The Job Search Checklist: Everything You Need to Know to Get Back to Work After a Layoff

Great book! Mr.Birkel provides a nice blend of emotional support- "YES, that is exactly how I feel!" "Not everyone is talking about me-really??" and practical advice concerning cover letters, resumes, and handling specific questions. This book was extremely helpful in navigating land mines during this very stressful time and giving me concrete steps to getting back out there and not feeling like damaged goods. With the assistance of this book, I have been able to land a new position at a great organization with lots of opportunities. Thank you for such timely assistance!

This is a nice and concise guide to guide you through a career transition. I found it helpful and insightful. Unlike many career guides, this is a resource and not a gimmick. In my career transition I have been exposed to much advice. The best of which, was mentioned in this book. Landing a new job is not easy in this ultra-competitive market, but this book will help if you put in the effort.

DEFINITIVE AUTHORITY ON THE ART AND WORK OF FINDING A JOB..SHOULD BE READ BY EVERYONE WHO IS EVEN THINKING OF CHANGING JOBSEVEN BEFORE THE ULTIMATE HAPPENS.

THE JOB SEARCH CHECKLIST: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET BACK TO WORK AFTER A LAYOUT (AMACON) by Damian Birkel is a comprehensive guide for anybody unemployed, underemployed, changing careers or anxious about losing a job.The author, a nationally certified career counselor, has developed a job search methodology that has been used by more than 5,000 out-of-work professional to find new employment.In the book, he shares many useful suggestions; among them:* I have been told by students and clients that their response rate increased by 60 percent when a strong universal resume was accompanied by a complimentary "T-square" cover letter. It is called T-square cover letter because the letter "T" is formed by the horizontal line that underscores "your requirements" and "my experience" and the vertical line that divides the two columns.* Take the time to drive to the location of the interview the day before it is scheduled and park your car near enough to observe people as they come in and out of the building. Are they smiling? Or are they hunched over? Are they all wearing $600 suits or jeans and tennis shoes? Find out as much as you can about the style of the people or company who will be interviewing you so you convey the impression that you are a good fit for their culture.And this one that provides great advice on how to answer the question, "What are your salary requirements?"* Be prepared! Know your salary range before the interview begins. A great resource for salary ranges and other related research is at [...] or [...] which features a salary calculator. Until you have clarified that the interviewer is satisfied with your ability to do the job and offers you the job, try postponing responding to this question. If an employer is genuinely interested in hiring you, the interviewer will not be put off by your reluctance to answer. You can politely skirt the salary issue and shift the dynamics of the interview by stating, "I would like to postpone any salary discussion until I have a better understanding of the job we are talking about. Please tell me more." Or "Once you have decided I'm right for the job, I will be delighted to talk about salary. I am sure your income structure is a fair one, and I will have no trouble fitting in".Included in THE JOB SEARCH CHECKLIST are many sample letters . . . these cover virtually every situation that a job seeker will face, and they're most helpful.

Were you blindsided by that pink slip? Did you expect the layoff notice, but not the emotional aftershocks? How are you coping with all the side effects of being out of work?Damian Birkel has a lot of answers for you in his new book, The Job Search Checklist.As a resume writer and job-search strategist, I coach many clients in the how-to’s of the job hunt (resume writing, in-person and social-media networks, interviewing and more). Mr. Birkel covers the rest: How to sustain yourself during the emotional rollercoaster of job loss, job search and re-employment; how to manage your family and its finances between jobs; due diligence regarding your professional identity (at your former place of employment and beyond).The Job Search Checklist covers a large array of job-search topics in a series of seven well-defined steps. The one drawback I find is that, covering so many topics in one book, he has included generalities that could impede one’s progress. His chapter on resumes, for instance, is by no means adequate. A person’s lack of objectivity while in emotional disarray after a layoff could greatly affect one's ability to create a compelling resume for oneself.Read the book; utilize the focused and helpful checklists Mr. Birkel provides. Jumpstart your job search with his tips, but by all means delve further. Job search is, as Damian Birkel says, a full-time job, and you have a lot to learn!

This is a good book with nice overview of job search process. I found the sections addressing the emotional impact of job loss from a layoff to be very well written and something that is rarely discussed in such depth in other books on the job search process. Other good sections include:*Life after unemployment*Developing a career plan*Crafting an effective resume*The Power of Networking*Effective Interviewing*Reemployment: Hitting the ground runningMy only pet peeve is that this book mentions not chewing gum in interviews. It is my view that someone taking the time to buy and read a book such as this is not likely going to be doing something so stupid. Just a small gripe I make in most of my interviewing book reviews.Overall a decent book with some good tips.

I recommend this book to every one who looking for job. It very well written and organized. Very good book I will buy another copy for my friend