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THE BEGINNERS' GUIDE TO FINDING A JOB

Name: THE BEGINNERS' GUIDE TO FINDING A JOB
Author: George Peters
ISBN: 978-1-5255-2072-3

by George Peters ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 2018

Rudimentary and somewhat superficial, but saved by the author’s candor and upbeat tone.

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Common-sense advice for first-time job seekers.

Without much fanfare, this short debut covers some of the essential steps of job hunting in just over 40 pages: where to look for a job, how to write a resume and cover letter, and how to prepare for an interview. It also includes two brief chapters with useful counsel for the already employed: “Do I Have to Enjoy What I Do?” and “Keeping the Job Once You Have It.” There’s nothing in this book that isn’t addressed in more detail in numerous other books; the key difference is its brevity, which makes for easy reading. In addition, most other books for job seekers are written by recruiters or human resources professionals, while Peters writes from a more personal perspective. He recounts his own challenges searching out employment, including his rise from doing menial work at a fast-food restaurant to working as a manager. This aspect gives the book an authenticity and impact that similar manuals don’t have. Early on, he urges readers to “Never think of a setback as a failure. It’s only a failure if you don’t get back up again.” About job longevity, he advises, “One thing you should avoid is getting trapped in a job that you can no longer afford to quit.” Throughout, the author’s positive attitude is laudable; at one point, for instance, he congratulates a job seeker who lands a position: “This is your moment, the thing you have been waiting for, and I know you are going to kill it.” These pearls of wisdom, sprinkled throughout, are sure to engage readers. Still, some basics seem to be absent; it’s a bit surprising, for example, that the book fails to mention online job-posting websites as a resource. Also, a chapter on interviews doesn’t indicate how best to answer typical interview questions.

Rudimentary and somewhat superficial, but saved by the author’s candor and upbeat tone.

Pub Date: Feb. 23, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-5255-2072-3

Page Count: 54

Publisher: FriesenPress

Review Posted Online: May 24, 2018

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.