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Getting Your Foot in the Door When You Don't Have a Leg to Stand On

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Wayne Gretsky once said, (as quoted in Rob Sullivan's book) "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Sullivan, a one time recruiter, in his new book Getting Your Foot in the Door When you Don't have a Leg to Stand On, gives you new strategies, ideas and steps to take to make those "shots" that will eventually land you the job you want. He has concrete examples for making your cover letter and resume really work and stand out in a sea of resumes.

This book has a wealth of ideas. For example, once you have a contact or lead into a company, ask for help rather than asking for a job. Getting an "informational" interview may be much easier than getting an interview for a job that may not even exist yet. In an "informational" interview, you have the opportunity to share your strengths and show how you might help the organization. If there is still no job at that company, your new contact will know you personally and be more likely to give you other leads or recommendations.

Sullivan's chapters on resumes and cover letters, in a very clear and concise manner, will give you concrete ideas on how to be more effective in your one and only contact with either a recruiter or a company. His advice in how to establish a "clear chain of events" is excellent. A resume that leaves more questions than answers in the readers' minds may well eliminate you from the start. Sullivan says, "Unlike your resume, every word of your cover letter will probably be read." Of course, then, crafting a cover letter with punch is critical, and Sullivan's book will give you clear steps to do this.

Sullivan's self-assessment exercises and his guidelines on the interview process, like how to field tough questions, how to prepare, and how to close the deal, are all valuable tools for the job seeker. Check this one out! You will not be disappointed.

Rob Sullivan has created a wonderfully complete and enlightening source for landing your dream job. From discovering what careers and companies are right for you to negotiating the perfect salary, this book has it all. In addition to the wealth of practical knowledge contained in this volume, Rob has included numerous real life stories and quotes to lend character and authenticity to his work. I especially like the chapter on resume creation...great ideas for putting yourself on paper in a way that will definitely get you noticed. For anyone in the job market today and for anyone who will ever look for a new job in the future, get your hands on this book.

Every time I pick up this book I am mystified as to why it hasn't found a broader audience. Yet, perhaps it's because, as Sullivan says in the intro, "you won't find shortcuts or easy answers". Unlike the narrow, often-unsatisfactory assessments that abound on the web or in career centers (interest inventories, personality typings, etc.), Sullivan's approach requires a greater level of responsibility and engagement on the part of the reader. But those willing to put in the time will find a bonanza of sound guidance to help them identify and credibly market their strengths, and hold onto their saddles while riding the interview circuit.

Solid training in advertising plus real world experience (at ad-world giant, Leo Burnett, and as a VP and Senior consultant for an executive recruiting firm) equip Sullivan with the means to define and craft the job search in marketing terms, as well as plenty of insider knowledge of interviewing techniques. Moreover, these recommendations are market-tested: Sullivan suffered through more than 80 interviews before writing the book and leveraging its methods to attain career success.

Sullivan's comparison of the job hunt to a product launch, with potential employer as consumer, orients the job seeker early on toward a realistic and research-driven self-assessment. Subsequent chapters prod the reader through the process of harvesting and quantifying details and variously combining the elements into persuasive, job-specific resumes and covers.

With well-selected quotes, honest field reports and a long, quirky bibliography, Sullivan reveals his humanity-a creative counterbalance to the book's stolid core. Scattered with gems such as the recommendation to keep a work journal of your ideas and contributions, and advice on how to handle time gaps, lateral moves and backward steps, Getting Your Foot in the Door is well-worth its modest price.

Rob's book is an easy read, and has good insights into how companies approach the recruitment process. It helped me create a very focused resume. I also liked the interview tips. A very concise and useful book.

When I bought this book, I expected a detailed summary of how to get into a field when you don't have all the typical experience required. Instead this is just another "Improve your job hunting skills" book. Its got a few good tips about writing your resume and cover letter, but not much else that hasn't been said before.

This is a "MUST READ" book for those who are searching for the best strategies to "Effectively Market Themselves". With his wisdom and expertise, Rob Sullivan creatively guides you through the process of discovering your passions by assessing your abilities and experiences. What an exciting revelation it has been for me to learn that I "CAN" secure that "Dream Job". He provides powerful examples of how to create a cover letter that will definitely "Get Your Foot In The Door" and offers invaluable insight on preparing for an interview. This is not a "How-To" book but, be prepared for this book to take you where NO "How-To" book has ever gone before!

This book seemed more like a novel than a self-help reference. Everytime I opened "What Color is Your Parachute" I thought about the millions of other job hunters who were writing resumes identical to mine. Rob Sullivan preaches a simple philosophy of matching your strengths to an employer's needs. He directs you through the process of researching the right job and writing the proper resume so that it seems like you are the perfect person for the job. He teaches you how to interview in a way that makes you the only option for the position. I read this book straight through and then used it as a reference. "Getting Your Foot in the Door When You Don't Have a Leg to Stand On" identifies the areas where predictable job hunting stratagies make you no more than one in a thousand. The advice in this book gave me the courage to market myself as the right person for the right job instead of simply relying on luck. If you feel confined by "Objectives", internet job hunting, and cookie-cutter answers to interview questions, read this book. Rob Sullivan gives you the real deal.

What I LOVE about this book is that it's like having your best friend give you a big hug and say, "Don't worry. It's going to be alright. Here's what you need to do."

The case studies are great and really make Rob's points come to life. That, by itself, makes this book different because you can see the difference this approach makes. But don't kid yourself. It takes work. It took me a few weeks just to work through the self-assessment.

If you're looking for a quick fix, magic pill, you aren't likely to find it anywhere. You hold the key to your future. It's up to you to uncover the gold in your background. Thanks to Rob, I'm well on my way.

While this book is particularly valuable for career-changers and entry-level job hunters, I'd recommend this book to anyone.

If you are looking for inspiration in the workplace, or in anything for that matter, this book is the place to find it! Rob Sullivan's ideas are creative and logical at the same time. The examples in this book are enough to give you the encouragement you need to go after your goal, and the pointers he gives will help get you to that dream! Anyone changing jobs or just entering the job market MUST read this book!

I was fortunate to have met Rob Sullivan, and in a forty-five minute seminar, he filled me with enough insight to transform my Monster.com resume from generating 1 call in 6 weeks to 5 calls in 4 days! The passion, enthusiasm, and insight I experienced with him personally, fill the pages of his book, which I found to be extremely valuable in my own job search.

Rob's book is interesting, fun, succinct, and filled with wisdom. I found his book much more relevant and useful to me than "What Color is Your Parachute." I highly recommend "Getting Your Foot in the Door" instead.