According to Myers-Briggs test results, 25 percent of the population is introverted. Career experts believe that many introverts know what to do to find a new job, but won’t – or can’t – do what it takes because they fear talking to strangers, looking foolish, or being rejected.
The Career Coward’s Guide to Interviewing helps insecure job seekers combat these fears when facing a job interview. This book analyzes each aspect of a successful interview and provides easy steps for facing self doubts and challenges in a unique and easy-to-tackle format. Readers will learn to think about risk, payoff potential, time to complete, and a bailout strategy for all the obstacles one may face.
Career coach Katy Piotrowski brings her expertise to JIST’s brand-new Career Cowards series to help readers sell their qualifications without “bragging”, develop courageous responses to tough questions, and have the courage to ask for a better salary offer. While other books certainly give strategies for a successful interview, this is one of the few guides that actually addresses the level of discomfort and awkwardness many people feel when trying to present themselves as an outstanding job candidate.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Prepared for Anything
Easy to read with great advice whether you’re interviewing for the first time or the 50th. The specific examples cited in the ‘Career Champ Profiles’ are especially helpful and interesting. Guaranteed to make you feel like you did your homework and you’re prepared for anything!
5 Stars Coward no longer…
Katy’s book, The Career Coward’s Guide to Interviewing, played a strategic
role in helping me land the job of my dreams!
It helped empower me and give me a confidence (that, in the past was
lacking) when I faced the daunting task of sitting before a panel of
interviewers.
5 Stars Wish I Read It Sooner!
This book has been tremendously helpful! I’m a freelance graphic designer and lately many hiring managers have taken to interviewing instead of just meeting for a portfolio review. So I had to learn how to interview ASAP. And I am so incredibly grateful this book existed.
The step by step tips really did help me overcome my fears about interviewing and the tips about following up worked! The hardest and most rewarding section was the “What, How, Proof” stories; being prepared made a world of difference mentally and emotionally. Walking into an interview feeling confident is truly priceless.
If you’re interviewing, please do yourself a huge favor and read this excellent, superlative, useful, informative, approachable, and well-written book!!!
5 Stars Got a new career on first interview after reading this book!!
This was the perfect book for me. I was the ultimate “career coward” so it really made sense to me as I read the book and started preparing for my interview. This book could not have been more helpful and I felt incredibly prepared and confident going into my interview knowing that I had put the work in and practiced my responses. I got an offer 2 weeks after my first interview and I’m so grateful that I had this book as a research tool! I have recommended this book to everyone I know!
5 Stars You don’t have to be a coward to like this book
As a career consultant, I work mostly with mid-life, mid-career professionals who are most definitely not cowards. But I would still recommend this book.
First, I like the way Piotrowski suggests solid answers to tough questions. Most interview questions are pretty dumb but you have to keep a straight face and answer them anyway. (Like the time someone half your age asks, “What are your strengths?” Gimme a break. I want to say, “I survived.”)
Second, Chapter 5 (“Put muscle into your interviewing”) will help you create your resume as well as prepare for your interview. In fact, I would read this chapter before writing your resume (and I would ignore the author’s suggestion about functional resumes — even if you are changing careers 180 degrees, don’t do it).
Third, the book gives you exercises in every chapter. So if you’re between jobs and you’re waiting for the phone to ring, no more excuses! Start working your way through these exercises. You’ll be better prepared for your next phone call. Some of the examples seem targeted to junior or even entry level employees, but the ideas seem to work for senior executives and professionals too. Just get creative.
I think this book works on several levels. Even if you’re self-employed, you may have to endure an interview before tackling a big project. If you’re working with a career coach, read the book and save yourself a bundle of (and on) consultations. I’ll be recommending this Coward’s Guide to my clients and ezine readers.
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