Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?: A Crash Course in Finding, Landing, and Keeping Your First Real Job
A witty, friendly, unexpected job hunter’s bible that finally answers the real questions. Yes, if you’re wedded to your nose ring, wear it to the interview. No, you shouldn’t be e-mailing out hundreds of résumés. Writing with enormous authority and a compelling, lively voice, Ellen Reeves brings together her lifetime of experience of hiring, counseling, and résumé-doctoring into an essential guide for young job seekers.
Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? takes readers step-by-step through a process that was always tough, but is today especially challenging. Begin the search with a professional mind-set—get organized, and set yourself up with business cards, a respectable e-mail address, and a working cell phone. The importance of networking and the rule of three—try to make three e-mails or phone calls a day, but never more than that. The “elevator speech”—hone your pitch to the length of an elevator ride and be prepared to use it at the most unexpected times. The art of writing cringe-free cover letters and killer résumés—from timelines, hooks, and grammatical do’s and don’ts to why you should never use the phrase “References available upon request,” never include your GPA, and never, ever make a typo. How to dress for an interview, including why to put on your business clothes when interviewing at home, over the phone. Things to be honest about: citizenship and past salary range. And things not to say: “I want this job because I need health insurance.”
Then once you’re in, how to negotiate salary, what to expect in a review, and basic first job common sense: take initiative, be humble and helpful, never use your boss as a confidant, and always say “I’ll find out” instead of “I don’t know.” Now you’re on your way.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars A Perfect Balance
Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the interview? is a perfect balance between a witty, well written book and a how-to informational guide. I found myself quickly turning through the pages because Reeves approaches the subject of the interviewing process from a direct, yet incredibly entertaining manner. The book covers all aspects of the job search and breaks down each individual part in a way that makes it manageable; I have recently gone on several interviews and because the text was so easy and enjoyable to read, I remembered all the important aspects and have been very successful. Further, I followed her resume, cover letter, and reference sections almost exactly and saw a tremendous improvement in the feedback I received. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in perfecting the entire job search process and feel this is an incredibly beneficial tool to have.
5 Stars funny and informative
I love to read, laugh, and learn new things, so it’s no surprise that I couldn’t put down Ellen Reeves’ job hunter’s guide, Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? Her book is easy to read, gives clear tips on the job hunting process from beginning to end, and is funny too. Here’s one piece of advice that made me laugh out loud, “Don’t e-mail after midnight or before 6:00 a.m. or they will think you’re an insomniac freak.” I’m close to 50 and have applied for a number of jobs since college. I am currently looking for a job and have been sending my resume and cover letters out into cyberspace (I thought that was the thing to do), but haven’t gotten any responses. I didn’t know (until I read Ellen’s book) that 80% of available jobs are actually in the “hidden job market”–filled by word of mouth. No wonder one of the major focuses of Ellen’s book is on networking. I have made a major shift in my job-seeking approach since finishing Nose Ring. Ellen explains, “Don’t look for a job–look for a person,” and that’s what I’ve begun to do. In fact, today I got a great contact from one of the “regulars” in my Yoga class. I networked, and it worked! Thanks, Ellen.
4 Stars Can I Wear My Nose Ring to an Interview
Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? The Crash Course - Finding, Landing and Keeping Your First Job by Ellen Gordon Reeves Workman Publishing, New York
The title of Reeves book is intriguing and fun. In the Introduction, she explains that she isn’t really talking about nose rings, rather about the complexities of the job hunt. She breaks her chapters down in a way that leads you from one to the next. The chapters are well named and talk about exactly what the name implies.
Even if you’re not a person looking for a first job this is still a good book to read. She talks about people who have lost their jobs or been laid off because to the recession. She does an equally excellent job on this also.
I liked the book a lot and certainly wish I had had this 30 years ago.
5 Stars The best investment a 20-something can make
If this book had been available when I was graduating college, I could have saved myself a lot of career-related heartache. It took me awhile to realize that the world of work was not the same as the world of college, and that it has its own rules and ways of doing things.
Ellen Reeves’s book is a practical guide for navigating the world of employment the right way, from the beginning. This book will be useful for any recent grad or 20-something, but I think it will be particularly useful for people who are not from affluent families and who have to figure things out for themselves. Ellen’s book will give you a leg up.
5 Stars The most helpful career book I’ve read, especially right out of college
This is the first book I’ve read that really makes sense for young people just entering the job force. As a recent graduate who has attended countless career-prep events, read blogs and websites, and flipped through many books, I must say that this is one of most helpful resources out there. It covers everything, from the very general (How do I network?) to the very, very specific (I was home-schooled… how do I list that?). Every time I had a new question, I came across the answer later in the chapter.
I find that many career books don’t help people like me - current students or recent grads with a lot of classroom and internship experience but no actual grownup jobs on my resume. I need to know how to list extracurriculars and relevant class projects (things like building a website, not writing a paper). I may not ever have interviewed with an HR department. I want to know how I can write about after-school jobs and highlight my transferable skills. I’m worried networking seems fake and forced. This book addresses all of those concerns, and others I hadn’t even thought of. It also offers examples of good resumes, cover letters, reference lists, etc, which I found helpful.
If you ever have the chance to hear Ellen’s presentation in person, I recommend it. Regardless, this book is worth a look.
Filed under: Resume Writing Book Reviews