The Career Coward's Guide to Interviewing: Sensible Strategies for Overcoming Job Search Fears

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.

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!!!

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!

Searching for a job while reading Katy's book boosted my confidence as I started to interview. Her helpful tips were easy to reference at various times during my interview process. Thanks Katy! My last interview led to a job offer and exciting career.

One of the great truths of life by is that we are victims of our fears, and yet typically we don't even know it. We make all kinds of rationalizations to justify ourselves -- "I have bad luck," "I'm not good enough to work there," "They probably already hired somebody" -- but the reality is that Fear keeps us stuck in place. To paraphrase Tony Robbins, "If there's something you want to do, that you know you're capable of doing, but just can't seem to get around to doing, then Fear is the problem." Katy Piotrowski's great little book is a roadmap for overcoming the fears inherent in the job search, which may be one of THE most fear-inducing experiences in life (right up there with public speaking, walking down the aisle, and eating raw pig uteruses on Fear Factor!). How many people do you know who constantly whine about how much they hate their job... Who wish they were doing something else, but know it's an impossible dream... Or who are stalled in a job far below their intellectual capacity? This book is the key to their self-imposed prison cell. But rather than dealing with fear as a pathological condition that needs to be painfully confronted, the author offers countless ideas and examples that can help anyone climb into the driver's seat to a more rewarding career. Too often, self-help books are nothing more than magazine articles that have been puffed up to 200 or more pages just to capitalize on a profit opportunity. This book is the opposite: thorough, comprehensive, and rich with insights and "how to's" on every page. Yet it is a quick read, and Piotrowski's unique mix of expertise and enthusiasm is infectious. I got a copy of the book for my son, graduating from college in June 07, who's started voicing the "Who's gonna hire an English major?" rationalization. I honestly believe this book will make a difference in his career path, and I feel lucky to have found it as he's just entering the working world. Given the importance of the right job in leading a satisfying life (not to mention achieving better income) the $10.95 price is short money for this gem.