Book Description

In the last four years, the United States has lost 2.3 million jobs—the most in any four-year period since Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression. Currently, millions of workers are unemployed both in the United States and worldwide and the problem isn’t likely to abate anytime soon. In the 2005 edition of his legendary job-hunting book, WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? Richard Bolles presents a detailed plan for facing this societal problem head-on, declaring that we must each begin by mastering this new world for ourselves and then, once empowered, share our knowledge with others to empower the world.

In PARACHUTE 2005, Bolles offers a completely new book for this uncertain job market, laying out a simple, step-by-step plan for finding meaningful work and mission despite our economy’s jobless recovery. Featuring fresh explanations of old concepts and the introduction of new ideas, Bolles defines the distinctions between "resume jobs" and "grapevine jobs," between "passive job-hunting" and "active job-hunting," between "weak ties" and "strong ties," and much more. These are not normal times. And this is not your normal PARACHUTE.It faces squarely the "workquake" that is shaking up the job market around the world, and gives not only simple steps but steady hope. ... Read more

Book Description

A disturbingly large number of people today are unhappy with their work. In this helpful book, career coach Julie Jansen addresses this work-dissatisfaction epidemic.Using career assessment quizzes and personality exercises, Jansen helps readers understand their present work or career situation, discover the type of work for which they're best suited, and learn how to create the changes they need. Filled with real-life examples and including a useful resource section, this guide provides the inspiration and know-how to implement positive career change. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

An excellent resource for job seekers and career changers
If you're like me and hate what you do for a living but are floundering, Julie Jansen's book, "I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This," is a godsend. I've heard Jansen speak. She's smart, dynamic and refreshingly down to earth. Her book is the same. Reading it is like having a private career coach or a supportive, no-nonsense friend who is always there to give you [boost] you need to stop whining about work and do something about it! It's written in Jansen's warm, straightforward style and packed with practical information (e.g., websites for finding a job, dealing with job stress, getting a free critique of your resume), self-assessment tools and action plans that are actually fun and easy to use. All of this is extremely helpful for organizing your thoughts, honing in on the real reasons you're unhappy, and discovering valuable clues about who you are and what you really want to be when you grow up. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is ready to get serious about finding work they can feel good about.

Helpful exercises...easy read...very useful.
This title provides effective exercises for would-be career changers and entreprenuers. After spending 10 years in the corporate world and making a couple unsuccessful attempts at small business, I found myself thinking "I don't know what I want, but this isn't it." Locked into a career that pays well, but has little else to recommend it, I've been having a hard time finding a vocation that offers fulfillment, but doesn't involve going broke in the process. The exercises in this book helped me clarify what I want (and do not want) from my work-life and helped me to develop a plan to acheive it. I recommend using this book in conjunction with "Do What You Are" by Tieger.

I'll Know It When I See It
I liked the book. Good suggestions on how to analyze your interests, experiences and skills. Very helpful for displaced workers. But, I liked a book called Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey even better. Rat Race Relaxer showed me how analyze my interests then took it a step further so I could discover new ways of seeing and changing my current situation. For those of us with family or financial obligations that limit our ability to change jobs (or wait for the "right" job when downsized), Rat Race Relaxer is a better choice.

Still Don't Know What I Want
I found out a little more about myself as far as attitudes and personality (not much I didn't already know; just a litte reaffirming I guess to have gone over the exercises), but I still don't know what I want.

The book may help you, or maybe not, place yourself into one of the six categories the author describes on why you want to change jobs. The book may also help you itemize your values, attitudes, change readiness, personality preferences, interests and skills into neat categories. The book does nothing in helping push you to finding gratifying work.

Useless aggregation of standard self-help information
I found the information and exercises in this book to be a simple aggregation of the standard self-help/self-improvement informaton that you'd get from an ineffective career counselor, HR manager, or a corporate management consultant. Many of the excercises are wandering and unfocused, and not very helpful in determining goals and action plans for change. I'd like my money back, but more importantly, I'd like the time I spent reading the first few chapters back. ... Read more

Book Description

MORE answers to MORE questions than any other interviewing guide.Sell yourself with style and win the interview game!The most crucial part of your job search is knowing how to respond to the toughest interview questions ù because the best candidate doesn't necessarily get the job....the best interviewee does! In Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions, career expert Matthew J. DeLuca reveals the secret agenda behind every kind of question interviewers ask, and prepares you to answer them all. Never again be at loss for words when an interviewer hits you with an icebreaker...thought provoker...curve ball...stress tester...and even an illegal question that shouldnÆt be asked but needs an answer. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Pretty good information.
I bought this book prior to interviewing for my current job. The book contains some good information but to be honest I wasn't asked the questions contained in the book. Of course this isn't the books fault. However, the book did help me prepare myself mentally in the event the questions did come up and it helped me to learn how to collect my thoughts and answer confidently. Recommended if you have interview anxiety at all.

Worth it's weight in gold
This book is a must for anyone who is either looking for a job now or possibly will be in the future, which is just about all of us nowadays. It is a no-nonsense reference guide to the kinds of questions to expect during the interview and what the both weak and strong responses are to them, as well as how to respond to inappropriate or illegal questions without totally killing your chances at getting the job.

I especially like the list of questions right at the start for use as a quick index when filling out employment questionnaires. Strong responses to such questions as what aspects of your current job do you like best, or least, are quickly found with a discussion of the reasoning behind the answers.

This book is concise and to the point, and well worth the price even if you don't expect to need it in the near future, if just for the self-confidence and self-examination opportunity it gives you.

I highly recommend it.

Joe Buchberger

Well written, but...
An entire book of ONLY interview questions is just too much of a good thing, IMHO. There are several books which have a chapter on interview questions, and list only the ones which are you really likely to encounter, which I have found much more useful.

If you can buy it cheap then it may be worth looking into.
The beginning chapters are just fluff & common sense. However, it will at least get you thinking about what you may incounter during an interview. I wouldn't rule this book out completley. The biggest problem I had with this book was that, unless you have tons of time to practice and study each question, it is simply impractical to expect to cover all the material. My advice would be to prepare more general areas for the interview. Focusing on particular questions is almost a waste of time.

Poorly written
Maybe I'm just nit picky but although there are some informative tidbits, I feel this book is poorly written. There are other, better Job Interview books on the market. If you're going to plunk down some hard-earned money for this, you're making a mistake. Buy it used. That said, the follow up to this book, something like More Answers to 250 questions (or something like that) is a much better buy. ... Read more

Book Description

In the words of Fortune magazine, this is "the gold standard of career guides".Here's why:

•PARACHUTE is always current and up to date.•It discusses what has changed about the job-market, and the new attitudes that are required in order to survive therein.

•It aids career-changers, as well as job-hunters, and has a detailed step-by-step plan for identifying a new career, as well as more detailed strategies for locating just the job you want in the geographical area of your choice.

•It has a detailed description of interview questions, and what kinds of answers the employer is looking for, plus step-by-step salary negotiation strategies.

•It is thinner, by 200 pages, than earlier editions, slimmed down for reading (and doing the paper and pencil exercises) in this fast-paced world, where time is precious. ... Read more

Reviews (110)

CHANGING CAREERS? THERE ARE MUCH BETTER BOOKS
I am a career coach with eight years of experience working with people wanting a new career - a better fit with their talents, more meaningful, a better work environment. If you want to choose a career that will be very fulfilling as well as something you will be successful at, forget about "Parachute". It just doesn't have the depth and wisdom it takes to coach you through this most important life decision.

Another career counselor who reviewed "Parachute" recommended that you get two other books instead. I agree. They are "The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success" by Lore, and "Do What You Are" by Tieger. "The Pathfinder" is the best career decision book ever, the seminal text, the masterpiece on the subject - this is, if you are serious about having a great life and unwilling to put up with less. I also agree with the other reviewer that "Parachute" is a great job hunting book, but only if you know exactly what job you are looking for. Reading "Parachute" takes some of the fear and uncertainty out of job hunting. But if you are trying to decide what to do with your life, forget about "Parachute".

Excellent Book for all ages!
This book is great for people of all ages! It really helps you find your niche in life by doing a little soul searching. I was able to identify my strengths and use them to get a job I love! This book should be a part of all high school and college graduates itinerary before going into the 'real' world. Thank you Mr. Bolles!!

Essential Job Search Book
Bolle's book is still timeless for job seekers of all kinds. I feel that his book updated each year to meet the current trends in society is critical. He needs to address those issues, like the web, downturn in the economy and the like.

The most critical part of the book is the self evaluation section. This is a very structured process that can be used intutitively as well. Bolles asks you to write a few stories about yourself, then, what did you like and dislike about those stories? What did you do well, where did you fail or feel challenged beyond your abilities? These are the critical areas of the book that take time to get through, yet you can evaluate yourself and understand what you like, it is what you do best, usually.

We excel what we are good at, according to Bolles, this method will help us discover what we are best at.

I have recommended this book to many over the years, and still do. Whether someone is in college, or someone is going through a long term transition after being in a job for a long time or moms returning to the work place, this book will be very instructive for you.

One of his processes is very simple asking you to compare who you would most like to talk with or groups of people you would rather relate with. This is a standard set of tests for some very expensive career consulting, he gives it to you for the price of his book and the time to self evaluate yourself. Then, he breaks down the possible job areas and skill sets related to these groups.

Again, a worthwhile journey for anyone not wanting to wander any longer in the world of work.

JOE SLEVIN
Job Coach

Unemployed no more!
Yesterday, I nervously dialed the phone number to my job interviewer. It was Tuesday and he had promised he'd let me know about the job by last Friday.

I had followed the book, "What Color Is My Parachute," to the letter. I had a perfect resume and cover letter. I dressed up for the interview, prepared my list of questions to ask during the interview, memorized all the tips, and most importantly, emailed a thank you note afterwards.

Despite all this, I was still nervous about getting the job. I haven't even graduated with my undergraduate degree yet, meaning I have no experience. If I got the job, it was going to be my first job after college.

To my surprise, he said, "I emailed you about the job. Can you start May 11th?"

"That," I replied, "would be awesome."

Based on that experience, I heartily recommend the book on the interviewing techniques alone. However, that's not all I got from this book. I got a great system that determines what job I'd like to be in. Not only does the book ask about career interests, but on the part of the country I want to live in and the working conditions I prefer, which are two categories I never even considered. I recommend this book to everyone who needs to get a job these days and wants an edge on the competition. Because of this book, I am happily on the start of a long career.

Would you buy a Taurus because it gets good reviews?
This book is fine for the commoner who accounts for 80% of the population. The other 20% will find this a total waste of time. Of course, the 20% of the population with brains would never even pick up this book. Every counselor I ever knew would tell me to read this book back when I was unsure of my future toward the end of my college career 15 years ago. I didn't have the money for the book, so I basically read through it at B. Dalton Booksellers in Denton, TX. What an incredible waste this book is. Instead, stop lining the pockets of this preacher and say no to this book. Anything that is a best seller in the United States must be flawed, because like I said before, 80% of the population are idiots. People need to start thinking for themselves and stop buying this garbage. If you are in the 80% idiot group, you will disagree with this review and probably buy it out of spite. Well, go ahead moron. The other 20% will know where I'm coming from, but most of you would never be enough of a loser to be reading a review on this book and even contemplating buying it. The only reason I've spent the time on this is to possibly persuade one person that this book is a scam and maybe they'll spread the word and this book will eventually go away. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Lucht, an executive recruiter during the past three decades for some of America's top corporations, knows what it takes to snag a new six-figure job. Rites of Passage at $100,000 to $1 Million+ is his newly revised guide to the ins and outs of a search for a job that ends in success. It promises a "comprehensive cram course in accelerating your career"--a contemporary corporate equivalent of the traditional initiation into adulthood from which it takes its title--updated for the cyber-age. And it delivers, with Lucht offering inside tips on the basic routes to a new executive-level position: personal contacts (i.e., "ask for a reference instead of a job"); networking ("never fail to get into the office of anyone whose name is mentioned to you, never depart with less than three new names"); executive recruiters ("understand their hidden financial arrangements"); direct mail ("write to the CEO or a person two levels above your target job"); and the Internet ("insert plenty of the right 'keywords' so that the computer will find your resume"). Extensive online references are also included throughout, and the material is presented in a way that's easy to understand and implement. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (57)

The Gold Standard
John's book is the gold standard of executive job-changing.
I just purchased my fourth copy of Rites and plan to use it to land a fourth terrific job. I discovered the Rites of Passage during my first career transition in 1989 and have followed its patented formula to multiple offers everytime. John's writing style and his thorough understanding of the transition process will make you feel as if you are sitting down and talking to an old wise friend. Thanks to John and his landmark book, my family and I have always lived a comfortable lifesyle. The Rites of Passage are a must buy for any serious executive considering a job change.

Insider's view on Recruiters
The book covers the essentials of job change at the upper end of the job market. It deals with all aspects of job change, however, the unique contribution is that it provides essential reading for anybody who changes jobs through 'recruiters'. - independent of what the salary is. The value of the book lies precisely in the detailed and authoritative explanation of what is going on behind the scene, i.e. in the recruiter's mind. The author - being a recruiter himself walks the reader in detail through the potential pitfalls of dealing with a recruiter. The different ways of working with a 'retained' versus a 'contingency' recruiter are in essential knowledge for you if you ever receive a phone call.
The writing is easy going but competent, suggestions on what to do are given ranging from your first thoughts on job change to negotiating the contract.
A particular highlight for me was the Appendix: ' Behind the Scenes with the Retainer Executive Recruiter' which walks you through a fictitious recruiting process from the recruiter's standpoint.
Shortfall of book: The book could have benefitted from a more marked breakdown in major parts, rather than going directly into 20 chapters. I highly recommend the book based on its insights.

Great insights and great advice
I bought this book based upon the recommendations I read in one of the executive recruiting sites. The book is not only a good read, but it is full in great information for both the employed and unemployed professionals everywhere. John Lucht does a great job of explaining a great deal of recruiting behavior in a simple, easy to comprehend manner. Reading this book should help you wherever you are in your career. Good luck!

On-line Rites
John Lucht has been a recruiter for 30 years and has been writing executive guides for nearly as long. You need to get this edition as he has thoroughly updated his material to explain rules, procedures, and protocols for job-hunting on the Internet.

I was an unemployed executive for nearly a year before landing my current position and Lucht's book is the roadmap for any similar journey. He has insightful sections on resumes, cover letters, severance negotiations, outplacement, networking, references, as well as the better known how-to-guide for dealing with all stripes of recruiters.

Don't get hung-up on the title. While Lucht is most familiar with recruiting at the C-level, most of this applies equally well for managers, directors, and experienced professionals. The only criticism I have is that Lucht is focused on job-hunting in strong markets, and needs more analysis of today's humbling markets. He is fairly critical of the typical outplacement service that considers it a success when they place laid-off software executives as owner-operators of ice cream parlors and coffee shops and franchisees of muffler and transmission repair stores.

Lucht also thoughtfully debunks a lot of media myths about finding work without a resume or a network. His promotion of direct mail as a marketing tool sounds old-fashioned but it works if you understand that less than 1% of your mail will yield leads, but these are likely leads that would not have been otherwise obtained. Lucht also has built a useful website and avoids the high fees and endless cross-promotions that his competitors favor.

Great Book Lead to Fantastic Job
I can't say enough about how Rites of Passage has helped me. Mr. Lucht's approach is certainly different from the usual run-of-the-mill 'read my book and get a wonderful job' book. His thinking is RIGHT ON TARGET.

I read and reread Rites of Passage, and then worked my way through his Executive Job Changing Workbook.

Was it a lot of work on my part? Yes.

Did I get the job I wanted? No -- I got a BETTER JOB than I had originally hoped for!

Thank you, Mr. Lucht! ... Read more

Book Description

For years, interviewees have relied on 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions. In fact, more than 500,000 people have used prior editions. The book begins with an overview of the interviewing process. Then, questions are grouped by chapter to cover the full range of possible interview topics--everything from, "Why are you thinking of leaving your current job?" to "When can you start?" This brand new edition is thoroughly updated to reflect the realities of today's job market. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Helped me get the job I wanted
I recently had a job interview that several other candidates were applying for as well. I'm relatively young (25) and less experienced so I figured if I was to get hired I really had to ace the interview and not merely wing it. Job interviews are designed to test your mettle. They are supposed to be nerve-wrecking and continously put you on the spot. The book keeps emphasizing this point as well as the fact that an interview is merely a test to determine just how well you handle pressure situations and how well you come across.

Almost all of the questions that you're terrified of being asked in an interview are here. The book tells you how to respond to these questions gracefully and gives sample responses from people that got hired.

If you are willing to spend a few hours and prepare answers to these questions diligently, your chances of getting a job should improve dramatically.

Great answers to hard questions
This book does a great job of helping you answer the most difficult interview questions. As a training manager, who trains managers and executives on how to interview, I feel I am qualified to say this book works.

This book is a wonderful resource once you get the interview. This leaves us with the question, "How do you get an interview?" Simple, know the type of job you want and pursue it, if you do not know what type of job you want you may want to read the classic, "How to find your dream job and make it a reality." By Jason McClure.

Read this book, and practice for your job interviews and you will be successful in your job hunt.

This is how Microsoft interviews
I personally recommend this book. When I interviewed with Microsoft several years ago, I was astonished at how IDENTICAL their interviewing process was with that described in this book. After reading the book, I was not surprised at ANY of the questions that were thrown at me. And I could tell exactly when the interviewer was trying to "drill down" to catch me off-guard. I highly recommend this book to anybody who is interviewing for the first time, or for anybody who has had a job for a decade or more and is just now venturing out again. Interviewing tactics have changed radically since a decade ago.

Never Received Book - Ordered 5/15/02
It is hard to rate a book you have never received. I ordered this book in early May. I still have not received the book and I have been trying to reach the seller without any luck. I am very disappointed in the delivery time as well as the service.

Why not?
This book can rehabilitate you and may indeed place you where you'd like to be. I have been on both sides of the interview process over many years and it's amazing, in retrospect, that I've managed to work or have any decent employees. From the most basic preparation, (something I've never done- except to fret over my outfit,) to practicing, seems like a no brainer- I speak for myself.

EVERYBODY knows you're not suppossed to dis a past employer, right? I've known that for years, and I just did it last week. I knew when I was doing it, that it was wrong; but I couldn't dig my way into a more positive response. In fact, that's why I bought the book. Fry takes you around those stumbling blocks with a variety of approaches, even with regard to keeping a flow in the facts that you are putting forth.

Of course, you have to do the work. As with every manual, it isn't a novel, it's behavior, and practice, not how well, (again, in my case,) you `understand' it.

You can't go wrong with the material here. It's sound, it's been tested and it's completely common sensical- it just doesn't come by osmosis. Do it, it helps. Good luck. ... Read more

Book Description

As today's workplace becomes increasingly more competitive, knowing how to behave can make the difference between getting ahead and getting left behind. In The Etiquette Advantage in Business, 2nd Edition, etiquette authorities Peggy Post and Peter Post provide you with the all-important tools for building solid, productive relationships with your business associates -- relationships that will help propel you and your company straight to the top.

In this completely revised and updated edition, which includes three new chapters on ethics, table manners, and electronic communication, the Posts show you how to handle both everyday and unusual situations that are essential to professional and personal success -- from resolving business conflicts with ease and grace to getting along with your boss and coworkers; from making long-lasting contacts to winning clients and closing deals. They also offer up-to-date guidance on pressing issues such as harassment in the workplace, worker privacy, e-mail dos and don'ts, and knowing how and when to shoulder blame.

Written for business workers of all types and backgrounds, The Etiquette Advantage in Business remains the definitive resource for timeless advice on business entertaining, written communication, dressing appropriately for any business occasion, conventions and trade shows, job searches and interviews, gift-giving, and overseas travel.

No matter the situation in which you find yourself, the Posts will give you the confidence to meet the challenges of the work world with confidence and poise -- because today, more than ever, good manners mean good business.

Book Description

Anyone who wants to succeed in the workplace needs to present ideas clearly, persuasively . . . and in writing. But until now,business-writing books have emphasized rules and mechanics, which often stifle the writing process. Write Up the Corporate Ladder introduces anew, simplified approach to writing based on the way professional writers write, emphasizing the importance of "writer's intuition" and "message overmechanics" to enable readers to write both faster and smarter on the job.

This helpful book spells out the difference between good, bad, and mediocre writing, provides step-by-step instructions for bringing out your own bestideas, and features personal interviews with Fortune 500 executives and best-selling business authors like Ken Blanchard, Michael Lewis, Suze Orman, andothers. Valuable tools include:

* Tips on how to break the rules that undermine effective business writing * A special chapter on writing content-rich one-page memos and concise e-mails * A custom Action Plan for determining skill level and tracking improvement * A comprehensive list of online writing resources ... Read more

Reviews (7)

I Can Write Clearly Now The Pain is Gone¿
Professionals everywhere should soon be singing the praises of the straight-forward, common sense advice imparted from the author and an impressive showing of well known writers and executives in Kevin Ryan's, Write Up the Corporate Ladder. Void of the antiquated, worn out writing adage we've had our fill of-it's a fresh look at what experts concur is one of the most essential skills in business today.

According to Ryan, an easily achievable and winning combination of confidence, commitment and focus takes the anticipatory (and sometimes painful) pressure off of writing performance in an era of increasing volubility.

From Waterloo to the space race to modern day memos, Ryan presents a number of well excerpted communication examples to reinforce key concepts and keep readers interested and engaged. His reader-friendly style is sure to put even the most timid writing protégé at ease.

Cleverly, Ryan begins by justifying the importance of clear and effective business writing (in case you still had any doubt!) Then, after a step by step introduction to the Plan Then Write method of composition, we're reminded by the expert interviewees once again just how valuable good writing skills are in today's competitive marketplace.

As a writer and editor, I mightily concur that the Plan Then Write method does indeed produce great results and Ryan's helpful instruction is among the best I've read in this area.

My favorite chapter? Definitely chapter 5. The Art of Writing: How to Solve Problems Using Your Writer's Intuition, in which Ryan explains that, "We all have a writer's intuition. It consists of our innate logic, common sense, and everything we've internalized about writing and reading after doing both-almost daily-since the age of five." If you "get" this concept, you're well on your way to becoming a better writer and will most certainly gain an impressive advantage over those around you who don't!

Robin Hendricks, M.Ad.Ed.
Managing Editor

Medical Education Broadcast Network

Writing good? Now write better.
Another book about writing well? Who needs it, you ask? My answer is: Anyone who wants to write better. Those who want to be better writers must continually practice their skills. Sure, you could probably improve your style without this book, but why not learn a few more tricks of the trade? I especially enjoyed the rewrite examples ("Rewriting History" was particularly interesting). Expend a bit of energy reading and studying Ryan's book and then expect to write with a bit more ease. Someone once commented that even good writers need perpetual reassurance. "Write Up the Corporate Ladder" is that reassurance.

Do you need a mentor to think and write effectively?
Clever title. Also, Ryan and his contributors really do reveal various techniques that will help anyone to "write with ease and get ahead." However, I think it would be a serious mistake to determine the value this book wholly on the basis of its relevance to career success. It offers more, far more than that. Ryan carefully organizes his material within three parts. In the first, he explains what he calls the "Plan Then Write Method"; next, he provides a series of interviews with ten successful business authors; finally, he provides a series of "views" from corporate executives. The "Plan Then Write Method" is explained step-by-step. Think of Ryan as a personal tutor who helps his reader to understand the importance of Subject, Audience, and Purpose. Basis stuff, yes, but presented with a crisp style and in sharp focus. (Would we expect less from an expert on effective writing?) He has chosen his collaborators well. More to the point, with uncommon skill, he elicits from them their most valuable advice concerning so-called "secrets" to effective writing. All agree with Ryan that the ultimate objective is successful communication.

Time Out. Within the classical tradition, there are four levels of discourse: Exposition which uses information to explain, reveal, "expose," etc.; Description which makes vivid with compelling details; Narration which tells a story with a plot or explains a process or sequence; and Argumentation which convinces with logic and/or evidence. The best writers of both fiction and non-fiction operate effectively on all four levels.

Here are a few brief excerpts from various interviews:

"The first thing I ask myself is: What do I want to focus on, what do I want to teach? I always try to break my subject into three or four main points, the most teachable concepts, because I don't think people can grasp more than that. The second question I ask is: How do I want to teach it? Do I want to write it like a regular book, a parable, a quotation book?" Ken Blanchard

"The act of writing is the process of clarifying thought. Not just for the reader, but for the writer....There needs to be momentum, and you have to create that; you have to set up the questions at the beginning. That's actually one of the fun things to think about, How am I going to get the reader to turn the page? Now we're on quest together!" Marcus Buckingham

"There are three steps to writing well in my opinion., regardless of what you are writing. Step one: how to end. Step two: where to begin. Step three: what to leave out. Also, I only write one draft that I keep changing until I don't believe it needs to be changed anymore. When I'm finished, there may not be a word left of what I originally wrote down." Roy Williams

Later in the interview, Williams shares what I consider to be especially valuable observations about effective writing:

"The most valuable tip that I can give anybody is: If you want to be a brilliant writer, truly a brilliant writer, then you need to read books of poetry. Poets are the most confident group of writers I know. Let me explain. The simple truth is that a poet is the only writer whose goal is to persuade and cause you to see things with different eyes, and to communicate that new perspective in a very brief, tight economy of words. Poets use unusual combinations of words in a very unpredictable way. Poets have the freedom to put together sentences and utterly break the rules of communication."

As I have attempted to indicate in this brief commentary, Ryan's book is really less about using effective writing to advance one's career (i.e. to climb the corporate ladder) than it is about effective thinking which is communicated through effective writing to achieve whatever results the writer may seek. All of the techniques which Ryan and his collaborators so carefully examine are but means by which to achieve that ultimate objective.

One final point: Ultimately, the effectiveness of communication with others depends almost entirely on how honestly one first communicates with one's self. In this context, I am reminded of Polonius' advice to son Laertes:

"This above all: To thine own self be true,
And it must follow as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man."

A Must Have For all MBA Students
Write up the Corporate Ladder is a must read for all MBA students. As future leaders in the business world, we need to be very good communicators. Kevin Ryan provides us with the tools to grow to be very strong business communicators. His book also teaches us how to avoid many common mistakes that lead to wasted time and energy. Not only do I recommend that all MBA students read this book, I think it is crazy to not keep this book on your desk as a reference. My writing has improved a great deal thanks to the techniques taught by Kevin. This is a great opportunity to add value to our MBA skill set.

Erik Chavez
University of Chicago GSB
MBA Candidate 2005

A valuable addition to any writer's bookshelf
At last a clear and practical book that gets right down to the real issues. Excellent writing skills are critical to success in today's world. Ryan gives proven and valuable steps to bring your writing to a new level of clarity and conciseness. A real must have book. ... Read more

Book Description

This best-seller is a "must have" book for anyone who desires a pharmaceutical sales job. The "Insider's Guide..." is a complete guide offering step-by-step instructions on how to gain a pharmaceutical sales position. This includes instructions on resume preparation, applying for positions, uncovering unadvertised positions, gaining interviews, successfully negotiating interviews, 150 interview questions and answers, pharmaceutical selling instructions and examples, salary negotiation, pharmaceutical sales industry outlook, 28 pharmaceutical company profiles, a listing of pharmaceutical contract companies and a listing of pharmaceutical companies with web site addresses. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Jane Williams has accomplished the impossible!
I posted the following message on Amazon shortly after receiving my job offer. I have reviewed the new 6th Edition of the Insider's Guide... and have found that Jane Williams has accomplished the impossible. She has improved a book that already had fantastic information. The new book contains 150 pharmaceutical sales questions and answers! As a current pharmaceutical sales representative, I feel that this is the absolute best book on the market for anyone wanting to gain a pharmaceutical sales position.

Wow! What a great book! I have landed a fantastic pharmaceutical sales job with one of the top five companies thanks to the Insider's Guide and the coaching I received from Jane and staff at Principle Publications.

I couldn't have made it through the tough interviews without the guide. All of the questions and answers about how to handle the physicians who turn you down during a sales call, to why they should hire you over someone with sales experience, to how to "sell the product", etc. were all covered in detail in the book with examples! This "saved" me during my interviews, especially during the last and most difficult interview. I feel like I was asked most of the 78 questions and answers covered by the book during my five interviews.

Without my career comparison document and sales binder that I prepared by using the Insider's Guide I am certain that I could not have passed the interviews. Jane deserves a medal for this writing this book! I choose this book because it is the #1 selling book in its class on Amazon.com. There's a reason why it's #1...it's the best book on the market!...

By far the best book on the market !
Jane, thanks for writing the best book on the market and helping me gain the best-paying position I've ever had! Thanks for teaching me not only what a pharmaceutical sales rep does but for teaching me how to think and respond like a rep! That made the difference for me during my interviews.

I was surprised that the pharmaceutical company who hired me would ask so many questions that relate directly to what a pharmaceutical sales representative does, but they did just that. When I read all the questions and answers in the "Insider's Guide..." I thought that surely no one could be expected to know this much information about the pharmaceutical sales industry, but they do expect you to know the information. Fortunately for me, I was prepared!

The Insider's Guide was by far the most comprehensive guide that I purchased and contained the most relevant information for passing the interviews. To all of the aspiring pharmaceutical sales reps, my advice is to purchase this guide and then follow Jane's instructions to the letter. Even if you have a degree in English like me, you too could beat out the competition and win the pharmaceutical sales position!

Elizabeth Morehouse

This book is the bomb!!!
Okay people, I bought the book 3 months ago, and I must say it is the bomb!!! I have no sales experience, but this book guided me step by step. It even gives you various scenarios with various answers. It is outstanding for a newcomer to the industry. Take heed and get the book!! I wanted the newest edition, but it hadn't come out yet and I was desperate to begin my research. I had 2 interviews with the same company--I was referred by my pharmaceutical sales rep friend--and I believe they went well. I am waiting to proceed to the next step, which is with the district manager. Needless to say, I was overly prepared. The binder the book suggests you put together totally "WOWED" the interviewer. 2 words...THE BOMB!

New Pharmaceutical Sales Representative!
What a superior career guide! After looking at several books, I found Ms. Williams' Insider's Guide... and used it to prepare for a pharmaceutical sales career. Three weeks after buying the guide, I have a job with Pfizer!! There is no way that I could have prepared for those FIVE interviews without the Insider's Guide... I wasn't surprised by a single interview question. This book is the best investment I've ever made. I can't recommend it enough to anyone who wants a career in pharmaceutical sales.

Absolutely fantastic!
As a professional sales consultant, I am always looking for books that I can utilize as a consultant. The new 7th Edition of the "Insider's Guide..." is absolutely fantastic! This book offers excellent advice on networking, the pharmaceutical industry and the new physician call guidelines for pharmaceutical sales representatives, understanding the interview process, using personality profiling to your advantage, 150 specific detailed pharmaceutical sales interview questions and answers as well as major pharmaceutical company profiles and contract sales organizations contact information.

The book is very well written, professionally edited, and reflects the author's credibility. It is easy to see why this book is being utilized by college and university sales and marketing professors for their sales and marketing courses and special sales classes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Author Nicholas Lore uses the techniques of his career-guidance network, the Rockport Institute, to make The Pathfinder a substitute for a great job counselor. Through goal setting, list making, and other techniques, the book leads readers though the process of deciding exactly what they want to do for a living and finding a way to make it happen. Lore realizes that people have different temperaments and decision-making methods, so he provides individualized advice to suit each one. He also understands that creating a new career requires courage as well as desire, so The Pathfinder devotes plenty of space to motivation and overcoming fears. While anyone looking for a new career will find direction with this guide, people who didn't know they were looking may decide to start once they go through Lore's probing self-examination process. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Read the book and MAKE LIFE HAPPEN.
I worked with Nick to find my perfect career before the book was published, and now it's like having him in my living room whenever I want. His Career Choice Program has been developed over years of committed work and in the book he distills much of this hard-fought wisdom. His secret weapon? Nothing less than forcing you to work hard to ask and answer the right questions that will lead you to a clearer understanding of yourself and the right career for you.

More than just finding a career though, Nick helps you find a better way to look at your life's work than you had before. His probing questions and clear focus on the questions of "meaning, mission and purpose" can give you an entirely new perspective on the important things in your life. I would rank Nick Lore head and shoulders above the rest of the career guidance field.

Not your ordinary self-help book...
At 58, I found The Pathfinder book to be just what was needed as I prepared for the amazing challenge of transforming my life to reach a goal of combining the benefits of retirement while still generating an income. I had read "What Color is your Parachute?" in the 70's and a multitude of spirituality books recently, but The Pathfinder gave me access to a "portable coach inside a book" I used the book to transform my traditional job into a consultant contract, move from east coast to west coast, and create a career direction that grew out of my "natural talents" instead of my interests. To make that happen I needed a path rather a series of pat answers.

The "Path" that Lore propels us along is less linear (but far more helpful if you are turning your life inside out) than the more traditional job seekers' values clarification exercises, or a "How to Get a Job" guide. This book is less about finding a job you like than inventing or reinventing (in the case of mid-career changers) the kind of life you want to have in the area of work or career. Those of us, who are searching for a life path rather than a job, will find the gentle push of commitment actually gets us to where we want to be. I especially liked the practical way the book moved me past my YEAH BUTTS and into action.

Reading The Pathfinder is like having a witty, insightful, life coach who understands human nature and guides your adventures, through humorous stories and analogies. Those of us who have paid for "coaching" know what the coach's job is: to ask the powerful questions, create structures that support the seeker, share the "gold" they have learned from their life experience, and finally trust the person being coached to be responsibility for the results. At the end of the coaching, the life we invent will be our own and be perfect for us because we made it up... The invention is up to the coached. That too is the gift of The Pathfinder!

I have given this book as a graduation gift to high school kids and to recently downsized executives. The Pathfinder is perfect for anyone pursing the dream of finding the work they love to do inside the life they want to live.

Want career help that benefits you, not the author?
If you're looking for help in finding what will make you successful and happy in the workplace, this is it.

Whether you just want to find what you are best at (and what you'll get paid most for!) or whether you're seeking ways to add greater meaning to the largest part of your life, this is what you need.

I've spent the last 10 years (and that's a lot of books on the shelves, guys!!) trying to figure my career out. Reading Nick Lore's book - and using the Rockport Institute's analysis tools -told me what I needed to know to make real, meaningful changes. I can't believe I am writing this, but now I really am doing what I love - and making money doing it!

I have never met Nick Lore, but I know he's put more work into this book and more sincerity into this work - than any author who has taken money from me in the name of self-help.

If only I had read this 10 years ago!!

Thanks Nick!

TURNING WORDS INTO DREAMS
I have never sent in a review before. I bought this book in 1999. I slowly worked my way through it and systematically took back control of my life. Part of that control meant I moved back to my home country England a few years ago. Recently my overseas belongings were finally shipped over including my "personal workbook" and The Pathfinder. To my amazment, I read through my notes and thoughts and realized I was now LIVING everything I wrote down! I am now running my own business doing something I love and it's growing and growing and I am HAPPY! I do wake up excited about my day and not only that, whereas once upon a time the biggest I could dream was where I am now, now obviously I am dreaming bigger! So, I am someone who can write to say that this book has had a PROFOUND effect on my life and changed it fantastically! There is no higher recommendation. If you are serious about having it all - this book will help you get there with love.

Good Advice for those in mid-career review
This book seemed like it was written to help mid-career person to find an area of work that matches their passion which they were unable to do for whatever reason.

A good book but reading marred by many typographical errors. ... Read more

Book Description

Asking the right questions can help job seekers ace the interview and land that jobThe most critical question job interviewers ask is often the last one. That's when they lean forward and say, "Do you have any questions?" As author John Kador points out, that's the applicants' moment to shine, to demonstrate that they have done their homework and that they're good fit with the organization. Most of all, it provides an applicant with an opportunity to ask for the job. A powerful resource for vast and growing numbers of job seekers, this book fills readers in on the pivotal questions they need to ask to ace the interview.With chapters organized around major themes, such as "the company," "the job," and "the community," 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview not only supplies readers with the right questions for virtually every context but also coaches them on the right ways to ask them. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Simply Amazing! This book got me an offer.
Your book, 201 Best Questions to Ask On Your Interview got me an offer! A couple of days before my interview my father had suggested I ask the following question during my interview:

What's the most important thing I can do to help within the first 90 days of my employment?

After I heard this question, I thought, wow! What a great question to ask. My father had apparently spoken with you a few days before my interview and had relayed this question to me from you to ask (say that 3 times fast). I had learned from my father that you had actually written books on the topic of interviews and questions to ask, so I immediately ran to the store to pick up a copy. I picked up a copy of your book on a Tuesday late evening and had read it from front to back 3 times before my interview on Thursday morning.

I am strongly convinced that your book got me an offer! Thank you. I have been on many interviews throughout my short time in the workforce and had never felt as comfortable as I did in my last interview after reading your book. I was amazed to hear hiring managers and human resource representatives respond to the questions I asked them. Their responses were nearly identical to the responses you stated in your book.

Again, thank you for a great book and the job offer. I may have been able to pull it off without reading your book, but I'm convinced (especially in today's market) that your questions placed me at the top of the pile.

This book makes sense
I recently had the opportunity to interview for a senior position in a company that that seems to be exceptionally good for me. While I actually knew one of the senior executives I was interviewing with, he had confirmed to me that it was extremely important for me to have a strong positive impact on one of the other two interviewers.

On my flight to the interview, I reviewed this book and found a number of questions that I wanted to keep on hand for the "right time" - and I jotted them down - along with others that were more specific to the position, product, and industry, then organized them according to categories - product, company, job, etc.

During the interview, I asked a number of them, and almost each time I asked a question, the hiring executive paused, and then said something like "that's an excellent question" and then went into a thoughtful and valuable response. His answers to these questions gave me a tremendous insight into the company that I might not have gotten without asking the questions.

At the same time, my questions demonstrated my level of interest in the position, the company, and his opinions. They showed that I was prepared, thoughtful, and intelligent.

While I might have been able to come up with them on my own, John Kador's book helped me identify the key questions to ask, and even helped with the phrasing of the questions to have the greatest possible impact.

I asked questions like:

What are the three top priorities for the person in this position in the next 90 days?

and

What are the key characteristics you're looking for in the person who you select for this position?

I am certain that the interviewer thought more of me for asking thoughtful questions - even though I think he liked me before I asked them.

This is a quick and easy book to read, and an easy book to use. The ideas that it includes - in addition to the questions it offers - are not "rocket science", but they are offered and described in ways that can be easily adapted to the situation you're in. The "tips" on interviewing are also quite useful in general.

This book has already proven helpful and valuable and I will refer to it before any job interview I have in the future. While there are many books on interviewing and job hunting, this one is a quick study, easy to read, and most importantly, very useful. I highly recommend it to anyone interviewing for any level position.

I Got A Job Offer!
I wanted to write and say THANK YOU!! For the first time in a number of years, I felt like I had an excellent interview. Up until this past weekend, I was having problems with interviews. The main thing: Questions. I couldn't figure out why I was being turned down for positions left and right, even though my qualifications were that of what they called for. I had almost given up hope. I was looking for jobs as a field technician nationwide. I heard nothing.

My mom, who is a temporary staffing recruiter, picked your book "201 Best Questions to ask on your interview" for me, and read this book, taking notes as I went along. I had about 4 days to prepare for this interview, and felt pressured. But seeing some of the "Questions NOT to ask", I cracked a smile, and felt better.

When I went to the interview, I felt very comfortable with the situation, knowing that by reading your book, I now knew what to do, and what not to do. The interview lasted an hour and a half, in which the interviewer and I sat and chatted about non-interview items.

Today, I wrote the interviewer to ask if a decision had been reached, and was shocked to receive a phone call from him, offering me the position. I almost fell out of my chair.

In the end, I thank two people. God, as my heavenly father, guiding me through this interview, and you, for helping me out with the hard parts of the interviewing process to which I probably would not have received this position without.

To me, seeing success after the first interview from reading your book, it paid for itself, seeing the smile on my face when I heard the answer. I will recommend it to friends and family.

Once again, thank you so much!

A Seasoned Recruiter
I read the book from cover to cover, in one sitting and found it profoundly comprehensive and entertaining. I didn't want to put it down. As I read, I kept saying, "Yes, uh-huh, that's true, that's really good." As a recruiter, I know my candidates would be more successful if they took greater responsibility for a successful interview through asking appropriate questions. The question is an invaluable tool to communicate something to me that hasn't been covered during the interview; when done well, it's one more chance to help me see the fit of the candidate to the position.
John Kador's interviewing insights and list of questions enable the job seeker to think more strategically, promote their strengths, and communicate more professionally during the different stages of the interview process.
I'd definitely recommend this book to even the most experienced interviewers! (and even a few recruiters!)

A must-have resource for the job seeker!!!!
Excellent resource for the job seeker!!! Offers great tips and balance tilting questions to ask your recruiter or hiring manager. I much appreciate the focus on the actual questions CANDIDATES should ask vs. what we should say to a hiring manager in response to THEIR questions. Easy to read as well. ... Read more

Book Description

In many cases, people select a career for all the wrong reasons, and find their responses to the workplace are incompatible with their true values. This situation results in feelings of unrest and discontent and in lost productivity. To help people avoid these problems, the newly-revised Career Anchors is designed to help people uncover their real values and use them to make better career choices. This revised edition includes two new sections, "Major Stages of the Career" and "Career Movement, Progress, or Success." Instructions and other components have been revamped for clarification, the references have been updated, and the contents have been rearranged for more convenient usage in classes and workshops. Career Anchors can help you think through your career options and give you a clear understanding of:

• Your own orientations toward work
• Your motives
• Your values
• Your talents

• Define the themes and patterns dominant in your life
• Understand your own approach to work and a career
• Provide reasons for choices
• Take steps to fulfill your own self-image ... Read more

  Reviews (2)

  Discover Your Career Anchor
  After reading this book and taking its quizes, I found that it was mildly informative. It provided a good start for self-insight. There wasn't a major or deep revelation for me about my career anchor or why I was so disatisfied with my present job role. This book will help you determine what your career anchor is (what motivates and stimulates you) and then it will end there. You are left in the dark with how to develop your career around your anchor. The book, however, is true to its subtitle "Discovering your real values"-- but doesn't delve into what to do after this discovery.

  Discover what you want!
  Have you ever wondered if you're in the right career? Well I am a trainer in a 13,000+ staff company & 10% of them don't really know why they're not satisfied with their job. Well, it's because they're in the wrong job. This book gives you exercises to help you understand more about your values and gives suggestions on how to change that. If you're in career consultant business, this is a classic book to read and adopt to your existing tools. ... Read more

Book Description

The wedding business is a $45 billion a year industry. With more than 2.4 million weddings taking place in the U.S. in 2004, there are more opportunities for wedding planners that ever before.

Wedding planners have an exciting high-paying job that lets them use their creativity to organize the happiest day of people’s lives. No special education is necessary to succeed in this career.

This book explains how to plan a wedding, including how to prepare a timeline schedule and budget, a step-by-step list of all tasks involved in planning a wedding, how to plan the ceremony and reception, how to select reputable vendors, and how to negotiate contracts and save money. The CD-ROM included with the book has many forms and checklists to use in wedding planning.

This book also provides information on more than a dozen types of employers that hire wedding planners, how to find job openings, how to prepare a resume, and how to do well in an interview.

Additionally, the book covers how to start a wedding planning business with little or no money and explains how to price services, find potential clients, create an impressive portfolio, and where to get creative ideas for weddings. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A MUST HAVE!!!
If you are starting a wedding planning business, this is the FIRST book to buy.Give a lot of inside information, as well as forms that you will need and use when finally launch your business. This book has samples of contracts, timelines for bride and groom as well as a timeline for you the Wedding Planner!!
Is a very informative and complete book. I still check it a lot! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great read.
"Don't Retire, Rewire," prepares the prospective retiree to think critically about retirement before actually entering into it. Retirement is often not what people expect. This well-written book drives home the point that people approaching retirement age need to understand their drivers as they consider their "post-professional" life. The case study approach is helpful, too. I highly recommmend this book.

Positive Advice
"Don't Retire Rewire" is a positive approach to changing stream mid career. Sedlar and Miners are well qualified to write this book after working with literally 100's of men and women who have found themselves in a new situation, either an early unplanned retirement or job transision.

Their positive approach is a breath of fresh air....sure to give the reader lots of advice you can put right to work.

Finally, Some Hands-On Advice for ex-CEO's
I'm 48 and a former CEO of a large real estate information company based in New Jersey. Last year I voluntarily gave up my CEO title -- and all of its day-to-day responsibilities -- and assumed the role of Chairman. I did NOT realize what a huge role difference this would be and the impact it would have on me. Stripped of a large part of my "power base" I felt cut adrift, unfocused, at times even desperate.

Don't Retire, REWIRE has been a beacon of light for me, providing a clear framework for mapping out the second half of my life. This is material that I've been searching a long time for, a book that helped shift my thinking from income statements and balance sheets to life's core benchmarks -- those soulful areas such as following my passions, developing my skills, and pursuing my dreams.

The most valuable part of the book for me lay in the case studies of how real people faced the challenge of life's transitions. It sparked dozens of ideas which I narrowed down to one very fulfilling direction that I'm exploring now.

Read REWIRE -- but then USE it and FOLLOW it. It could be life-changing for you, too.

Specific Insight
Found REWIRE to be very helpful in a very specific circumstance. Experienced executives or other professionals should not be confused with those individuals who are just looking for "greener pastures".With a myriad of other self-help books about changing jobs and careers REWIRE specifically addresses those at a later stage of their career. It was nice to not be lumped with a bunch of dissatified thirty-somethings!

It Makes You Think!
I have been looking for a book to guide me and my husband thru the process of retirement, which will shortly be upon us. Don't Retire, Rewire! is a great guide with a lot of thought provoking questions. We both read the book and sat down and to talk about what we learned. We came to the conclusion independently that we want to continue to work in some fashion. Without this book, I don't think we would have the confidence we need to chart our new course. Sedlar & Miners have a unique perspective on planning and executing a retirement plan. I have bought a copy of the book for my sister and brother. It should be on every pre retirees required reading list. It is a great resource of information as well. Reading it saved us a lot of stress and needless worry. ... Read more

Book Description

Take the guesswork out of the most important decision you make! Interviewing and Selecting High Performers Every Manager’s Guide to Effective Interviewing Techniques Current studies show that high-quality workers outproduce poor ones by 25% to 50%. Moreover, these findings reveal the alarmingly high direct and indirect costs companies pay when they hire the wrong people. So why, asks Richard Beatty, would you want to rely on "hit-and-miss" approaches to selecting new employees? In his latest practical, career-oriented guide, Beatty says you no longer have to. Instead, this renowned consultant and author shows how you can consistently choose high-quality performers who fit both your company’s immediate needs and long-term strategic goals. Interviewing and Selecting High Performers provides you with an integrated, airtight, step-by-step selection process. Using a high-performance predictive model, this system clarifies the key qualifications needed by candidates for high performance of specific jobs and provides a rigorous interview design approach that enables you to objectively measure whether a particular candidate meets that criteria. With the help of reproducible evaluation forms, you’re able to accurately weigh the strengths and weaknesses of various prospects and account for the inevitable tradeoffs involved in the selection process, so that you minimize the risks inherent in the employment decision. In addition, Interviewing and Selecting High Performers offers you unmatched support, including:

• Sound, field-tested interviewing techniques
• Step-by-step instructions for designing effective interviews
• Guidance on opening, conducting, and closing the interview, so that you get the information you need while putting your company in the best light
• More than 500 behaviorally-based questions covering 32 topic areas that help you determine a prospect’s overall job fitness

Reviews (2)

Learn a Quantitative Method to Interviewing
In my experience as a professional recruiter over 22 years, I have worked with over 2000 managers. Most managers have never been taught how to interview effectively.

Where do managers usually come from? Promotions. Usually, what is one of their first tasks? Fill the position they just vacated. Where in this process were they taught how to interview? They then ask themselves "What questions did they ask me?"

Generally, the Human Resource Department will give them written guidelines about the personal questions that may not be asked, but do not teach them how to conduct effective interviews. Why not? In smaller companies, the Human Resource Manager themselves may not conduct effective interviews because their previous position did not require that training, and they are "too busy" in their current position to be trained.

This leaves it up to you, the hiring manager. "Interviewing and Selecting High Performers" by Richard Beatty provides you with an excellent foundation to prepare for an interview. He demonstrates why people are an organization's most important resource (People control all of the resources). He provides you with an exercise to demonstrate the cost of a poor hire - should scare you into becoming a manager who selects high performers.

Mr. Beatty walks you through structuring the interview, provides you with 500 or so behaviorally based questions (However, I would shy away from the personal questions), and suggests a structured interview. His structured interview requires a lot of work. However, at the end, you and your interviewing team will be able to give each candidate a numerical grade. The managers that I have taught to use this system swear by it. Personally, I guarantee that if you ever hire someone who received a "34" on their interview because "my gut told me this is a good person", after being disappointed with their performance, you will never do it again.

I would suggest that you also read "Topgrading" by Bradford Smart and then blend the two processes together. Selecting high performers is one of a manager's most important jobs. Congratulations on searching to find a way to be more effective. www.recruiterguy.com

A great book to prepare yourself for interviewing
I found this book to have excellent material in interview preparation and selecting good employees. I can recommend this book.

Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D., author of "How to Spot a Liar in a Job Interview" and "How to Spot a Phony Resume" docwifford@msn.com ... Read more