Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World
List Price: $13.95 Our Price: $11.16 You Save: $2.79 (20%) Availability: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
Product Description
How do you get a job without experience and get experience without a job? It's the question virtually every college student or recent graduate faces. In Getting from College to Career, Lindsey Pollak offers the first definitive guide to building the experience, skills, and confidence you need before starting your first major job search. Her 90 action-oriented tips include strategies ranging from the simple to the expert, including: - Avoid the biggest mistake in career prep and job hunting
- Subscribe to a daily newspaper
- E-mail like a professional
- Make every event a networking success
- Practice the eight essentials of internship achievement
- Perform five minutes of stand-up
- Overprepare for interviews
- Persist
Getting from College to Career gives you the essential information and guidance you need to get your foot in the door of the real world. Don't start your first job search without it!
Spotlight Customer Reviews:
Summary:
An Indispensable Guide for Young People and Job Seekers of All Ages
|
Comment:
When caught in by English grammar question, many turn to the respected Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I realize that this is a classic and comparisons should not be made lightly but I believe Pollak's Getting from College to Career is as concise, cutting edge and useful for young people today as The Elements of Style have been for writers during the past century.
Pollak clearly lays out what young people should do, what is expected of them and how to navigate the social nuances of the job search. Pollak tackles almost every anxiety, question or fear a young person would face during this tumultuous time. She encourages young people to follow their passions, network meaningfully and to strategically think into the future.
The format of the book is one of the best parts. Each section ends with a checklist of how to tackle the next mini-mountain facing young people during the job search. I should also mention that although I use the term "job search", Pollak is sure to drive home the importance of developing a career verus just a job. Each tip covers the basics of what one should be doing during the different times.
I purchased this book going into my senior year of college and took it on every job interview, information interview meeting and recruiting event that I attended. Even though I eventually knew exactly what I should be during certain times, reading it over in the book was a great way to reassuring myself that I was going to right thing even if it was outside of my comfort level such as emailing a stranger or speaking up during the questions section of a job interview. The style of the book is almost like a conversation with a good friend. It reads like a fun magazine article and you suddenly find the idea of editing your resume fun.
Considering that 80% of jobs are gained through networking, it is essential that this process is done correctly. Pollak outlines the exact protocol and what you should do and pitfalls not to fall into such as asking directly for a job during an informational interview. The great thing about this is book is that even if you master a third of it by age twenty-two, that means that you will be a pro by twenty-five--and all of these tips are ones that you will want to master.
I have to admit that getting business cards with just my name and basic contact info was a bit awkward; however, I cannot tell you how many doors those cards have opened. Older people automatically respected me and assumed that I had my act together. The same could be said for some of Pollak's other tips. She lays down what you'll need to be to be a successful and respected young professional and you could either chose to accept it or ignore but either way, she's right.
As a recent graduate, the best advice I could give would be to read this as a college first year and to nail down the basics. With these skills mastered, you'll fly into a job upon graduation.
As The Elements of Style is a trustworthy guide for the grammar-questioning, Getting from College to Career is an indispensable guide for the career-questioning. Reading and following the advice in this book will propel any young person into a successful career be it in film, politics of business. You'll only be benefiting yourself by following the advice in this book and by encouraging your job-seeking freinds to do the same.
|
Summary:
Quite Uplifting
|
Comment:
Since Pollak's novel has been published quite recently, it has a hip, true to the times feel. This accuracy of the job market and American economy makes is easier for all readers to relate to the current conditions. The novel is encouraging, funny and especially an easy read. Being 20 and trying to evaluate my career path is difficult and overwhelming, but resources such as this novel help tremendously. I recommend this read to anyone going through the "job search".
|
Summary:
A useful career guide for college graduates
|
Comment:
As a graduate of Yale University, a writer, editor and speaker, Lindsey Pollak summarized her many years of experience and expertise in career advice in "Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World."
This book is divided into 10 chapters: Get Started, Stop Being a Student and Start Being a Professional, Figure Out What You Want...and What You Don't, Talk, Listen, Repeat (Network), Gain Real World Experience, Give Yourself an Edge, Market Yourself on Paper, Find Opportunities, Over-prepare for Interviews, and Before You Head Off into the Real World. Each chapter has a few tips. Some of the tips have a useful "Make This Work for You" or a "Extra Credit" or a "Reality Check" or "Proof It's Possible" section.
You do not have to read the tips in a particular order. You can look through the Table of Content and jump right into the tips that you find most useful.
For example, if you are shy in job search, you may check out Tip #23, LearnAboutCareers.com, and Tip #37, Make Every Networking Event a Success. "Meeting and talking to people is the single most effective action you can take to find the right career. But you don't have to be the most outgoing person in the world to do this..." Lindsey wrote, "... If you have a deep passion but you're not sure how to make a living with it, you'll want to pore over Tips #20 (Explore a Passion), 21 (Put Money into Perspective) and 76 (Think `And,' Not `Or')..."
"Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World" has 320 pages (including the front sections). It is a useful career guide for college graduates.
Gang Chen, a Book Reviewer for Bookpleasures
Author of "LEED AP Exam Guide" & "Planting Design Illustrated." LEED AP, AIA
|
Summary:
Begin reading ASAP no matter where you are in your school or Career
|
Comment:
I first saw Lindsey at a student leadership conference where she did an excellent presentation on networking. I bought the book afterwards and it's the best 14$ I've spent in a while. I have already received my money back in experience.
As president of a student organization at my university, I actually do attend meetings with my administration and write formal emails everyday while at the same time looking into my future career plans- and this book helps with every aspect of my professional life right now.
The book is small and a quick read, very quirky and so easy to comprehend. I keep it in my meeting bag with my notebook, business cards, and laptop so if I'm in the waiting room waiting to talk to the Provost of my university- I can pull it out and brush up on some of my interviewing skills. I have noticed an increase of my professionalism because of the book and I find that the administration on my campus are surprised when they learn of my age, 20 because of the upmost professionalism I display, and most everything I perfected with this great book.
As for the transition from college to career, after reading I finally got the courage and confidence to inquire about my dream job and the director is calling me this week for an online information interview- something I would have never done without this book. This book could literally open some doors for me I never would have imagined because of simple mistakes I was making or avenues I wouldn't have pursued.
It should be required material for incoming freshmen!
|
Summary:
Good list to follow
|
Comment:
This book is written in a list format. The author has grouped her tips together by category. These groupings can be focused upon if you are looking for advice on a particular part of the job hunt. For instance, the first grouping is focused on determining the type of job you are looking for and also to help you find information on that particular job. The following sections are about professional presentation, applications, identifying opportunities, interviewing, etc.
The nice thing is this book can be useful for many people in varying positions within there job hunt. It can be read by an individual still in college or someone that may have graduated a couple of years ago (as was the case with myself). For the current student it can give an outline for all the correct ways to secure a job even before you graduate. For the recent (or not so recent graduate) it provides what I feel like most people are looking for; A straight forward road map to getting a job.
If you ever sit around wondering how everyone else around you are getting these great jobs, or you don't even have a clue where to begin finding a job, try this book. Start with tip one and keep going until you have a job. Chances are you will have a job before you have implemented all the tips (there are 90 tips I believe in the book).
There are a ton of job hunt books on the market, but very few (if any) focus on the new or recent graduate. Most of the standard books have tips that are more useful for someone who has some work history already. This book is rare in that it prepares you for the recent graduate job hunt. Highly recommended for anyone nearing the end of college.
|
|
|