Customer Reviews

You're Too Smart for This: Beating the 100 Big Lies About Your First Job

5 star:		(14)
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Michael Ball's book is a brutally candid manual for the new college graduate starting out in the corporate world. Written in a witty, often bawdy style, it parses out specific advice and general wisdom, distinguishing between the expectations the new employee may hold and the realities of entry-level work. Ball's straight talk is dressed up with pertinent quotes from a broad range of sources, including philosophers and novelists, management books, business case studies and popular culture. Some of his advice is common sense, like admonitions against romancing your co-workers or being too vocal in meetings. Some of it exposes nuances of the corporate environment, including office politics and how organizations form and operate. We recommend this book to the novice job holder, who will benefit from being forewarned. We also recommend it to human resources executives, managers who deal with recent college graduates and senior managers who want insights about what is going on at the ground level. The book's structural gimmick - its refutation of so-called "lies" about the corporate world - can seem like shtick. Although the lies are entertaining, the book actually communicates a number of useful truths. Those who learned life's lessons the hard way will find confirmation in Ball's maxims; they may be the first to suggest that those who are starting their careers should start reading this first.

The big difference between You're Too Smart for This and other first-job books--believe me, I've read them ALL--is how TRUE and FUNNY this one is! Instead of being so serious and preachy, Michael Ball communicates the big work and life lessons with humor and wit. And not that "oh yeah, ha-ha" kind of humor; I mean, you really laugh out loud with this stuff! (Although some of it is kind of edgy, so be aware if you're easily offended...).

Plus the book is broken up into nice, bite-sized sections. In fact, I don't think that any "lie" is more than 4 or 5 pages long. This makes the book very "flippable"--you can get in and out fast, and come back to it whenever you want.

On top of all this, it's unflinchingly honest: no punches pulled. It's the straight dope, whether you want to hear it or not. The author doesn't apologize to the reader, or try to make you feel like you're above the gruntwork. Instead, he tells you how to deal with it and move on to the bigger stuff ASAP.

I can't recommend this book enough. You'll be informed, entertained, and infinitely better prepared for your career!

This is probably the only book on the market that actually tells you what's what in Corporate America from a new worker's standpoint. Michael Ball covers everything from bosses to office politics to getting promoted to building a personal brand. And all the quotes and little sidebars are freakin' hilarious! If you're a new grad, you've got to get this one!

Some books beat around the bush, merely hinting at what they really want to say. Michael Ball just comes out and says what you need to hear. "You're Too Smart For This" is an excellent guide for college seniors/soon-to-be graduates who are wondering what to expect in the "real world." The workforce is much different than college, and anyone getting ready to plunge into their first job would be well-served to read this practical and humorous advice. The book is even chopped up into easy-to-read sections, so you will never feel overwhelmed. I wish I had this book back when I was 21 and getting ready to leave the Ivory Towers.

I read Michael Ball's first book (@ the Entry Level), nodding the whole way. As an intelligent fresh college grad from an A-level institution, I entered the corporate world with wide eyes and an overly-bushy tail only to be stuck in a cube to do my manager's work for him. "@ the Entry Level" was a great narrative on the transition from college to the working world, but "You're Too Smart For This" really hones in on the intricacies of why my collegiate courses miss the boat on prepping grads on the working world in general and how, amidst all the copies and coffee, I may be better guided in finding my passion in my working life. "You're Too Smart For This," in essence, should have been a senior year requirement in my mind! Definitely a 5 star book -- I finished it a week ago and ready to read it again.

I've bought four additional copies of this book to share the wit and wisdom with my brother and new co-workers fresh out of college. Michael Ball is hilarious and sarcastic, but also sneakily inspiring and reassuring. I thought the transition from college to the corporate world was a surprisingly underrated and overwhelming change. This book made me laugh because it's smart, true, and not afraid to tell the depressing truth. It's an easy read, broken up into 100 different lies about work and peppered with fun comments and quotes in each section. Besides the humor, there's a subtle comforting message that lets you know your initiation into Corporate America is normal. A fun, easy read for anyone - especially college grads, young `corporateers', and anyone with a sense of humor about office life.

Just got this book today and can't put it down. I read for 2.5 hrs. straight and would have kept going but I have a final tomorrow morning. =(

There's a lot of hilarious stuff and definitely great advice. The humor makes me want to read more and more. Can't say it's all-encompassing but definitely worth buying as "one-of-the" books to buy before starting a first job. Great for people right-out-of college. You'll definitely get all the jokes. Great buy!

Hi! I'm a 25 year old "career freshman" as Ball likes to put it. I first picked up this book after my first corporate contract job ended to figure out what went wrong and why they had to let me go.

The book's layout reminds me of "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff", with 2-3 pages dedicated to each "lie". Each topic has interesting side notes and captions and is really written to an audience that's straight out of college, comparing subjects like the hiring process and HR recruiters to dating and one-night stands. Ball breaks down each topic in simple english and at times it seems more like an older frat brother is giving you advice rather than a career counselor. I actually enjoyed reading this book and was able to get through the whole thing in about a week.

The only downsides I have about this book are that his punchlines become somewhat predictable as you progress through the book and that the online resources seem more like a place to hype up Michael Ball's achievements than as a place to learn and share about getting through your first job. It would also help if there was an interactive online forum, like other books catered to twentysomethings (e.g. Suze Orman's YF&B).

Still, I highly recommend this book to all of you out there who are still lost and confused in the corporate world. Good luck to you all!

This book was fabulous and on the mark. A joy to read, full of wisdom, this was one I wanted to share with friends, family, and colleagues from the first page. I highly recommend it to anybody approaching the end of their school year and looking ahead, or to anyone who knows those anybodies, as a graduation gift.

It's funny how things come to you just when you need them... After joining a mid-sized Internet company straight out of school, I found myself doing OK with my actual work, but making a lot of interpersonal mistakes I didn't see coming. For instance, after my manager denied a project request--one that I really wanted--I decided to go talk to some other people about getting on the team. In school, this always worked for me.

But in the office, I painfully found out, this is a huge mistake! And just one of many that Michael Ball expertly--and very entertainingly--illustrates and cautions against. What I appreciated most about You're Too Smart for This was that the author is "on the level" with you--he doesn't pull any punches, and talks to you like a big brother might. One you actually like, that is ;)

The structure of the book--the "lies"--make it an easy and fun read the first time around, but also ensure that you can quickly pick it back up later on as a reference guide for whatever situation you're in (e.g., promotions, quitting, etc.).

Do yourself a big favor and check out this book--even if you think you already know the rules. I can practically guarantee you'll learn some valuable new insights. Plus have a great laugh while you're at it!