What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here! 44 Insider Secrets and Tips that Will Get You Hired Paperback – April 1, 2008

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.

I am really glad that I bought this book. Over the last year, I have prepared thoroughly for interviews, read a number of excellent job hunting and interviewing books -- and yet I felt, on interviews, as though something has changed dramatically in the way organizations make hiring decisions.Two examples: job descriptions often go way beyond reasonable expectations("must have 95 years of experience, a perfect credit rating, and be prepared to travel 150% of the time.") and many of the questions asked as part of the hiring process in some organizations are extremely personal and intrusive, with no apparent connection to the jobs themselves.Ms. Shapiro puts it very well in the first chapter: "Most people have felt a shift in our hiring practices but can't quite pinpoint why things feel so much more stressful than they used to. It's not your imagination. If it seems tougher out there than it used to be, that's because it is. Interviewing and hiring has gone from being merely a stressful process to a full-scale gauntlet that most candidates are finding themselves unprepared for."Ms. Shapiro, a former corporate insider, has been invaluable in showing me what new trends are now dominating corporate hiring processes, including many "secret criteria," such as some organizations refusing to hire people who have been unemployed X amount of time or who voluntarily left their previous jobs, and also under-the-radar discrimination against people by age, gender, and other factors, etc.An especially useful insight of hers:"Because a hiring manager's job is on the line with every recommendation for hire, the safest bet is the one who will receive the offer, not necessarily the one with the best qualifications."While it is likely that the ailing U.S. economy is at least partially responsible for this shift, these changes in the hiring process may remain well into an economic recovery.These changes are not discussed in most popular job hunting and career counseling books, which assume that organizations are still operating in the relatively sunny, ethical "search for the best candidate" mode of more prosperous eras.Everyone who is job hunting or has a friend, family member or co-worker who is job hunting should give them a copy of this book. It will be of immense help to them.For those who posted describing the book as "cynical" and likely to drain a job hunter's hope -- I actually felt much better as I read the book. I actually felt more hope, and felt relief that my uneasiness at some of the interviews that I've had was a justifiable response to some very odd organizational behavior.Ms. Shapiro provides practical strategies to survive and find jobs in the new, more stressful job search environment.

What a good book! It can help potential applicants prepare for jobs from a company's perspective. I enjoyed reading it. However; readers embrace yourselves, it shows what some employees on the job are doing wrong without them knowing that certain actions performed are wrong and not congruent with company policies. Also, why some employers who are very aware about company policies but decline such answers to its employees for corporate sake. This book is an eye opener because it covers a wide range of tips that may alarm and disappoint some of its readers due to new found discoveries of old devices assembled via In-House of the Corporate Minds. I was amazed to learn about some of the material contents; but, I am glad that I purchased the book. My inquisitive mind allowed me to see what the employer really looks for when seeking or promoting potential candidates. The book includes multiple resources for readers to aid them with job searches, as well as preparations.