Customer Reviews

The Damn Good Resume Guide: A Crash Course in Resume Writing

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I would say this book is quite good, but not damn good. It's fine if want to write a resume for a 'normal' type of career, but if you have a technical or non-office type of background, it's a bit lacking. For those types of jobs, you sometimes NEED a job description or list of duties in your resume for employers to know exactly what it is you do- -highly discouraged here. I strongly recommend Rosenberg and Hizer's 'The Resume Handbook' over this book. It has everything that's in 'The Damn Good Resume Guide' and a bit more, including a list of resume don'ts and examples of bad resumes.

Having been involved in the preparation of resumes extensively over the last 15 years as a state and federal employment counselor, I have never found any author who more willingly and professionally explians the resume process. Yana is definitely more concerned over quality than just making a buck! "The Damn Good Resume Guide" and its sister titles are definitely head, shoulders, knees and toes over any other book dealing with resume and job search preparation. A "GOTTA HAVE THIS!!" for anyone who wants a truley Damn Good Resume.

This book has ten steps to writing a good resume. For those of you who might think that this is too many, everything is so concisely written that it is easy to get through the book in a day and end up with a great resume. Other books on resumes that I have read fill up their pages with fluff or well-duh information, not so this book. Although some may complain about the seemingly lack of variety in the jobs showcased (I tend to disagree), the ten steps themselves may be applied to a resume for any job. The only drawback to the sample resumes in this book that I can see is that they are a bit wordy (which contrasts with the rest of the book). However, you can aways trim the fat in your own resume.

I recommend this book to everyone, but especially to people that want a consise explanation of how to write a resume, and/or someone that needs to produce a resume in a short amount of time.

Over the years, Yana Parker's books have provided me with valuable insight to the importance of a well thought out, well-targeted résumé. Even as a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, I often refer back to Yana's books to help me see the résumé writing process from a job seeker's perspective. This has proven especially useful in conducting effective interviews with my clients. I have greatly benefited from all of Yana's books that include, but are not limited to, Résumé Pro: The Professional's Guide and, more recently, The Damn Good Résumé Guide: A Crash Course in Résumé Writing. In the latter, she again goes far beyond the basics of résumé writing. Page by page, she counsels on a broad scope of issues and encourages job seekers to practice self/job assessment exercises before making unsuitable and time-wasting career decisions; even if it means -- yes, doing homework first!. As the First Lady of the résumé industry, her staying power speaks for itself. I highly recommend The Damn Good Résumé Guide: A Crash Course in Résumé Writing for anyone seriously considering writing their own résumé.

I bought this book back in the mid-1990's when I was looking to make a career shift. To say that the guide is merely effective would be an understatement. This guide is AWESOME! If you follow the instructions and utilize the layouts in the examples for the type of job you are seeking, you will soon find your resume will consistently float to the top of the pile at nearly every place you apply. You WILL get phone calls! Of course, the rest is up to you -- a resume alone will not get you the job. But, when properly written and designed, they will help you get your foot in the door. I used this book to help me craft a resume for an out-of-work friend who was always amazed at how easy it was for me to locate employement, and he, too, started getting phone calls. He was employed within a month.
USE IT! IT WORKS!

Yana Parker's ten steps to writing a good resume are worth the price of "The Damn Good Resume Guide." The steps are clear, easy to read and understand. Besides that the book is filled with excellent sample resumes and professional suggestions. This is the one resume book I recommend to clients. James P. Kell, Career Consultant, Austin, Texas

Many writers have tackled resume writing. Some have been successfull, but I have found the majority to be redundant and dry. Yana Parker has moistened the resume arena with her wit, knowledge and colorful, juicy language. Even the title, Damn good, invites readers to dive in with curiosity and initiative. Ms. Parker sparks your interest, holds you captive with knowledge and makes the idea of writing a resume or teaching resume writing seem easy. Her ten steps break the process down and reduce the stress many people associate with resumes or any writing that involves self analysis. THE BEST RESUME GUIDE I HAVE EVER USED!

Yana Parker is my favorite resume writing author because of her no-nonsense approach and consistent style. This "thin and cheap" classic is crammed full of the best "damn" resume writing techniques offered by an actual resume writer, including her highly successful "Ten Steps in Creating a Good Resume." These steps are timeless, and can be applied even when creating an electronic resume when developing its content and focus. A useful item that I've not seen in other resume writing books is a sample worksheet that job seekers can give to each person they ask to write a recommendation letter.

I have been using Ms. Parkers books for years and years! This book is especially good if you are looking to change careers - it gives you the skills on how to highlight experience in other areas that can correspond to the new career you are looking for! Yes, I think it is a "damn good" resume book!!

This book exhibits resumes that are shallow and better suited for junior managers than middle level to senior level managers. They focus on career objectives, rather than developing and matching skills to meet the needs of the employer, which is a more powerful approach. "Damn Good..." is a catchy title, but the book doesn't deliver.