Careers Books

Mugged at the bookstore again. And, so so glad I was.

Wandering through my local bookstore, as I often do, this book jumped into my arms and cried, "take me." Although unfamiliar with the author, the subtitle "72 shortcuts for getting out of your mind and into the moment" resonated with me.

What a gem of a book! The author has compiled 72 delightful ways to get into the moment. Every one of his offerings may not be right for you, but I suspect that few readers will not quickly find a half dozen techniques that will work well.

Let me give a concrete example of the power of this wonderful book. My wife and I are the caregivers for a multipli-disabled man who has been blind since birth. I often think what it must be like to be blind from birth. For me, and likely most of those of us who can see, our idea of blindness is as if lights were suddenly turned off. But, we are still left with vivid impressions of what this world looks like as a result of our years of sight. Blind since birth means one never got those impressions.

So wtih that backdrop, along comes the author with a meditation practice (one of his 72 practices) that he calls "Enter the Darkness." Wow...did this excite me. Later today, I will be joining my dear friend for some shared time in the darkness. How powerful for my own peace of mind, and hopefully how wonderful for my dear friend. I fully expect this will be a practice I embrace for years to come.

Other equally impactful connections were made with the described practices.

I am stout believer in the importance of personal PEACE. My construct for personal peak performance has PEACE as one of three foundational elements. As such, I am always looking for processes that can help me to create more PEACE in my life. Well, this gem is chock full of ideas to do exactly that.

So PEACE be with YOU. Let this book show you how you don't have to adopt some norm of meditation, but instead can adopt any of one of a number of rituals that will help to keep one centered in a world that too often seems lacking in PEACE.

Arjuna Ardagh (the author)...I am deeply grateful.

This collection of readings was so helpful to me, even as a graduate student. I used selections from this book when I constructed a class for teaching assistants. Topics covered include academic freedom and free speech, getting a job, the art of publishing, and discussion vs. lecture courses. Absolutely indispensable reading for the academic. Will be an invaluable reference throughout an academic career.

This is a book I wish someone had told me about when still a doctoral student -- it certainly would have helped a great deal over the years. Things obviously would have worked much better and my transition from Graduate School to the professoriate would have been much smoother. Every graduate student and every new assistant professor needs one on their shelves. Not only that: Graduate Faculty, please buy one for your teaching assistant, your doctoral student and every graduate student you advise. It will do them a world of good and they'll be ever grateful to you!

This book has helped me recognize several factors holding me back in my job position. It is an easy read, with heplful useful information that is practical. I feel I have been able to excel and optimize my skills at my job position by implementing the recommendations outlined in the book. If you are at all doubting your abilities as a manager, and you are a women, this book is a must.

This book, although marketed to women, has many things that men can also use as they climb the organizational ladder. Becky Shambaugh stresses the importance of first knowing yourself and then deciding what it is that you want. She peppers the book with many effective personal and professional anecdotes and stories to punctuate her points. This is more than a book. It is a manual for turning your professional life around. The "Sticky Floor" metaphor is a powerful reframe that changes the context of what it is that prevents us from moving up. Barriers are not imposed by anyone except us. Shambaugh does a masterful job of guiding us to put on a new pair of Teflon shoes - non-stick shoes that only we can create for ourselves.

For a change, practical insight with action steps to take to "un-stick" oneself. It's about time we take a hard look at what holds us back (usually ourselves). Shambaugh's style makes this a read a breeze. Shambaugh takes time to provide excellent examples from real life. If you don't read any other business book this year (or next)...You should read this one. Rare to find a book centered on leadership development that focuses on action women can take to make a big difference; not just restating the obvious.

It's Not a Glass Ceiling, It's a Sticky Floor: Free Yourself From the Hidden Behaviors Sabotaging Your Career Success

Awesome toolbox, particularly for women who find themselves trying to figure out how to break into the "C-suite" and truly be corporate leaders. Easy to read and very accessible for many future references. Successful leaders will find a dog-eared version of "Sticky Floor" in their continuous reading pile!

Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI) commends Ms. Enelow and Ms. Kursmark for endeavoring to assist transitioning military. As the largest military to civilian placement firm, we have found that the most successful military job seekers who utilize our free services are the ones who have put some time and energy into preparation, including constructing a good resume, doing some basic research on the companies that they are interviewing with, as well as all-important practice interviews. Being able to discuss their military experience in terms that a civilian hiring authority will understand is key.

Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI) - Delivering Military-Experienced Talent to America's Top Companies

As a soon-to-be retiring senior military officer, I have read dozens of books on transitioning and most focus on theories and platitudes. Whereas many books are written at such a basic level describing how to prepare a resume and how to dress for an interview, this one simply skips the fluff and gets right down to the basics of sample resumes. This is THE book I would recommend for transitioning senior military officers. I could have saved myself a bit of time and money in skipping the other 20-or-so that I read before finding this one.

Another "must have" book for those of you separating or retiring from the military. This book will help you to easily convert those military job descriptions into civilian terminology. Also has some great examples and suggested resume formats.

My 11th grader was failing 'American History' and I was beside myself trying to figure a way to get him to read and understand the subject. I had to explain to him that the title was not a personal affront to his intelligence but a style of writing that might make it easier to understand.
He seemed to understand and got right to work with a highlighter. I was and am still amazed. This is a young man who lives to play video games and would do anything not to have to read.
I'd recommend this title to others, young and old.

i would definitely recommend this book for anyone taking the u.s. history subject test. the review is great, and there are helpful test questions at the end of each section to test how well you soaked in the information. the information is concise, so for crammers all the information is laid out. there are lame jokes in it, but that i guess in a way makes the text less dull. it will be hard to score well if you haven't ever covered the information presented, though i think this book does well to teach it, you'll just need invest the time and effort. like many said, the practice test are very similar to the tests. the only complaint is that there are only 2 practice tests. i would recommend this for those who are taking AP U.S. History as well since they both cover the same information.

This book is pretty good when your short on time. I had a barrons I think or some other history test prep book the "big name" ones ( barrons kaplan princeton etc) and when you have a lot of time I mean its good to read that because they go in depth etc. However history is like a generalizations game mostly so this book gives you the major ideas and some in depth and the trends during that time so you can guess your way through the test. However I also did read like 3/4ths of the AMerican Pageant so that might've helped nonetheless i pulled a 750 and recommend this book.

I have always loved history, but I never took a history course in college. The texts of the time seemed to squeeze the life and essence out of the mainstream of American life.

Thus, I approached this book with a similar attitude to that of many high school students faced with the daunting U.S. history exam for the SAT. And, reading this test preparation book, I was pleasantly surprised. The authors have combined an odds-wary approach to casting out wrong answers with a lively presentation of American life beyond the list of names and accomplishments of long dead politicians.

First, to the task at hand,. The Hatches, for years proprietors of a venerable test-preparation company, start by telling the student what to expect and what, exactly, what the test hopes to measure. From there, they begin the story of the United States, warts and all. And it starts where it should, with a chapter entitled, " We Were Here First: Before The Europeans Set Sail". Then the Norse, the Spanish, and the "latecomers" English and French. This sets the scene for the tale of the British colonists, their accomplishments and grievances. The fight for independence starts with the end of the French and Indian war and goes on to the two most important documents: the Declaration and the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights. The divisions leading to the Civil war are covered in considerable detail.
The more recent chapters deal with Reconstruction and its end, the Progressive ERA, the emergence of America as a world power after the twp World Wars, the postwar struggle against Communism, and, finally, the uneasy wars and peace of the 21st century.

So far, so good. What makes this book different is that after each topic is sufficiently discussed, the authors guess what type of questions would be generated for this particular section. In doing so, the authors start by explaining that there are always one or two completely irrelevant answers. Already you have boosted your odds by 50 percent. In other words, half the test skill is knowing what to eliminate.

But history is not only princes, presidents and potentates. A look at chapter 16 gives a good example. It ends with "The Lost Generation and American Literature". And "Jazz: A Sign of the Times", the latter mentioning that "It made unlikely stars out of African American musicians like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong at a time when racism was still deeply rooted in American society". That leads to "Crash and Burn" where the authors take you from the Great Depression to the New Deal. Of course, it begins with "Dude, What a Bummer: The Great Depression".

There is a long and detailed discussion of our entry into the world wars, and a relatively clear explanation of the much more complicated world scene after Nazism and Fascism were chased from the scene. Domestic policy and foreign policy are exhibited in parallel topics. For example, while dealing with the Cold War the authors also give a brief sketch of Communism in America. They show, for example, how the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was a different entity from the activities of Joseph McCarthy (R-Wis. ) whose base of operations was the Senate.

The authors also deal with technology, since the Declaration of Independence coincided with James Watt's invention of the steam engine in 1776.With the railroad's influence, the Hatches note, "In February 1854 a steam engine railroad traveled from the East Coast to Rock Island, Illinois" (the Mississippi had not yet been bridged). Actually, the steam locomotive traveled several different railroads, and it was not until the emergence of standard gauge and standard time that we had a coordinated system. The Hatches return to this subject with the importance of Lincoln's idea of the transcontinental railroad, which was completed in 1869.

There is a wisecracking tone throughout the book that makes the dustiest historical facts palatable. Then, after establishing rapport with the student-examines, the Hatches, again and again, bring him back to the task at hand. What questions can he expect and how can he handle them? Because the questions are integrated with the subject matter, rather than in a separate procedural chapter at the end, the post-MTV reader is brought to focus on the main task-turn out the answers, the most appropriate answers, and take a minimum of time in getting through the questions.

Voltaire once said, "history is a pack of tricks that we play upon the dead." This book is not just a test manual, but an entertaining review of American history for those who are still a bit vague about Ronald Regan, and for whom Watergate is back in those historical shadows along with Teapot Dome. Or the assassination of Julius Caesar. It's a good test preparation and a great read.

With a little over a week left until the AP U.S. History and the SAT II U.S. History exams, I was in dire need of a comprehensive review material that would adequately prepare me for both tests. Having tried and failed miserably studying from other publications, such as Princeton Review, I saw my friend and co-worker reading SAT II U.S. History for Dummies. She had already read a good chunk of the book, and so far, she said, the review offered had been a huge help. Convinced, I picked up a copy the same day and began to review.

My first impression was that SAT II U.S. History for Dummies is written precisely with the student in mind. Though I found myself saying no to some of the rhetorical questions asked by the authors (I had actually bought the book on my own free will, whereas the authors assume a parent had bought the book for me), I generally could sympathize with the audience the book was geared toward: motivated students who wanted above all else to succeed on the SAT II U.S. History Test. Yet, as I began to review, I found that more and more of the material also addressed what needed to be covered on the AP U.S. History Test as well. The secret? Unlike most SAT II prep books, SAT II U.S. History for Dummies provides a comprehensive review for all the major elements of American History. While the book makes an extra effort to inform the reader what the SATII will test on, it includes EVERYTHING important about America's history, from the times of European colonization to the modern era. This is where the SAT II U.S. History for Dummies book truly shines; it not only turns you into an excellent SAT II U.S. History test taker, it also turns you into an excellent U.S. History student. The book teachers the basics, but it also teaches the broad trends so that you have a better understanding of just why things happened the way they did. This knowledge can help in other realms, including Advanced Placement Exams.

Publications like the Princeton Review offer mostly strategies with very little content in them. Books like REA take the opposite approach, with overdetailed summaries of history but little methods to applying them to a standardized test. SAT II U.S. History for Dummies strikes a happy medium, it combines worthwhile test-taking advice with detailed, but certainly not excruciatingly detailed, information. The handful of practice questions and the two complete practice tests at the end of the book deliver a sufficient amount of hands-on practice so that you never feel like you're just reading an annotated version of The American Pageant, or whatever American History textbook you've become acquainted with.

What's important, the authors for SAT II U.S. History for Dummies know the SAT II test perhaps even more than ETS does. After taking the actual exam, I can safely confirm that the practice tests are of similar difficulty.

I was able to take the SAT II and the AP exams for U.S. History with relative ease thanks to the help of this book. By the end of the week, I had found that many of my peers had bought this book and were generally pleased. I can say with confidence that you will be pleased as well.

I loved the title and grabbed this book on impulse off of the new books shelf at my local library. A couple of hours later I was very disappointed. The author has some good basic ideas (albeit a bit trite) but they are clogged by the tales of her version of "the good life"--a round-the-world trip at age 16, multiple trips to Bermuda and Paris, her meals at the "finest restaurants in New York". I especially loved the part when she gently chides her readers to ease back on some of the technological demands of their jobs, as she does thanks to her three assistants. I can't afford to pay someone to screen my e-mails for me, and funny, my boss doesn't seem to be receptive to picking up the tab either. Some of her examples are alienating, insensitive, and insulting to the readers out there who are squeaking by financially and can't afford to have a dress made for themselves in Hong Kong. I will never pick up another book by Alexandra Stoddard.

I ordered this book looking for inspiration during a down time. I didn't find it. Stoddard does nothing but quote Western philosophers and brag about her own experiences living the good life. The book is, literally, all about her. We hear about her trips to various resorts, how she and her husband (an attorney)treat themselves to a hedonistic dessert every day, and about her design business. We hear about what type finial one customer requested and about the maple bed another client fussed over. I have no idea what any of the Aristotle quotes, Barbados trips, ice creams, or design customers have to do with me learning to live the good life, but Stoddard spends the entire book sprinkling mindless rhetoric with these unremarkable bits of news.

If you want to help yourself live the good life, save a few bucks by avoiding this book.

This book reminds us of what we already know - that we are indeed responsible for our choices which result in our lifestyle outcomes.

It is a timeless nudge at what we are all hoping to achieve and how we embrace or block the results - a very inspiring read.

I enjoy Alexandra Stoddards books. This book was also very good. You can pick it up and read a small section at a time which is very nice if you are busy. Its just a short pick me up to get the day going on a positive note.

I believe it is so beneficial to read something inspirational every day, and especially before bedtime. This is a great book for inspirational reading.

Alexandra encourages you to "read these fifty essays in any order you choose-just dive in and muse." -from the book
I first thought that's just what I'd do, -being one who doesn't do well with rules and the 'proper' way of doing things. I love books of essays because you get to skip around and read just what you want, when you want. Well, after I read the introduction, which is actually labeled: "An Invitation", I thought I'd go ahead and read a few pages in and then look around in different places in the book and read whatever looked appealing to me. Well, I guess I got sucked into reading it in chronological order because the 'invitation' was so non-demanding that I couldn't help but keep reading it in order!

Once again, as happens so often with me, the right book at the precise time I needed it. Sometimes it's almost scary how that seems to work out. I recently (the same day I got this book!)was faced with making a decision about something that was pretty important to me. I was struggling with how to pick the right one, because isn't that what we all really want when faced with big decisions -To choose the right one? The second chapter is "Be True to All Your Choices" I LOVED that one as it made me feel confident and reassured in the decision I had made. Then, I just kept reading and trying to absorb all the healthy inspiration I just came across.

The nice thing is that you can dive in anywhere in the book and get a lot of great advice no matter what you're reading about. The chapters (essays) are only a couple of pages each. The point is made in a pleasant short and sweet style. There are quotes and references from many inspiring philosophical sources throughout the book.

I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it! Really great gift idea!

Jeff Rattiner is a well-known planner who operates a handful of planning companies and has served as President of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). He's a trustworthy source of information on how to become a financial planner and the important things to consider before embarking on this journey. I work in a related field and found his book helpful to illuminate me on all the issues you'll face. I would encourage you to view this book in terms of a basic introduction to the field and career of financial planning - don't expect advanced tactics or strategies. Established financial planners may find much of the material redundant. Overall, I recommend this book for people considering becoming a financial planner or those who work as an employee in financial services and are considering opening an independent practice.

This book is a scam. He's trying to get people to sign up for his training program.
The actual information in the book is minimally helpful.
He charges $40 for you to read marketing tool for his business.

I have no doubt he also wrote these other glowing reviews of this book.

Bottom line up front - you will not gain a top down view of the industry, the understanding of the types of businesses within it, or the nitty gritty of the components needed to do financial planning or run the business. From the other reviews, most that liked this book didn't have much perspective in this category.

I've bought a number of books to familiarize myself with the financial planning industry before setting off on an educational track. This book has been my only complete disappointment. I'm sure Mr. Rattiner knows his business, but this book does not serve any particular purpose. The scope is too broad and the depth of analysis to shallow to be helpful. No one will "Get Started" in one book. Many parts of the book are more like bulleted/paragraphed lists which can't possibly reveal the extent of the author's knowledge on any of the topics. Other parts skim through the technical parts of financial planning (e.g. types of life insurance policies) which have to be learned later in official certification courses. The aspects of running a small business he mentions don't reveal anything significant or truly specific to this type of business - you could get as much from a good article on the subject.

If you have not yet read anything on the industry, try In Search Of The Perfect Model which gives an excellent overview of very successful and inspiring corporate visions of real financial planning businesses from sole practitioners to regional firms. An alternate bottom-up book which does not sugar coat anything and will specifically point you toward further research in a variety of areas is So You Want To Be A Financial Planner. If you are looking for how the business should be structured for financial success under any model, Practice Makes Perfect written by industry consultants (no "this worked for me" bias) is phenomenal. For office operations, Virtual Office Tools for a High Margin Practice will get your mind spinning with what technology can do for you as a planner. For marketing, I recommend The Brand Called You which gets down to what weight of card stock you should have for mailings.

Sure it's better than nothing but...

I was hoping for more of a step by step guide toward opening your own office. I've been in practice with a major firm for years and often dream of my own office. this book didn't help at all. truthfully there was more useful free information on the web. look elsewhere if you are in the same boat as me.

Initially, there is a typical cheap-sell impulse about this book (even labeled on the back of it) that breaking into the lucrative financial planning field has never been so easy! Such misleading comments will only damage a highly respectable profession.

Before reading this book, I was intimidated with a perception that financial planners were just another concoction of pesky stockbrokers reborn. When I began reading Chapter 2, I realized that becoming a Certified Financial Planner requires many years of acquired wisdom with scores of training to best understand the needs of their clients. Mastery is comparable to the same level of other respectable professions!

Rather than push product-centered transactions, services offered must be sophisticated, personal and accommodating to ensure long-term success. Now, subjective and objective targets must be met, along with technical prowess and imagination.

As a novice for this review, it seems that financial planning is still in the nascent stages. Therefore, anyone can be a Certified Financial Planner, an exhilarating but also frightening thought. I agree that this is the ultimate mid-career switch for the burned out CPA, attorney, stockbroker, or college-grad housewife.

This leading expert must publish a new edition to reflect the many changes occurring in a burgeoning, potentially volatile, financial service sector. The book was written right before the dot-com bubble bust, so financial planning does not seem to be taken seriously enough.

Jeffrey H. Rattiner portrays the profession in a warm-hearted position, similar to the motion picture Jerry Maguire, where the celebrity athlete is the only loyal client on a hard road to redemption and personal growth for both individuals and their families.

Fantastic! Jeffrey Fox has done it again. All of the right moves for all the right reasons distilled into a concise manual that you can take just about anywhere.

For a book that tells you not to send a resume, the author spends an awful lot of time telling the reader how to write resumes (or "resu-letters") and what to do with them next. Don't be fooled by the clever title. Jeffrey J. Fox hasn't banned resumes, he simply wants you to understand how to write versions that will work for you. He explains what to do - and not do - to land a terrific job. In bite-sized chapters that get right to the point (in a book so small you could fit it into a leprechaun's briefcase), he guides you through job-hunting research, planning and marketing the product of you. Some of what he offers is innovative; some is standard, common-business sense. Even if you only dig out a few gems, we note that this is a fine place to begin your job search - and a very fine place for job search beginners.

When looking for a job we sometimes feel like we need all the help we can get. Jeffrey J. Fox, named "Outstanding Marketer" by Sales & Marketing Management magazine to the rescue. For those either job searching or job changing "How To Land Your Dream Job" may be a helpful resource.

Author Fox who founded a premier marketing firm and has penned bestsellers such as "How to Become CEO" and "How To Become A Rainmaker" knows the actions and interactions of the workforce well. With "How To Land Your Dream Job" he urges all to be creative and offers suggestions on devising a strategy that is not only winning but yours alone.

Among the topics touched on are :
-Why resumes don't sell;
-Skip the personnel department;
-How to research a target company;
-Be a fish out of water;
-No one cares what you like;
-Ask to do a demonstration;
-Don't talk in an interview; -"I" is a bad word.

Some of the information in this book has been offered before but we can all use reminders, can't we?

Author Fox does a capable job of reading his text in an encouraging, positive voice.

- Gail Cooke

This book was originally published in 2001 under a different name. After the success of Jeffrey J. Fox's subsequent books, it's now been released in a new edition. If you don't own the first edition, "...Dream Job" is highly recommended for its unconventional advice. The premise remains as valid seven years later as it did when it was first published: Resumes don't get you jobs. Fox hammers the point home again and again, almost to the point of repetition. It's not his strongest book, but it's still better than most other business books on the market.

I stared at this book on three different occasions before I shelled out the money and bought it in mid-February of 2007. I was convinced it would be useless, but I read it and applied some of the tips to my interview process for a senior level position with one of the toughest companies with which to land a job.

On March 29th, I was offered my dream job and nearly triple my salary at this company in the top ten of the Fortune 500.

It's not rocket science, but Fox touts the value of marketing oneself as you would a company or product. It requires a lot of hard work, but in my case, the results were almost immediate. The chapters are short and to the point, but rich with little nuggets of information from suggested questions to ask during an interview to checklists during the interview process. Following his recommendations, I walked into interviews knowing as much about the company as the people interviewing me and capable of branding myself as the best candidate for the position.

If I could give the man a hug, I most certainly would, because he just helped change my life.

I teach drawing at the college level and have seen a multitude of drawing books. All though many of them are very nice this is the first one I have ever been compelled to recommend. It may not have all the bells and whistles of costlier books but it explains the basics of observational drawing in a concise way that could be understood by beginning drawing students. The illustrations explain in a visual way what the author explains verbally and are easy to view and understand. This book would be the one to pick if you do not have an instructor and need to teach yourself. If you read the book and work from observation you will improve your drawing skills. I like the book so much I am selecting it for my students as the class text for Basic Drawing I.

If you are advanced drawing student and have the rudimentaries of drawing down then this may not be the book for you.