Career Comeback: Repackage Yourself to Get the Job You Want

by Lisa Johnson Mandell

An invaluable guide to looking younger, fresher, and savvier, on paper, online, and in person, to compete in today's youth-driven job market.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446549657
• ISBN13: 9780446549653
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Springboard Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Readable Value

I've just finished enjoying this book and while it's written primarily for women, it's full of great techniques for men as well. It's actually a bit fascinating to page through a few sections in which it's plain that women simply have to try harder in this world. After all, it takes me about 45-seconds to dry my hair (including brushing and hairspray) and being a man means never having to worry about what size heels to wear to a first interview -- so hats off, ladies -- see you in the waiting area when you're ready! So there are two important distinctions that make the make the book such a pleasure. First, it's just stuffed with good advice -- particularly on how to use the social web to best advantage and how to compete in an age-biased workplace. And the second is Mandell's easy style. You can't help feeling she's talking straight to you as a sweet and insightful friend who's got your back and really wants you to succeed. I believe that following some of the techniques presented has already begun to change my approach and I feel inspired to push forward into places I wondered about in terms of their value in my use of time and goal-setting. Assuming that goal is to somehow rise to the top of the pack and magically become an employer's logical choice, then this is an inspiring, logical and HEARTFELT method to get there.

A worthy investment for those who want to move onto the next stage in life

You only have one life, don't waste it doing things you hate. "Career Comeback: Repackage Yourself to Get the Job You Want" is a guide to completely overhauling oneself in order to attain what you really want out of life. Lisa Johnson Mandell states that impressions and reputation mean everything, and gives advice on everything from what to wear, presenting your credentials, and more. "Career Comeback" is a must and a worthy investment for those who want to move onto the next stage in life.

Informative and Fun Advice for Over 40 Job Seekers

Unemployment abounds for all job seekers, but those over 40 face additional age related barriers. In Career Comeback, author Lisa Johnson Mandell, a 49 year old entertainment journalist, shares how she successfully "botoxed her resume" to a new job. As Johnson Mandell confesses, "my own career comeback plan involved finding my niche, branding myself, freshening up my image from head to toe, rabid social networking, and age proofing my resume so that my over-forty status would not be readily apparent." Career Comeback walks the reader through the necessary steps to become an "ageless" job seeker. Johnson Mandell is a talented writer who makes a serious subject fun such as including a "How Hip Are You" quiz (hint if you don't know what Huffpo and DS are you probably need a pop culture refresher course) and "12 Items You Need to Throw Away Now" (who knew that nude panty hose was passé?) . And for the short of cash job seekers, she details a "One-Day Career Comeback for $50 or Less." Career Comeback is an informative and surprisingly fun read! Publisher: Springboard Press (January 7, 2010), 256 pages. Advance Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the Publisher.

A Career Manual--with Heart and Enthusiasm!

As a job search consultant, I was luckily provided an advance copy of this upbeat new career resource. Job hunting can be tedious and depressing--but it doesn't have to be. Lisa Johnson Mandell's uplifting Career Comeback provides classic job search strategies, like creating a personal skills inventory and developing an ever-expanding network, and updates them for the Twitter Age. Acknowledging that the current job market is both much more image-conscious and information-dependent, Career Comeback provides fresh approaches to the timeless task of finding rewarding--and respectably compensating--work. In addition, Lisa Johnson Mandell's story about repackaging herself in the most competitive of environments--Hollywood--is an inspiring testament to her determination. And her anecdotes from the trenches of today's brutal job market provide levity typically unknown to this genre. This isn't your usual button-down job search manual--but this isn't your usual job market either.

Valuable Investment

I had the priviledge to receive a copy of Lisa's book to help me in my job search. What helped me tremendously was the section she calls "botoxing your resume." I had paid a well-known job search company a significant amount of money to write my resume -- I received no call backs for interviews using that resume. But, with Lisa's advice I redesigned my resume and I started getting calls. In fact, I was told by a recruiter that I had an EXCELLENT resume. The other pieces of advice that helped were the suggestions about ATTITUDE, such as interviewing like a "rock star" and "looking the part." Being out of work is overwhelming and at times demoralizing, but Lisa's encouraging advice made a tremendous difference. I could not afford to let my emotions negatively influence a potential employer -- or my motivation to find the RIGHT job. She reminded me that if I didn't behave like a dynamic professional...why would anyone believe me? Career Comeback also helped to reinforce that I was also doing some things right -- and helped to show me many ways I could do them better. I kept Lisa's book closeby and reread sections again and again as I went through my job search -- I call her my personal job coach. I would greatly recommend this book to anyone in today's challenging job market -- and even to those who are not in the job market but want to remain viable. The job market has changed dramatically in the last few years, and Lisa provides a lot of advice so professionals can remain competitive.