You're Hired: Interview Skills to Get the Job (2nd Ed.)
by Lorne Epstein
Published by E3 Publishing
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Reviewed by Celia Renteria Szelwach, DBA (ABD)
As a former HR manager, career coach and consultant, I've read a lot of hiring and selection books.
When I received a copy of You're Hired for review, I rolled my eyes and thought, "Please, not another book on how to get a job. I've already read the best, like the timeless, What Color is Your Parachute? Fortunately, You're Hired was a nice change of pace. It's concise and focused on key aspects of interviewing for a job, without the fluff.
In five chapters with 10 brief Appendices, Epstein discusses three phases of job interviews: Before, During, and After the Interview.
-- In Chapter One, Epstein highlights the importance of "Creating Right Livelihood" in order to craft a satisfying and financially productive career. He shows the reader how to envision and plan this "Right Livelihood" through a lengthy but useful activity in Appendix A.
--In Chapter Two, the author comments on preparation of an effective resume and thoughtful research in order to land an interview.
-- In Chapter Three, Mr. Epstein talks about the importance of selling yourself during the interview by being prepared, authentic, confident, and connected with the interviewers.
-- Chapter Four highlights the importance of written "thank you" notes, timely follow-up and declining counter-offers made by one's current employer.
-- Chapter Five features a one-page conclusion summarizing the contents of the book.
The writing style is down-to-earth and personalized as if Epstein is coaching and encouraging the reader through the process of interviewing. The tone is not pretentious as I've observed in other books of a similar nature. The chapters are well-organized and build upon each other.
I didn't understand the relevance of Appendix C on "Boolean Searching on the Internet" and can't imagine a busy job searcher would actually read those 10 pages that seemed out of place in this guide. I would have found it more helpful to read an additional chapter on networking through associations or organizations in order to discover the "hidden" job market.
Armchair Interviews recommends this book for professionals in career transition or students seeking a concise guide for learning the basics of interviewing for success.