Review by Laila_Hashem -- Finding A Job in Tough Times

[Laila Hashem]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Finding A Job in Tough Times" by Dr. Tim Johnson.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Finding A Job in Tough Times by Dr. Tim Johnson guides readers through the process of acquiring a new job. It does so by listing multiple exercises for readers to do, which aim to help them identify and manage their areas of improvement, highlight what they should include in their CV and state in their interview, and better understand the market for jobs along with the specific industry that the reader wishes to work in and the employers they want to work with.

There are many areas of improvement in this book, including a few spelling mistakes and the redundancy of some information. For example, the dedication page has phrases that are a bit long and difficult to understand such as “While the specific time in their lives they begin this reading and study might be at a low point in their life, it is with the hope that the changes the principles are focused upon will happen because they are universal and beneficial to the nature of mankind.” Moreover, the introduction section is mostly redundant as the author repeatedly states that readers will benefit greatly from the book, will be thankful they bought it and must do the exercises to fully understand the lessons in the book.

There are also many statements in the book that I believe are implied beforehand or well-known among any readers. The author repeatedly states, for example, that the book is aimed at helping people find work, which is already implied through the title. In one of the exercises, the book repeatedly emphasizes how important job interviews are and the fact that they are aimed at helping employers get a sense of who the employee is, which I believe is common knowledge.

However, I do not believe that those minor details should affect the rating since, overall, the book has many great qualities and is very useful. As a result, I give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I loved the fact that exercises, which are sometimes differentiated based on readers' level of job experience, are central to the book as it makes it interactive and keeps the readers focused. The author also lays out the difference in the mentality of potential employers, what they look for, and how they perceive interviewees, which I believe is very important for readers to know. A particularly interesting fact he emphasized is that some employers may appreciate contributions to the community while others care more about academics.

The fact that the author included his own experience in the book is also very helpful to readers since it shifts the tone of the book from academic and direct to emotional and relatable, which I believe is important for readers who might be too unmotivated to look for a job. His many motivational expressions and descriptions of how to overcome the feeling of failure and hopelessness is very touching and add a level of relatability to him, rather than the book just being an author instructing his readers on what to do.

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Finding A Job in Tough Times
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[Gabriel Merêncio]

Some people are seeing a recession on the horizon, so this sort of book will only grow more useful in the next months and years. It's interesting to know the book is quite interactive and features advice based on solid experience. Thanks for the review!

[inaramid]

I love the idea behind this. I just hope that that sample statement you provided doesn't reflect the type of writing in the entire book (I mean, it IS a bit convoluted). Thanks for this review!

[InStoree]

The author's encouraging tone could be helpful for those who are struggling to find a job. This book seems to bring some uplifting tips, especially if you have been disappointed by several job interviews. Thank you for your review! You highlighted some interesting aspects of the book content!