Ebook Review: Winning a Job is Easier with Job Secrets Revealed

Introduction

There are literally thousands, if not tens of thousands of books about writing resumes and job application letters. Why should Brierty's be any different? Well, Brierty came from a copywriting background - sales and marketing. His focus is on selling your services, not applying for a job.

There is a difference. Applying for a job is a process ... write a resume, write a cover letter, post it to an address in the advertisement. Most 'how to write a job application' books I have read (and there have been many), focus on the nuts and bolts of using clean copy, getting the spelling correct, including your contact details and so on.

Not "Job Secrets Revealed" (JSR). JSR is refreshingly different. Oh, sure, there are many similarities with other job books, after all, there are only so many different things you can do when it comes to job searching. But there are also many differences ... novel and innovative differences that will put you ahead of the pack. Let's take a closer look.

The Ebook

As would be expected, JSR is available online as an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file downloadable within minutes of purchase by credit card. It costs $US29.95 which is probably not a bad price considering it has 130 odd pages and a wealth of very useful information.

It's professionally presented without any gratuitous graphics or other trimmings. And, unlike many other ebooks I have read is refreshingly written with good grammar and correct spelling; it has only one or two typos. Where I prefer to use plural eg, when discussing clients, instead of singular, he uses singular. I can live with that. It's a personal choice.

The flow of the book is logical and it's not only easy to read, but it's pleasant to read as the author reveals a little of his personality and humour.

There Are No Rules

From the outset, Brierty reminds readers that there are 'No Rules' in the job application game. This means that we don't have to be stereotypical in preparing and submitting our job applications. We can be novel, innovative, different.

Applications that look like everyone else's application, he says, are simply part of the herd and often are partially read, overlooked, or worse, discarded before being read because nobody wants to read all 150 applications. (As an HR specialist with a recruiting background, I can attest to that).

Brierty says job seekers should look at the employers' perspective when it comes to job seeking and not just theirs. This makes good sense as a communication strategy because it helps applicants understand how their applications are handled. He discusses assumptions that people incorrectly make about jobs and employers eg, that 'I'm too old', or 'I don't have the skills'. He also explains why job seekers should not see themselves trapped within a particular salary range, but should also apply for jobs with much larger salaries.

If you took his advice and increased your income by $20,000 per year, you'd have to say the price of the ebook was well and truly worth it, wouldn't you?

Main Themes

Much of Brierty's work is confidence building, helping you become aware that you are much more talented than you probably feel; that you are a valuable, marketable asset that can make a great difference to anyone willing to employ you.

In fact, you can provide benefits to an organisation that often exceed the requirements stated in job advertisements. Additionally, you can remove some of the risk employers take when they hire so that you become the best candidate, the one who helps their bottom line and makes their investment in you an asset rather than a liability.

There are numerous examples of phrases, letters and suggestions about how you can advertise your services rather than just apply for a job. I must admit to finding some of the wording and approaches a little 'over the top', but I agree with Brierty that you need to market your skills and the benefits you can provide your prospective employer if you really want the job.

If you're going to make an effort to apply, you really do need to draw attention to your application and, as he says, focus on the interview, not the application.

One of the most interesting parts for me related to the methods the author recommends for making your skills and experience sound irresistable. This is essential stuff. Employers are interested in what's in it for them ... you need to tell them, tell them again, and then remind them that you've told them. YOU are the best candidate.

Conclusion

Anyone can knock up a resume and a covering letter. Every day of the week millions of people do. Out of the millions of job applications that arrive on the desks of weary recruitment personnel, only a few stand out. If you are looking for a job, you need your application to be one of those that stands out.

Job Secrets Revealed really does 'reveal' the strategies you can use to be special and different and it's chock full of excellent examples and case studies. In fact, it's refreshingly different from the run of the mill "How to Get a Job" book.

I recommend it to you if you are serious about getting a new job on a better salary.

Copyright Robin Henry 2005.

Robin Henry is an educator, human resources specialist and Internet marketer whose firm, Desert Wave Enterprises, helps businesses and individuals improve their performance by using smart processes, smart technology and personal development respectively. He has been employed as a recruitment manager and has authored various ebooks including two highly popular books about winning a government job. Robin lives at Alice Springs In Central Australia.

Visit Desert Wave Enterprises or his Win a Government Job site.

---

Job Layoff: Confronting Why Me?

Perhaps you saw it coming. The fall in company stock prices. The news articles about company troubles. Maybe it was just rumors on the production floor, or a creeping suspicion that orders had... Read More

4 Niche Job-Search Tips

Looking for a job on the Internet can be daunting. Where do you start? What Web sites are best for your industry?If you're suffering from "job search overwhelm," take heart. Remember the adage... Read More

Resume 101

Whether you've been downsized, are looking for a career change or are just starting out, your resume speaks volumes about you. If your resume doesn't make it past the first cut, you're doomed;... Read More

How To Find A Job Writing Grant Applications

Do you have what it takes to land a job doing grant writing? Many people are looking for ways to develop a freelance business, but unless you know what it takes to do... Read More

Feng Shui Your Desk for Career Success

Have you used feng shui around your desk? It's a great way to "test drive" feng shui, to see how well it works for you.In feng shui, we work with a 3x3 grid... Read More

Evaluating Job Offers -- Eleven Warning Signs You Must Watch Out For

Moving into a new job always involves some degree of uncertainty. You should do your best to find out all you can about a prospective employer, starting right from the pre-interview stage.Here are... Read More

15 Tips for Writing Winning Resumes

The thought of writing a resume intimidates almost anyone. It's difficult to know where to start or what to include. It can seem like an insurmountable task. Here are 15... Read More

How to Create a Great Electronic Resume

After creating the perfect resume, you then need to distribute it. You'll likely be sending some professionally printed hard copies, especially to "A list" companies or organizations you've set your sights on. But... Read More

Building a Solid Network

A client who has a fine arts degree wanted to move out of his successful career in advertising and into the real estate development business. He had already enrolled in a top notch... Read More

How To REALLY Look For A Job

Are you looking for a job -- really looking? Or are you simply waiting for employment to fall into your lap?If you're like about 75% of the job seekers I've met over the... Read More

What You Cant Ask a Job Candidate is as Important as What You Can Ask

As a human resources professional or business owner, you face many challenges during the hiring process, from sorting through stacks of job applicant r?sum?s to making an attractive offer to the one person... Read More

7 Tips for Writing Winning Resume Cover Letters

Writing a good resume cover letter is something you should seriously consider when preparing to send off your resume to potential employers.Here are seven important cover letter writing tips:Address the individual by name.... Read More

What Is Your Greatest Weakness?

The fastest way to make a good interview go bad is to avoid questions posed by the hiring manager. The one question candidates love to avoid is, "What is your greatest weakness?" Most... Read More

Your First Summer Work in the UK - Picking Strawberries The Right Way

Most jobs on farms in the UK involve picking strawberries or berries in general, raspberries and possibly other berries with which I have not have the lucky chance to pick.Picking strawberries is very... Read More

Consultants - If We Cant Laugh At Ourselves?

There are hundreds of varieties of Consultants these days. We can find Consultants to take care of our diets, our physical well being, our mental well being, and pretty much anything you can... Read More

Staying In The Game

The message came from Human Resources. There's nothing to worry about with the newly announced organizational changes and pending merger, it reassured. The changes will be good for the company and good for... Read More

Hair Dressing as a Career

Since the world started hair has been a very important aspect of individual personality and with the change in time hair has emerged as a big form of self expression for both men... Read More

Lost Your Job? Ten Ways to Bounce Back!

Whether you've been right-sized, downsized, underutilized, or just plain fired, looking for work is a life-changing experience that rocks your world. Regain your equilibrium with these ten strategies and get back to being... Read More

Tips for Requesting a Raise

You probably think you deserve a raise. But does your boss think so?Here's how to go about convincing your boss that you're really worth more than you're being paid.First, you must realize that... Read More

Fun At Work Leads to More Success

Common sense at work: Such qualities as loyalty, energy, intelligence and hard work are certain to be in any consensus of what it takes to build a successful career."However, there's another essential ingredient... Read More

Job Interviews: Succeeding with Panel Interviews

These days, job interviews often consist of a panel of three-to-six interviewers.A "team approach" to finding the best candidate can be beneficial for the employer. Each member brings a different set of skills,... Read More

Job Search -- One of the Secrets of a Trade Show

A trade show is a great place to network, look for a job, find a new employee or develop a partnership.Are you in the market for a change? Maybe. Maybe not. But it's... Read More

7 Deadly Cover Writing Sins

Don't start off your job search with one (or more) strikes against you by committing any of these common cover letter blunders. Each is easy to avoid, but they can sink your chances... Read More

The 6 Stages of Modern Career Development

Career experts say that people will change careers (not jobs) 5-7 times in a lifetime. This being true, career management is an important life skill to develop and cultivate. There are six stages... Read More

Your Interview Secret Weapon

Have you ever been on a date where you had nothing in common so you spent your time asking questions about the other person's past?"Where did you work before that? Where did you... Read More

Careers-Changing Jobs: The Fantasy of the Ideal Job

Most people would agree that the concept of a job today is vastly different from that of 20 years ago. Organisations are changing at speed, technology has changed the face and pace of... Read More

Job Interviews: Ill File a Grievance!

I recently went to a retirement party with my husband for one of his co-workers. I worked at this same place six years ago (that's where I met my husband, but that's another... Read More

Want to Work for Yourself? Those Dream Jobs Dont Just Happen, Theyre Created

While traveling in northern California last October, I happened to tune into a local newscast. The newscaster was telling his co-anchor that the speaker at that morning's Rotary Club meeting had to... Read More

Career Killers to Avoid

Many professionals and managers are so involved in day-to-day crises and fighting fires that they forget about a key leadership characteristic: self-management. Effective leaders are first of all effective in managing themselves ?... Read More