Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World (Paperback)

by Lindsey Pollak (Author)
Key Phrases: brag book, career services office, recent grads, Real World, Really Big List, City Year (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
A well-written, lively and easy to follow guide. -- Time.com

Perfect for today’s students, who inevitably want what they want (and only that!) when they want it. -- Campus Career Advisor

Pollak’s thorough research reveals some startling facts that the modern job-searcher may be overlooking. -- Metro New York

Review
A well-written, lively and easy to follow guide. (Time.com )

Pollak's thorough research reveals some startling facts that the modern job-searcher may be overlooking. (Metro New York )

Perfect for today's students, who inevitably want what they want (and only that!) when they want it. (Campus Career Advisor )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (April 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006114259X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061142598
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,825 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for Job Seekers, May 16, 2007

By	Patricia Hudak "Real World 101 Founder" (Jersey City,NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book can be summed up in one word - advantage.

I have read several books and have attended many classes and seminars on career planning to know that this book is it! I have to admit that even with all of my knowledge on resume writing and interviewing, I was still taking notes, this book is that great. Getting from College to Career of the most complete guides to job-hunting that manages (very well I must say) to keep the reader engaged, enlightened and well informed, all at the same time. Lindsey's advice is practical and easy to implement for both college students and recent college graduates.

Getting from College to Career is an essential reading for anyone who wants to have an advantage in their career. I wish I had this book before I graduated so that I could have taken advantage of all the advice that Lindsey so perfectly dishes out to readers in 90 steps. It is the advice that you wouldn't normally hear from college Career Service Centers, but it's what you need to know if you want a leg up on the competition. My hope is that colleges jump on the bandwagon and start giving this book out during freshmen orientation.

Definitely pick this book up if you or for someone you know who is going through the job search process, they will thank you for it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great advice for recent graduates or current students, March 12, 2008

By	Rusty Rothwell - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I read about this book in a NYT "career advice" article. Given the fact that I was in my last semester of college, I ordered the book thinking it would help me in my upcoming job search.

I landed a good job in a major city just a few days after ordering this book. For that reason, given the intensity of my last semester and a move across the country, it took me a few months to pick the book up. Had I read the book before I took the job, it would have given me advice and suggestions on negotiating my starting salary, observing the office culture, and networking.

Still, despite having landed the job I wanted, this book has been helpful. It has opened my eyes to the importance of the persona you put on at work, the way you interact with co-workers, and the importance of networking within your respective industry. If I ever consider switching jobs, I have no doubt this book will help with the transition.

But, this book is not just for the recent graduate! It provides valuable advice for any college student, regardless of your class or academic standing. Given the fact that Ms. Pollak is young and down to earth, it offers real world suggestions that affect the younger generations; this includes cleaning up your "online record" of social networking profiles, book reviews, etc. It also provides excellent samples of resumes, cover letters, and lines to use when attending job fairs or industry trade shows. The chapter on potential interview questions is top notch!

I highly recommend this book. Since it is broken down into suggestions instead of chapters, it is an easy (but informative) read!

Rusty Rothwell
Houston, TX

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This should be required for students, August 13, 2007

By	Andy Drish (Des Moines, IA) - See all my reviews

I will graduate in 5 months and I learned more by reading this book than I have in the majority of my classes. Here's why:

Content - The material is applicable to everyday life and has kept me from making stupid mistakes that make me look like a "college kid" vs a "young professional."

Voice - It's relieving to finally read a book by an author that understands our generation and knows how we like to learn.

Action - After every step, there is an action item to put into practice. A great way to read the book is over one month, doing three action items each day.

Every student should read this book before they graduate.