Six Steps To Job Search Success

Reviewed by Marlo Calloway, Adjunct, Tidewater Community College on 4/26/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The textbook covers many untapped topics that are necessary for job seekers to know today.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I'm a HR professional that coaches and mentors professionals in the same topics given in this textbook. I will know use this a resource tool for additional information to help build a career path plan.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The textbook as stated before is extremely relevant for today's student and professional looking to solidify their job search and use immediate strategies given for success.

Clarity rating: 4

This textbook would be a clear read for students. What I enjoy are the details and examples given to help keep the students engaged in the reading and activities.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook is consistent in terms of terminology and its framework. Student will be able to use applicable language that employers and their network would expect them to use and understand.

Modularity rating: 5

Yes, this textbook was well structured for module based instruction.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization and flow of this textbook reminds me of a career pathways. Each chapter flows to the next with the purpose of walking the career seeker to their end goal.

Interface rating: 5

I had no issues with the interface.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I do not recall any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This textbook is definitely DEI appropriate.

Comments

I will be using this textbook details in the SDV course for the great activities in the classroom and online.

Reviewed by Georgia Karras, Professor, Prairie State College on 3/14/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

I like that this book takes into account students from non-traditional pathways and asking those questions about why a career change is wanted all the way to landing a job. It's also nice to see social media relevance and impact.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I did not see any errors and everything appears to be accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Very relevant. The information is current including social media impact on job searching.

Clarity rating: 5

Very easy to read. I love numbered lists and bullets and keeping thing simple. This nailed it.

Consistency rating: 5

I'm a stickler for consistency. Nothing worse than a section written by a different author. This had a nice even flow.

Modularity rating: 5

Most definitely modular. I'm already planning on how I can reorder the chapters to suit my need. While each chapter is not independent, it is each to catch up with each chapter topic.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Great. It logically flows through a process to land a job and succeed.

Interface rating: 4

I prefer the PDF. It would have been icing to have a pdf with a table of contents and be able to click where I want to go.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I didn't notice any errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I thought this worked well for every background. This book is probably overkill for an electrician, machinist or similar, but it's easy to move past it.

Comments

I enjoyed it. I think it did a great job of addressing all parts from school to career. I wish it would be less than 417 pages, but then something useful would have to be removed.

Reviewed by Marva Solomon, Instructor, Lane Community College on 6/3/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

All 12 Chapters of this book covers material that is relevant for job search. Each chapter is laid out comprehensively. The order of each chapter allows for students with none or very little job search experience to gain a good understanding of the job search process. the charts and graphs and tables are laid out in a manner that makes comprehension relatively easy to comprehend for high school students to college graduates and beyond.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

This book appears to be error free since I did not notice any errors. the information is accurate to the best of my knowledge. As an instructor and Career Counselor every bit of information covered in these chapters is accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book will not quickly become obsolete because it contains information that is currently being used in job search. This information in this book will also be relevant in the future with some updates. It is important to note that updates can be easily done in a relatively easy and straightforward manner. Each chapter of this book covers Learning Objectives, Key takeaways, Exercises. This format is evident through the book and make for easy updating. This book mentions relevant social media platforms that any job seeker could use in their job search process.

Clarity rating: 5

The terminology in this book is not at all difficult for high school students, college students and even graduate students, people looking for a job change etc., to read and comprehend. The language use here is also relevant for anyone moving into the work of professional work.

Consistency rating: 5

This book is consistent in terms of terminology and framework. Each chapter had the same format. This consistency through the book allowed for easy reading without confusion.

Modularity rating: 5

This book can be easily divided into smaller reading sections and can be assigned at different points within the course. Any of the topic in any of the chapters could be discussed at any point in a course without confusing the students. An instructor can easily rearrange topics in this book and still meet the learning objectives.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

This book is easy to follow. The chapters flow well. For example Chapter 1 offers a nice introduction about the important methods that not only students new to the world of work can use, but also experience persons making a job change or a life change.

Interface rating: 5

No noticeable interface issues. Navigation of the PDF and the Online version is relatively easy.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors detected. Each chapter was comprehensive.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This book is not culturally insensitive. This book can be used in a variety of cultures who are English speaking. In addition students with learning disabilities can also benefit from this book once it is tailored to suit their needs.

Comments

I most definitely recommend this book for a job search course as well as for career counselors to use when providing career services to students or adults making a career change or entering the job market

Reviewed by Carla Tobin, Faculty, Century College on 6/3/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The textbook has a comprehensive overview of the job search process for students that will soon be entering the workforce. The textbook covers many reasons students may be entering the workforce, relocating, returning to the workforce, or changing careers. It is not just focused on students that have not worked before. The textbook offers information about job search, networking and, interview preparation and provides many take-aways for students.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The textbook content is very accurate compared to what I have seen on many career preparation sites. The six progressive steps for a job search is a clear and accurate process. The Success Hawk site did not work for me.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Much of the text is "evergreen", offering advice and tips on how to prepare for a job search and be professional. This type of information is not likely to change. Chapter 2 focuses on skills and resources students need to prepare for a job interview such as confidence, communication skills, poise, and physical resources. This information will always remain relevant. The chapter on Social Media will not remain up to date as these websites update all of the time.

Clarity rating: 4

The textbook is easy to read and written for students that will be entering a professional job or career. There were embedded definitions of some of the terminology, but I felt that the book could have used more of this. A glossary would be helpful.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook is very consistent with its format of the Chapters and sections. The terminology used is also consistent within all of the chapters throughout the book.

Modularity rating: 5

This textbook is easily divisible into smaller reading sections with the online version. The PDF copy has the same text, however, it is not as easy to navigate to each section. The table of contents of the online version has links to each subsection in the chapters that would allow instructors to easily incorporate only specific sections of the book into their course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The online version of the textbook has a Table of Contents that very clear. There are links to each chapter, and links to each section within the chapter. You can easily see the subjects

Interface rating: 4

The online textbook is mainly very clear and easy to read and navigate. Some of the larger images are not clear or easy to read. The link to the Success Hawk site was not working.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not find any grammatical errors in this textbook.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The interview process discussed some positive body language that may not work for all cultures. "Positive body language such as looking the interviewer in the eye and shaking their hand firmly when saying hello inspires trust. Poor body language can eliminate you as a potential candidate. Practice answering questions with a friend and look them straight into the eye. Smile when you talk about big goals that you have achieved. You may look away now and then, but for the most part, hold their gaze throughout the interview."

Comments

This textbook would make a great addition to a course that is geared toward job search preparation or an online internship course. Many colleges are offering online office internships during the COVID pandemic. This book can be broken down and instructors can determine which chapters and subsections they would like to incorporate into their course.

Reviewed by Christian Reifsteck, Assistant Director of Career Development, Susquehanna University on 3/3/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

At 514 pages, “Six Steps to Job Search Success” by Caroline Ceniza-Levine and Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio is a comprehensive overview of the job search process. It includes subjects ranging from improving self-confidence to researching companies to staying motivated on the job search. It touches upon practically all aspects of the job search and is impressive in its scope. However, it does not contain a table of contents, except to mention the contents in a list in text (page 3), which is essential to creating a user-friendly text that allows readers to quickly find and access information.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

While many job search principles, such as communication skills, company research basics, and interviewing techniques, are timeless, some of the content is outdated and therefore inaccurate. SuccessHawk, which the text frequently references for activities, is no longer available. The text’s information is mostly still accurate, but in some cases is a bit narrow, most notably in the attempt to create pathways for students, which is too prescriptive. The text categorizes job seekers into five categories and then recommends how each category should proceed in the job search. However, these categories and activities are too constrictive for the current world of work and therefore subject to charges of inaccuracy. The information itself also at times does not go into enough depth. For instance, changing careers is covered in two pages, while relocating is confined to three. This is a long text, though, that attempts to touch upon all aspects of the job search. With such an ambitious project, including topics beyond the job search, such as succeeding in your new job and work/life balance tips, there are bound to be areas that aren’t expanded upon. Thanasoulis-Cerrachio and Ceniza-Levine have done well to provide the basics.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Many job search topics, such as those noted above, enjoy longevity, so job searching will always be a relevant topic. Again, as noted above, some of the content, such as SuccessHawk, is outdated. Objectives are no longer used on resumes, and LinkedIn is an important networking tool that isn’t mentioned. Of course, the text is nine years old, and so cannot be expected to maintain relevancy in all aspects as technologies and tools expand and new technologies become available.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is easy to understand, clear, and well written. The language usage is not so advanced that students would be challenged to comprehend the content, such as might be found in a scholarly journal article. The Chapter Review and Exercise sections are also a great way to check for understanding and application.

Consistency rating: 5

The text does not have inconsistencies that distract a reader or negatively impact understanding of the content. The writing, language usage, and structure are consistent throughout.

Modularity rating: 4

The text lends itself well to being divided into sections for incorporation into the classroom. Each section is short and accessible and could be used in multiple ways. It could even provide a framework of topics for generating course content. I plan to use portions of this text for supplemental reading in my own professional development courses.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The topics are laid out in a logical sequence. However, the text jumps straight into the content without a strong introduction and therefore feels disjointed at the beginning, where it attempts to create pathways for students based on individual circumstances and scenarios, but ends up being confusing and opaque. It breaks down the job search into life circumstances: “A successful job search begins with understanding your current life situation.” (page 30), but only breaks life situations into five categories. In addition, large topics like confidence and communication skills (Ch 2.2 and 2.3) are only addressed in a couple of pages. The information on company research was impressive for its depth, including setting up Google Alerts, but, like SuccessHawk, this information will at some point be obsolete. The overall organization of the text, though, makes sense.

Interface rating: 3

The main navigation challenge is the lack of a table of contents. A table exists on the book’s Open Textbook Library site, but not in the text itself as a stand alone page with links. Aside from that, there are a few places where the text and images don’t align or the text is unreadable, and of course anything pertaining to SuccessHawk is no longer relevant.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Ceniza-Levine and Thanasoulis-Cerrachio have written a remarkably grammatically solid text. The writing itself is also very strong.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text does not appear to be culturally insensitive or offensive. However, it could benefit from an expanded worldview of workplace culture, socioeconomic backgrounds, and diversity in general. Perhaps its categorization of job seekers into five types at the text’s beginning is the clearest example of the need for more inclusivity throughout the text. I have referenced Ceniza-Levine and Thanasoulis-Cerrachio's job seeker categories multiple times in my review because its narrowness may be immediately off-putting to readers.

Comments

Thank you for the opportunity to review this text. I plan to use portions of it as supplemental reading in my own courses. While it, like any text, has its challenges, it provides an accessible introduction to many job search topics.

Reviewed by Brenda Williams, Faculty , Lane Community College on 12/30/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The glossary is easy to use. I thought the order of the chapters was great, it flowed very well. Each aspect of the job search and even before the job search was broken down.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Yes, I felt it was accurate and unbiased. I did notice that the author mentioned 6 items in chapter 2 but then listed bullets.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

I wasn't a fan of the author using resume templates and the objectives that were popular decades ago. With technology and the population changing, I felt a new template would have been more relatable to college students these days.

Clarity rating: 4

It was easy to read. I liked the spacing and the tables within the chapters. I did notice at the beginning it mentioned linkedin but didn't mention the point of it. It just said to join it. I thought it could have benefited more from videos. One of the larger charts was not easy to read.

Consistency rating: 5

It was consistent by referring back to the job search flow chart.

Modularity rating: 5

It makes sense to keep it as a whole unit since there is a specific order.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

I thought the flow was great.

Interface rating: 4

The job search process chart was not readable for me. I had to zoom in to see the words. Otherwise, there weren't any navigation issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

It was written well.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

It could have used more examples for students that are shy or come from disadvantage backgrounds.

Reviewed by Amanda Olson, Instructor of Communication Studies, Minnesota State on 6/27/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This text offers a comprehensive overview of the job search process, tailored to the context of a college student preparing the enter the job market. The authors assume that college/university resources might be available and explain how to take advantage of these resources, but also reveal aspects of job hunting that will be relevant to graduates or other job seekers. One theme that appears early in the book, and serves as a guiding purpose is that the move from school to work is in and of itself a job change - and therefore, many aspects of professional culture are very thoughtfully explained in the chapters.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate and consistent with other resources that I have used to teach about job interviews and job search skills. The authors link to current websites, and offer guidance for using social media and marketing oneself effectively online.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This text is consistent with the context for job searching in 2019. There are many references to the "recent downturn in the economy" which some younger college students may not thoroughly comprehend, but this would be an excellent opportunity for in-class discussion or more specific research into career fields and industries.

Clarity rating: 5

I appreciated the embedded definitions for industry jargon, and the use of tables to highlight different professional contexts and how that might influence the interview context. For example - a simple table highlighting the differences between a large publicly traded corporation and a smaller privately held company were useful. In my experience teaching students about job interview contexts, it can be difficult to explain how workplace culture will vary and these examples offer a very helpful tool for providing clarity.

Consistency rating: 5

The authors work through a flow chart of the job search process and organize the chapters to reflect each of the six steps. The text is cohesive and consistent in use of terms, ideas, and the overall search philosophy. Very often, the authors remind the reader that they can use prior work that was suggested and explained in an earlier step may come in handy in the current one.

Modularity rating: 4

This book would be best as a complete unit, but the chapters could easily be used independently.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics in this text are presented in a very clear, chronological order. I especially appreciated that the authors emphasized that getting the offer was the goal - because then a job seeker has decision-making power - and then provided extensive and valuable advice about how to negotiate and research to be sure that it is a good offer. This is such an essential tool for a college student preparing to enter the job market. Further, the authors continue to offer advice and strategies for how to handle oneself once an offer has been accepted and a seeker has started their employment - asking for a raise, handling conflict, seeking out mentors - this section is full of wisdom and solid advice for anyone wishing to be a successful professional.

Interface rating: 3

The text itself was clear and easy to read, but tables and examples were presented in a smaller text and I was not able to expand any of them from my browser. Often, they contained information that I wanted to read - such as sample resumes, sample cover letters, and examples of answers for common interview questions. Plus, the six-step model itself is presented in an image format and cannot be re-scaled to be viewed larger. This is one of the first things I wanted to see more clearly and I was disappointed that I couldn't see it larger.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

This is well-edited for grammar and clarity.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

This text is overall culturally respectful and uses a variety of names for different examples that are representative of a variety of ethnicities. I found the overall tone and advice to be reflective of middle-class professional job settings, which community college students may not always relate to.

Comments

I would love to see an update to include advice on three specific topics:

First, managing cultural differences - for example, when should a job seeker who needs visually accessible materials request this during the search process? How should a Muslim job seeker manage handshakes with individuals who present a different gender identity, when they have a religious objection to physical contact across differing genders? When and how should a job seeker share a pronoun preference during the search process?

Second, managing portfolios and samples of work - where and when (and in what format) should they be shared in the search process?

And third, should a job seeker know anything different about industries that are technical, hands-on, or industry-based? Community college students who may be entering a professional field like Auto-body repair, Horticulture, or Dental assisting would not benefit from as much upfront networking and informational interviewing. I would love an update to include information on fields like these and others that are typical paths for students with Associate's degrees.

Reviewed by Julie Voelker-Morris, Senior Instructor II/PPPM Career Services Director, University of Oregon on 6/6/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book is very comprehensive in the topics it addresses for readers to enact a successful job search. From defining employment goals and building professional networks to developing foundational documents such as résumés and cover letters and setting up practice interviews, this book suggests important skills, materials, and knowledge that need to be developed when one is on the job market.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

The overall guidelines for job search provided in this book are accurate. Advice regarding steps in the job search process are broadly applicable to many students. I notice a tendency of the examples used to apply predominantly to undergraduate job seekers on a semester cycle who will be most interested in employment within the corporate marketplace. Since this book was published, there have been definite changes in the ways in which social media and other aspects of web presence and web tools can guide a job search today. I would like to see specific citations to support some of the recommendations as well some facts and data shared.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

While some content is continually "evergreen" and applicable, it is not relevant to most audiences outside a traditional undergraduate population in the U.S. The book is limited in its applicability for nontraditional students, international students (or those seeking employment overseas), or those completing non-four year degree programs.

This book offers few references or other source citations to support its relevance and validity. It appears to rely on "common knowledge" from career service providers. Additionally, weblinks are out of date (as is likely to happen quickly in contemporary publications).

The most continuously relevant content are sections on networking and advice seeing, developing a personal brand/campaign, and conducted in depth research about a prospective employer to prepare one's resume, cover letter, and interview.

Clarity rating: 4

This book is direct in its delivery of content and with language that can be generally understood by many types of readers. The book is most helpful when specific examples, case studies, profiles were included. This makes the work more interesting and applicable to the job search processes that students will be undertaking. At times, the terms "jobs" and "careers" were applied almost interchangeably which could be confusing and problematic. Additionally, the audience(s) for this book should be more clearly identified and then spoken to consistently through the types of examples and address used.

Consistency rating: 4

Each chapter follows a very similar organizational format. While this provides consistency, such repetition of format also can become a bit uninteresting after a time. Terminology introduced within the book is generally applied in similar ways throughout the text. On occasion, stated learning objectives are misaligned with stated takeaways at the end of a chapter.

Modularity rating: 4

Each chapter can certainly be read and assigned individually within a particularly course or workshop series structure. Units do not need to be read sequentially but could be mixed and matched per the specific learning outcomes desired. Specific questions, summaries, and activities for each section are somewhat helpful to specific in-class activities or use by an individual using the book. Including worksheets or portfolio "to-do" pages or activities might be an interesting to layer to the modularity and applicability of this text.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The overall outline of this book flows well. At times, I felt that some content was duplicated or could be more relevant in another chapter. For example, since so much has changed about social media since the book's publication in 2010, these discussions should be embedded into almost every chapter rather than being a single separate chapter. I also felt that the networking section of the book should be a much earlier step in the process of job searching. The section on career change did not seem to match the target audience for this book.

Interface rating: 3

The PDF version of this book is highly challenging to navigate. It has been build without links between the Table of Content and the associated chapters. Figures and text were distorted.

All of this is much easier to navigate in the web version of the text, though this particular format for reading online is going out of favor. It would also be great to have a version that could be read in an app like Kindle or iBook. Hyperlinks to webpages can become quickly outdated as is the case with many suggested in this book.

In both versions of the book, the graphics are very technical, even leaning toward being more of a filler than in support of the recommendations in the text. This makes the book feel dry and uninteresting, particularly as each chapter follows a similar rhythm. The graphics nicely lay out a logical sense of the processes involved in job searches but could be much more appealing to readers. The boxes for additional questions and exercises are nice visual breaks and clear guides to summary and next step sections. The sample resumes included are strong.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is generally free of grammatical errors. It could use a copy editor to flesh out a few incomplete phrases and sentences or inadvertent additional punctuation.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

In some ways this book attempts to address nontraditional student needs by offering a large section on career change. This content does not seem to fit the main audience of the book (undergraduate students interested in the corporate workforce). It would be better suited to address this audience more directly or to change the audience of the book and meet those needs more directly. Little specificity regarding race, ethnicity, or background is mentioned directly within the content or examples of the book. The examples provided tend to suggest connections for traditional 18-22 year-old middle to upper-class population student segments who would have the means to complete unpaid internships in the summers between their junior and senior years of college or have other resources to help them understand how to navigate the types of employment experience and skill development expected for the job market following degree completion.

Reviewed by Adry Clark, Director, Western Oregon University on 3/4/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Textbook “Six Steps to Job Search Success” provides a comprehensive survey of the job and internship search process. It is consistent with what most career development centers would advise their students, as well as other job search resources. It breaks the job search process down to manageable steps. A suggestion would be to devote more space to the first step of identifying what to search for and internal factors that determine the direction of the search.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

There are some issues with the text being outdated. Much has changed in the nine years since the book was published, especially related to online job search. Certain websites are no longer relevant, and many new are commonly used, now. Some of the practices related to internship processes have also changed. Laws have changed regarding paid and unpaid internships, and on-campus recruitment has changed.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Many of the issues of relevance are similar to the issues of accuracy. Because job search trends change with changes in the economy as well as technology, books need to be updated every 3-4 years. The book may also be mostly relevant to middle to upper class students, who pursue corporate careers and attend well-funded universities with extensive support services. Much of the information about internships assumes knowledge of what internship is and why it is important.

Clarity rating: 4

For the most part, the text is clear and well organized. The authors, however, make assumptions of prior knowledge and awareness of some job and internship search components. Also, the book could have benefited from more visual representation of the information, such as resume formats.

Consistency rating: 4

The chapters are structured in a systematic manner and are consistently formatted throughout the book. There was some inconsistency in the target audience the authors address, from student to instructor.

Modularity rating: 4

In terms of modular breakdown of topics, the book would be easy to assign in a course. The structure of the chapters seem logical. As such, the chapters are divided with headings and could be easily split into multiple reading sections. An index seems to be missing, which makes it difficult to assign readings. Each chapter includes exercises and key takeaways, which makes learning easier and more active.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Apart from missing an index, the book is well organized. The numerical organization of chapters and sub-chapters is helpful.

Interface rating: 3

The book’s interface is easy to follow, but not visually pleasing. It lacks graphic design, the graphs are technical and it reads like a technical manual, more than a textbook. Students today are accustomed to more visually appealing textbooks.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text was without any major grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The book was written for students with social and cultural capital most aligned with middle and upper middle class. The assumptions of knowledge of world of work and expectation of privilege was apparent.

Comments

The book is really too outdated and needs an update on information, resources and visual communication.

Reviewed by Rachel Dolechek, Instructor, Fort Hays State University on 11/20/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

“Six Steps to Job Search Success” is a comprehensive resource for covering the job search process. It aligns with the job search process covered in many business communication textbooks. Some topics need to be updated, as well as many of the online sources and links.

Chapters 1 and 2 provide an overview of the job search process. Chapters 3-10 cover the six-step process. Chapters 11 and 12 look beyond the six-step process and consider social media, as well as career success.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The book is largely accurate. The Success Hawk is referenced several times in the text, but the links are all broken. Chapter 6 had numerous broken links in addition to Success Hawk.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

This book is mostly relevant, but I am concerned about listing time-sensitive facts (i.e. LinkedIn has 100 million users). Necessary updates may be difficult to make due to the text not including many references or source citations throughout.

Clarity rating: 4

The book is geared towards business and industry. This may not be representative of all students. Having examples of resume options and networking advice for more student populations would be ideal.

Consistency rating: 5

The chapters are structured similarly and are consistent throughout the book. The table of contents is consistent with the headings in the book.

Modularity rating: 4

The structure of the chapters seem logical. As such, the chapters are divided with headings and could be easily split into multiple reading sections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The text is well-organized and the sequence of chapters is reasonable. The chapters would not necessarily need to be introduced in order, but the text does reference previous chapters.

Interface rating: 4

The online format of the book was easy to navigate. I experienced technical difficulties with the PDF version, even after trying multiple computers and browsers.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text was well-written and without blatant grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The book did not include many cultural examples. It does cater to the job search process in the U.S. It provides very limited examples of expectations for an international applicant applying in the U.S. or a U.S. applicant applying internationally.

Reviewed by David Pearlman, Associate Professor, University of New Orleans on 5/21/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The text is very comprehensive and does a great job covering the job search process. There are some elements of the text that could be updated, while most of the information is relevant and doesn't change, there are some things that date the information like the idea of a resume objective and should be expanded to include a summary of qualifications which is more current today. There are extensive examples provided as well as in-depth discussions on job search topics, delving into the details and examining the various angles of a job search. The section on networking was a nice addition as well as pre-job search activities, post-job search (on-the-job) activities, motivation, planning, and organization. Not too sure if a student would read all 400+ pages unless required. Finally, the PDF version of the textbook did not contain a Table of Contents or index, which I found problematic. The flow of content from overview to process to an application is consistent with about 40-50 pages per chapter. The figures were also quite helpful, but feel that more interactivity should be built into the text. The use of the Success Hawk website proved impossible to access and a search located old non-updated content.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The information provided about the job search process is accurate and the advice for what to do and what not to do regarding each step of the job search process was correct and current. Other than the Success Hawk web link not working the accuracy of the information presented was good.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

With nonworking weblinks, the longevity of the material is severely limited. Otherwise, the material is somewhat timeless with a few subtle changes over the years like the use or inclusion of an objective or a summary of qualifications. The popularity and usage statistics pertaining to specific social media channels may need to be updated since the textbook is 5+ years old. However, most of the content in the other chapters should maintain its relevance and longevity for students needing directional support in the job search process.

Clarity rating: 4

The terminology used in the book is sided more towards the business and industry professionals. For a future teacher, the terminology may be a bit confusing and, therefore, a distraction. There isn't an easy way to navigate between sections and in the online view you can only go to chapters, or subsections, and requires one to scroll to find what you are looking for.

Consistency rating: 4

The organization of the content is consistent with subsections within the chapters to the chapters themselves including a chapter outline and chapter review. The text appears to be consistent in its terminology and the material is presented in an organized and structured manner. The Exercises at the end of the chapters are helpful.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is adaptable and can be presented in a modular format. Each of the chapters could be utilized on an individual basis if a series of workshops is desired. Since each chapter starts with a review of the previously covered steps that lead into the next step the reader should be able to transition into the new learning topic and due to the repetition of the material, the text may not need to be read sequentially the beginning.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization, structure, and flow of the content make sense and the reader should easily be able to follow the rationale regarding subject ordering. I would say that the lack of a specific target audience (college student or adult career change) affected the delivery of a consistent theme. The book does a nice job connecting content from chapter to chapter and the use of the flowchart to illustrate each of the six steps. The use of this visual display provides quick context for students in their reference and use of the book's advice, strategies, and techniques. The lack of a Table of Contents or Index significantly impact the flow and navigating through the PDF is frustrating, to say the least.

Interface rating: 1

The PDF’s lack or Index or Table of contents means that there is NO interface with this textbook. There were also major problems with graphics distortion, text wrapping, and excessive white space. There are several instances of the figures overlaying each other thereby obscuring the information. For example, the sample resumes in Figures 4.4 and 4.5 overlapped and could not be completely read. Finally, the nonworking hyperlinks also limit the interface of this text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is free of grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

This textbook did not address this topic specifically and should be included in an update. Specifically, the legality of interview questions must be fact-checked due to changes in laws. Perhaps, the inclusion of ancillary sources could be used to ensure the accuracy and currency of information available. Gender fluidity and consideration for readers dealing with job search and LGBTQ issues would be of value to some readers.

Comments

The book is a very comprehensive collection of job search tips complete with multiple examples and sample resumes and cover letters in a large 400+ page package. The text is over 5-years old and even though the material is somewhat timeless, the way it was presented may not be appealing to today’s markets. Specifically, as electronic texts are concerned this book lacks a multimedia component often found, if not expected, in such educational resources. There are many elements of the textbook that are useful and helpful in working with job seekers and appreciated the chapter on networking. In addition, the tables and charts assisted in synthesizing the information. It was worthless to include the Success Hawk tool tied to many sections since I could not get it to work. Finally, the lack of a hyperlink enabled table of contents and index made navigating very frustrating and time-consuming.

Reviewed by Amy Morrill Bijeau, Director of Experiential Education, School of Professional & Extended Studies, American University on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

"Six Steps to Job Search Success" throughly reviews major career development stages such as discovering job search targets, setting goals, and landing a job. The book also gives a detailed explanation of the interview process and managing interviews. I recommend this as a reference book for college students seeking general career advice.

"Six Steps to Job Search Success" presents clear guidelines for students to make career development progress in these stages: “Identify Your Job Search Targets; Create a Compelling Marketing Campaign, Part I: Résumé, Create a Compelling Marketing Campaign, Part II: Cover Letter, Pitch, and Online Profile; Conduct In-Depth Research; Network Effectively and Master the Interview; Stay Motivated and Organized and Troubleshoot Your Search; Negotiate and Close Your Offer.”

The book covers comprehensive details with clarity through learning objectives, tables, key takeaways, and exercises.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

It is not longer completely accurate. While the book is designed to cut across different generations, “regardless of the market,” published in 2010, but it appears dated.

The successhawk.com website cited often doesn’t work.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

While the book is designed to cut across different generations, “regardless of the market,” it was published in 2010 and it seems dated without new insights into contemporary culture.

The section on generations fails to include generation z, students born from 1996 - present.

Sometimes goes into too much detail about the obvious for obscure populations. For example, explaining about "closed schedules" versus "Half open/half closed schedules" in career centers takes up too much space only relates to a very small group of students. The information is not relevant in the text.

Clarity rating: 4

Statements are clear, but often they are too repetitive. For example, "It is always a good idea to work with your mentors to help manage workplace conflict." The prose continues "Depending on the seriousness of the issue, you may also want to call on HR." It concludes, " Workplace Issues Sometimes Are Complex and Require Assistance from HR." The text beats the ideas into the reader's head.

Consistency rating: 4

The book could more regularly refer students to visit career centers and online resources for career development.

Modularity rating: 4

The book has good modularity. The book needs a table of contents to make it easier to follow. However, each chapter is clearly written and it covers a specific topic. Chapters can stand along and be used as separate assignments to students.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book's flow is good and logical.

Interface rating: 5

The book's interface needs work!

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

The grammar is mostly excellent. I noticed only a few stray periods and incomplete sentences.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Mostly, the book refrains from cultural examples. However, mentors are listed as Guardian angel, Shepherd, and Board of directors. Guardian angel and shepherd have a Judeo-Christian connotation. Perhaps words without cultural bias would more effectively convey meaning.

Comments

This is a very comprehensive book about career development that may be used in internship classes, career development seminars, business classes, and as a general student resource in higher education. The authors approached a large topic and effectively addressed the most salient issues. For improvement, I would recommend adding a table of contents and graphical images to help visual learners absorb ideas. Also, the writers should add more examples so the books tells stories. In sum, the book covers comprehensive details with clarity through learning objectives, tables, key takeaways, and exercises. This book will effectively help students learn about career opportunities.

Reviewed by Sara Henson, Assistant Professor II, Central Oregon Community College on 8/15/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text introduces readers to a structure for approaching a job search. The first few chapters set the stage by focusing on where the reader is in his/her process and an overview of the structure. The next chapters address each stage, starting with a search topic, resume and marketing tools development, research, networking, interviewing and negotiation. The text ends with a separate section on social media and ongoing career success. I appreciated that the table of contents clearly introduced the sub-topics of the chapter. Within each chapter, sub-sections had their own learning objectives, take-away points and exercises connected with the section. I feel that the text could have benefited from including information about assessing interests, skills and values in relation to determining job search goals as well as information for job search considerations and resources for specific groups (e.g. LGBT, veterans, differently-abled). In addition, the text begins by identifying 3 life situations a job seeker might find him/herself - in college and in search of an internship, recent college graduate and returning worker. These 3 categories felt somewhat limiting. I also think the text could have benefited from a better explanation of when to start a job search (e.g. don't wait until you graduate, start early) and how some aspects of job search (networking, assessing skills, etc.) never end. I found navigation to be fairly straightforward, though being able to link to the sub-section take-away points and exercises would have been nice.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content appears mostly accurate, though some of the links, including the successhawk site referred to at the end of each chapter, did not work for me. I was also surprised to not see links to some of the more well-regarded and recognized career sites, such as Onet until quite far into the text. While not technically inaccurate to not include links to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, ONet or the Department of labor when talking about defining industries or budget/salary tools when discussing salary needs, it does seems like a big miss.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

Some of the links and examples seemed out of date (e.g. link to a 2007 article, 2010 resume examples) and LinkedIn has changed their format/interface. It also seemed a bit awkward to have a chapter on social media presence in the job search process at the very end rather than integrated into the marketing section or as a stand alone chapter earlier in the text.

Clarity rating: 3

The text is fairly straightforward and accessible and I didn't notice anything that wouldn't be recognizable to someone interested in conducting a job search. I did find the text to be somewhat dry and it would have benefited from more case studies, profiles and real-life examples earlier in the text. It would have been nice if the authors had differentiated between a jobs and careers as they seem to use the terms interchangeably. I also wish that the exercises had been presented in a format that would have allowed students to build their own "portfolio" of information to build on - similar to what I suspect the "successhawk" site does (the link wouldn't work for me and required a fee for full use). A worksheet format for the exercises might have been helpful and made them a bit more engaging and useful.

Consistency rating: 4

Each chapter followed the same format. I did notice that not all the learning objectives aligned completely with their associated take-away points and exercises.

Modularity rating: 3

Each chapter is broken down into smaller sub-sections, each with their own learning objectives, take-away points and exercises that are a reasonable size. However, there is a fair amount of self-referencing including to future chapters. This is both awkward to refer to content that has yet to be covered and makes it hard to assign specific sections or chapters in isolation. In addition, the separate chapter on social media presence overlaps with information contained in other chapters yet is located at the end of the text. It might be helpful to move it up into the, "Setting the Stage" section or fully incorporate it into existing chapters.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Other than the issue mentioned previously about the social media section relegated to chapter 11, the text was well organized and flowed well.

Interface rating: 4

The interface worked well for me with the exception of links not working (successhawk being the primary culprit). I do wish, however, that the text had included more visuals or interesting charts in the first few chapters.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I noticed no glaring grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

While I did not notice anything culturally insensitive or offensive in this text, I do believe that the text could have gone farther to include the needs, challenges, resources and strategies for diverse popluations (e.g. veterans, POC, LGBT, differently-abled, previously incarcerated, etc.).

Comments

This text does a nice job presenting a structured approach to conducting a job search. In particular, the sections on networking, resumes, cover letters, pitches and marketing are well done. However, I can tell that this text was authored by 2 former recruiters as their point of view seems to be primarily from the corporate recruiter perspective and doesn't include much in the way of personal development, career development, self-awareness and/or meaningful work motivation. I suspect that if a career development professional who regularly works with students and other job seekers to help them find meaningful work had been included in the authorship the text might be more comprehensive. I also found the reliance upon an external link (which didn't work) for creating work products related to the text to be problematic and should be integrated into the exercises within the text and/or the creation of a resources section for each chapter that aligns with content.

Reviewed by Alice Jones, Associate Director/Career Liaison College of Arts & Letters, Old Dominion University on 6/20/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text is written in a fairly comprehensive manner that covers the topic. Each section is clearly outlined in the table of contents. Each chapter begins with an introduction, and learning objectives and concludes with a chapter review and related exercises. I would have liked to see a little more focus on interests, values and skills as related to job search decisions along side the discussions related to industry, geography, job type and function. Chapter 2 section 5 on evaluating Resources does not include an investigation of other barriers (hindrances) to the job search that might impact the search process, for example not driving, or other transportation issues, disabilities, (personal, social emotional, physical), family issues, etc. There is a fairly lengthy section on preparing for the process and discussion of work space and resources. How important is Space in the process? While the idea of time needed to conduct a successful job search was mentioned in regard to other things the job seeker may have to do, it could have been more clearly and directly discussed as a way of helping set expectations.

This text included a lot of information related to the job search process and success on the job. If used for students they may or may not read all 400+ pages. In the PDF version of the document, no Table of Contents or index exists. and it is difficult to move between sections and chapters if one is not reading through section by section.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is fairly accurate, although there are some areas where the focus audience is not clear. The initial introductory statements focus on students, but then speaks about career changers, MBA's, graduate students, etc. It would be helpful The information and the intended audience base don't consistently match up throughout the book. While the information is not inaccurate, it is sometimes too general, or speaking too broadly. Early on the content is aimed at traditional college students. Aspects of the search process may not be as readily applicable to students at 2-year , or technical institutions, graduate students, and/or non- traditional job seekers.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

There are some elements of the text that could be updated. While most information is relevant and doesn't change, there are some things that date the information:
- Discussion of Resume Objective might be expanded to include Summary or Profile which is more current today
- Resume Format information should also include Combination Format (most college students or career changers would not use
functional format with no dates)
- Resume examples with 2013 dates are already 4 years old and might not feel as current
- As of December 2010, LinkedIn had ninety million members ( Section 11.1) it is now 2017
- Some of the terminology has changed portfolio vs e-portfolio, electronic portfolio, and thus makes the text seem somewhat outdated.

As technology and trends change, the use of technology will continue to be a factor and issue. There are also some links and references to resources that are not active, accurate or operational.

- http://www.successhawk.com
- http://www.weddles.com/associations/index.cfm
- Incorrect Link - http://www.bls.gov/oco
- The use of screen shots for demonstrating technology resources will also change and cause the information to appear out of date or
irrelevant.

Clarity rating: 3

There are several areas of the text that are unclear, not because of the tone, or use of jargon or technical terminology, but more so due to the confusion on target audience.

For example in the chapters focusing on internships and on campus interview programs, the language is confusing and often mixes the audience. If the text was more target to a specific group or student population the general language use would be more clear. Some areas mention Liberal Arts students, others Business students, Graduate students, and even career changers. Much of the process is the same regardless of the group, but the language used must be more clear., Some of the examples and descriptions again are too specific since the audience is not clearly defined. Each institution, department, and job seeker status has a specific language and set of guidelines based on their needs.

There are also several hyperlinks with definitions that serve as a helpful addition in the web version of the text to clarify meanings of words and vocabulary, but that feature is not available in the PDF version of the text.

It would have also helped with issues of clarity to have more instruction with activities and exercises. Some seemed to leave it to the reader to determine how to best approach the tasks. Some activities or exercises could have benefited from a more visual representation of the desired outcome by using a worksheet page.

Definitions of terms sometimes seemed to be based on the writers opinion versus a standard industry use of terms. For example Career Change vs job change ( example doesn’t exactly match common thought about career vs job change) and makes for a Confusing interchange of words (Career/job) Both changes require similar actions on the part of the job seeker.

Overall, the language was simple and clear and the text was easy to read. Charts and graphs helped readers visualize the information and simplified explanations.

Consistency rating: 3

The structure and format of the text is consistent, however the learning objectives and take-a-ways did not always align one to one. It would have been helpful if the objectives for each chapter were summarized at the end of the chapter summary.
The lack of specific target audience also impacted consistency. Writing for a specific group or audience would limit the need to try to include a little bit of everything, making some sections more or less complex.

Modularity rating: 3

Some sections of the text are easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be used on their own. There are however some sections that refer to examples or information from previous sections, or refer to later sections. If used in a modular way, the reader may not have access to or understanding of previous sections. Each should be written as a stand alone, and examples should be re-include in their entirety or new examples should be used with no reference to previous examples.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The text was presented in an organized and structured manner. The chapters present the process in an easy to follow structure, represented by chapters and subsections within the chapters. The steps with more content ( Chapters 4 & 5: Create a Compelling Marketing Campaign could have been dived so that Resume and Cover Letter were together followed by Pitch and Online Profile
as those things are generally covered together. The charts and tables were helpful in summarizing material.

The Exercises throughout the sections and at the end of the chapter are helpful, but perhaps would have been more helpful if they were all written in the same way and had clearer or more detailed instructions (i.e. Next Steps exercise on page 13 - Next Steps are often mentioned, but there is no clear definition or example of possible next steps, so the reader is left on his/her own to determine what might make sense as next steps.

Interface rating: 4

The text is free of significant interface issues, and the hyperlink definitions in the online version are helpful. Those definitions, however do not translate to the PDF version. There are a few spacing issues and some inconsistency in links. Some are embedded and some are just listed. Some of the samples (Resume 4.9, Cover Letter 5.5) are too small to see and do not enlarge when looking at the web version of the text unless you hold CTRL and roll the mouse wheel. If users are working from other devices it might not be clear. As a reviewer I had to try several options to enlarge the samples ( a note on the page might help).

There isn't an easy way to navigate between sections and in the online view you can only go chapters, or subsections, but still have to scroll to find what you are looking for,and can not easily find specific items tables, or charts.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

The text contains no glaring grammatical errors, but there are a few instances of missing words. There perhaps should also be some citations to support facts and data shared (ie.: More than 100 million people are on LinkedIn ( no citation) )

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

The text for the most part is not culturally insensitive or offensive, but there are some areas where more diversity could be included in images, and examples used. There are general assumptions made about the users of the text, even though there are references to diverse academic paths and life stage users, most of the information doesn't really take those audiences into consideration. Chapter 2 sections that discuss confidence, poise and communication do not take into account cultural differences, and it seems that the general assumption is that the common users of the text are from the same cultural and ethnic background. There is no clear consideration for those readers dealing with job search and LGBTQ issues. updated versions of the text might consider including these considerations - (Easily added to Chapters on Life Considerations, Poise (dress), Creating Marketing Campaign, Interviewing, Trouble shooting) There is also a section 4.6 Other Resume Formats, that talks about CV. The language there is a bit judgmental and could be offensive " ...Some people interchange the word résumé with curriculum vitae (CV) Used internationally, particularly for research-oriented positions. A CV is often longer and more detailed than a résumé., which is incorrect because they are different items ..." This statement is the writers opinion and does not taking in to account cultural differences and terminology. This represents the American idea of resume vs CV, but internationally the term CV is more common and does refer to a standard resume (confusing if the reader is international).

Comments

There are many elements of the textbook that are useful and helpful in working with job seekers ( exercises, thought questions, and the 6 easy step process for job search). I appreciated the mention of Trends in the 21st Century Job Search, and the inclusion of extra curricular activities and the tables and charts to break down wordy sections of text and information.

While the text seemed to be intended to apply to a large cross section there were a number of areas that didn't match that representation in the language and examples used (i.e. much talk about internships, but focused on for credit and paid opportunities; gave fairly specific details, but those details may not apply in all circumstances); Table 1.4 Translating College major to potential jobs mentioned many areas, but omitted Business,Engineering, Health Science, Education and some other areas related to major; as well the recruiting calendar focused on students at the junior, sophomore and freshman levels, but also mentioned specifically MBA students, but did not consider seniors, or other graduate students. I found these inconsistencies frustrating as I wasn't clear about the primary audience and how or for whom the text was intended to be used.

In the discussion of job search it is important to have the job seeker also focus on some self assessment and evaluate his/her own personal interests, values and skills. This aspect of the job search process wasn't really discussed or included. It was not helpful to have the SuccessHawk tool tied to each section without also providing some type of introduction , or explanation to it's point or value. The link did not work, and the continued promotion of SuccessHawk and the Five O'Clock Club felt like unnecessary advertisements to resources that were not universally available and did not apply to the variety of audience due to cost and or access. A better solution might have been to include a Resource section with listings of resource options organized by cost and audience listed in an appendix outside of the main chapters of the text.

The goal of the text is to share job search techniques with students so that they can take control of their job search using a practical approach that delivers results. There are many areas that directly relate to students, but there are also aspects of the text that might be more difficult for students to find as helpful depending on their age and stage of development, as well as varied backgrounds.

Reviewed by Jeanine McDermott, Adjunct Faculty, Rogue Community College on 8/21/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

There is a very extensive, in-depth discussion on the job search topics, delving into the details and examining the various angles of a job search. Although the book’s title indicates six steps, these are just the major steps with a number of mini-steps to be taken within each step. Additional topics are also covered, including pre-job search activities, post-job search (on-the-job) activities, motivation, planning and organization. A student may or may not read all 400+ pages. In the PDF version of the document, no Table of Contents or index exists.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content addresses the job search for a 4-year college student. A student working towards a two-year associate’s degree or a trade may need to examine other aspects in the job search which may or may not be addressed in this book.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The technology associated with a job search is covered, addressing LinkedIn, web searches, job web sites, etc. SuccessHawk.com (a web application) is mentioned that can help in the job search process. With any web site, the interface and contents may change and require some updating.

Clarity rating: 4

In the PDF version, it was sometimes difficult to discern the start of a new paragraph since the first line of the paragraph was not indented. For the most part, the content is easy to understand.

Consistency rating: 5

The text appears to be consistent in it’s terminology.

Modularity rating: 4

Each chapter starts with a review of the previously covered steps that lead into the next step. Because of the repetition of the material, the text does not need to be read sequentially from one chapter to the next. This repetitive review may or may not be a distraction to the reader who has read the previous chapters.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Some topics are discussed in detail in multiple chapters. For example, a job seeker’s marketing pitch was covered in Chapter 5 and Chapter 7. Addressing the topic in one place from multiple aspects is an alternative way of discussing a topic.

Interface rating: 4

In the PDF version of the document, there are several instances of the figures overlaying each other thereby obscuring some information. For example, the sample resumes in Figures 4.4 and 4.5 overlapped and could not be completely read. But for the most part, the textbook interface was good.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

A few editing errors were identified (missing spaces between some words, an unnecessary font change in the text, etc.) but these were minor issues that did not affect the overall subject matter.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The job search content is applicable to all people in the business world. Some of the subject matter may or may not be directly applicable to a student working towards a two-year associate’s degree or a trade. For example, the section on professional dress attire could possibly be expanded to include the trades or non-office environment where business attire is not applicable.

Reviewed by Angela Gist, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Kansas on 8/21/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Six Steps to Job Search Success is an extremely comprehensive text that addresses many of the intersecting and complex variables that go into an effective job search. Each chapter systematically covers content from narrowing your career interests, to cultivating a personal brand, and strategically communicating about one's self as a job candidate. The six step model that accounts for a systematic job search is a clear and concise way to understand the necessary steps to finding work. In particular, each chapter does an excellent job summarizing key take aways and action steps that can be taken to move forward in one's search. An interactive table of contents would've made the text easier to navigate since it is likely that a reader might want to jump from chapter to chapter or section to section. There is no index or glossary, which makes navigating the text more difficult.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

The information in the text is implicitly geared towards a white-collar, upper-/middle-class job seeker in the United States. This is important for reads to keep in mind. There are assumptions made about access to technology, computer literacy, and professional dress that convey this bias. This book could've more clearly addressed cultural influences on job searching in much more detail. With that said, this is a great book for U.S. students who are in majors and institutions of higher education that are pursuing traditionally corporate career paths. This book could also be used as a resource for junior and early mid-career professionals that are seeking a job change or who have had a gap in their employment history. The challenges addressed in the textbook for these audiences follow current employment trends.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

This text should be relevant for years to come. There is content about job searching that is timeless including, but not limited to topics such as: developing a personal marketing campaign, mentoring, maintaining professional relationships, negotiating. However, the Chapter 11 information about social media use in the job search, while a necessary chapter in today's day and age, is time sensitive in nature. New media platforms emerge each year that could heavily influence the effectiveness of this chapter.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is easy to read and practical. The language is geared towards a business professional audience.

Consistency rating: 5

The format of the text is highly consistent. In addition, the language of the textbook follows commonplace job search jargon and language in the career management industry.

Modularity rating: 5

The modular structure is excellent. Each chapter is clearly structured with subheadings, section numbers, and titles. It would be easy to assign various sub-sections. Each sub-section could easily stand alone if an instructor decided to assign certain sections and not entire chapters. Every chapter has learning objectives, key take aways ,and exercises at the end, which help to facilitate engagement with the text overall. There are also a number of tables throughout the textbook, which help to concisely summarize information and increase the ease of comprehension.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The overall structure, organization, and flow of the text is logical, sequential, and coherent. The authors present a six step model to job search success. Chapters 1-2 introduce the audience for this book, summarize the model, and define key concepts. Chapters 3-10 clearly take the reader through each phase of the model in a systematic way. Chapters 11-12 wrap up the text with relevant job search information that is future-oriented and practical (i.e. social media and thriving and succeed at work).

Interface rating: 3

There are some issues with format. A number of visual images are shown throughout the book that take up the majority of space on the page. Then near the margins of the visual there is a narrow column of text that is awkwardly juxtaposed to the image. The columns of text truncate words so that one word is split up onto two lines. This is very challenging to read disrupts the overall visual appeal. Examples of this can be found in Chapter 2 pgs 57-58; Chapter 3 pgs 60; Chapter 4 pgs 93, 98, 104, 107-108, 113-114, and 117, Chapter 5 pgs 129, 143, 154, and 158 ; Chapter 6 on pgs 163, 176, 177, and 189; Chapter 7 pgs 195 and 211; Chapter 8 pgs 229, 259, and 263; Chapter 9 pgs 274 and 283; Chapter 10 pgs 309, and 336, Chapter 11 pgs 343-344, 346, 354, 356, 362, 366, and 368; Chapter 12 376; 397, and 407.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any issues with grammar. This is a well-written text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

While the book does talk about issues of cultural different in regards to relocation and international students, I do believe that there could be better framing around the job search strategies as specific to a Western cultural context. Job searching is highly influenced by cultural norms, which could be addressed in much more detail. The book does privilege upper-/middle-class job search practices.

Comments

This book would serve as a great resource for many different types of job seekers. It captures the complexity and challenges of the job search process.

Reviewed by Jodi Shorma, Instructor, Valley City State University on 1/7/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Chapters 1 and 2 provide setting the stage advice for a student's job seach process. Chapters 3 through 10 provide detailed strategies and techniques for each of the six steps of the book's job search process. The first pages of Chapters 3 through 10 presents the common flowchart of the six step job search process along with an overview of the chapter details. Chapter 11 discusses the interface between social media tools and each of the six steps. Chapter 12 bridges the job search process with career success.
The flow of content from overview to process to application is consistent with about 40-50 pages per chapter.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The advice the book provides about the job search process is accurate. The advice for what to do and what not to do behind each step of the job search process is relevant to current trends and expectations in the professional works. The addition of content for creating and a maintaining a network presence is also valuable for students.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content in Chapter 5 detailing the purpose and use of a LinkedIn account may need updates pending tool changes. As well, Chapter 11 detailing with the use and management of social media tools in the job seach process may need update with tool changes. The content in the other chapters, however, should maintain its relevance and longetivity for students needing directional support in the job search process.

Clarity rating: 3

The terminology used in the book is sided more towards the business and industry profession. For a future teacher, the terminology may be a bit confusing and, therefore, a distraction.

Consistency rating: 5

The architecture of the book is consistent from subsections within the chapters to the chapters themselves. Along with the consistency of architecture is the consistent use of job search process terminology. The carry over of common words and concepts as well as architecture from one chapter to the next provides an effective pattern of learning.

Modularity rating: 5

Because of its architecture, the book is adaptable to a modular approach. Chapters 3-10 provide content for each step of the six step, sequential job search process. These chapters can be divided into individual blocks of text and referenced and/or reviewed independently at specific points of time during the flow of the unit or course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book uses a very practical approach to connect content from chapter to chapter. The use of the flowchart to emphasize the six step job search process begins each chapter with chapter headings highlighting the step under examination.The use of this visual display provides quick context for students in their reference and use of the book's advice, strategies and techniques.

Interface rating: 4

The book does not present any interface issues including graphic distortion or white space excessiveness.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is free of grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book's job search process's advice, strategies and techniques are sensitive to gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and age.The job interview section in Chapter 8 also includes questions that are illegal to ask by interviewers.

Comments

The book is valuable for its collection of job search information into one package. Its ability to modularize also provides students quick access to information/