Customer Reviews

Grad to Great: Discover the Secrets to Success in Your First Career

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Grads... Please read this book!

I was recently recruiting MBA's at a major university looking for sales people. Throughout the entire day only two students could answer the following question:

"What kind of work are you looking for?"

The answers I received varied from "I don't know" to "Something in marketing I think." Oh how I wish those students had read this book "Grad to Great". The authors take you through a logical process of how to identify what kind of job you want and then how to put your best foot forward for any company you interview with (including how to answer the "What Kind of work..." question above).

As an HR manager I can tell you the chapter on how to answer interview questions is worth the price of the entire book. But on top of that you get guidance on career paths, office etiquette, dealing with difficult bosses and even 12 sure fire career success tips.

The book is long enough to cover the bases but not so long that it is full of fluff and filler nonsense. I loved this book and look forward to many more from the authors.

In Grad to Great, authors Anne Brown and Beth Zefo set out to help graduates find and realise the career they want. Grad to Great starts where it should - about finding out what you love doing and then finding someone who will pay you a salary to do it. This topic's been covered before by other books. The difference with this book, is that the authors involve the reader by providing lots of self tests and vignettes to illustrate. I must admit to being sucked in by the case study of Alyssa who flunked her first job interview - the authors asked "How can Alyssa redeem herself and land a second interview?" I had to wait till the end of the chapter to see if my ideas gelled with theirs.

Grad to Great covers just about everything a new graduate would want to know about getting and keeping, a job. For example, as well as some excellent tips on the questions to ask in a job interview, it covers topics such as "Mistakes to avoid at work", "Getting people to listen to you" and "Working with difficult people". A new twist for a book of this type is the final chapter on "Time to move on".

There was one particular topic that both employers and new graduate employees find difficult - how to identify the skills a new graduate can bring to the workplace, since they have no previous work experience. This is expertly covered by the authors in a section they call "transferable skills". It will not only be useful to new graduates, but could also be of use to experienced recruiters looking for new hires.

When it comes to careers, it's obvious that Brown and Zefo know what they are talking about. They are both experienced professionals in their respective fields. They easily and freely share their own career experiences and show how readers can learn from these. I was impressed with their honesty in describing some of the mistakes they personally made - this adds a great deal of credibility to the book.

If graduates were to follow even a small amount of advice delivered in Grad to Great, I'm sure they would be successful in their chosen field. Highly recommended for new graduates, career counselors and there's even something for experienced managers to learn from Grad to Great.

Bob Selden, author What To Do When You Become The Boss: How new managers become successful managers

Grad to Great: Discover the secrets to success in your first career, is the perfect book at the perfect time. This valuable book not only helps recent grads successfully adjust to the real working world, it helps them get a job too. It's too bad every recent grad isn't automatically given this book upon graduation.

This is a short book---just 170 pages long---but there isn't a wasted word or piece of fluff in it. The 12 Secrets to Success are worth the price of the book alone. And succinct chapter summaries make it possible to glean the gems of the book if you haven't got time to read every word.

But my advice is read it, highlight it, re-read it and incorporate its teachings into your job search---and life.

Parents, relatives and friends of recent grads---this could be the best gift they'll get.

'From Grad to Great' is a blunt, no-nonsense and down-to-earth guide and handbook for young adults with questions about getting a job outside of the fast food or retail industries- and I don't think I'm alone in saying that a copy of this book should be given to every college student.

The truth of the matter is that college these days does a lot to prepare individuals in the theory of their professions (nevermind that few college grads actually operate within the realm of their degree) but is woefully inadequate at exposing students to real professional atmospheres. The first two chapters of this book contained more useful information on actually getting a job or successfully completing an interview than an Associate's degree worth of classes.

The book is small enough to be finished easily in two or three sittings- hardly imposing even to the most overworked student- and reads so easily that the act of finishing it is almost a disappointment. I, personally, would like to pass on a half-dozen copies to those friends who didn't get the opportunity to read it with me.
Samantha Kellenberger
Vice President of Operations
JimSam Inc. Publishing
www.JimSamInc.com

"Grad to Great" is directed towards the "soon to be" or recent college graduate demographic (hence the title). To that end, a portion of the book does indeed specifically target people who have never conducted a job search, have not done many interviews at a professional level, etc.

That said, the book is full of success skills and straight forward career advice that is applicable and useful to anyone from large company employees to self-employed to "what AM I doing with my mid-life crisis" Baby Boomers such as myself.

Co-author Brown indicates a journalism background that is apparent in the text. The book is easy to read and doesn't contain a lot of fluff with straightforward chapters on networking, dealing with difficult people, getting people to listen to you and other subjects that will never go out of style. Included are some of the standard sections on following your passion, knowing yourself and goal setting. I see these as necessary for completeness as the authors are offering a handbook for grads who may not have seen any of the hundreds of business and personal growth books out there that address these axioms of success.

I have a son in college that will be getting this book in the next "care package" from home along with Mom's oatmeal cookies.

Mark T. Rafter, Author of "The Wealth Manifesto" series of books

Grad To Great, is nothing short of great. Authors Anne Brown and Beth Zefo offer advice that ranges from solid basic and practical, to truly sage. More than that they do an excellent job of identifying audience segments so as to provide relevant guidance, more targeted and personalized in its nature.

To gain best use of Grad To Great, my recommendation is, read it during your junior year when its time to start your career research and planning your approach to your career choices. Then reread it again as you prepare to apply for your first full time job during or after college. Also, plan to revisit it throughout your first year on the job.

The results of your actions, relations with others, and your decisions during that first year will set the tone for making that first job a successful step toward a strong, lucrative and satisfying career. And, if you read and apply the advice in Grad To Great you will definitely make your entrance and success in the work place much easier, less stressful and perhaps just down-right enjoyable.

Allan Hay,
Career Management & Development Consultant
Author of: Memory Mining, Digging For Gems From Your Past Good Work

Grad to Great is not just another "gift book" for college graduates. Whereas most books in this genre concentrate on the fundamentals of the job search process, or managing finances, Grad to Great digs deeper, and takes a more holistic approach to making the transition from college to career. The authors look at it from the graduates point of view; explaining what to do if you have no idea what you want to do and if you know what you want, but don't know how to do it.

In this book the emphasis is on learning how to become a more sophisticated communicator; especially as it relates to dealing with recruiters, employers, co-workers, and bosses.

I liked the chapter on dealing with difficult workers and bosses the best because the authors gave you actual ideas about what to say and how to keep your emotions in check.

I would highly recommend this book.

Grad to Great is a must read for anyone entering the workforce - and would benefit anyone who is currently working and wondering why they're not more successful! The no-nonsense, practical advice provided by Brown and Zefo is spot on.

This easy to read book covers a wide range of information. The Grad to Great spend a great deal of time discussing knowing yourself and knowing your strengths and it is time well spent. It's great advice which applies to all but should prove especially helpful for new graduates. The section on interviewing contains solid information that will improve the chances of getting the right fit during the job search process. The material on how to conduct yourself in the work environment rings true every step along the way. And even the advice about how to leave the first job is important for the new grad to understand and keep in mind throughout the time he or she spends in that all important first job.

Brown and Zefo cover all this material in a way that is both meaningful and relevant. The quotations from various individuals in different professions sprinkled throughout the book also add charm and reinforce the messages that the authors communicate. With more than 20 years of management experience myself, I unequivocally agree with Brown and Zefo's recommendations and know from personal observation that they have indeed revealed the secrets to having success in your first career and beyond. It's amazing that such a great consolidation of sage, work-related advice comes in such a small package. I highly recommend this book to any new college graduate and plan to give copies to my favorite graduates in the years to come!

This book should absolutely be required reading for all job seeking students or potential employees entering the 'real' world: be it from high school, jr. college, college and beyond. It contains a wealth of useful tips based on real life experience of the authors.
Every placement bureau and business school at colleges and universities should be referencing it. It is so clearly written and has such practical advice, everyone can take something useful from it. Plus it's so well-organized that specific information is quickly found.
It's now the gift of choice for all my graduating nieces, nephews, and friends' kids. Excellent!

This is an excellent book for new grads entering the work world starting their first career. It provides excellent practical pointers, strategies, tips and advice. Some examples:

Don't self-select out of job descriptions because they may appear intimidating.

Keeping your online image clean (Keep in mind this book is copyright 2007! so it was WAY ahead of the online reputation management conversation that's just starting to occur in our society now)

The whole chapter on getting people to listen to you is outstanding and something many younger workers find difficult because of stereotypes about age and experience.

A whole chapter on self-awareness and another chapter on networking are both incredibly valuable to people starting their careers.

Understanding generational differences of your co-workers. You're coming in with different assumptions and understanding of the world than the people you work with. This book explains how you succeed in that environment, not many books even acknowledge this workplace dynamic and give solutions.