Customer Reviews

Get the Interview Every Time: Fortune 500 Hiring Professionals' Tips for Writing Winning Resumes and Cover Letters

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Fortune 500 HR executives do in fact give tips for resumes and cover letters in this book. But if they possess the magic key to getting an interview, they don't share it. Readers won't get the interview everytime because the advice is tired and common: list your experiences and education on your resume; attach a cover letter. Basic online job hunting tips have been layered on top to make the advice seem fresh. It's not. And if it worked, there wouldn't be any need for newer strategies such as the "accomplishment" strategy (at least you prove that you were useful to a business) and the "self-marketing" strategy (much more aligned with a business's needs). As an employer, I want to know what a candidate will do to bring profit to my business and peace of mind to me. It's that simple. I don't want to infer or guess. And, contrary to what this book implies, I am more receptive to candidates who show initiative and creativity.

The books listed some common information you could get on some websites. This book is too general, it has to be more detailed. For example, in the chapter of interview, it told you you have to prepare for questions recuritors will ask and listed around 20 sample questions there. However, it didn't give you any sample answer even a guideline to answer these questions.

This book started with a real great idea but ended in a poor execution. The author did a survey to furtune top 500 companies. However, she didn't present those data she collected well.

My suggestion is if you never know how to find a job and you don't like to do research on google, this could be your first guidebook.

I love this book. It's well conceived, well written and well designed.
First, Greene uses resume tips from the biggest employers in the country. They're the ones who screen the cv's, so who better could tell me what they look for? I feel like I have an insiders guide.
Second, the writing is clear and fresh, unlike so many other resume guides I've seen. There are dozens of sample resumes, critiqued by the pros, that include a range of careers and levels in a variety of hierarchies. The samples also address how to present some very diverse skills and backgrounds, including some that are not normally covered. What a change of pace! It makes this book readable for interest sake, not only for practical use.
Third, the book design makes it easy to read. The type is comfortably spaced. There are lots of sub heads and graphic aids to guide readers through the various sections. So, it can be read either from front to back or by skipping around the pages.
It makes the first steps of job hunting a whole lot happier.

The author says she surveyed only 50 executives, she does not say how many answered and what the questions were. But, e.g., to the question, should you include interests, she quotes just 21 answers. She does not present her data at all, but waffles, putting forth general advice you can find in any library or in any state job center, and which does not appear to have come at all from surveying the Fortune 50 companies. You can obtain this information at no charge without buying a (C) 2004 book at all (and losing the trees). She borrows from others liberally, quoting a LOT of material from other authors, articles, and websites not relevant to her survey or her topic. Most of the book is not detailed advice about how to get the interview at all but is tired and shopworn advice about how to write and submit a resume. Over 60 pages at the end of more sample resumes, which are a dime a dozen at your local job center or library. She could have presented the 'new' information, or what she learned from surveying a few Fortune 50 companies, in about five pithy pages, but she pads and pads and PADS to make a repetitive and lightweight book out of it. Also, she seems to have dealt largely with Human Resources people, rather than with hiring managers. She would have done better to survey companies in particular industries together, and written several chapters about industry-specific reactions to resumes, rather than trying to ignore different styles in the diferent industries. Do not waste any money buying this book. My library will have it, because I shall give it away.

I'm not applying to a Fortune 500 Company, but this book is still a big help. It not only talks about resume guidelines but also cover letters, interviews, networking, and internet tips. The information is up to date and to the point. A thing I like about this book is that it is shorter than many other resume books. Which is good because it can be discouraging trying to do all the exercises the big resume books tell you to go through. This book helps you get a fanatastic resume tailored to the specific job you are applying to in a minimal amount of time.

Looking for a job is a lot easier with this book for
many reasons. First, the author surveyed Fortune 500
Human Resources executives, asking what they look for
in a résumé. Who better to poll than the people who
make decisions about résumés every day? This type of
first-hand information alone makes the book an
invaluable resource, and the rest of it gets down to
the nuts and bolts. Based on the Fortune 500 feedback,
the author provides a wealth of specifics on the
difficult process of writing résumés and cover letters
that resonate with the people on the receiving end. Of
great practical value are the examples of
before-and-after résumés. This approach illustrates
how to position your work history and personal
attributes to maximum advantage. And the
recommendations on use of language and formatting help
in creating professional, well-written documents. The
chapter on how to submit résumés by e-mail demystifies
this process. And an added bonus is the critique of

one résumé by several of the Human Resources people
interviewed for the book. Finally, the 68 pages of
résumés at the end of the book make it easy for anyone
to find approaches and language suited to their needs.
This book can help anyone to focus and fine-tune the
job-search process?not to mention gain confidence.

As an advisor at a university's career center, I have found this book to be extremely resourceful for not only myself and co-workers, but more importantly, the students I advise. Our career center, having heard of the clarity and intructional nature of this book, decided to purchase it for our library. Many students come to my office with questions regarding their prospective careers and this book provides the perfect introduction and guide. Resumes can be presented in a plethora of styles and Greene's book puts students as ease. It helps them realize that constructing resumes can be unique, yet should follow a few basic rules. I would recommend Get the Interview Every Time for not only advisors looking to put their students on the right track, but in addition, individuals who are looking to begin the process of putting together a resume and land an interview.

This is the best resume writing book I have ever seen. The author has thought of everything and has done her homework. She is candidly honest and has the data to back up her work. From the low tech mail your resume all the way to sending your resume as a plain text file, she gives plenty of tips and tricks along the way to get your resume crisp and clean. I wouldn't waste my money on any other resume books.

A returnee to the work force, I found this book to be incredibly resourceful, as I needed to create an updated and more modern cover letter and resume. The author's information and sample resumes were a solid guide in helping me to get my foot into the door and land that interview.
I highly recommend "Get The Interview Every Time" to all. I plan to share this book with both my children who are in college.

This book is more comprehensive than other job hunting books in that it explains the basics of job searching, professional résumés, and cover letters very well. It gives some advice on where to search for jobs, networking, and how to send in job applications via electronic and written formats. If you are only going to buy one book to prepare for a job search and the application process, I would recommend this book over several others.

The downside of this book is that it does little to prepare you for the modern inevitability of having to submit your application through a standardized and faceless corporate website. Any advice on formatting your résumé, writing a cover letter, or writing professional contact emails is unnecessary when companies force you to "spray and pray" your application to their non-communicative and poorly staffed HR departments. Nothing is more discouraging than having your perfect cover letter and résumé butchered by having to fill in standardized forms on the web.