What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here 44 Insider Secrets That Will Get You Hired
May 3rd, 2009 | 
Author: What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here 44 Insider Secrets That Will Get You Hired
“Applying for a job is the most important game you will ever play, but employers keep the rules secret. Shapiro reveals how hiring decisions are really made, and gives you the map you need to get through this mine field safely.”
- Lewis Maltby, President of the National WorkRights Institute
“Startling! It’s the best investment you can make on behalf of your career.”
-Sam Horn, author of POP! Stand Out In Any Crowd
“Cynthia Shapiro puts you on the inside track to getting the job of your dreams – without the nightmares. If you want to compete with confidence, this is the only job search book you need.” – Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D., author of Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office and See Jane Lead
“You can’t get on the fast track if you can’t get in the door. This book shares the hidden snares and insider secrets that will give job seekers the edge they’ve been looking for.” – Anne Fisher, “Ask Annie” columnist, CNNMoney.com and author, “If My Career’s on the Fast Track, Where Do I Get a Road Map?
“Cynthia’s insights into the job search process are invaluable. Whether you are just starting out or a seasoned professional, her insider tips will show you how to supercharge your job search and get the jobs you want.” – Penelope Trunk, Columnist for Boston Globe and Yahoo! Finance, author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success
“Applying for a job is the most important game you will ever play, but employers keep the rules secret. Shapiro reveals how hiring decisions are really made, and gives you the map you need to get through this mine field safely.” – Lewis Maltby, President of the National WorkRights Institute.
“There’s nothing like insider secrets to give you an edge over the competition, and when it comes to getting the top jobs, Cynthia Shapiro knows her stuff! This book will change the way you view job searching forever. Stop settling for less and go for the best!” – Barbara Stanny, author of Secrets Of Six Figure Women
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Very Impressed!
I enjoyed this book a lot. The helpful insights it has to offer are worth their weight in gold. Some of the secrets are common sense (that we just don’t think about), whereas some of them, you wouldn’t expect. Her “15 minuet consultation” makes it all the more better! If there is one thing I could say for all those job seekers, like myself, is give the [...]. They are rated very high in customer service, as well as connecting people to jobs (I know from experience)!
Overall the book was an easy read, straight to the point, and most importantly, it works!
1 Star What a bitter, cynical author!
First off, the author discounts a good percentage of her audience with her tip, “quitting your job is the kiss of death.” She does not go on to say anything helpful for those who HAVE quit their jobs.
Next off, her degree of cynicism is incredibly depressing, leaving the impression that nobody wants to know you or is interested in what makes you unique as a candidate. I left off feeling that I wouldn’t want to work for anyone whose main mode was as manipulative and cold-hearted as the hiring managers she describes.
If you want to reward yourself with a good dose of “what’s the use?” hopelessness, go ahead and read this book. My vocational coach was just as appalled as I was. I hope this author has now found another line of work where she can be happier.
2 Stars Some Good Tips
First, I’ll admit, there are some good tips, such as a few tips on how to format a resume and cover letter, but this book could be condensed into something 1/4 of the size as most of it is just garbage about how hiring managers are too busy to spend more than 3 seconds reading a resume, but they have plenty of time to go online and google your name and look at your myspace page, facebook, etc…. The author devotes half the book to explaining how hiring managers are horrible tyrants, yet they are scared to death by their bosses, and they have no time to do anything, and your resume will get thrown away and you’ll never get an interview, and they discriminate based on how big [...] the boss wants, etc… You get the picture, most of it is garbage. Yeah I’m sure some human resource people are like what the author describes, but it’s certainly not all of them. She could have just wrote to be aware that there are some sleazy hiring managers out there, and that would have been sufficient, rather than making up all these fake stories about people. There are much better books out there that have the information condensed and don’t ramble on about things you as a job searcher have no control over.
4 Stars This Book Delivers
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.
Last week I went into my first interview after reading this book (after several rejections while working in a job I hate for 2.5 which I’m not going to quit until I receive another offer). I think I made a couple mistakes and I’m not sure if I’m going to get an offer or not, which is frankly the primary reason I’m not giving 5 stars. What I do know however is that I went in there more relaxed and armed with more confidence than I’ve had in a long time on the hot seat; and that was the most important feeling that was missing from other books I’ve read on the same topic.
5 Stars Essential in Today’s Job Market
This is an excellent book that every job seeker should have. I teach business communication classes for a local college and highly recommend this book to all my students.
Posted in Job Interviewing | 
Tags: Book Shares, Boston Globe, Brazen Careerist, Fast Track, Insider Secrets, Insider Tips, Job Search, Job Seekers, Lois P Frankel, Maltby, National Workrights Institute, Nice Girls, Penelope Trunk, Road Map, Sam Horn, Search Book, Search Process, Shapiro, Snares, Yahoo Finance