Friday, April 30, 2010

Confessions of a Hiring Manager by J. T. Kirk - Book review



Confessions of a Hiring Manager

Sage Advice for Fearless Job Seekers and Career Changers in a Confused Economy


By: J. T. Kirk

Published: March 30, 2010
Format: Paperback, 238 pages
ISBN-10: 0981485715
ISBN-13: 978-0981485713
Publisher: Kings Crown Publishing









"Today's job-interview environment demands preparation, patience, and a bit of panache to be successful", writes former hiring manager and consultant J.T. Kirk in his very useful and comprehensive guide to getting a job in today's difficult economy Confessions of a Hiring Manager: Sage Advice for Fearless Job Seekers and Career Changers in a Confused Economy. The author shares insider secrets, and provides the tools that every job seeker needs, for getting hired in any employment market.

J.T. Kirk brings twenty years of hiring experience, in both the public and private sectors, to this valuable and hands on book. Along with describing the critical importance of every step in the hiring process from the cover letter and resume, to the interview and negotiating a compensation package, the author presents the hiring manager's point of view. While many books provide advice on resumes and interviewing techniques, very few examine these concepts from the prospective employer's side of the desk. As J.T. Kirk points out, the view from the company's perspective is very different from that of the job seeker. The author writes about how it is critical to understand what matters to the employer. As a result, this book gives the job hunter a deeper insight into the needs of the company, and how to meet those requirements.

J.T. Kirk shares the same methods that have worked successfully for other employment seekers. Primary among the author's proven techniques is what he calls the Professional Skills, Knowledge, and Experience Portfolio (PSKE Portfolio™). This concept presents the employment seeker's information in a memorable format for the hiring person. The PSKE Portfolio™ takes the applicant far beyond the standard resume and demonstrates their personal intellectual property in a professional, and very distinctive way, that sets a person apart from the other resumes or interviewees. Through the author's descriptions of what hiring managers are really looking for in their prospective employees, and the approach taken by the hiring personnel, a job seeker gains a very large advantage over the competition.

For me, the power of the book is how J.T. Kirk moves beyond the mainstream job hunting advice books, and offers the hiring manager's perspective about what really matters in a resume, cover letter, and interview. Along with the powerful PSKE Portfolio™ technique, J.T. Kirk points out the many mistakes made by applicants, including adding information that is truly detrimental to their hopes of being hired. The author shares tips for creating a superior resume, and also how to craft an attention grabbing cover letter, that can attract an interview on its own. Another strength of the book is the advice provided for people in transition from one career path, including moving out of military service, into another entirely different career. J.T. Kirk shows the prospective employee how to transfer skills learned in one occupation to the requirements of a very different career.

I highly recommend the results oriented and insider information packed book Confessions of a Hiring Manager: Sage Advice for Fearless Job Seekers and Career Changers in a Confused Economy by J.T. Kirk, to anyone seeking a new employment, regardless of what point they are in their career. Whether a person is a new college graduate, a returning veteran of the Armed Forces, recently laid off from their employer, or simply looking for a complete change of profession, this book contains the advice that will work in any economy.

Read the essential job finding book Confessions of a Hiring Manager: Sage Advice for Fearless Job Seekers and Career Changers in a Confused Economy by J.T. Kirk, and learn how hiring managers see you and your resume, so you can put that knowledge to work in your favor. This book, and its powerful results oriented methods, will give anyone an advantage in the job market, by setting themselves apart from their competitors. This book teaches you how to position yourself as the best possible candidate for any employment vacancy, and then helps you to land that job.

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