Book Review: Confessions of a Hiring Manager

Title: Confessions of a Hiring Manager: Sage Advice for Fearless Job Seekers and Career Changers in a Confused Economy
Author: J.T. Kirk
Genre: Nonfiction/Career
ISBN: 978-0981485713
Publication Date: March 2010
Pages: 238
Price: $15.00
Publisher: Kings Crown Publishing

If you’re looking for work, but haven’t had much luck, J.T. Kirk may have the answers you seek. Confessions of a Hiring Manager tells all about the hiring game with detailed strategy to get your resume to the top of the pile, interviewed and hired!

Okay, be honest with yourself. If what you were doing was working, you’d have a job now. Perhaps you need to revamp your game. And don’t you want to know what the hiring manager looks for, how they choose which people to interview? If getting a job is what you want, and you’re willing to follow directions, Confessions of a Hiring Manager provides the tactics necessary to land that job during tough times.

Start with your resume. What does it say? How is it organized? Job seekers need to learn how to write a resume for each job category and probably tweek it for each job. This is how to get the attention of a hiring manager. The manager will know that you are applying for ‘this job’ in particular instead of sending the same resume to a variety of job advertisements.

Take time to develop a strategy, you’ll save your time, energy and money if you develop a plan and stick to it. Are you in the middle of changing your career? Focus on the skills you have that will lend themselves to the job you want. Think about the best way to showcase your skills, the biggest, the best, the most necessary, these should be featured on your resume.

If your resume isn’t very good, you won’t get interviews. It’s that simple. If your resume isn’t in a logical order that focuses on the skills needed for the job you want, how will the hiring manager know you’re perfect for the job? It may be time to hire a resume writer or at least an editor to help you write a great resume.

Cover letters are more important now than ever before. If your cover letter isn’t clever or unique, you might as well pass on sending the resume too. Yes, the job market is that competitive. You must sell yourself through your cover letter. It must show that you read the ad and that you understand what the job entails. J.T. Kirk has the answers you need to write a great cover letter.

Simple manners may not be so simple anymore. J.T. Kirk tells humorous stories from the manager’s side of the desk.
Imagine: it’s 8 am and the first interview of the day is with a man with alcohol on his breath. No, he didn’t get the job. You’ll enjoy the stories and learn what’s okay and what isn’t.

Most importantly, in this market, job seekers need to be flexible. Think about part-time or temporary work that will get your foot in the door. Many companies plan to expand but want to see how a new employee gets along with everyone before they hire full-time and permanent. If you really want a chance to show a particular company that you are an asset, use the creative strategies J.T. Kirk covers.

If you’ve had trouble finding work, these are among the 10 best chapters to get you headed in the right direction. Follow the suggestions and you'll create a great resume, excellent cover letters and have a job sooner than you would if you hadn't followed the suggestions in this book.

The review copy of this book was an uncorrected proof: Not for Sale.