Careers Books

This book helped me appreciate the value of relationships that I haven't been maintaining--hopefully in time to salvage them!. It also helped identify some connections that ought to be formed and reminded me that while a network can be beneficial to me, it's really the service I can provide for the people in my network that makes life rich and fulfilling. Sounds sappy and obvious I know, but Mr. Mackay's book can help you to internalize these lessons in a powerful way. Lots of great stories too, and a very readable format.

Harvey's books are always written in an easy-to-read format, which I like. His no-nonsense prose make it easy to understand his points right away and apply them. While I have learned many networking tips over the years, there were at least 10 new ones in this book that I have never heard of before. If you are interested in improving your network (and career) read this book!

Dig Your Well... is full of great advice and real-world situations which make Harvey Mackay one of my favorite authors. He is well-networked and likeable, showing that building a network of trusted friends, advisors and business associates is valuable for success at any career level.

Meghan Wier
Confessions of an Introvert: The Shy Girl's Guide to Career, Networking and Getting the Most Out of Life

Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty is one of the best networking books I have read ("Never Eat Alone" is another great one) and one of the most important books for anyone who wishes to get ahead. Having a solid network of people will do more for your career advancement than almost anything you can do. Harvey Mackay list the top-ten most important things a network can do. Here are a five of those:
1) A network replaces the weakness of the individual with the strength of the group
2) A network can enrich your life anywhere in the world
3) A network can help you help others
4) Job security? Don't rely on the corporation. Rely on your network
5) A network expands your financial reach infinitely

Mackay goes in great detail on how to build solid networks by adding value to others and keeping in touch. He believes that the most valuable tool in your office is your Rolodex. Harvey Mackay certainly knows what he is talking about, not only does he write books and give speeches, he has built an incredible company, in the envelope business, with over 100 million in annual revenue. He did this by learning EVERYTHING he could possibly know about his clients, not just their order history and size of company, but also the owners favorite sport, team, children's names, ages, spouse's name, where they grew up, what they are passionate about, what they are proud of, etc, etc. In this book he teaches us how to ask for that information, how to maintain the data fresh and how to use it to grow our networks.

My favorite quote from the book is: "No salesperson who knew the names of his customer's kids ever went broke." This is as true as: No person who reads this book and applies its principles will ever go broke. Enjoy!

As a consultant and coach, I have to do a lot of networking myself. I also coach people who get tired of shaking all those hands and giving out all those business cards.

Many books on networking give you clichéd information that you knew already. What Harvey Mackay does is much more than that. He shares his experiences from the time his career began to the international success he enjoys today and shows how networking made him who he is. The examples are clear and will give you truthfully everything you'll ever need to know about how to network successfully. Furthermore Mackay has a wonderful sense of humor. You'll laugh aloud as you learn.

Another great book from Mike Dooley. He is very effective in his writing and speaking. Really enjoyed this!!

This is a wonderful little book to have laying around. Full of "pick me up" anecdotes for life.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE READING THIS BOOK. I READ A LITTLE EVERY DAY AND SOMETIMES WHEN I'M NOT FEELING SO HAPPY I JUST PICK THE BOOK UP TO A RANDOM PAGE AND IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO APPLY TO MY CURRENT SITUATION OF HOW I'M FEELING AND ALWAYS CHEERS ME UP. IT'S A GREAT READ!!!!

Fantastic perspective from an intuitive master -

With that said, I would not suggest that you listen to this CD without first understanding the Law of Attraction (the Secret). If you understand this premise, then the messages spoken via Mike Dooley will ring true and provide you with a greater comprehension for our purpose in life and a better grasp of how to use the power you control.

Well this book has also been instrumental in changing my life. It started with The Secret and then I purchased this book and the magic continues.
The Universe continues to amaze and enlighten me. Loved the book.
Mike Dooley is a breath of fresh air in all things. I would recomend this book to every person on this earth.
LOVE IT!!!!!

After finishing "Think and Grow Rich" I have suddenly realized that this simple slogan is the single way of life in a capitalist society. In this book, as the only way of getting rich, the author advocates goal-directed way of life, purposefulness, constant self-perfection, courage, the skill to think and to act, and the other similar traits of character.

Many people came to a conclusion that the wealth, in some extent, depends on a level of education, motivation, self-esteem, and so on. The problem is that not all the people in equal extend incline to the education, to their self-improvement. This is because of the differences of their needs, habits, abilities, capabilities, and so on. Leo Tolstoy in his novel "Resurrection" arose a question of how to improve the level of education within a society: from inside of each individual or from outside? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Should first the level of education of each and every individual be risen which yields a revolution (dialectic transition of quantity into quality) or the revolution should make the environment to foster the education of every individual?

The traits advocated by Napoleon Hill correspond to the first Leo Tolstoy's way of improving society. If each and every individual will improve, the society will automatically improve. The second way of Leo Tolstoy (create the environment which will foster the education of every individual) is contrary to Napoleon Hill's ideas: "if something is got for free or without big effort, it won't be appreciated, won't be handled with care or you won't trust it". Free education and medical care won't be respected properly by people, regardless how good this education and medical care are. That's why the socialist society will develop slower than capitalist. Marxists knew this and have built the concept of World revolution (to overthrow of capitalism in all countries), and a further idea by Trotsky that it was impossible to build socialism in a single country. Trotsky wrote that the socialist economy is not as efficient as capitalist and without the World revolution the USSR won't be able to overcome its economic underperformance.

Napoleon Hill praises the freedom and opportunities of the capitalist society of the U.S. in particular, which gives, according to Napoleon Hill, boundless opportunities for an individual who is able to think and grow rich.

I also recommend "The Road to Serfdom" by F. A. Hayek in addition to this book. Although "Think and Grow Rich" is a classical self-help book for a general reader while "The Road to Serfdom" is mostly academic, I think that both of them should be read.

The story may seem old but the philosophy is timeless. This program is updated with new millenium success stories and I still listen to it in my car every other week. repitition is the mother of skill

-Timothy Kendrick author-PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door

My heart is filled with gratitude for this wonderful resource! When I realized that I have complete control over my thoughts and actions - everything in my life became better. I recommend the book and the tapes as mandatory for every person who walks the face of this earth. Your life will never be the same! A+++++

The editors of this book (and specially the Audio version of the book) make it almost unbearable. Their constant interruption of Hill to add absolutely irrelevant additional information and often times unnecessary explanations, make the audio tapes enraging. They break the flow of ideas that Hill expresses so wonderfully. They are so concerned with the time-relevance of examples that they force modern-day examples into the chapters. And they are so long-winded and uninteresting that I found myself screaming at the cd player to please SHUT-UP! Understand: The beauty of a classic is that it is timeless. Now if for copiright reasons they needed to add so much junk to a classic, the audio version should be set up so that the listener could jump-skip their material. The editors ruined the book experience.

The book is great. But it is frustrating to keep hearing the "editor's comment" and then "end of editor's comment" and then the comments from the editor. I appreciate the editor putting in his or her two cents, but it is frustrating when you get into the deep thought about what Napoleon Hill is saying, then suddenly, the message "editor's comment" disrupts your thought. To me, it is an ego trip of this editor by putting in too, too much of his comment. The whole CD 2 of the 9 CD is packed with Editor's comment. It is frustrated keep getting interrupted over and over by the "Editor's Comments" and I decided to vent online to let someone else know not to buy this version. If you want to buy, go for the original, the unabridged version of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich.

I have never read Brian Tracy before. This was recommended by a friend and I picked it up first from him and read. Then I realised that this is a classic. I have a Book, a *pdf and the audio book version of this book.

A classic step-by-step book on just to start chganging pour own perspectives. Some of them are unimaginable, but they work. - Writing my Own Obituary, for e.g. When I first read that, I said.. "whoa.. what the hell is this". As I read more and started putting it into practice, I could see the essence of the chapters.

This helps one take control of their lives. achieve what they want to achieve and not really be a victim of 'situations'. I believe in the subconscious effects that a written goal provides! The book help build some clarity into thinking and how-to tackle that clarity to become something.

If yoiu do not read this, you are missing SOMETHING!

This book starts out slow - but within 2 hours you'll have a method to find your goals and a way to achieve them. This is by far one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. Definitely a winner for changing your life!

Beginning from page 1, the book doesn't stop. It takes off like a Saturn V rocket. It's a must have for anyone who is goal oriented, one who needs to set goals or one who is into marketing.

While much of the information may not be new to people who are used to the activity of creating SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant, Timely/Time-bound) this book is written in an easy to read format with short chapters and easily actionable next steps. Brian Tracy uses stories and quotations from a wide variety of public figures, which most of us know, and their stories add credibility and believability to the themes he presents. He even provides a suggested reading list at the end. I flagged many pages so that I can share them with my Career Coaching clients and have already recommended it to two professionals I've worked with in the past.

The audio version of Brian Tracy's "Goals! How to Get Everything You Want--Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible" has been on my iPod for ages and I listen to it frequently. And, I've read the actual book to get more info and take notes. Not only is this book great information, it's highly motivating.

Tracy is one of the top consultants, trainers and speakers for major corporations and has written numerous books and audio programs. His personal mission statement is "To help people achieve their goals faster than they ever would in the absence of my help." While I have listened to and read several of Tracy's works, this one remains one of my go-to books for when I am working on making plans for setting and achieving goals.

Tracy begins by sharing how he learned as a young man how to set and achieve his own goals, which led to huge gains in his success and financial rewards. He has accumulated much data on how valuable goal-setting can be and while I have personally experienced great results from setting goals, I was surprised to hear the many phenomenal examples he illustrates here. For instance, a Harvard study conducted in 1979 discovered that only 3 per cent of students surveyed had written goals. Followed up in 1989, that 3 percent was earning more than all the others (97 per cent) combined! Pretty powerful stuff, eh?

I teach goal-setting myself, and one of the hardest things to convince people of is the need to quantify and set deadlines for their goals. Tracy describes how and why that is necessary, and how it helps. He also shares ideas for discovering what you really want, and for making sustained progress toward achieving your goals. Other topics covered in the book include how to be an expert in your field, managing your time, visualization strategic planning, flexibility, creativity and persistence.

Actually, this book is about success and how goals are the one big ticket that will get you there. Not just in business, but in all areas of your life. Tracy's main point is the one thought that can help you be more successful, which is "Write down your goals, make plans to achieve them, and work on your plans every single day." The rest of the book tells you step by step how to do just that. In fact, I am convinced that if you are able to learn the material in this book and apply it to your life, you will be unstoppable. Whether your goal is being a multi-millionaire or being mayor of your hometown or starting your own small business or working from home, I recommend you read this book. Then re-read it. Then, start working the process and get ready for your own success!

This book not only provides stories on real people who have escaped, it is a wealth of on-line information. It definitely inspired me to consider hanging up my corporate hat. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt that they didn't belong in the corporate world but were too afraid to try something different.

Pam's approach to escaping corporate America is realistic, direct, and is almost as if she's walking you through the process while standing right next to you and making sure you tackle every step without any obstacles. Her approach is extremely practical and doesn't even need to be read by the corporate worker; anyone looking for some sort of job change (or even a book for leisure reading) will get ideas and inspiration from Skillings's detailed writeup of how you can take charge of your career, find happiness, and pursue your dreams.

A well-written, well-researched book with great personal stories. Escaping corporate America is a hot topic, and this is a hot book. Read it. Enjoy it.

This was a nice little book. I especially liked the cheery yellow cover. It is divided into three sections and 12 chapters as follows:

I. Plan your escape (1-4)
II. Exploring your escape routes (5-11)
III. Going over the wall (12)

1. This is not your father's job market
2. The trouble with the rat race
3. True callings and wrong numbers
4. Let's get practical
5. Corporate jobs that don't suck
6. Take a break
7. Swim in a smaller pond
8. Go solo
9. Build a business
10. Follow your creative dreams
11. Make a difference
12. Going over the wall
A. Have a nice escape
B. The escape toolkit
C. Meet the escape artists

I thought the book was well written and well organized. I liked the 5-page quiz entitled "Are you a corporate casualty? The author has invested 12 years in corporate America. And then she bailed. She now operates her own consulting shop. She says she spent 3 years talking to 200+ people in order to research this book. And it shows. The book's content makes sense, sounds like it has been well researched, and provides value to anyone who is thinking of following the author's lead and "escaping."

Since I am a SCORE (Senior Corps of Retired Executives) counselor who helps members of this book's target audience on a daily basis, my favorite chapters were 8, 9, and 12. Those are the topics I usually discuss with my SCORE clients. But this book covers all the basic options available to someone who is tired of the rat race and wants something different. 5 stars!

Skillings' book addresses a dream that many have and that many have made come true: getting out of that cube and into the best job in the world. She presents the case for and the means of escape in a variety of ways: sound advice, case studies in success, gradual approaches to leaving the rat race, and resources for the legal, tax, and other factors that go into creating a business. Through it all, she maintains a bouncy optimism that could well be contagious. Various chapters deal with the problems of the corporate world, the attraction of 'solopreneur' life, and the steps needed to bring the vision to life. Others deal with "corporate jobs that don't suck," careers in the nonprofit world, teaching, and other ways to find satisfaction without the many (and possibly under-represented) problems of going it alone.

One thing stands out in many of these success stories. So many of them start with person X leaving a six-figure (or higher) paycheck that it starts to sound like a pre-requisite. In many cases, starting your own business will go through a lean year or two or more, so any savings you start with will help a lot. In others, the costs of equipment, materials, trade shows, sales trips, and a gaillion other things have to be up-front money, before you see your first nickel of revenue. So, what about the man or woman who starts with less, maybe lots less? Some of the advice here, like starting the new thing months or years before leaving the old, will help the startup starting with less. Still, this book might not be ideal for those who haven't already made a pile elsewhere. This book's other weakness lies in near-zero mention of the publicity campaign you'll need for selling yourself. There are endless opportunities there, including writing reviews at Amazon! (My current job came because of an Amazon review, and my brother has been invited to add to a forthcoming book based on one of his reviews - it can happen.)

Despite minor flaws, Skillings does a great job of motivating the reader to get on with her (or maybe his) dreams. She acknowledges that change can be scary, especially when it means a dramatic down-sizing of income, possibly to zero or less, during the startup phase. Well, fear isn't all bad. The right kind has amazing power to focus your attention, and one message comes through consistently: focus and dedication are two things needed to live the life you dream, and might be the only things needed.

-- wiredweird, reviewing a complimentary copy

Since retirement, I have been exploring the arts as a business opportunity. This book is a real eye opener about what questions to ask and where to look for assistance. It appears that artists are the talent and others may just be users of the talent without respect for the talent. Newbies should learn what to expect and safeguard their interest as they develop a business. Business is not emotional and artists are usually emotional about their works and talents. Developing business skills is critical to building those safeguards that can lead to a the artist having a good experience both with the art and the business.

I purchased this book about five years ago while just getting out of undergraduate school. The practical tips and ideas about developing work helped out immensely. The writing is pratical advice which helps anyone who is starting out, to cut out at least six months to a year of bumbling mistakes one would normally make when approaching the beginnings of an art career. Along with all the good advice, the lists of institutional information in the back of the book is worth the price of the book itself. I have reccomended, and lent this to many of my friends to read and plan to re-read this with the completion of graduate school and a new body of work.

Lots of great, helpful information. A reference book for anyone becoming an artist. One tip in the book is worth the price. Don't think twice about getting this good resource.

Not quite what I expected. Third of the book is lists of resources. Really only useful if you live in the US. Some interesting points about the relationship between art galleries and artists and a fair attempt at empowering artists. Still, not the book for me.

Book is good for painters who want to deal mostly through galleries. Not good for other artists or photographers and not good for artists who want to avoid the gallery manipulations.

I wanted to point out a major contradiction of this book. Mr. Winget has pointed out that if you do email while at work you are stealing from the company as the company is paying you for your hours at work; even if you get all the work done that is needed.

However, on another page, he lauds one of his employees for being very productive and that he does not care if this employee takes off (during work hours) to golf, travel, etc, as because this person always gets the work done. However, the fact that he is taking off during the technical work hour period, that means he is stealing from the company.

In the end, though, he does make a good point. Companies should only care about how much your produce, not how many hours you put in. If you can get excellent quality of work done in 3 hours (as opposed to 8 hours), then your work is done and you should be able to go home to enjoy the rest of your time.

I don't know if I was misreading, but I did skim the book very fast as it does repeat the same concepts over (albeit he is a good and entertaining writer).

I gave copies to all of the management at our motorcycle dealership to read. All pulled from the book to help improve customer service, procedures and results. A very easy read with no gray areas, "Results never lie"

I bought this book because it looked interesting and educational. I wasn't disappointed. While most of the ideas presented are common sense, they are principals that we forget to live. Larry Winget reminds us to live those principals and, no, it is not a gentle reminder.

This book addresses poor performance by employees, shoddy customer service, unethical behavior, and personal success at work. His continuous reminder that the customer pays every employee's salary by patronizing the business is one that few employees remember as evidenced by the bad service we often get. His examples will touch a nerve with most anyone who has ever eaten out or made a retail purchase.

The book gives suggestions for improving your own performance at work and evaluating your work environment. It gives common sense sales suggestions and stresses the importance of results. The book has suggestions and principals for both employees and employers that could translate into improved relationships and better sales. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to achieve success in business.

The book is a good read, however it is focused towards individuals who have poor work ethic. Also, it seems that he repeats many concepts over and over. Many of the chapters seem to have the same exact concept as the one before, although it is titled and worded differently.

Good book for those lacking motivation at work. Of coarse, if they are lacking it at work, they probably won't be very motivated to read this book.

I do want to say that I have enjoyed his writings on other things, but this is defiantly the worst of his work.

Yes- Larry Winget's book "It's Called Work for a Reason" is filled with sage advice about cultivating a good work ethic for yourself and your employees:

-always be on time
-work hard, work smart
-schedule priorites and organize your tasks around them (not the other way around), etc.

90% of all this, however, should be "no-brainers" for anyone who is motivated and seeks proactively to motivate their employees and colleagues. Nothing earth-shattering here that I could see.

If you find yourself in a bit of a rut and need a motivational work pep talk (or know someone who does) then this may be a great book to pick up and give a quick read. Otherwise, save your time and do what you know you need to do- like the sneaker commercial says "Just do it!" That is really the crux of this whole book...

I know a lot of people love the title. To be honest, I was a little turned off by it - sounded manipulative. But I couldn't help falling in love with the book.

Nina shares a brazen, honest, politically incorrect look at what it was like for her moving up the ranks in the "boys club." I love that this is NOT about male bashing. There's really only one man in the whole book who she couldn't find a way to work with.

The stories are priceless, and the lessons should be mandatory for every woman in the workplace. I so wish I had read this book 15 years ago! (speaking of priceless - it was great fun to hear the origins of that famous ad campaign.)

The parts about where and when to use emotion are worth the price of the book.

I know Nina is in advertising, which isn't as stuffy as some other corporations, but I wish more women at the top shared such honest feedback about their rise to the top.

Having grown up with three brothers, recollections of living with them came back to me as I read Nina DiSesa's book, Seducing the Boys Club: Uncensored Tactics from a Woman at the Top. At the beginning, I thought I was reading humor as she relates her childhood "...my long road to uncertainty started when I was twelve years old and lasted until the end of my thirtieth year, when I metamorphosed almost overnight from a shy and insecure loser to a first-rate conceited jerk." But once I realized that this humor helped her work effectively with the men in her organization, I began to pay closer attention.

Another source of my confusion with DiSesa's premise came from her assertion that breaking the plexiglas ceiling involves women becoming more seductive and manipulative. To me, that sounded unfair. But having proven herself after progressing from writing resort ads for the Catskills to becoming chairman of McCann Erickson New York, DiSesa makes her points with these sometimes humorous, sometimes insane, but effective strategies for working with men. Using many examples, she shows how she spent her creative energies figuring out the men in her office. She writes, "It's like solving a murder mystery. Collect the clues, lay them all out, and you will solve the puzzle."

Throughout the book, DiSesa shows how she struggled to be taken seriously by twenty and thirty-year-old employees. Once she used a high-powered water rifle to quell their inappropriate behavior. She reminded me of the time when my own children were teenagers and my daughter, annoyed by her brother's antics, asked whether sisters could divorce their brothers. But along with the humor, uncensored commentary, and good advice, DiSesa shows how her lessons helped change the climate of her highly-competitive workplace by identifying her masculine side in order to accomplish creative tasks, meet impossible deadlines, and gain the trust of her co-workers. And in the process, she helped her co-workers find their feminine side making the workplace more pleasant for everyone.

Usually, DiSesa relates solving a particular situation, showing what she did and summarizing the lesson learned, but she is so eager to get to the next topic that occasionally she fails to tie up the threads of the narrative. But this is a minor flaw and may have been intended to keep the reader engaged. This book can help women who study DiSesa's techniques overcome the roadblocks to success by providing a proven path to follow.

by Susan M. Andrus
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Nina makes a lot of good points, and in a very easy to read format! She uses her experiences aka learning lessons to explain her theories and I enjoyed her witty humor.

This book does a great job explaining the male culture to women. This culture permeates locker room jokes, jockeying for position, the constant need for hierarchy. This book is one woman's view from the inside and it is great.

I'm a female copywriter/sweatshop worker at an agency that's a veritable glue factory of old-school, three-legged creatives, still riding the wave of their last great commercial (produced in '82). Admittedly, I was filled with glee when I spotted this title at the bookstore (great title BTW)...and absolutely elated when I saw that it was written by the chair(wo)man of McCann Erickson. I bragged to my family and friends, who are well aware of (and sick of hearing about) my personal struggles with the Boy's Club, "Get this--I found this book yesterday that was literally written for me!"

I really, really, really wanted to like this book. But the reality is I couldn't finish it.

First of all, the majority of the author's struggle takes place when she's already "made it." Not when she's an underling, working under men who incessantly steal her ideas. I wanted to hear how she handled that, not how she honed her management skills. And with all the, "When I was at JWT...hee, hee, hee...oh I used to work with him at Y&R...yuck, yuck, yuck...I hear on a daily basis at work, I could have done without Nina's "shout outs" to Boy's Club cronies every other page. Boys she hated at first, but now loves (well, it was nice of them to write five-star book reviews on Amazon for her.)

Maybe I'm just bitter. I'll spare you the retort. I'm a bitter unsuccessful copywriter who writes long, boring reviews on Amazon. There you have it.

(But I still didn't like this book.)

Indeed, there are two kinds of copywriters. People who learned to write ads. And writers who work/ed in advertising. Nina Disea is the former. Augusten Burroughs is the latter. (Sorry to compare you to a man, but I know you can handle it).

I'm still going to try to get through this book. What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment.

I bought this book when I was preparing to apply for Ph.D programs in the social sciences. It is a good source, and is actually the most detailed account of graduate school I ever received, including things that my professors said to me. This book details graduate school from beginning to end, starting with the admissions process and ending with the job search. It's rightfully thick and will be quickly devoured by anyone who's really, really interested in getting a Ph.D. It's a good read, too, not boring or stuffy.

I only have a few complaints with the book: one, it's outdated. I believe it was published in 1992 and it really showed how much the world has changed in 15 years. The admissions chapter talks about organizing paper application documents; one of the chapters on research speaks of buying a huge file cabinet and organizing hard copies of journal articles into this cabinet; another chapter on organization explains what a personal information manager is and speaks about older, outdated models or versions of that kind of software. I'd say for that chapter, you'll definitely need to supplement by asking current grad students and new/young professors about the methods they use(d) to keep themselves organized in grad school (a lot of grad students use Zotero, a free Firefox add-on, or EndNote [which is expensive; check to see if your school gives it out] to organize their materials. There are a lot of free, open-source ones on the 'net).

Second, a lot of the information is peculiar to the natural/"hard" sciences. Peters admits that to himself, noting that his book will be most relevant to those in the natural sciences, next the social sciences, and finally least relevant to those in the arts and humanities. For example, Peters advises avoiding teaching responsibilities at all costs to try to facilitate getting through graduate school faster, whereas in the humanities and some social sciences this is equivalent to career suicide, particularly if one wants to go into academia/university teaching. Many of my humanities colleagues have cited that the book is worthless or of little value to them and recommend "Graduate Study for the 21st Century" instead.

I think if read with common sense and the realization that the book is now 16 years old and written from the perspective of a science Ph.D holder, it contains good advice and a realistic description of graduate school life, including highlighting things that students would never think about (such as Peters' retelling of how some professors/advisers defrauded their students by stealing their work and passing it off as their own, or how some students who ingratiated themselves with the department secretary fortuitously earned fellowships when their late or disfavored applications mysteriously rose to the top of the pack).

I am in the middle of my reading. But everything looks like what I needed to hear. If you are looking for doing a master or a Ph.D. sure it will result very helpful. If you're close to start with your graduate studies... even better!!

Everything is O.K. with the book, but it would be better if R.L. Peters makes different versions for Masters and Ph.D.'s.

I bought this book during a period in my second year of grad school when I was at a low point. I was unhappy with my research, annoyed at my professors, and coming home everyday crying. While this book did not solve my grad school problem, it did make me feel better. In retrospect it would have been nice to read this book before starting grad school, but much of the second half of the book (about research, dissertations, jobs, etc) has been helpful in my later grad school years. The author has a nice sense of humor and I think much of his advice is pretty good. While there isn't anything in the book that is earth shattering, he gives solid advice that is likely useful to grad students in a variety of fields. I agree with a previous post that I would recommend this book to those thinking about grad school, or those beginning a PhD.

The book dates from 1997, and the author did not to go into academia. (He went to work for the government.) These facts are evident in the author's perspective and affect how useful this book will be for you. Despite these biases, the book has useful advice for masters students and the first few years of a PhD.

Biases I found most problematic:
- No mention of dissertation formats (e.g. collection of essays) which help a candidate finish sooner;
- Few details on academic job searches: no timeline nor process outline;
- No advice on writing CVs; resume advice needs improvement;
- Nothing on negotiating terms of an academic job;
- Aging information on presentations with respect to technology;
- Nothing about importance of having/managing web presence;
- Outdated advice on usefulness/importance of technology; and,
- Little advice on private sector jobs or effective ways to find them.

Where does the book shine? I appreciated its advice about departmental politics, the early stages of grad school, finding an adviser, and the advice for masters students. I liked that it pointed out often-overlooked resources for students: buying a house and renting the excess space, getting a CS student to help with coding, consulting with a stats student about methodology of analyses, and formalizing group critiques of research and ideas. Most of all I liked the overall tone: that you need to be sure you want the degree and then to focus on getting done.

If you want a book about getting a masters degree or getting through the first half to two-thirds of a PhD, I think this is a great book. For the last third of a PhD and the job search, the book has far less useful advice.

Desperately needs updating. Advice on computers is somewhat laughable, and job situation has likely changed substantially for some Phd's since this was written. Other aspects may be useful, hard to tell without experience...

As a Workforce Development professional, I have administered a slew of career assessment instruments with varying success. Some of the newer quizzes and questionnaires aim to reveal the Dream Job: that one is best suited for. This job is also most likely to provide high job satisfaction. However, it is often difficult to find a job that fits both models.

Today's trend is to find a person's "calling." This is accomplished through paper and pencil tests like the Keirsey Temperament or Meyers-Briggs, online surveys, and even some effective card-sorting games. Some online measurements reveal one's "work personality" as being closest to a particular Star Trek® or Star Wars® character. These are fun, though a bit gimmicky - and not always correct. In the end, all this "work personality determination" can seem akin to casting horoscopes, while Young Adult Professionals (YAPS, as I call them) prefer something fresher. All these instruments have their due applications, but Ms. Levit's system outshines each one.

In a survey of workers aged approximately 20-39, Levit determined qualities that reveal Work Passions - more likeable and fun than "work personalities." Self-administered and self-scored, the associated quiz can be retaken yearly to determine changes throughout the lifespan (my own test results were spot on). The careers of passion, so to speak, are Adventurer (that's me), Creator (also me), Data Head (me, too), Entrepreneur, Investigator (me), Networker, and Nurturer. As with other quizzes, most users will likely score a "highest three categories" cluster that provides a range of lucrative career choices. Overall, the system is easy and based on facts.

Levit includes actual interviews with workers for clues on how to break into exciting careers that match the Passions, and she provides descriptions and in-depth information about the Top 60 Most Attractive Careers desired by young professionals today. Easy to read and engaging, the text is an exciting journey through a Disneyland type of Career Space Ride. For a neat finish, it all seems very effective.

Every high school and college grad should receive a copy of this book as a gift. This is one of the best books of its kind I have ever read or used. I am recommending it to many people.

Armchair Interviews says: Highly recommended.

As the author points out, a vanishingly small number of us grew up and went to college to work in a vast, impersonal cubicle farm doing work we have no passion for and that has no more than short term utilitarian importance. We didn't set out to be faceless and anonymous worker-bees. Yet, most of us end up in such jobs. There's nothing wrong with paying the bills and funding your life and life's passions outside work. In fact, many people actually enjoy this kind of work because of what it funds at home and at play.

What's wrong is living a life that makes you feel frustrated, trapped, and sinking deeper into a sense of uselessness. Alexandra Levit provides you with a bunch of alternative careers you can at least consider. A wise boss once said to me that we should enjoy 80% of our job and the other 20% is what we get paid for. That seems about right to me. So, if you hate roughly 80% of your job, maybe you well into the area for reconsidering how you spend your time putting bread on your table and a roof over your head.

The first chapter is a self-assessment to help you see what broad category might bring your more satisfaction than the situation that is leading you to seek out this book. After you take the assessment, you will be given advice about which of the seven broad categories may suit you best. The seven categories are The Adventurer, The Creator, The Data Head, The Entrepreneur, The Investigator, The Networker, and The Nurturer. You will notice that these aren't jobs. However, within each category she describes some possible jobs, what those careers are like, and how you go about getting them.

For example, in The Adventurer category you get to look at being a conservationist, documentary photographer, ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, foreign service officer, news correspondent, oceanographer, outdoor adventure guide, and travel journalist. Each of the categories are similarly broad. You will probably want to look through all of them regardless of what your assessment results are because each job is interesting to contemplate.

Remember, this is a book about getting ideas and leads for new jobs and is not about providing directives for your life. You will get ideas and you might become energized to go look at something completely different from your present path or from what is provided in this book. Even if you decide to stay where you are, reading through this book and considering other things may well help you see your job with new eyes and appreciation.

A good book for anyone of any age considering where to work for your first job, for a career change, or what to do after you have already had a career but aren't ready for the rocking chair or watching daytime soaps.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

You might want to also look at:

Delaying The Real World

Escape from Corporate America: A Practical Guide to Creating the Career of Your Dreams

I really enjoyed this book! It clearly broke down dozens of careers in a digestable manner, and it was fun to read. I'm a 20-something who doesn't feel entirely fulfilled in my current job and am using this book as a platform for finding new paths. There are so many interesting jobs that I had never even heard of...it was so fun to read about all the new opportunities!

"Figure out what you love to do, and you'll never go to work a day in your life." Good advice... but how do you do it? I'd say reading "How'd You Score That Gig?" is a great place to start.

For anyone staring blankly at a hard-earned diploma and thinking "What now?" this book is a must-have. With enthusiasm, skill and tremendously thorough research, Levit takes readers on a tour of the coolest jobs for every personality type. Each chapter is full of stories from people who have already figured out a way to do what they love and, thanks to Levit, the secrets of their success are yours to discover. From a personality quiz to step-by-step advice and wisdom on how to land a dream-job, you'll find exactly what you need to kick the post-grad blues.
Get ready, get set, get a gig!

This book was a fun read. I liked it in a superficial kind of way. It features 60 jobs that may be worth pursuing. The author has grouped the 60 jobs in seven of the book's 8 chapters as follows:

1. Self-assessment
2. The adventurer
>>Conservationalist >>Documentary photographer >>ESL teacher
>>Foreign Serviceofficer >>News correspondent >>Oceanographer
>>Outdoor adventure guide >>Travel journalist
3. The creator
>>Actor >>Book author >>Fashion designer
>>Interior designer >>landscape architect >>movie screenwriter
>>Performance musician >>Restaurant chef >>Video game designer
4. The datahead
>>Computational linguist >>Environmental engineer >>Financial advisor
>>Information security specialist >>Meteorologist >>Pharmaceutical scientist
>>Urban planner
5. The entrepreneur
>>Bed-&-breakfast innkeeper >>Blogger >>Boutique owner
>>Event planner >>Health club owner >>Internet-based business owner
>>Inventor >>Pet sitter >>Professional organizer
6. The investigator
>>Antiques dealer >>Art curator >>Classic car restorer
>>Criminologist >>Field archeologist >>Forensic scientist
>>Futurist >>Historian >>Psychology lab assistant
7. The networker
>>Book editor >>Congressional staffer >>Image consultant
>>Lobbyist >>Marketing executive >>Pro sports team manager
>>Speech writer >>Talent agent >>Television producer
>>Wine merchant
8. The nurturer
>>Doula >>Elementary school teacher >>Life coach
>>Nonprofit administrator >>Nutritionist >>Physical therapist
>>Social services caseworker >>zoologist

Chapters 2 though 8 cover occupations that are grouped by the personality type of the person suited for them. For example, someone who is creative (a creator) might want to be a book author or movie screenwriter. See Chapter 3. And the reader is expected to use Chapter 1 to determine which personality type they have. After reading Chapter 1 they can then turn to the chapter that applies to them and skip the rest of the book. In that case, the book can be a very short read.

The author says this book was written to help the reader embark on the journey toward career fulfillment. And the target audience is really smart, ambitious, goal-directed kids. I'm sorry, but the list of jobs featured in this tome for the most part do not seem to match the target audience. And they don't seem to be entry-level jobs that will help someone get on with a career full of fulfullment.

If you are looking for a book that will give you some insight into how to land a job featured in this book, then this book is for you. It is well-written and informative. However, if you are really smart, ambitious, and goal directed, then I suspect you have already planned your career moves long before graduating from college and you will get little from this book. Generally speaking, entry-level jobs are not fulfilling. And a book that provides career advice shouldn't really be advising on particular jobs for new recruits. Instead, it should be advising on CAREER TRACKS that will lead to a fulfilling occupation that can adequately support a worthy lifestyle financially. If the author had done this latter thing, then I would have really liked the book. 4 stars!