Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring: Take Charge of Your Career, Find a Job You Love, and Earn What You Deserve [Paperback]

Ford R. Myers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0470457414 | ISBN-13: 978-0470457412 | Edition: 1

Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring

You CAN find a good job in a bad economy – but NOT with conventional search strategies.

New Rules for a New Reality

Today’s job market is the toughest in recent history, and the challenges are here to stay. Even so, you CAN get the job you want – IF you discard conventional approaches to the search. Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring is the ONLY career book that:

• Explains the special strategies necessary to land a job during an economic crisis
• Integrates comprehensive, practical guidance on both job search and career management
• Provides an extensive online “Job Search Survival Toolkit” to augment the book 
• Addresses the realities of this job market with real-world, actionable steps
• Positions this downturn in the economy as a positive opportunity to develop a much better career

In Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring, career expert Ford R. Myers maps the new world of job search and reveals essential strategies for your success. You’ll learn how to seize opportunities that aren’t posted yet … how to make yourself an instant asset to potential employers … how to clearly stand-out as the best candidate ... and how to leverage social media, blogs, and other Web tools.

Best of all, you’ll learn how to “recession-proof” your career for the long term. Can YOU Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring? With this powerful new book – YES, you can!

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

You CAN find a job in a bad economy—but not with conventional search strategies

To win a job now, you need a recession-proof plan. Get the Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring explains why your chances are better than you think, gives you the strategies to land your dream job, and includes:

• The twenty habits of effective job-hunters in a down market

• Why your resume is your least important job-search tool
• Tips on building an online career identity with blogs, web sites, and social media

"Ford Myers' excellent Get the Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring shows you clearly and realistically how to be one of the millions of people who land a job rather than the millions who lose a job. His book should be required reading for anyone facing unemployment."
—Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the Guerrilla Marketing series of books

"Mounting a strategic job search can be confusing, especially when compounded by the emotional toll of job loss and an economic crisis. Myers' book explains how to find a job that fits your long-term career goals. Armed with renewed confidence and a strategic plan, a good job is attainable."
—Robyn Greenspan, Editor in Chief, ExecuNet 

"If you feel alone in this tough and puzzling job market, Get the Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring is a must-have. No matter where you are on your professional journey, this book will show you step by step how to reinvent, reignite, and reestablish your career."
—Beverly Kaye, CEO and Founder, Career Systems International, and author of Up Is Not The Only Way

About the Author

Ford R. Myers has worked at America's largest career consulting companies and is President of Career Potential, LLC, a career consulting and executive coaching firm. He is frequently featured on TV, radio, and in print as a career expert. For more information, visit www.careerpotential.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (June 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470457414
• ISBN-13: 978-0470457412
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,701 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Since 1992, I have been providing professional services in career consulting and executive coaching. After counseling thousands of individuals on their careers, I drew from my diverse experience to create Career Potential, LLC - a powerful new approach to career management.

My firm works with executives and professionals, helping them to take charge of their careers, create the work they love, and earn what they deserve! Career Potential also helps leading companies attract, develop and retain premium talent.

I have served on the staffs of three prominent career management firms - Right Management Consultants, Manchester, and Lee Hecht Harrison - where I was Vice President, Director of Professional Services. In recognition of outstanding business contributions, both Right Management Consultants and Lee Hecht Harrison honored me with professional service awards - including the prestigious "President's Award."

I am author of two books: The Ultimate Career Guide and Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring (published by John Wiley & Sons). My articles and interviews have been featured in such publications as Inc. Magazine, Fortune Magazine, Money Magazine, US News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Crain's Investment News, The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, The Baltimore Sun, The Dallas Morning News, ExecuNet's CareerSmart Advisor, and The Seattle Times. In addition, Career Potential publishes a monthly e-newsletter entitled "Your Career Advocate."

I have conducted presentations at many organizations, including Society for Human Resource Management, International Society for Performance Improvement, American Society for Training and Development, Princeton University, Harvard University Alumni Association, Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group, Temple University, Career Management Alliance, Institute of Management Accountants, Eastern Pennsylvania Healthcare Executives Network, Association of Career Professionals International, and Association for Psychological Type International. I have also appeared as a career management expert on numerous television and radio programs, such as NBC-TV, CBS-TV, Fox-TV, Comcast-TV, CBS Radio Network, Clear Channel Radio Network, Infinity Radio Network, and Bonneville Radio Network.

My education includes a Bachelor's Degree in Communications, and a Master's Degree in Human Resource Development. I have studied extensively with The Coaches' Training Institute and National Training Laboratories. I am also a certified consultant for Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory, Leadership Effectiveness Analysis, Personal Directions and other career assessments.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

209 of 217 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Just okay, there MUST be better ones out there... August 12, 2009

By KV Trout

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

First of all, these "find a job" books seem to be plagued by reviewers who are friends of the authors and write glowing reviews for them... Hover your cursor over the reviewer's names and see how many of them just wrote ONE review in their entire history of reviews: the one for THIS book. Coincidence? Forgive me if I'm cynical but I've seen this with a lot of these books, now and I can't help but wonder how legitimate they are.

Okay, as to reviewing this book:

I was very hopeful it would help me. And it does have some concrete info about cover letters and resumes that is probably good, but much of it is the same ole same ole info you will read in most of these "job search" books. While the info may be good, it is nothing you haven't heard before if you've done much investigation at all, and so it is sort of a waste of money to find info that you can find all over the internet and in any other book. No?

Here's the bottom line info this book imparts:
1) Ra ra ra! Sis boom bah! You CAN find a job!
That is to say, the author tries to get you out of your depression and pessimism and get you to feeling that you can find a job (even though in reality maybe you really can't).
2) Network, network, network. Networking is the answer.
What if you don't KNOW anyone who is in the kind of job you want? What if your friends are all in completely different fields? What if not one friend has EVER helped you find a job, ever? What if you're not an outgoing person and really hate "networking"? Well, then you're screwed and this book won't help you.
3) Job ads won't help you. Internet job searches won't help you. You've got to network, network, network. (See #2, above.)
4) Target a company you want to work for and go after jobs there.... Okay, sure, that makes sense. But what if they've had a hiring freeze for the past year and/or are laying off people in your position? Get a clue, Mr. Myers: The economy is REALLY bad. People aren't hiring. What good is it to target companies if those companies are not hiring?
5) Your resume' isn't really that important, it's the networking that matters. (See #2, above) I disagree. I think that the resume' is VERY important and it is really the only thing you have when you are going for a job where you don't know anyone because... Right, see #2 above.
6) The cover letter is very important. This is the only part of the book that is really useful, in my opinion, at least in my case. He gives you some good advice on cover letters. You can probably find the same advice for free on the net.

My major problem with the book, aside from it being just like all the others for the most part, is that it seems to be oriented towards upper level job seekers. Look at the resumes he gives you samples of. They're all for Management and Operations Manager and Creative Directors who have no gaps in their resume's and all seem to have just the kind of experience that employers would be looking for. What about the rest of us schlubs, the probably 80% of the country who are NOT managers and directors of companies but rather, the people who make this country's wheels go 'round: the skilled laborers, the office workers, the factory workers, the warehouse workers... the ____ WORKERS...? What about US? Oh, well, you're on your own. Because the sample resumes and cover letters won't work quite as well for you, and while you can network, it goes back to the same old problem: But what if no one is hiring? Isn't that the title of this book? Well, yeah, but he says SOMEONE is always hiring. Right.

I applied for a job last month where there were about 35 positions open and do you know how many people applied? 23,600. Yes, twenty-three thousand, six hundred people going for the same 35 jobs! That gives you some idea what we're up against and, so I guess technically the author is right: Someone IS hiring! And he's right about this too: Your resume' and cover letter aren't as important as WHO YOU KNOW. If you can get your foot in the door by knowing the right people, you stand a much better chance of getting the job! But if you DON'T know anyone? Well, then you're pretty much screwed.

Like I said, I give this book 3 stars because it does have some practical advice about cover letters and, less so, about resumes. The rest of it is mostly b.s. and is oriented towards people who have great experience, have a lot of contacts who they can "network" with, and who are what you might call "management" or "upper management" types.

If you're an average "worker bee" you can probably do just as poorly by not buying any book at all, just read what you can find on the net by doing googles about resumes, cover letters, job searching, etc.. If you're living on unemployment which is probably around $300-450/week, depending on your previous job and what state you live in, who's got money for a book?

But I DID invest the money because I read the glowing reviews (questionable as they are), and I am righteously disappointed in this book. I'll be putting it up for sale here so if you want it, help yourself to a bargain. I didn't underline or mark any pages, unfortunately it isn't that kind of book. Read more ›

50 of 58 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Can I give this book ZERO stars? August 12, 2009

By Yolanda

Format:Paperback

I'm rating this book low for pretending to be something special, something specific to this job market, when it really is not. It is really "just another job search book" that the author probably had about ready to go and then when the current Depression came along he changed a few words, changed the title, and suddenly had a marketable book on his hands... without really giving us anything new, just a spiffy new package.

As the other reviewer said, the main thrust here is Network, Network, Network!
Who doesn't know that already? If you don't know it I hope you read it here in my review, then you can avoid buying this book because 80% of the book, or so it seems, is the author telling you how you must network.

The problem with networking is, some of us just don't know that many people or everyone we know says their company just laid off a bunch of people... These are tough times. So yeah, go ahead and network all you can, but it's no better than looking for jobs on the net, if no one is hiring. In fact, I would make the argument that if you live in a small town, are not an upper management type or professional, networking in your small town will likely NOT land you a job. In that case, you should use the net and newspapers, cold call, etc. in the big city an hour away to get a job. Networking is not going to help you much in that case, and any way, people in small towns just call it "asking friends". Everyone knows who's hiring and who isn't and if no one is hiring, your friends can't help you.

Now if you're a highly respected such-and-such with contacts all over the country and a great reputation, live in a big city or are willing to move, then you may well get a job by networking. But then, you won't be looking at books like this...... If you're a warehouse worker like my friend, or some other non-professional worker, and you live in a small town where every company is laying people off, networking probably isn't going to get you very far.

I wish the author had spent more time on Resume's and cover letters. I'm not sure WHAT he should have done, all I know is THIS book didn't help ME much, and in fact it just depressed me because it made me feel like if I don't know 100 people to "network" with, I'm screwed. It really doesn't help the "lower and middle class" people much at all, it's more for upper class management and professional types.

To me this book just is not honest nor realistic for the majority of workers.

And it should be honest and say so on the cover. Read more ›

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Empowering Job Search Book! June 26, 2009

By Margie Cherry

Format:Paperback

Wow! I can't remember ever reading a job search book this empowering before! With chapters like "Every Company is Hiring All the Time, Even in a Down Economy", and "Don't Be Afraid to Negotiate in a Down Market- Be Afraid Not To", I feel like I've been let in on an insider's secret. The whole attitude of this book is that more of the power lies with the job seeker than we've been led to believe in this so-called "buyer's market." The chapter on salary negotiation alone is worth the price of the book! As a career and life coach, you'd better believe that I'll be recommending this book as a step-by-step, confidence-boosting power tool for my clients to use!

Margie Cherry
Career and Life Design Coach
[...]

48 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource June 26, 2009

By CC

Format:Paperback

I am giving "Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring" an excellent rating for several reasons. You get a lot of bang for your buck. This comprehensive resource covers all aspects of the job search, and is a workbook too with exercises to help you gain clarity on what you have to offer and what you want. Also many sample documents, such as resumes, cover letters, job tracking forms, etc., are included - all of which can also be accessed online via the author's website. Mr. Myers states that the job search is an "inside job" and an "outside job," and he provides strategies for the reader to be successful in both realms of career management. Mr. Myers introduces concepts that most people don't consider when selling themselves on the job search - such as providing an employer with a "Testimonial Page," and submitting a "Perfect Match Letter." The author also explains exactly how to avoid revealing your salary requirements, and how to have more bargaining power when negotiating an offer. As I read this book, I felt like I had a seasoned career coach by my side, guiding me through each step of the job search process. In short, "Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring" is a unique, powerful resource - especially now when the job market is so challenging!