Rating:  Summary: No disappointment here Review: Wayne Gretsky once said, (as quoted in Rob Sullivan's book) "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Sullivan, a one time recruiter, in his new book Getting Your Foot in the Door When you Don't have a Leg to Stand On, gives you new strategies, ideas and steps to take to make those "shots" that will eventually land you the job you want. He has concrete examples for making your cover letter and resume really work and stand out in a sea of resumes. This book has a wealth of ideas. For example, once you have a contact or lead into a company, ask for help rather than asking for a job. Getting an "informational" interview may be much easier than getting an interview for a job that may not even exist yet. In an "informational" interview, you have the opportunity to share your strengths and show how you might help the organization. If there is still no job at that company, your new contact will know you personally and be more likely to give you other leads or recommendations. Sullivan's chapters on resumes and cover letters, in a very clear and concise manner, will give you concrete ideas on how to be more effective in your one and only contact with either a recruiter or a company. His advice in how to establish a "clear chain of events" is excellent. A resume that leaves more questions than answers in the readers' minds may well eliminate you from the start. Sullivan says, "Unlike your resume, every word of your cover letter will probably be read." Of course, then, crafting a cover letter with punch is critical, and Sullivan's book will give you clear steps to do this. Sullivan's self-assessment exercises and his guidelines on the interview process, like how to field tough questions, how to prepare, and how to close the deal, are all valuable tools for the job seeker. Check this one out! You will not be disappointed.
Rating:  Summary: Not the typical dry "Parachute-like" book Review: What I LOVE about this book is that it's like having your best friend give you a big hug and say, "Don't worry. It's going to be alright. Here's what you need to do." The case studies are great and really make Rob's points come to life. That, by itself, makes this book different because you can see the difference this approach makes. But don't kid yourself. It takes work. It took me a few weeks just to work through the self-assessment. If you're looking for a quick fix, magic pill, you aren't likely to find it anywhere. You hold the key to your future. It's up to you to uncover the gold in your background. Thanks to Rob, I'm well on my way. While this book is particularly valuable for career-changers and entry-level job hunters, I'd recommend this book to anyone.
Rating:  Summary: Some good tips but mostly common sense Review: When I bought this book, I expected a detailed summary of how to get into a field when you don't have all the typical experience required. Instead this is just another "Improve your job hunting skills" book. Its got a few good tips about writing your resume and cover letter, but not much else that hasn't been said before.
Rating:  Summary: It's an Inside Game Review: While I'm not a recent college graduate, I'm looking at possibly transitioning into a different career or revitalizing my career in the same field. I found this book to be very informative and interesting--particularly as it relates to the need for some honest, self-analysis to be successful not only in a career search/interview, but in life. It's amazing what our thinking can do for us (or to us) to develop positive expectations or ensure negative outcomes. I also found the authors discussion of overcoming his social anxiety (as it relates to interviews, meetings, public speaking, etc.) to be refreshingly honest and inspiring. This book has the things you'd expect (i.e. resume suggestions, cover letters, etc.) but it goes well beyond other books in this category.
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