Looking for a new job requires focus, tenacity and a number of diverse skills. These new offerings may serve to ease the transition by helping to fill in a few gaps.
“Winning The Interview Game: Everything You Need to Know to Land the Job,” by Alan H. Nierenberg (AMACOM, 192 pages, $12.95)
In most employment books, the primary goal is securing an interview with a prospective employer, or preferably several of them.
Then what?
This book provides the answer. Alan Nierenberg, who runs an executive search firm, treats the process like a game, which it is to some extent.
He takes readers through the interview maze, with requisite anecdotes, war stories, bullet points, sample letters, lists and more. There are also a multitude of battle-tested questions and recommended responses.
Nierenberg recognizes each of us has a different story and a unique combination of experiences and skills. Consequently, readers are compelled to use their imaginations to project personal work histories and qualifications onto his templates.
The approach works, as it forces the job seeker to focus on the interview itself, and not just the hoped-for job, and to prepare for alternate questions and possible responses.
This is very important, because most initial interviews, especially those in larger firms, are conducted by human resources people, whose job is to screen out unqualified, undesirable or otherwise unsuitable candidates.
You have to get past them first, but if you can demonstrate your value, they can become very important allies.
Though I favor H. Anthony Medley’s book, “Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed,” Nierenberg does a fine and thorough job, too.
“Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters: 400 Unconventional Tips, Tricks and Tactics for Landing Your Dream Job,” by Jay Conrad Levinson, David Perry (Wiley, 288 pages, $16.95)
Guerrilla marketing is a cliche, mostly invoked by executives after their budgets have been cut but they’re still responsible for achieving their goals. In job hunting, however, it’s another matter. The guerrilla approach is clearly where it’s at!
Jay Conrad Levinson, who’s published 32 other “guerrilla” books, here teams up with executive search firm director David Perry. The result is a comprehensive and interesting collection of strategies, tactics and ideas. Some may work better than others. Different people also have varying comfort levels, but Levinson and Perry understand that finding a job is a job unto itself, and their “whatever it takes” approach easily lends itself to customization.
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“How to Find a Job After 50: From Part-Time to Full-Time, from Career Moves to New Careers,” by Betsy Cummings (Warner Business Books, 201 pages, $14.95)
Betsy Cummings makes a strong case for mature workers and their value to employers, assuming they can get past their age biases. She’s a good writer and is upbeat without being saccharine or preachy. Instead, she provides older workers with solid and persuasive ideas for job searches and also discusses entrepreneurial pursuits, career shifts, networking and consulting opportunities.
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“The Elements of Resume Style: Essential Rules and Eye-opening Advice for Writing Resumes and Cover Letters that Work,” by Scott Bennett (AMACOM, 119 pages, $9.95)
Scott Bennett’s expertise is in resumes and cover letters. He does a pretty good job as far as I can see, since there’s no single correct way to do these things – and many ways to screw up.
For an illiterate or semiliterate applicant, this book, despite its clarity and simplicity, may be of little value. For the rest, however, it could mean the difference between the active candidate file and the circular one on the floor.
Lots of samples here, and if you’re clever but not a terrific writer, Bennett’s models may be the ticket. Just be careful what you copy and make sure you use your own name and not the ones he provides.
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(c) 2005, The Miami Herald.
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AP-NY-12-01-05 0600EST
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