Customer Reviews

What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here! 44 Insider Secrets and Tips that Will Get You Hired

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I ordered What Does Somebody Have To Do To Get A Job Around Here after having searched for a job for over a year unsuccessfully. I am an older worker and have not had to look for a job for many, many years. Quite frankly I was baffled and frustrated by what I was seeing - overt discrimination, low paying jobs with very stiff requirements and 45 hour work weeks at a minimum. There were few responses to my initial contact with cover letter and resume. When I had interviews that seemed to go well I didn't get the follow up call.
I got Ms. Shapiro's book last week and the clouds have parted in many areas! The first thing I have done is follow her guidelines in changing my resume. The eye opener for me was her statement, "It's a billboard, not a book." It has to grab the hiring managers attention like a billboard does when you are on a highway. Make them interested, want to learn more. Full disclosure is not needed. My resume was a book that covered 30+ years of work experience. It was a hard process for me but I now have a crisp, eye catching resume.
Ms. Shapiro offers much more information and advice that I have started to put into use. The book is chock full of helpful insights and she is available to answer questions on her website, [...]. I have found her to be very generous with her time, information and encouragement.
I wish I had this book before I began my job search! I can't recommend it highly enough

I have frequently wondered why seemingly every book here receives positive reviews. Well, I think I get it now. This is the 4th "job-hunting" book I've owned; and I couldn't gather the energy to review the other 3 after they did nothing for me. Most of their ilk aren't going to offer you bad advice, but I've found they either recommend drastic changes that are too difficult and time consuming to practically incorporate, or they give bland pointers that anyone with any shred of common-sense should know (dress nice and research!).

Cynthia explains how and why hiring managers are shallow and petty in some of their decisions. She neither apologizes on their behalf or confirms it's the ideal way to hire: they just act the way they do because most of the time they have to and explains the simple things you do to adjust to their criteria. This objective tone is effective because it boosted my confidence enough to convince me that all the rejections I've received didn't make me an idiot; but at the same time I can't play the victim card and blame everyone else.

The resume/cover letter "secrets" are two examples that are easy to apply to your own situation, because they actually encourage less work and more simplification on your part while achieving better results.

For me though, my resume has never been the problem. The interview has. How can I fake confidence after achieving so little success? Well at one point the author recommends writing out all the fears/thoughts on your job search. It is encouraging to see that most of those concerns are in fact quite silly. I have often suspected that "what questions to ask" recommendations from other "career experts" were questionable, and it was enlightening to see that suspicion validated by somebody as experienced as Cynthia in the "Interviewers don't hear what you're saying" section. I feel better prepared for behavorial-style interviewing after being told to just have a few stories prepared, and remember it's about packaging more than details that will likely come across as boring or confusing to the interviewer.

I'm a fairly harsh judge but if I could edit the rating I'd give this 5 stars. I eventually got an offer with a nice raise to pull me away from a horrible job of 3years. One of the "[...] experts" said I would be insane to negotiate because "they might rescind the offer", but I was able to get another week's vacation just by asking for it politely as Ms. Shapiro suggests.

To those who think she is too cynical or whatever, I suggest they watch a corny romance movie to make themselves feel better about the world. This book is designed to help your career and give some practical insight, not to give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

Like another reviewer, after reading this book I had some questions. My past experience is somewhat atypical and, as a recent graduate, am currently experiencing my first-ever professional job search. After finishing her book in just about four days, I fixed up my resume and cover letter - using her advice - and then sent her an email, expecting to get a response in a few days, if at all, and from an assistant. To my complete surprise, she called me later that day to give me my "free 15 minute consultation", which I am sure has added up to a bit more than that. She was amazingly kind and considerate, helpful more than I could have imagined, and also a good cheerleader.

In a few days I'm heading off to my first job interview with a great deal of confidence - not only because of my own skills but also because, thanks to her book, I feel I understand the hiring process much better than I ever have before. This book, and this author, I highly recommend.

This book was worth its weight in gold for my husband's job search. After two long years looking for a job, my husband was incredibly frustrated and discouraged. He was an experienced legal professional with excellent credentials, but employers just didn't seem interested in his resume. He knew that he had to be doing something wrong but had no idea what. Then he got Cynthia Shapiro's book. Talk about results! He read the book in one weekend - applied all of the suggestions - and suddenly everything changed. Now he had interviews, call-backs, just an amazing amount of interest from potential employers. He quickly landed his dream job, and got a substantial salary increase in the process. (Amazingly, even now, companies are calling him with requests to schedule "back-up" interviews in case things don't work out with the company that he ended up joining.... can you imagine??) I only wish my husband had this book at the beginning of his job search. Folks, if you or someone you know is looking for a job, Cynthia Shapiro's book is the real deal. It is an amazing resource for job hunters, and IT WORKS.

I found this book to be highly insightful and informative. As Cynthia book glaringly illustrates, as job seekers, what has been taught to us in the past is woefully incomplete or grossly incorrect. This book lifts the "fog" of secrecy regarding a typical job search and hiring decisions, and confirms what some job seekers had long suspected, but rarely confirmed, regarding the process.

This book helps you to recognize the sometime subtle signs regarding your chances of being hired, warning signs to look out for after you have been hired, and the signs to look out for when "...your services are no longer required".

I also have to personally thank Cynthia for being a gracious, attentive author regarding here book. After reading her riveting book, I had a few question still left in my mind regarding my own particular situation. I contacted Cynthia and the telephone that is provided in here book, expecting that I would be connected to an answering service that would eventually provide me with the information that I was seeking. To my great surprise, Cynthia responded to my telephone promptly, graciously answering my questions between conference calls during her busy schedule.

Clearly, this was an uncommon example of an author really going out of her way to assist one of her readers, and for that, I am extremely grateful.

Again, I highly recommend this book. In this time of economic uncertainty, this book is invaluable in being able to have the necessary skills to properly locate the right job.

I saw Cynthia Shapiro on CNN promoting "What Does Somebody Have To Do To Get A Job Around Here?" and really liked her warmth and articulacy. Needed a job, bought the book. What a fast, entertaining, and profoundly helpful read.

All the nagging questions I had about a process I didn't understand--even some issues I didn't know existed--were laid out in a very clear, friendly, and enjoyable format.

I had read some reviews on this site saying that Cynthia Shapiro does free consultations and even calls back on the same day. I found myself in a confusing situation during a job offer (a company I like, but at a much lower rate than they advertised). I left a message for Ms. Shapiro and she called back promptly, gave me a pro's perspective on my situation given my salary history, and some great ideas for negotiating nevertheless.

I am so happy with this product and very much hope to have the chance to work with Ms. Shapiro in the future.

I just read this book in a day and a half. If you are looking for a job, think you might need to look for a job or want to help someone else, this is the book for you (or them). I graduated from college nearly 8 years ago and this is just the kind of information I could've used then and that I still can use now. The author breaks everything down and leaves no doubt as to why what you've been doing in your job search and even in your current job has been unsuccessful in getting you where you want to go. There aren't any company insiders, HR people or recruiters who are going to tell you what Cynthia Shapiro tells you; they are just going to expect you to know it. Getting hired and staying employed is a game and these are definitely the rules. Also, when you email Cynthia, she does call you back personally and will give you some of the best advice you've gotten in your career.

I have been reading several books and this is by far the BEST for giving you all the details you need when trying to get a job. And you can actually e-mail her and get a free 15 min consulation. She actually contacts you back herself. She has been all over the news and major magazines as a top career coach.
Trust me buy this book first.

I have been looking for a Job for over a year without much success. I recently graduated from school and thought it would be relatively simple to find an entry level job where I could eventually work my way up. That hasn't worked out so well as I'm sure you can imagine. This book is very helpful and provides very good suggestions to help improve your chances of landing an attractive job. I especially liked the tips it had to improve your resume, citing that it is more important to make yourself clear than it is to provide every bit of information you can for a potential employer. Also, at the same time I finished this book I came across http://www.Hound.com. I look at this site before purchasing any books. I liked using http://www.Hound.com because it has jobs only from employer websites and far more jobs than you will find on other job boards. Both of these are options looking into.

Cynthia Shapiro's book provides sure advice for creating good first impressions, dealing with the job interview, and getting hired where you want to be. Read this book before you begin your job search.
Also recommended is Cynthia Shapiro's 2005 book, "Corporate Confidential: 50 Secrets Your Company Doesn't Want You To Know - And What To Do About Them." That book will guide you to improve in your current position, gain status as an invaluable employee the company wants to hold on to and not get rid of, or promote within your company.
I'm using both of these books in my volunteer work doing employment counseling and career coaching.
I consider them to be the two best published resources I have.