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Interview fitness training : by Martin, Carole

Publication: San Ramon, CA : Interview Pub., 2005 . 104 p. : 22 cm. Date: 2005

Practice makes perfect, right? Well in this book, Carol Martin serves as an excellent interview coach while providing exercises, quick tips and strategies that will not only build your "interview muscles" but most importantly, you will receive quality training that will prepare you to knock out your next interview! Concepts such as self-acceptance, learning how to market yourself, as well as efficacy and preparedness are all essential components that lead to executing a successful interview. Martin provides many key points about some major skills including knowledge-based, transferable/portable, and personal skills which she considers to be the core qualities one must constantly work towards improving. Before your next interview, make sure you review this helpful interview preparation guide that covers a wide variety of interviewing topics you do not want to miss out on!

The 250 questions every self-employed person should ask / by Mihaly, Mary E.

Publication: Avon, Mass. : Adams Business, 2010 . 177 p. ; 22 cm. Date: 2010

In “250 Questions Every Self-Employed Person Should Ask,” author Mary Mihaly does an excellent job of outlining many of the worries of new or potential entrepreneurs, while simultaneously providing advice or resources to aid in remedying these concerns. The book itself literally flows question by question, which makes it much more of a guide than a book. It’s split up into six overarching sections, enabling the reader to quickly find what they’re looking for. Looking back, this is not a book I would normally read all the way through. Rather, it serves as more of a go-to reference for those seeking answers to common start-up questions. Questions range from strictly legal or political (for example, number 76, “What’s the difference between a limited partnership and a general partnership?”) to more ambiguous (number 200, “How do I know if self-employment is still the best choice for my life?”) Mihaly does a fantastic job balancing her responses with fact, opinion, and humor, preventing the guide from becoming too dry. Having read books in the past concerning young entrepreneurs and start-up ideas, I would say that this book is the best fit for either recent grads looking to start their own business, or students who are currently venturing into their own enterprises. This is because the book has limited content tailored to those seeking advice on whether or not self-employment is for them, and instead contains the steps to take once this decision has been made.

Interviewing skills / by Edwards, Liz.

Publication: London ; | Rollinsford, NH, USA : Spiro Press, 2003 . x, 97 p. : 20 cm. Date: 2003

Beyond its stature and sparkles of the front cover, Liz Edwards coaches you as a personal trainer in becoming ready and prepared for that big day: Interviews. Broken down into five sections, accurately labeled just as if you were training for a work-out, you will find a fitness assessment, fitness profile, warm-up, work-out, and keeping fit. As this is a very interactive book, have your pencils and pens ready for notes and keeping score. The topics covered include everything from organization, preparation, communication to listening, situational case studies, nonverbal cues, and those alike. In the work-out, you will have the opportunity to learn and develop those skills that are lacking as indicated in your assessment. If you are looking for some quick training on interviewing with a personal coach this book is for you.

What's your type of career? : by Dunning, Donna,

Publication: Boston, MA : Nicholas Brealey Pub., 2010 . ix, 397 p. ; 23 cm. Date: 2010

This book is a very interesting read and, in my opinion, different than most other career / job-hunting books out there. It focuses on the individual by categorizing careers by personality types and analyzing the optimal work environments that different personalities thrive in. There are a total of 16 different personality types, as based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. You can find simple yet detailed worksheets within this book, which are fun to do and helps guide the reader along in finding out your own specific personality type. Based on these different personalities, the author then goes into detail about each one and how it affects and individual’s working style, preferences, strengths, weaknesses, areas and ways to improve, and et cetera. She makes suggestions regarding the types of career fields and positions that may be attractive to each personality type, as well.

The book is relatable and useful for students who are unsure about future career paths, but also helpful for older individuals who are looking to switch career paths. It is very easy and fun to read, often utilizing formatting such as checklists and bullet points. After taking the personality test, I was surprised of how accurate the description was about myself. The career suggestions made to me included ones that confirmed some of my current ideas, as well as some that I have not previously thought about. Overall, I think this is a very interesting and helpful self-help book that I would recommend to anyone.

501 ways for adult students to pay for college / by Tanabe, Gen S.

Publication: Los Altos, CA : SuperCollege, 2004 . 288 p. : 23 cm. Date: 2004

This book talks about numerous ways to help students make their tuition more affordable. To make it more practicable, the author classified into several categories, for example: money from your state, money from your college, maximize your federal financial aid and so on. In detail chapter, the author listed where you can find those specific scholarships and how you can apply it, which are really useful and detailed for students. Besides, the author also gave saving strategies on living smartly in college by using vivid personal example to help students get money inside. Overall, I thought this book is really interesting for the little tips and short stories combined with strategies and also helpful for students to handling the increasing amount of tuition today.

Dressing smart for women : by Nicholson, JoAnna,

Publication: Manassas, VA : Impact Publications, 2004 . vii, 211 p. : 23 cm. Date: 2004

In “Dressing Smart for Women,” author JoAnna Nicholson teaches readers how to dress both stylishly and smart for a workplace setting by avoiding common faux pas and mistakes, while empowering them to make their own wardrobe decisions (following a few guidelines, of course). Though the book was written roughly ten years ago, most of the information still appeals to current readers. For example, Nicholson’s list of “101 Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make” closely resembles modern-day BuzzFeed and Thought Catalog lists, with examples such as, “20. Not understanding that you don’t have to be thin, young, or look like a model to have a fabulous appearance.” Indeed, most of the book stresses not only how to improve your physical appearance, but also how to improve how others perceive you. This is particularly critical to students, as many of us will be entering the workforce soon and must purchase professional clothing that promotes a positive impression. Parts of the guide are a bit extreme (such as claiming that finding your “color type” can be a life-changing experience), but most prove to be highly useful. Nicholson also does a great job of ensuring that her guide is not an end-all-be-all for the user, by constantly reminding them that they can and should add their own “signature pieces” to their wardrobe. As a business student, I would highly recommend this book to young professionals of any field who need a better grasp on “dressing smart.” From personal experience, it took me several years (and an internship) to figure out how to properly dress at work. So why not beat the clock, pick up this book and have your wardrobe perfected by the time you head into your first job?

150 best jobs for the military-to-civilian transition / by Shatkin, Laurence.

Publication: St. Paul, MN : Jist Works 2013 . xi, 340 p. : 24 cm. Date: 2013

If you are facing the transition to a civilian career from one in the military, this book is a must. Shatkin has compiled bits of information and advice into an easy to read, clear, concise, and thorough single book. In the first part of this book, Shatkin lays out the advantages of military service in the civilian sector and lays out resources that can be utilized to further the job search and continuing education. But it does not stop there, as in part two, he lays out lists that are grouped into various categories, including those based on jobs many recent veterans hold and the statistics associated with those jobs. There are more lists as well, broken down by personality, level of education, etc. Finally, the last part of this book describes the best jobs held by recent veterans that have high pay, future growth, and who are looking to hire in the present. Shatkin truly has taken this book and assisted in laying out the numbers as well as more abstract aspects that make a transition from military-to-civilian career difficult, and I know that when the time comes, I will definitely turn to this book during my career search.

No more ramen : by Aretakis, Nicholas.

Publication: Scottsdale, AZ : Next Stage Press, 2006 . 237 p. ; 23 cm. Date: 2006

As the author said in the beginning of No More Ramen, "this book is dedicated to all the 20-somethings who felt they could not but learnt that they could, and then went on to affect a change", which I cannot agree more. The author begins her story by talking about ramen,which was her usual food in the high school and college. And as her idea, when one day she does not have eat ramen anymore, she can say she arrived the beginning of a lifelong journey toward happiness in the real world. This interesting beginning leads to her continuing discussion about techniques on job, life and their balance while the goal is to get a new view of lifestyle to make ourself relaxed and happy. In the book, the author starts her idea from little story about ramen about her real life cases and she inserted a lot of surveys and charts into the idea. This could let readers self-estimate themselves first and focus on their week parts. I found this book really useful to students who will graduate soon and get into the real world, since this book at least can give you a little guide when you are confused.

Managing yourself for the career you want :

Publication: Boston : Harvard Business School Press, 2004 . ix, 169 p. ; 22 cm. Date: 2004

The book Managing Yourself for the Career You Want offers candid career advice for to wind up at the right job for you. The book is full of interesting tips about the current job market and how it is changing. The structure of the book is fairly linear. In the beginning, it discusses how to wind up at the right job; once you are there, is tells the reader how to progress and get promoted higher and higher. The content of the book is interesting and it is backed by Harvard Business School so it has academic credentials behind it. The chapters are also authored by different professionals which is probably one of the best aspects of this reading. Each chapter offers a specialized view into each persons chapter topic and gives the reader greater and more focused insight on a specific topic. Overall, the book is an interesting read and can help young professionals in universities wind up in their personal choice of a career.

The mom economy : by Wilcox, Elizabeth,

Publication: New York : Berkley Books, 2003 . xxii, 247 p. ; 22 cm. Date: 2003

This book is actually a family career book to assist mothers get family-friendly work. And the author divides the career into four steps: ascertaining your needs, identifying your strengths, understanding the work arrangements, getting family-friendly work. To better explain her idea, the author uses several mothers’ real cases to analyze the potential problems and good solution to it by using steps she recommends. Also, in each step she listed several useful tips and interesting exercise to help you review yourself and find a way to solve it. I do think this is good book for moms to maintain a good family relationship and also college students can look at it in mom’s shoes for getting family-friendly work. And this book is easy and interesting to read as the author combines exercise, stories, tips together in this book rather than pure steps.

The expert expat : by Hess, Melissa Brayer.

Publication: Boston : Nicholas Brealey Pub., 2007 . xxv, 277 p. ; 23 cm. Date: 2007

This book was interesting to me as I am likely to travel abroad for my job in the future. When I picked it up, I thought I knew everything there was to know about the basics for moving abroad, and expected to learn a little bit about how to adjust culturally. I was pleasantly surprised. This book spans topics from how to adjust culturally, to raising children in a different country, to figuring out the details of visas and work, to even travel for pets and making the move with a spouse. It truly detailed out all the actual physical steps of moving, as well as the affects the move might have on an individual and how to deal with them. If you are looking to move abroad for a longer period of time, this book really helps show you all the things that need to be discussed and examined before you move. It is a must have for those involved in international governmental jobs as well as organizations that focus on a global mission!

The work book : by Hobbs, Bill.

Publication: La Plata, MD : The La Plata Press, 2012 . iv, 115 p. ; 21 cm. Date: 2012

In a short and to-the-point style, Bill Hobbs writes The Work Book: How to Build Your Personal Brand and Get Hired! In these 15 chapters, Hobbs explores and walks the audience through the journey of pre, intra, and post job selection timeline. Written in a first person narrative with a coaching voice, splashes of personal examples of positive and negative experiences are found throughout the chapters. Some even include interactive steps for the reader to participate in on brainstorming ideas of their future. The content covers materials that include: job selection and applications, resumes, interviews, networking, successful futures, creating and sustaining a personal brand, and more. This book is suited for the entry-level new hires. However, all walks of careers can benefit from Hobbs’ professional advice in developing oneself.

Job-hunting online : by Bolles, Mark Emery,

Publication: Berkeley : Ten Speed Press, 2008 . 200 p. ; 23 cm. Date: 2008

Bolles’ Job-Hunting Online guide is a great resource for students looking for full time jobs after college. Nowadays, it is crucial for candidates to enter the digital world. Not utilizing all the search engines, forums, and networking outlets that the internet has to offer, puts job seekers at a huge disadvantage. Right off the bat, Bolles breaks down myths about online searches. I was surprised to learn that only 4-10% of people who only use online job listings are successful (especially if you are using “supersites” like monster.com). Instead, it is important to use multiple online outlets. To help us out, Bolles provides copious amounts of URLS to search engines, information about resumes, job boards (regional, college graduate, specialty, government, and disability), etc. to use in the search process. He uses a “parachute method” to mark which sites he finds most useful. Overall, I would recommend this book to a college senior who want to utilize their time and resources when finding a job. If utilized appropriately, the internet can certainly help you in the job search process.

Preparing for the behavior-based interview : by Fitzwater, Terry L.

Publication: Menlo Park, CA : Crisp Learning, 2001 . viii, 86 p. : 26 cm. Date: 2001

In “Preparing for the Behavior-Based Interview,” author Terry Fitzwater does a fantastic job of guiding the reader through the interview process, while allowing them to try many of the exercises for themselves. The book is broken down well into four main phases—preparation, polishing, answering questions, and following up post-interview. The big thing this book does well is that it helps you prepare for an interview by stepping into the “employer’s shoes” and examining what the company wants in a new hire – a tip often overlooked by many students who are interviewing for the first time. The advice within the book itself is easy to follow and takes a step-by-step approach at the interview process, while throwing in gems of information that I believe would help any interviewee, including the PAR (Poise, Appearance, and Rapport) technique, and well-rounded advice for writing a cover letter based on the skills required in the job position. My one complaint would be that some of the resume formatting information seems a bit-out dated. The guide is in a workbook format, so while you shouldn’t write in a library book, I highly suggest following along on your own sheet of paper. Practicing will help refine these skills for future use, particularly during the third phase, “Responding to Questions,” where you can practice answering behavior-based interview questions. Most interviews for internships and entry-level positions are behavioral interviews, and thus I would highly suggest this easy and usable guide for students.

Million dollar networking : by Nierenberg, Andrea R.

Publication: Herndon, VA : Capital Books, 2005 . xviii, 260 p. ; 22 cm. Date: 2005

As Andrea repeatedly mentioned in this book, networking is about giving first. In this book, the author talks about some strategies for meeting people, building relationships and creating advocates. One thing i found really interesting in this book is about self marketing, like how to label your personal brand, which is something we often ignore. I do think this book is useful for people in all ages whether you are in the college or in the work, as networking is significant and applicable all the time. Furthermore, since the author introduces technique for networking by combining little tips and her personal experience, it is interesting to read through during my road trip.

Hello real world! : by Liang, Jengyee.

Publication: [North Charleston, SC?] : BookSurge, 2005 . 123 p. ; 23 cm. Date: 2005

For such a short book, Jengyee Liang packed a lot of helpful and relevant information into “Hello Real World!” The book walks readers through the appropriate professional timeline for students to start searching for internship, co-ops, and entry level positions. After debunking a few myths about the ideal candidate and the job search process, Liang provides advice about career fairs, resources, professionalism, etc. Finding a summer opportunity or job after graduating is an important task and you should treat it like one of your courses and dedicated the appropriate amount of time to your search. Liang also discusses what you should do once you have an offer. This includes information about negotiating the offer, your first day, how to act throughout your time at a company, and evaluating your own performance. Above all, Liang encourages young adults to take a proactive approach towards the real world. I would recommend this book to students who do not know when or how to start the job hunt, someone who has questions about accepting offers, and/or a student looking to “shine” on the job. Hopefully this book makes the “real world” a little less intimidating after reading.

Outsiders on the inside : by Couper, David,

Publication: Franklin Lakes, NJ : Career Press, 2010 . p. cm. 29 Date: 2010

“Outsiders on the Inside,” by David Couper, focuses on teaching how individuals deemed unique or different can fit into standard organizations or corporations. Couper does a fine job highlighting his background and experience as an “outsider,” with interesting anecdotes about past jobs that give validation to his role as an “expert” on outsiders. After this, however, the guide falls flat. Couper seems to be trying to appeal to the modern, millennial sense of the word outsider—the trendy, tech-savvy, creative thinker who defies the strict structure of the corporate world. However, he fails in this regard. His description of an outsider seems to instead encompass strange people with odd behaviors that would typically be displaced in an organization (in one instance, a hippie who worked at an engineering firm and would read tarot cards to her confused coworkers during lunch). What’s more, the author seems a bit pompous in how he describes the exile of outsiders, even though certain people’s behaviors seem to warrant rejection. While Couper does give some solid advice, such as promoting the use of internal reflection and giving tips on how to utilize social networks to find jobs, the whole book seems a little forced. However, I still believe it’s a good read for anyone looking for insight on how to turn their quirks into positives at work.

The adventures of Johnny Bunko : by Pink, Daniel H.

Publication: New York : Riverhead Books, 2008 . 1 v. (unpaged) : 20 cm. Date: 2008

You think you know what a career guide is like, right? Chapters on chapters of information that you might not even want or need, the author telling you all the things you SHOULD be doing, but as a senior have procrastinated until the very last possible weeks. Some even have worksheets that are helpful but sometimes a drag to fill out. Well, toss that idea right out the window, because in this book, you get a whole new experience! This book is something unique, a manga career guide book, detailing the “6 career secrets no one ever told you”. Throughout this book Johnny, a man stuck in a dead end job, realizes what sort of things he should be doing instead with the help of a sort of career genie. By breaking the book into chapters based on the lessons Johnny learns, the reader can also gain that knowledge in a fun and humorous manner. From realizing there is no “plan”, to “its not about you”, this book brings out important lessons that one must learn before entering the real world and starting a career. If you want an interesting, unique, humorous, and engaging book to assist you on the path to a career, this is the one for you.

Dressing smart for men : by Nicholson, JoAnna,

Publication: Manassas, Va. : Impact Publications, 2004 . vii, 179 p. : 23 cm. Date: 2004

I found this book so impressive as it talks about dressing techniques for men. In the book, the author discusses not only how to dress properly for men but also 101 mistakes they should avoid. In addition, this book is easy to read because it combines pictures and words together to explain the proper and mistaken ways. Furthermore, it continues on the current style and several helpful shopping skills for men. I recommend both women and men to read this book since men can better dress themselves while women can help their boyfriends and fathers to dress properly. Anyway, this book may be most useful to men who are ready to step into their professional career paths.

Top answers to job interview questions / by Burleson, Donald K.

Publication: Kittrell, NC : Rampant TechPress, 2004 . 133 p. : 23 cm. Date: 2004

While the title of this book is catchy and its content provides an insider’s perspective of what interviewers may be thinking, be aware that some of its questions may come off as sexist or down right strange. Burleson gets at some issues which would be inappropriate questions for an interview, but might be something the employer is thinking. He also makes suggestions on what the appropriate response to these questions would be. However, he has a blanket attitude about his top answers and doesn’t include a disclaimer that they wouldn’t be appropriate for all interviews. For example, one of his top answers to the question “Are you willing to work evenings and weekends?” is “I have no family or life outside my job. In my last job I often slept in the office when things got crazy.” This is not often the best response. Employers want to see that you are committed to your job, but it’s more likely that they want you to be sustainable too. Read his top answers, but take a critical approach.