Finding Work in a Tough Job Market (Free Ebook in English and Spanish)
I wrote this Ebook a few years back because I saw so many cool and talented people making the same elemental mistakes when they applied for jobs. Of course, right now (Fall, 2020, in what will surely be known as, "the COVID era"), the job market is worse than it's been in decades. It's discouraging, but by making sure you're using a strong strategy, you can improve your chances of getting hired even in a terrible job market.
This ebook focuses on the foundational activities and strategies underlying a successful job search, but does not include information on tactics (e.g., how to interview or write a resume), partly because that information is widely available elsewhere.
Here is the Table of Contents:
PART I. FOUNDATIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. How Unemployment Stinks: Let Me Count the Ways…
2. If You Need Help, Get Help
3. Practice Optimism
4. Yes, There are Good (or, at least, Okay) Jobs Out There
5. Negotiable and Optional Job “Requirements”
6. On Pickiness and Biases
7. On Fear, Procrastination, and Not Getting Stuck
8. When You Don’t Like Your Options
9. Yes, You’re Employable
10. Invest in Lavish Self-Care
11. Create a Supportive Community
12. Create Time
13. Be Frugal
PART II. A JOB-SEARCH STRATEGY THAT WORKS
14. 85%
15. Competing with the “Fab 15%”
16. HIAP vs. Willy-Nilly
17. Do it Like Dudley
18. HIAP + Enthusiasm = Safety
19. HIAP + Enthusiasm = a Few Good LAFS
20. HIAP + Enthusiasm = the Magic Wand
21. Do it Like Dudley (Part II)
22. Details Count – Incredibly!
23. Zip to It!
24. Scanners (and Emailers and Faxers) Live in Vain: Why Technology Isn’t Necessarily Your Friend
25. “Technical Skills” <= “Soft Skills” + Business Savvy
26. Don’t Commoditize Yourself
27. The Crucial Importance of Framing
Epilogue
I hope you find the book useful! I welcome your feedback at hillary@hillaryrettig.com.
Cover designs and illustrations, and Spanish translation, by Juan Jaume.
