Struggling with a dead-end job search? Stuck in an under-employed role that you hate? You’re not the only one. In this nine-step guide, career coach Alexa Shoen talks you through each stage of the job hunt – before the application, during, and after. With her help, you will take control and find your dream job.
I picked up this book because all publishing recruitment has basically stopped since lockdown, and I wanted something that would help me feel productive. I sometimes have my doubts about job-related books, simply because I feel like they always include the same type of advice.
Right from the start, Alexa Shoen’s writing is really friendly and funny, and the book is super easy to read. She also throws so much advice at you that I don’t even know where to start. The novel is a 9 step guide, and each step includes to-do lists and tasks, which was so helpful as I can refer back to these lists to see exactly what I need to do.
Most importantly, Alexa’s advice is actually really useful and different from others that I’ve heard. It’s also relevant and up to date with what job-hunting looks like today – she includes tips about LinkedIn, how to come across on social media and personal branding, which I haven’t really seen other people discuss in these types of books.
I loved the fact that Alexa includes real-life examples – she includes some of her own CV mistakes, networking emails that she improved on and so much more. It felt refreshing to read a careers advice book where the author didn’t seem really superior and flawless – we’ve all been unemployed and job hunters, and we’ve all learned from past mistakes.
One thing I would say is to consider the industry you’re looking to get into before taking on every one of her suggestions. I know I want to get into publishing, so not every CV and cover letter template would work for the type of job I want, so that’s definitely important to consider.
I felt really motivated reading #EntryLevelBoss, and I think I’ll be signing up to her newsletters to keep getting inspiration in my job search!
If you’re currently feeling disheartened about being unemployed, then I couldn’t recommend this book to you enough. I can guarantee you’ll pick up a new job hunting trick.
Favourite quotes:
“The curious will win over the educated, every time.”
“The right hiring choice and choosing the best candidate are not actually synonymous.”
“The desire to follow the crowd is so strong that we will hold ourselves back on purpose just to blend in with what everybody else seems to be doing.”
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