Review by Georgia Lyonhyde -- Finding A Job in Tough Times
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Georgia Lyonhyde
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Review by Georgia Lyonhyde -- Finding A Job in Tough Times
[Following is a volunteer review of "Finding A Job in Tough Times" by Dr. Tim Johnson.]
4 out of 4 stars
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It’s been five years since I last worked and 10 years since I last attended an interview. I took time out to have and raise a family. In the past few months, finding a position hasn’t been as easy as I first imagined it would be. I selected Finding a Job in Tough Times by Dr Tim Johnson because I was curious about the insights the workbook could offer to my current situation and mindset. Is it really a ‘tough’ time or am I not mentally prepared to win a role? With a little luck, I was hoping this book would help clarify things for me.
The book opens with a touching dedication to the individual that will actually use the book. I felt like the author was addressing me personally and willing me to succeed. With his confidence in me, I delved into the book with a pen and notebook by my side, ready to find my next role.
Finding a Job in Tough Times is largely common sense. Dr Johnson offers a series of short chapters and meaningful exercises in a logical order. The exercises see you identifying the role you want and what you have to offer an employer. They prompt you to look at your skills and how to improve them. They also ask you to revise your plan including considering other options i.e. starting your own business.
I really enjoyed reading the short chapters that started with a few words of wisdom or an anecdote from the author’s past experiences. I enjoyed how he used the position of an engineer to demonstrate the progress he was making as he progressed through the chapters.
The book is so compact that it can be read cover to cover in a day. I recommend, however, that you take your time and dedicate time and effort to completing the tasks. The answers you discover about yourself are quite insightful.
I mentioned earlier how long it had been since I had last worked and interviewed. It just so happened that during the course of using this workbook, an interview opportunity arose. Using the tips from this book and the answers from my exercises, I was pleasantly surprised at how well my interview went. I was met with comments about how well prepared I was and how each answer I gave went some way to answering the following question. I hadn’t prepared at all, I was simply remembering key points I had examined about myself and using them where possible. To date, this is probably the best interview I have felt I have given.
I rate this book a solid 4 out of 4 stars. There were three grammatical issues around the third quarter of the book, namely, a missing word and the wrong tense used for the verb ‘bring’. I believe the book was well edited, well thought out and brilliantly structured. Much of it seemed like common sense to me but I have decades of experience applying for and securing roles. That said, the book still highlighted a few items I took for granted. I think for a teenager that is just starting out on a career path, this book offers invaluable advice that can help them avoid a lot of rookie mistakes.
This book could easily find an audience amongst anyone looking for a job. The advice is especially applicable for a school/college leaver looking for their first or second role. It gives you tips on how you can treat your course modules like a job role and use them to highlight your key skills. It’s also a good book for someone like me; someone who is perhaps wanting a career change and therefore has to define their work experience in a different way to match the new positions. In fact, the book is so well written that there isn’t a single thing to dislike. The language is easy to follow. The examples are descriptive and the advice given is sound.
Dr Johnson’s book is simply a must-read for those with employment ambitions. Even if I don’t get the role I have just interviewed for, Finding a Job in Tough Times has given me food for thought about securing the next role.
******
Finding A Job in Tough Times
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
It’s been five years since I last worked and 10 years since I last attended an interview. I took time out to have and raise a family. In the past few months, finding a position hasn’t been as easy as I first imagined it would be. I selected Finding a Job in Tough Times by Dr Tim Johnson because I was curious about the insights the workbook could offer to my current situation and mindset. Is it really a ‘tough’ time or am I not mentally prepared to win a role? With a little luck, I was hoping this book would help clarify things for me.
The book opens with a touching dedication to the individual that will actually use the book. I felt like the author was addressing me personally and willing me to succeed. With his confidence in me, I delved into the book with a pen and notebook by my side, ready to find my next role.
Finding a Job in Tough Times is largely common sense. Dr Johnson offers a series of short chapters and meaningful exercises in a logical order. The exercises see you identifying the role you want and what you have to offer an employer. They prompt you to look at your skills and how to improve them. They also ask you to revise your plan including considering other options i.e. starting your own business.
I really enjoyed reading the short chapters that started with a few words of wisdom or an anecdote from the author’s past experiences. I enjoyed how he used the position of an engineer to demonstrate the progress he was making as he progressed through the chapters.
The book is so compact that it can be read cover to cover in a day. I recommend, however, that you take your time and dedicate time and effort to completing the tasks. The answers you discover about yourself are quite insightful.
I mentioned earlier how long it had been since I had last worked and interviewed. It just so happened that during the course of using this workbook, an interview opportunity arose. Using the tips from this book and the answers from my exercises, I was pleasantly surprised at how well my interview went. I was met with comments about how well prepared I was and how each answer I gave went some way to answering the following question. I hadn’t prepared at all, I was simply remembering key points I had examined about myself and using them where possible. To date, this is probably the best interview I have felt I have given.
I rate this book a solid 4 out of 4 stars. There were three grammatical issues around the third quarter of the book, namely, a missing word and the wrong tense used for the verb ‘bring’. I believe the book was well edited, well thought out and brilliantly structured. Much of it seemed like common sense to me but I have decades of experience applying for and securing roles. That said, the book still highlighted a few items I took for granted. I think for a teenager that is just starting out on a career path, this book offers invaluable advice that can help them avoid a lot of rookie mistakes.
This book could easily find an audience amongst anyone looking for a job. The advice is especially applicable for a school/college leaver looking for their first or second role. It gives you tips on how you can treat your course modules like a job role and use them to highlight your key skills. It’s also a good book for someone like me; someone who is perhaps wanting a career change and therefore has to define their work experience in a different way to match the new positions. In fact, the book is so well written that there isn’t a single thing to dislike. The language is easy to follow. The examples are descriptive and the advice given is sound.
Dr Johnson’s book is simply a must-read for those with employment ambitions. Even if I don’t get the role I have just interviewed for, Finding a Job in Tough Times has given me food for thought about securing the next role.
******
Finding A Job in Tough Times
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.
–Paul Sweeney
–Paul Sweeney
Latest Review: Snatched Up to Heaven! by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul
