Job Hunting For Dummies is a remarkably versatile book. It holds your hand through the arduous and terrifying process of job-seeking, and offers valuable insights relating to résumés, interviews, and networking, effectively playing the roles of mother, pal, spouse, and guidance counselor, without ever losing its temper or asking when you're finally going to land a job. Max Messmer is eminently qualified to instruct on all things job-related. He's chairman and CEO of Robert Half International Inc., the world's largest specialized staffing firm, and he's penned numerous articles, columns, and books (such as The Fast Forward MBA in Hiring and Staffing Europe), so Messmer knows a thing or two about how to apply for a job effectively, and he has a few words to say on how not to blow it, too.
He knows, for instance, how overwhelming and intimidating the job hunt can be, and how useful it is to break the monster down into prioritized, bite-sized tasks. There are detailed chapters on organizing, setting targets, and scoping out the field, plus essential chapters on writing a résumé and cover letter that present you in the best light, pursuing job leads, and performing well in the interview spotlight.
Messmer's experience in the field makes his advice reliable. You know that when he suggests how to research a company before the interview so you are somewhat knowledgeable about what they do, and when he warns against pink résumés and sarcastic cover letters, he's offering the collective opinion of hundreds of staffing professionals. It's advice worth reading, no matter how qualified you already are to do the job once you get it. The only misleading aspect of Job Hunting for Dummies is the title, because no dummy would do something so smart as to increase his or her application advantage by reading Max Messmer's book. --Stephanie Gold
