain chapters many times.

This is a must-read if one's seeking or will be seeking future employment! Highly recommended!!
Rating:
Summary: Forewarned is forearmed!
Comment: This book is a fifth-level response to a) employers having certain standards and many biases, b) applicants finding out how to overcome them and display their best picture, followed by c) employers seeking to overcome said overcoming themselves, and topped off by d) strict laws forbidding discrimination of various kinds, which employers, out of nothing more than perceived self-interest, see it in their interest to do.

The work is made up of many, many outstanding insights that ring true about how getting hired ACTUALLY works. Maybe 2/3 of the book I knew already (I'm a bit of an old graybeard at this stuff), but, even (especially) for me, the remaining 1/3 is worth many times the purchase price. Some tips were hard to swallow, but of course that is to be expected with this super-stressful non-merit-based endeavor, in which the other side has almost all the cards and knows it.

Two minor quarrels. First, people would not try stunts such as wearing gorilla suits, wrapping resumes in champagne, and so on if they didn't sometimes work. While someone as experienced and sophisticated as the author would refuse to pay off to them, maybe if it's a job you badly want AND there are vast numbers of applicants AND you don't think your qualifications put you in the top category AND the gatekeeper is a woman in her 20s (sorry, but such ploys are similar to those corny bar pickup lines which all women blast but so often work), you might still go for one of those. Second, in one section she gave a recipe for success for something using four concepts that began with the letter C - as the rest of the book was so far above that level, that part seemed to me incongruous and even destructive. So knock it down from 5+ stars to just 5.

All in all, the perfect job-seeking book for the Great Recession. It absolutely buries the likes of What Color Is Your Parachute, with its long-obsolete ideas that you can impress employers so much as a general resource they will do anything to get you, even create a position for you. The author shows she knows, as do many of the rest of us, that human resources departments should go back to calling themselves "personnel," as what they want are cogs. And no other writer, in any of the 50+ pertinent books I've read or read about, does as well at showing how to get there. This book is not only an unqualified tour de force, but a major milestone in the field.


Rating:
Summary: Calling all Interviewees...
Comment: I read a lot of business books - I'm an avid self help fan. Cynthia Shapiro has become one of my favorite business writers - I enjoy her candor and courage. Truly insider secrets...I've purchased 5 copies of this book for others and have recommended it to dozens more. As an insider - I concur in my career - I've seen many of the things Cynthia describes in her book. If one is having problems finding a job in this climate - a read of Cynthia's book will help identify the tweeks you must make to ensure success in landing a new role is just beyond reading WHAT DOES SOMEBODY HAVE TO DO TO GET A JOB AROUND HERE? Another great read from an HR insider.
Rating:
Summary: Arguably the best job hunting guide out there
Comment: I bought this and another book at the beginning of my job hunt about 6 months back. I won't mention the other one by name, but it's a classic that has an odd title involving hues and airplane safety devices. I read them both through about 3 times, and I can confidently say this is the better of the two. The other one is longer, and still a very good book that offers a wider perspective on the entire process of choosing a career and finding a job, but I found this to be a much more helpful tool in real time, while digging through my resources.

The advice and techniques on negotiation were particularly helpful, I'd credit them with a 3k pay bump that basically came out of thin air. I also found out the hard way that the book is pretty much 100% true in terms of hiring managers, they are a cold and calculating bunch that will trick you mercilessly and hang you out to dry. There's also a pretty solid section on crafting a cover letter, I'll admit mine improved markedly after a read through of this.

The one part I didn't particularly like is the same as some of the other reviewers: the section on quitting. Yes, I know it's the kiss of death. Yes, I know I'm stupid for doing it right now. Don't rub it in.

Now I can't guarantee this will net you a job out of thin air, you really need a well rounded approach that includes some hard work on a resume and cover letter, a solid idea of how to interview, and an unrelenting search, no matter how long it is. I can, however, guarantee that this is a great addition to any library and a bargain even if you don't need it right now. If it's any indication, I've had 3 job offers during one of the worst recessions of our era, all of which came after reading this book. With any luck, you will too. If you're reading this in the aforementioned recession with hopes of getting a job, but it. I would again in a heartbeat.
Rating:
Summary: Depicts what goes on behind closed doors of the hiring manager...
Comment: This book hit the nail on the head when it comes to the three seconds it takes for hiring managers to give the go or no go decision on the candidates resume. Very insightful in regards to the other side of the coin (not focused on the interviewee or the person writing the resume) but also gives a lot of helpful hints on what's going on in the manager's head, which is invaluable when you are trying to get your foot in the door!

Kelly Wibbenmeyer Any Tom, Dick, or Harry Can Get a Job: A Sure Fire Way to Land a Job