Job Search Books: Quick Overview

Job search books are great while you wait on job opportunities to arise, but don't believe everything you read. Be prepared to feel even more depressed about your unemployed status,  your increasing debt and the uncomfortable feeling you get when others include you in plans that are no longer affordable. Some books will make you so angry because you notice  content repetition in different chapters, and  typographic errors after you have spent your last bit of income in hope of finding a new way.

But let's talk about bigger issues. All books will focus on YOU!
Scenario 1. Sales emphasis.

YOU are the product, YOU must sell yourself, YOU are ''your own sales, marketing, and operations team.

Scenario 2. Trickery

Don't allow some of the self-selling techniques offered in the books make you appear to be a trickster to a employer. Proceed with caution when you are instructed "how to get through to an executive on the phone", "how to avoid the office gatekeepers" or "how to skip to the front of the interview line" for these techniques are insulting to anyone.

Scenario 3. One size fit all approach

None of the books are written by ordinary job seeker, so don't expect them to know your circumstance better than you. In fact, they may not be written by an ordinary recruiting industry veteran. Basically, consider the author's experience when selecting a book because some are executive level search professionals who don't have a clue about entry or middle level job search struggles.

Scenario 4. The Internet Hype (i.e Social Network, Internet 2.0, or Web 2.0)

Most books will make you feel like a "dumb ass" if you are not web-savvy job seeker. I have reviewed many job search sites and the developers should revisit their design specifications so that job seekers are less frustrated by the system shortcomings. The authors of the books that include online search techniques are normally writing based on literature hype and not actual experience with the job search sites. Basically, don't be discouraged if you trouble following the advice of the books on what to do advertising/networking/selling yourself online, you can contact us for help (mailto:dml.e3d@gmail.com). In fact, we have checked the highly recommended URLs and  discovered that:
- most web sites belong to the authors' industry peers who are so eager to sell you their own services.
- some of the suggested advanced Google queries don't work.
- a few of the referenced web resources no longer exist due to no fault of the authors;

In closing, the books and authors are attempting to improve your chances of employment. Each is absolutely correct in emphasizing time and again the importance of sales and marketing in the job search.