Hire Me, Inc.: Package Yourself to Get Your Dream Job    by Roy J. Blitzer Order:  USA  Can Entrepreneur Press, 2006 (2006) Paperback Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Belle Dessler At some point, we all have to face the dreaded job search. And whether it's your first time sending out resumes or you've recently left behind a career that spanned decades, chances are you'll need a little help with the process. That's where Hire Me, Inc. comes in. 'The aim of Hire Me, Inc. is to help you present yourself as a product, a unique item being launched into the work marketplace,' Blitzer tells us in the Preface. Before you get offended at being referred to as an item, Blitzer has a point. Job searching is difficult and can often be discouraging and demoralizing. However, approaching the task from a marketing standpoint can make the process seem less intimidating. Blitzer even suggests applying the traditional Marketing Model (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) to break down what can otherwise be a daunting project. Blitzer claims Hire Me, Inc. 'is just as much a 'do' book as it is a 'read' book', and he's right. From the first few pages, Blitzer puts the reader in the driver's seat by providing thoughtful questions (with ample space to answer them right in the book). The questions are designed to help the job seeker understand himself better, to appreciate his strengths and obtain a positive outlook on what he has to offer a company. To say the book offers an in-depth look at the various skills and knowledge useful to a job seeker would be an understatement. At almost three hundred pages, Hire Me, Inc. is packed with a wealth of information. The book is divided into chapters that each cover a specific aspect of the job search process. It all starts with The Product in Chapter One, where Blitzer encourages the job seeker to analyze her interests, accomplishments and career values among other items. From there, Blitzer moves on to Research and Development, which covers various options available to find the perfect job. Over the span of the six chapters that follow, Blitzer offers advice on building resumés and business cards, networking, using salary calculators, obtaining solid references and referrals, interviewing, handling objections, assuring a second interview and negotiating a deal - among many other topics. Every section is filled with myriad questions, charts, tables and VIPPs (Very Important Product, Price, Place and Promotion Points). Each of these allows a job seeker to take an in-depth look at what's important to him, and how to use that knowledge to his advantage. By teaching us how to approach the job search like an entrepreneurial business endeavor, Blitzer empowers us to be in control of the entire process, from the initial hunt for a job listing to the negotiation stage. This is one book no job seeker should be without! Listen to a podcast interview with the author at WrittenVoices.com Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews