Business Books

Keith Wheelock, Skillman, NJ

Mr. Nielsen has written a marvelous book on the nitty-gritty of how to devise a job search strategy, then, step-by-step, how to customize your search to maximize your opportunities. Though aimed principally at the seasoned professional who is seeking a new job, it is also valuable for the neophyte who can benefit from Mr. Nielsen's uncommonly practical advice.
Perhaps most helpful were over 40 sample cover letters and 50 resumes of diverse thrusts and flavors. Anyone would benefit from this Dutch uncle 'getting started' advice together with the detailed 'what to do' and 'how to customize it to your personal situation' that Mr. Nielsen shares from his decades of experience as a human resources manager and human resources consultant. Buy it, get your job offers, then turn to Chapter 7 to negotiate your best compensation package.

Niels Nielson covers some job search ideas that are very good and not commonly understood or talked about. Anyone who is in job search mode would certainly gain more than one good practical tip from this book.

Niels hits the nail right on the head when he says there is no one right way to get that job. But some of his ideas will surely help everyone.

Samples: 1) your search is a marketing effort. This is little understood by many job seekers and a very useful concept. 2) I had breakfast the other day with a job seeker & I mentioned he might want to get to the local chamber of commerce and other fixed networking functions - a very good idea that Niels covers in this book too - I've never heard anyone else mention chambers of commerce 3) having your 30 second statement prepared in advance 4) approach your job search like a job and work at it. 5) saving job search receipts for taxes

Lots of good model resumes, cover letters, other snippits too. A definite good read - join this with the book "60 seconds & You're Hired" (Robin Ryan); you'll surely have a better handle on getting the right job.

This is an excellent book on how to find the ideal job and career. It takes a unique view of the process, showing how a job search is like a start up business. The book is in fact a business plan for an "interim entrepreneur" that can be followed until that one ideal customer is landed, the employer. It even has a last chapter on "Customer Relations Management" about how to thrive in your new job.

It also has a full chapter on that most crucial part of the job hunt, compensation. It tell you how to "price" your services, and how to consider and negotiate salary plans, incentives, stock ownership programs, employee benefits, human resources policies, and perks. The book shows you how to wade through all the different compensation plans and to negotiate the best deal.

Besides that, there are 40 cover letters and 50 resumes that the author prepared for clients in a wide variety of occupations. They are so good, they are worth the price of the book alone.

Princeton Management Consultant's Guide to Your New Job is an important book to add to your library if you're out of work. The author provides concrete advice on how to find a job, using the effective analogy of the job hunting process as an entrepreneurial venture. He guides you through each step of the process, providing concrete details and practical advice. His many years of consulting experience are also apparent because of his obvious compassion for those who have lost their jobs. He is also able to use examples of real-life experiences to illustrate important points. Finally, the abundant examples of resumes and cover letters are very helpful.

I have read a lot of job search, resume-writing and networking books in my time. I have given seminars on all these topics; and I think this approach gets to the heart of the matter! Why didn't anyone write this before? Well, most of us don't want to think about "selling" ourselves. The job search must be strategic as well as tactical. Considering the stress of looking for a job, thank goodness Niels Nielsen gives the reader a step-by-step plan. The approach is unique, focused, and immediately useful. There are many parts of "Guide to Your New Job" I thought were powerful. Niels includes a large variety of cover letters and resumes that model creativity and assertiveness. Well-written by jobseekers, these examples are excellent guideposts for the reader. I really like the way questions were used in the cover letters. And what a great idea, "the 15-second elevator speech". All I can say is, this book should be in the hands and heart of every jobseeker.

Who'd a thunk it? Ronald Reagan finally gets his due. At long last, someone of stature finally concludes, as I did long ago, that President Reagan was not only "The Great Communicator" but also a great leader. To me, it seemed obvious. He came to power at a time when many Americans had come to believe that the United States was in decline and that the job of President had simply become too big and too complex for any one man to handle. Jimmy Carter had supposedly worked harder at it than any other president, yet he was a miserable failure. Then along came Reagan, described by his political enemies as a more or less simple minded actor and shallow thinker who had to be stage-managed by his handlers. But strangely enough, Reagan came to power during a period of crisis, a weak national defense, high unemployment, ultra-high interest rates and inflation, and a persistent national malaise, and somehow solved all these problems. How did he do it? In this book, Mr. Strock explains how President Reagan led and managed and how other would-be leaders should do so. He takes Reagan's seemingly "intuitive" leadership style apart piece-by-piece, explains what each piece means in terms of leadership and why it is important, and cites examples of how Ronald Reagan used each piece in the fabric of his style to help put the nation back on track and achieve his ultimate goals. This is an excellent book which is long overdue. It isn't light reading, but I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking to improve his or her leadership skills, especially those in the highest levels of management.

Who better to learn from than "The Great Communicator"? Studying President Ronald Reagan will not only make you better at politics, it'll make you a better person! Being decisive, negotiating from strength and crafting a compelling vision are just a few of the lessons you'll learn from James M. Strock's fabulous book about President Reagan's leadership.

Let's begin accepting the obvious: I'm a foreigner, I'm not part of the system of politics of USA and I'll never be. And let's make the not-so-obvious plainly visible: I'm a real admirer of USA, and don't buy ideas like imperialism and the like and I think they have some of the greatest leaders of all times. Being Reagan himself one of them and one of my greatest heroes since long time ago. I've got a major in mass comunication and I like to study things like messages, followers, leadershp and so on.

And it's in this sense this book became a disappointment. It so... shallow, I think it's the word best suited for it. The author is a Washington insider but not in the higher ranks. He didn't interview (not for the real thing, at least) the president, and he doesn't have a real academic background in topics like the title of the book promised: leadership and comunication. What did he wrote? Well, he knows some things about the life of Reagan, but of course he knows the best the period of the presidency. So he took a set of events, applied to them his method and ideas of leadership and then concludes "That's why Reagan was such a great leader". Come on... the air controller' strike, the Tripoli bombing, the debate with Bush Sr. about "voodoo econonics", everything was reduced to a man with a mesianic message, total control over his values and the values of the cabinet and total rapport with the familiar values of the american people. In this book, Reagan didn't have a single problem, even the smaller one; he didn't hesitate for once; he was the cheerished of the gods and EVERY scandal in his administration (just for the record: going to Nicaragua challenging the express will of the congress; the s&L scandal, which american people still are paying and will do for the next generations; the raise of the junk bonds of Wall Street; the bargaining with terrorists...) is minimized or dismissed explaining how it was impossible for Reagan to have known about those ugly things.

And I closed the book saying to myself: "One of three; one, Reagan was the son of Apollo or Zeus, Captain Marvel himself and being that is not an example for anybody; or two, maybe Reagan INDEED hesitated and wasn't sure all the time about every single decision but the guy who wrote the book couldn't know that because not everybody speak to a president, so he did what he could: he took the newspapers of the time and wonder what should've HE do had he been the president; or three, maybe it's just the real biography and thoughts of Reagan haven't been written yet...

If you want to learn about some lessons of leadership form some greatest men of America, "Lincoln on leadership" or "The founding fathers on leadership" are better options. Not masterpieces, but at least theyhave the advantage of some SERIOUS historic perpective.

President Reagan has always been a hero of mine. At the age of 8, I became intoxicated with politics in large part because of the 1980 Presidental campaign. As a Canadian, I watched this incredible leader from a little farther away then an Amercian, but came away impressed. I therefore began to read or watch anything I could find on President Reagan. The problem was all the information I gathered failed to answer the key question for me: how did Reagan lead? Much material is available on what he did, but I never received the practical tools I was looking for. Reagan on Leadership clearly and concisely describes his techniques. Strock reached deep into Reagan's tool box and paved the road for how I can apply these tools to my life. It is the only book or article I have read that answers the question I have asking about Reagan for years: not what did he do, but rather how did he it.

A diversely experienced leader and manager with an easy-to-read writing style focused on a great, recent example of truly effective executive leadership and decided to share what he learned. The result was a truly outstanding book of leadership thoughts, concepts, principles, and analysis complemented by exemplary vignettes and anecdotes from the life of arguably the most respected and admired president in United States history. Do not miss this book if you are a student or practitioner of leadership.

The book is a four part study of Reagan's leadership effectiveness: the critical elements of his vision-based leadership approach, his mutually supporting leadership and management styles, the skills that made him the "Great Communicator," and the personal character that transformed his beliefs and vision into powerful realities. At the end of each chapter is a list of summarizing leadership lessons and principles. Strock's thorough research and insightful analysis made each list pregnant with meaning and importance.

Strock made a very strong case that Reagan's brilliance as a leader was his gift of a compelling, five-part vision (family, work, neighborhood, freedom, and peace) and the integrity of his consistent and disciplined actions relative to his vision. Strock also discussed some Reagan leadership flaws and failures-not many, but enough to appear honest and balanced.

Strock's Reagan was an authentic man of vision, purpose, and character. Read this book and you will understand how Reagan was willing and able to communicate great thoughts with authority as the leader of the free world, and why his vision for America was believed in by so many people here at home and around the world:

"Ours is the land of the free because it is the home of the brave. America's future will always be great because our nation will always be strong. And our nation will be strong because our people will be free. And our people will be free because we will be united, one people under God, with liberty and justice for all."

Well I have just got the book but feel so fascinated as each page moves. It has reinforced my understanding also. How companies waste their time and HR department undertake such a process that will put off any candidate seeking career opportunity. We all know that CVs hide more than they reveal. and the best of the talents do not apply for the jobs.

All that is required in what Chris Resto aptly advises is to reflect contagious energy , fresh perspective and abundance in aspiration.. The job seeker wants is a career accelerator and not a mere job.. The Recruiter wants is a profit accelerator. Unless that bandwidth does not happen, the very exercise shall be futile. Yes one does get a job but managing and growing in it is the real challenge.

Since I happen to run Professional Mentoring Programmes and Pre placement training, the first thing that I advise people is to put the CV into a shredder. Because the Recruiter needs them more than the job seekers.. So first read the Nick Corcidilos ASK THE HEADHUNTER ([...]) That is indeed a must read for avoiding the HR Dept traps. Jeffrey J Fox also advises the same in Don't send a CV.. But now Christ Resto in this new title Recruit or Die explains the dynamics of Job market and best practices.

Read all this if you want the " right job " and never be a CV pusher.

with best wishes

RK Dhanvada
rk@dhanvada.com
India

I have gone through the interview process three times at MIT, twice as a student and once while an employee at Microsoft. I have also interned at Thomson West, which is frequently mentioned throughout the book. From all of my experiences with these companies and others, the information presented in the book is extremely accurate, both from a process perspective and the attitudes of students.

For a company, I loved that the book focused on:
1. Knowing what you are selling - I have talked to many employers who did not have a clear idea of this, and it was a huge turnoff. The book provides a great list of questions to help you identify what you are selling to students.

2. Establishing personal relationships with your recruits - When looking at competing offers, in retrospect, I realized that I have always chosen the company where I had the greatest relationships with the recruiter, other alumni, etc. The book emphasizes building these relationships and provides great suggestions on how to build them.

3. Setting expectations appropriately - This is a prevailing theme throughout the book, and I couldn't agree with it more. The book lists everything from making sure you tell recruits when you will follow-up with them to how to properly set expecations about recruitment goals within your organization.

While the primary audience of the book is recruiters, as a current student, I also found the information in the book helpful in navigating the interview process the second time around. I used the contents to identify companies with great recruiting processes, ask more meaningful questions about the companies, and provide better feedback to companies on how they could improve. While juggling information from so many companies, it even helped remind me of what was important to me about the next company I work at: career growth, opportunities to solve challenging and meaningful problems, and the culture of the company. I can't wait to apply what I read in the book when I start recruiting for the next company I work for.

Whether you are a student, a new recruiter, or an experienced one, I would definitely recommend picking up Recruit or Die!

I graduated college a couple years ago and I think the viewpoints on college students and grads are dead on. That's probably because they're from tons of actual interviews with students and grads ha. The book is definitely well researched and I would be very attracted to any company who practices the things this book recommends.
Also, I found this book applicable to many aspects of recruiting in general. Many of the concepts work great for student organizations on campus, similar to non-profit orgs or small businesses that can't afford to pay large salaries. If you're the leader of a student org, I recommend reading this to improve your recruitment tactics. There are many parallels you can draw between a college org and a business when it comes to recruitment, like applying job fair tactics at your next tabling fair (or whatever your college calls it... a day or days when many/all clubs table and flyer).

I was very excited to read this book, and it didn't disappoint. I am a leading edge member of the millenial generation and I work for a college in career services, so this book is quite relevant to me. Resto and co. are very accurate in describing what college students want out of work and how they operate, as well they should be accurate-they also work with students. Their suggestions are pretty good as well-I will be very curious to see if any of the recruiters coming to our campus employ these suggestions!

If your company recruits new hires by going to college campuses, you need to read Recruit or Die, no matter how good you think you are at recruiting. If you have a formal recruiting program or even if you just attend job fairs looking for good new employees, this will still be a valuable book for you.

The good advice begins in the Introduction, where the authors ask and answer the question: "Why Microsoft, McKinsey and Goldman Sachs?" They point out that all three of these favorite places for graduates to seek employment have a great brand. But other companies do, too.

What sets these three apart from the pack is what they do. The authors identify four things.

They won't settle for anyone other than exactly the recruits they want.
They work harder and smarter than their competitors to know their target audience: the recruits.
They sell themselves better than their competitors do.
They present a united front.

That's strategy. Tactically, the authors tell you that contact is king, that you should sell your people first and your company second and that courtesy and class go a long way.

The authors suggest that if you follow the kind of diligent process that the recruiting stars follow, you'll get great results. I think they're right.

Years ago, when police departments suddenly found themselves facing massive retirements with few recruits showing up at the door, I designed recruiting programs for police departments. Almost everything I learned that's positive is here plus a ton of details that I wish I'd known at the time. You can cut your recruiting learning curve by reading Recruit or Die and applying its lessons.

You'll learn to think, for example, about your company and the jobs you're offering from three perspectives. You'll ask yourself what the differences are between what you have, what recruits think you have, and what recruits want. That set of distinctions, alone, can help you sharpen your offerings and your process.

Again and again you're reminded to build on your strengths. You're reminded to meet the questions and needs of the people you want to recruit. That's all good, but there are some things I wish were different.

There's too much emphasis on "talent" as "people who've done well in school." Sometimes the young person who's dramatically improved performance late in school is a better choice for your company. One Fortune 200 company used that as part of its target recruit profile for years.

There's also way too much emphasis on big schools, big companies and the east and west coasts. Scan the schools whose students are quoted in the book and you're hard pressed to find any schools in the Midwest or in the South below Chapel Hill.

There are virtually no smaller company examples even though the lessons of the book are adaptable to small companies. And there are virtually no small schools represented either.

The fact is that the bulk of college graduates will be something other than first-tier brains and come from something other than first-tier schools. They will go to work at companies of all sizes, all over the country.

I wish the book reflected that reality better. But even if you're a small company recruiting at a small state school in a Midwestern state, there's a lot of good practical nuts-and-bolts advice in this book. You'll find a wealth of information on the operational details of attending job fairs, effective job postings, following up with recruits.

The bottom line is that if you need to recruit, you need to read Recruit or Die.

Professor McMillan has written an eminently readable book on the markets. He uses short sentences, rarely makes use of technical jargon and has thrown in numerous real world examples. As a reader, you will be surprised with the sheer depth of material that he covers.

It is a real pity that he passed away in March, 2007. Perhaps, if he were alive today and were inclined to update this book, he might have added a chapter on Google and its search/ads market place; maybe, even commented on the recent brouhaha surrounding on "Cap and Trade" systems (which have been installed to reduce carbon emissions but in turn might reduce growth!); and most important to me, he might have thrown in an analysis of the role of speculators in oil markets. But all of this is mere speculation on my part because Professor McMillan is no longer with us.

He spends the first half of the book exclusively on the five aspects that are needed for designing a market. They are:

1. Information must flow smoothly.
2. Competition must be fostered.
3. People who form the market must be honest and stand up to their end of the bargain.
4. Property rights must be protected but not overprotected.
5. Side effects on third parties must be reduced.

I've decided to commit these principles to memory as I design my market simulator.

a fantastic review of the idea, basic history, and pros and cons of market economies. McMillan writes in a very accessable and yet erudite way, and his personal experieces (which he shares) demonstrate his authority on the subject. In looking for a good, basic introduction to macroeconomic ideas this is a helpful read. If you ever encounter leftist or rightist ideologues or a college student who is enticed by communism (a great IDEA, even McMillan agrees), this is a good reference book to silence unfounded criticisms. McMillan is empirical in his reasoning and his potent examples from history and real life are very helpful.

I hope I can express how excited I am about this book. As an economics amateur, I recommend this book to anyone with even a sliver of interest in politics, international development, or contemporary social issues. John McMillan's book, Reinventing the Bazaar, presents in a logical and detailed manner the inner workings of markets: both their strengths and weaknesses. McMillan demonstrates very compellingly the idea that markets and all of their necessary appendages are simply tools used to facilitate efficiency. In his words, "the market system is not an end in itself, but an imperfect means to raise living standards. Markets are not magic, nor are they immoral." Usually the goal is increased economic efficiency and therefore increased standards of living, but those same principles which promote efficiency in markets will increase efficiency almost anywhere they're properly applied.
The key, he explains, is to establish the framework and the rules in such a way that the principles acting through the actions of the market participants can work to create an efficient outcome. It's basic economic theory to state that markets are the best way to coordinate the actions of millions of people, but McMillan explains further. Those essential building blocks of market economies, that is prices, and the pursuit of profit, and competition, are necessarily sustained by a good market design. Good "market design" he explains, entails well defined property rights, the free flow of information, and other critical ingredients. In today's modern and incredibly complex economy, more often then not this requires that the government take some hand in establishing this efficient market design.
One of the most exciting things about this book is that I truly feel it gave me a rational basis on which to judge government policies. If anyone, from the right or left, has any desire to gain a greater grasp of what constitutes good public policy, I recommend they read this book. For example, both China and Russia have privatized in the past several decades but with completely different results; chaos and economic stagnation in Russia while smooth growth in China. The difference is how they implemented their market policies. The same with an example of California's privatization of energy in the 1990s; inefficiency and price gouging because of stupidly designed government policies. McMillan's point is that some things work, and other things don't. The key is to have the right supporting market conditions, either by government policy or by culture, or else the market economy can't work.
Anyways, this book is amazing. Click the button, buy it, read it, ponder it deeply, and walk away with a new perspective on the world around you.

Well organized, very well researched, surprisingly readable prose for an academic, and a well balanced mix of case studies from a wide variety of actual markets and more abstract reflections based in good part on these studies. I'm not giving it the full accolade of 5 stars because of some repetitiousness and a "target audience" problem: most readers will either find themselves reading relatively long passages that teach them nothing new (if they're already well-grounded in microeconomics) or else faced with some concepts that are pretty hard and not adequately taught in this book (if the readers lack any previous study of microeconomics) -- that's a difficult problem to solve, and I don't claim to know a solution, but Professor McMillan hasn't found one either. Nevertheless, I'd recommend the book to all levels of readers, as just about everybody will get many useful notions and ways of thinking from it, and it is, all in all, quite pleasant to read from cover to cover.

I had never expected to give a 5-star review to a book about markets. But this book is a very even-handed description, favoring a case-by-case approach to "market design". Government is neither all bad nor all good, and markets are neither all good nor all bad, in this view. Nor does McMillan wrap markets in the mantles of politics and/or religion, a la Milton Friedman, George Gilder and others. The writing style isn't as felicitous as Tim Harford's "The Undercover Economist", which covers a lot of the same economics theory as this book; nor is this book quite as quick a read. But it has more real-life examples and more intellectual depth overall, while still being very much a popular, non-technical book. Like Harford's book, this one gives orthodox neoclassical economics theory (Arrow-Debreu, equilibrium, supply and demand, and other "Econ 101" stuff) more credence than it merits, but McMillan's pragmatism and professional humility somewhat compensate for this defect. Sadly, John McMillan passed away in March 2007 from cancer while still in his 50s. This book assures us that such a reasonable voice won't vanish completely -- which is lucky for us, since such voices have always been in short supply.

Simon,

I appreciate you for sharing your own personal journey to find your brilliance. Your book inspired me to write my own book! You helped me to find my brillinance. I highly urge you all to read Simon's book!
Do not waste time! Do it now! I am grateful to you, Simon.


Sincerely,

Lana

Through four simple steps in the book, RELEASE YOUR BRILLIANCE, author Simon T. Bailey explains how to discover and activate the unique individuality in each one of us that will make the world a brighter place for all of us. He uses the analogy of diamond hunting and developing. He points out that no matter what our limits we have hidden abilities that define purpose, a "universal assignment."

Unfortunately society's stereotypes of "average" behavior encourages repression of peculiarities that could be channeled into productive, self enriching patterns, if we only knew how. This book is the guide that reduces what sounds like a monumental job to an easy, common sense approach based on eight aspects of personality. It furnishes everything needed for the task, including a website, www.releasingbrilliance.com, and an offer for a free CD.

I particularly like the comfortably embracing tone which will motivate everyone who wants more satisfaction from life regardless of priorities. Reading the book RELEASE YOUR BRILLIANCE by Simon T. Bailey is a single New Year's Resolution that will encompass all the details of a long list of "do's and don'ts" and result in a more productive, contented, shining NEW YOU!

I bought this book a month ago at the airport for a quick read on the way to a business meeting. Being in sales, I am always looking for a quick pick-me-up to get me moving in the New Year. I was completely shocked to be moved to tears in the first chapter. The exercise of finding my "Universal Assignment" or true purpose in life caused me to dig deep and really think about what I am doing with my life. Subsequent chapters gave me a roadmap and hope that I will be able to achieve my ultimate goals for my family and career, while motivating me to leave a positive mark on the world as well.

I found this book incredibly inspirational and the exercises caused me to create an action plan and not just read it and think "What a great idea!" put it down and never think about it again. Bailey shows us how simple it can be to become the person you always wanted to be--before your life got in the way. I have been truly moved by this book and I have read hundreds.

This is not just an interesting way to spin the same old thing, it is a new dimension in self discovery. So simple and yet so poignant, it will leave you with a real sense of who you are and where you are going.

"As Americas' first Sales Stylist I know how important it is for professionals to feel their ideas are..well.."Brilliant". Simon T. does a tremendous job of making the reader believe they are the diamond in the rough just waiting to shine! I now give my coaching clients "Release Your Brilliance" to further incent them to bring their true genius to the world."

Jennifer Abernethy
The Sales Lounge
[...]

So many self-help books are long on details of how to improve but short on an analytical framework that would help a reader to remember much about the book even one week later. Author Simon Bailey has skillfully used the analogy of each of us being like a diamond to provide an easily understood framework for polishing our god given blessings.

This is a power packed gem because of the way Bailey builds self-help concepts around the diamond analogy. For example, Zig Ziglar was the first to introduce me to the "wheel of life" concept wherein one evaluates ones status in eight different aspect of one's life (e.g., spiritual, physical, financial, etc.). Bailey has beautifully retrofitted that concept to tie into his diamond analogy.

I especially liked the author's chapter on "authenticity." Many are writing on this subject, but some who do so give me goose bumps what with their stretching of their credentials even as they challenge the reader to be authentic. Bailey seems to be much closer to the authentic he pleads for us to be than some of the new wizards on the self help scene. I felt incredibly comfortable with the author, his personal stories, and his positioning of where he is on his life journey.

Likewise, his comments on investing in relationship capital were very thoughtful and seemingly from the heart.

I could go on and on, but doing so would have me standing between my review and your reading this gem. Sure you will find more comprehensive self-help books, but few provide a better framework for a life companion. Definitely a five star book.

Don't take everything he says literally and you'll be fine after reading this book.

The book is entertaining and very well written. The stories used to illustrate the points made are usually an adventure in themselves.

Richard Marcinko practices what he preaches and this book will tell you how to do the same.

Buy this book!

Great book. I like Dickie's straight forward, everything goes approach. Very practical and useful advice you can put to use right away no matter what your career is.

When I first put this tape in I thought to myself what the heck is this guy going on about. But I kept on going. It will grow on you. Richard's navy seal strategy to success is definitely one of the original motivational tapes out there. With a warriors attitude and what the author describes as "Testical Fortitude" you know your in for a ride. The author takes real navy missions and turns them into business strategies. With a philosophy of breaking rules only hurts the person who made the rules Richard just puts a foot in the face of whoever stands in the way. Dont be a follower. Set the standard not live up to it. Its a very inspiring look at a different approach to success. Exciting and motivating.

Another good motivational book from the Rogue, but I have seen much of the same ideas in a lot of his other books. I would still recommend it to anyone intrested in looking for a good motivational book.

I have read several business success books but none of the others even came close to this one. Marcinko cuts through all the politics and political correctness and delivers an excellent set of principles applicable to any industry. His war stories are more than just entertaining, they really drive home the points that he is making about the importance of planning, training, etc. This is must reading for everyone who is a warrior at heart regardless of their field of endeavor.

This the best investing book that i have read.Clearly explained and to the point.Buy this book, the advise that you get will be worth it bigtime.

But why all these good practices cannot be performed by the state itself, instead of the individuals??

I have learned so much about retirement funds! I am recommending it to my children,colleagues and friends.

What I like best about this book is that it offers specific, detailed advice about how to divide up your retirement portfolio amongst different types of assets - and explains why you should divide it that way, and how to adjust the proportions over time. The author provides historical trends and an explanation of the global stock markets so that you can understand for yourself why she offers her advice, meaning that you're not just taking her at her word. Best of all, after you read this book, you really just need to implement her advice and then rebalance your portfolio every year. I loved it and have recommended it to everyone I know.

If you have felt lost while staring at a 401K quarterly statement trying to figure out each financial term or if you avoid working on such seemingly complicated subjects such as selecting your investment choices for an IRA (Individual Retirement Account), wait because Gail MarksJarvis untangles all the mess of the financial jargon right in front of your eyes. This book goes right to the core of the problem and solves it. This book is aimed at the people who need to know how to make good choices confidently for their retirement investment plans. After reading this book you will feel empowered by knowing exactly what to do regarding investment planning and you will also save thousands of dollars following her outstanding advice.

"Speak with Confidence" provides all that you need to become a great public speaker. The way that this book approaches the topic is to break it down into tips, which are generally just one or two paragraphs long. These tips are individually numbered, so it is really easy to use this book as a reference. I found the sections on preparing clear and simple visuals to be particularly useful. I would recommend this not only to business people who are giving presentations at meetings, but also to anyone who speaks in front of others. I'm a teacher and I found a lot of tips that I could use in my classroom. With the help of the advice in this book, I can communicate more clearly with my students.

The book is well presented with lots of tips and ideas. Author is trying to convey lots of details on presentation skills in this book which is practically possible. Book delivery date was bit late than expected date.

Thanks,
Suresh.

I satisfied with book condition.
And it delivered when i want to use.

"Powerful Presentations that Inform, Inspire, and Persuade" is the subtitle of this book and when used will be a sure recipe for your success as a public speaker. Putting into practice the hundreds of tips presented in this book will insure that you receive accolades for all your future presentations.

Straightforward and easy to read Ms Booher has developed tips for improving your communication and speaking skills in a logical, topical approach that takes you from your research, and establishing a rapport with your audience, through the latest advances in technical communications.

I especially enjoyed the pithy quotes introducing the subject to be covered in each new chapter.

The layout of the book, with the numbered tips and white space on each page, encourages the reader to reflect briefly on the thought just expressed before moving on to the next important tip.

Throughout the text you are asked detailed questions to consider in your research and preparation.

Whether a novice just beginning the adventure or a well traveled veteran in the field of public speaking, this is a book you will want to add to your library. This is valuable resource full of stimulating new ideas.

A professional speaker for 26 years, I now refer to Speak with Confidence before each presentation for a quick brush up--learn, don't read or memorize material; shorten material by cutting the skeleton, not the flesh; handling Q & A using the SEER format®, and more! A copy should be on every speaker's reference shelf!

This is the definitive guide for anyone looking for a corporate sponsor. It was enjoyable to read and I find myself reaching for it time and again. The concepts were easy to grasp and the tools were especially useful. It is a great source of information for beginners as well as seasoned sponsorship seekers. It's a great read and well worth purchasing.

Being a realtive newcomer to sponsorship procurement, this book has been valuable and well used. The Sponsorship Seeker's Toolkit teaches every step necessary to make first contact, foster relationships, build a creative winning proposal, administer your proposal and prepare followup reports.
This and the two previous Sponsorship Seekers Toolkit can take a novice and teach them how to speak to sponsors confindently and knowledgably.
If you're a seasoned professional, Kim and Anne-Marie come up with such creative partnerships, you'll find yourself smiling over the common sense they inject into every chapter.
This book has taught my staff how to present proposals that will enhance multiple sponsors, thereby giving them more bang for their buck as well as making the event more memorable for the audience.
This book is a dog-eared must in my professional library.

Content was relevant and definitive. Great examples and templates and every aspect clearly explained and expounded where necessary. An essential piece of reading.

This book is an excellent resource for anyone attempting to obtain sponsorships. It is well written and easy to follow with many useful tools.

This book is very useful and practical thanks to its suggestions in a matter which is at the same time delicate and fundamental. Besides it is well-organized and clear in its contents

I bought this book because in my business, if you don't prospect regularly for new clients, you won't be in business for long and I wasn't prospecting.
When I got it, I thought I was afraid of rejection but what I learned is that I'm afraid of success. Did that ever piss me off! Now I'm in action and prospecting 2.5 to 3 hours a day, 4 days a week. I learned that I didn't have a fear of rejection at all. I could care less if someone said no. They probably aren't qualified anyway. What I thought was fear of rejection was something else entirely.
This book could be largely to credit for saving my career, one that I really love. It's a simple book, very helpful and I'm thankful to the "force" for leading me to it. Go in peace!

Are you sitting in front of the phone, but can't stand the thought of making your daily sales calls? Are you extremely nervous before a speech you must give tomorrow and afraid someone will humiliate you? Are you feeling down because a customer criticized your product? Feeling bad because you've been voted off a desert island?

Dealing with rejection is something we all need to learn. Successfully bouncing back from rejection and staying in the game is crucial to success in business and in life.

If you are looking for ways to strengthen your resolve, confront rejection wisely, and bolster your self-confidence, I highly recommend "Starting from 'No'" Jaffe identifies some of the underlying psychological reasons we fear rejection, including 1) A fear of not being liked; 2) A fear of being humiliated; 3) A fear of success which might force us to "abandon our comfort zone" and 4) A fear of financial disaster.

For each fear, Jaffe offers self-tests and projects to see how badly the reader is affected by the given fear.

For those who fear humiliation, Jaffe suggests taking an acting or dancing class, or even trying stand-up comedy. Jaffe says you should confront your fear where you objectively have little at risk and can afford to look silly. The newfound confidence will probably transfer into your business dealings.

Jaffe hits a key point, when she gives her best advice about public speaking, "When you look out at that huge sea of faces and you are scared to death about your performance, shift your focus from trying to impress the audience to how you can best serve them. When you take the focus off of yourself and place it where it belongs-on the client-you will be much more effective."

Today, this is the hallmark of performance psychology. Once we start worrying about how well we are doing, we won't be at our best. Just as an actor or athlete watching and judging his performance won't be "in the moment," self-preoccupation only makes us more susceptible to feeling rejection and bringing it about.

One of my favorite chapters discusses finding what motivates you in your business. It discusses the value of strengthening your motivation for success to help you overcome difficulties and rejection. Jaffe writes about positive motivation (moving toward a dream goal, for example) and negative motivation (moving away from something, needing to prove your worth to others, for example).

However, rather than just saying negative motivations are bad, Jaffe shows us how some negative motivations can help propel a person toward success. It is a matter of accepting a balance among all of the forces motivating you.

Jaffe writes, "Although positive visualization and goal setting is essential to business success, the drawback to positive motivations is that they can be vague, elusive, and not powerful enough to get you to do what you need to do today to succeed." Too true!!

Peter Hupalo, author of "Thinking Like An Entrepreneur"

This is a great book, with many helpful business ideas. What is great about this book is that in every chapter there is a section that says try this, and some of these ideas are very good and ideas that I am looking forward to trying.

There is much I like about Azriela Jaffe's writing, but what I admire most is her up-front honesty. She uses examples from her own life & from her family to 'tell it like it is'.

There's no writing as though she's a guru on high dispensing wisdom that's nothing more than theory.

When you read anything from Azriela, be it her books, web site, or newsletters, you get a very clear picture of the woman behind the words.

"Starting from 'No'" is a workbook filled with self-tests, charts, checklists, worksheets, quizzes, tips, & strategies. Everything is backed-up with examples, stories, and real life experiences. The suggestions for working though problems are down-to-earth and do-able. No 'pie in the sky' for Azriela.

And the examples come from small business people, sales people, home-business owners, writers, consultants, coaches, and more. These are real people, like you & me, who have come up against the same fears, problems, & rejections & lived to tell about it.

Chapters cover:

=> fear of rejection & why rejection is just the word we use for fears of all kinds -- failure, success, humiliation, approval (or lack thereof), and more

=> how to make yourself rejection proof. What concrete things can you do to overcome the fear that cripples you?

=> what are your limits? Can you stretch them? Are you taking on more than you can handle & setting yourself up for failure?

=> the power of your mind. The only thing you have to fear is fear itself -- now who said that!?

=> resiliency & flexibility -- do you know when to hold fast & when to give in? Do you see yourself as a victim? Do you see negative situations as everyday occurrences, use them, & move on?

=> maintaining detachment -- take a step back & assess situations.

=> asking for referrals, building rapport, keeping yourself motivated, & knowing when to take a break.

=> staying in the game -- do you know the difference between temporary setbacks & when to throw in the towel?

Shall I go on with more examples? Nah. Just know there's much more.

I found so much useful information in this book. One section that caught my attention while thumbing through the book is what Azriela calls "The Jaffe 3-5 Rule".

Many of us were taught the '3-Foot Rule'. It means that anyone within 3 feet of you is a possible prospect.

Talk about pressure! I never could figure out how to bring up products while standing in line at the post office.

Azriela rejects this notion, too. Her '3-5 Foot Rule' has no pressure attached & reads like this:

"To prosper in your business, focus your efforts on no more than three to five major target markets, using no more than three to five primary marketing tools, and making the most of your three to five greatest business skills. Be sure you spend your time in three to five major business responsibilities, and if possible delegate the rest." (p. 144)

You're not left in the dust after this statement. Azriela walks you through a step-by-step way to implement the idea so it'll work in your specific business & situation.

Then she shows you how to draw up a chart so you can see what needs to be done & then prioritize your tasks.

I'm not categorizing this book. It's not self-help, though it has those aspects. It's not strictly a management book, either.

Let's call it a success book. It will prepare you for the pitfalls of running your business, show you how to avoid them, and, if you do get caught, how to get out of them.

I highly recommend this book. You won't be disappointed...

I loved this book. Not only was it interesting and easy to read, the suggestions offered were y useful for life's rejections as well as business. I appreciated the self-tests at the beginning to help me analyze what I am most afraid of (i.e. cold calling, rejection from a friend) and suggestions on how to deal with these. The cartoons were delightful and the "Try this" section at the end of each chapter gave me specific goals to work on to deal with the fears. I admire Ms. Jaffe's openness about her own family's difficulties in starting a business and appreciated the stories gleaned from 120 interviews with business owners. This book was recommended to me by a fellow intrepeneur and I will certainly pass it on to others. Deb K.