The Job Seeker And The Coach is a non-fiction guide to improving the job search, but told as a story. When Lisa loses her job, she has only 4 weeks left on her visa, so she needs to find a job quickly. Her friend connects her to a coach, who guides Lisa — and the reader — through the best practices of a job search.

The coach leads Lisa to improve her resume, build her network, find key decision-makers, improve her interview performance, and more. Not every piece of information is relevant to every industry, but there’s enough helpful content that anyone can take away some key points. Working in education, I’ve found that the quality of references is key to getting callbacks and offers, but there’s still enough about polishing and presenting to make this worth reading.

The most useful takeaway for me when the coach reminded Lisa that she was the CEO of herself, and she was also interviewing potential employers. When looking for a job, it’s hard to remember that you’re not just trying to sell yourself, you’re also letting the potential employer sell you on their company. For me, we’re like a family here is a red flag that screams there’s no work/life balance, and it’s good to pay attention to negative signs early on. It’s always worth a reminder that you don’t have to take a job just because it’s available. Also, the coach reminds Lisa that desperation is a turnoff, and we can all spot when someone seems too needy.

The book is about someone with a tight deadline to find work, but the coach still leads Lisa, and the readers, to think about what makes a good career. I don’t just mean the basics,  but to really consider what makes a perfectly fine job into a long-term career with growth potential. Once the coach helps Lisa land interviews and get offers, how can she choose the right career out of all her options? Which will bring her the most personal satisfaction and growth? Considering this is also really helpful for job-seekers.

Overall, this is a useful guide to job-hunting, and framing the tips with Lisa’s story helps personalize this non-fiction guide.

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