Executive Blues

by G.J. Meyer

Book Overview

Corporate communications executive G.J. Meyer presents a memoir of his bewildering journey from corprate success to white-collar joblessness as a casualty of downsizing. One of the best business... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440507650
• ISBN13: 9780440507659
• Release Date: September 1996
• Publisher: Dell Publishing Company
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A painfully frank story of the corporate chicken coop

The corporate life is much like a chicken coop: the few chickens on the top of pecking order have friends and a full access to the feeder. Once a chicken slides down the pecking order, it is unlikely to regain its spot. At least, not at the age of 50 and not without strong connections. Jerry Meyer, an ex-senior executive at MacDonnell-Douglas, wrote a painfully frank story of a corporate chicken, who made it to the top of pecking order without connections or old money, and fell back to the bottom. It is a must-read for every executive wannabe. Maybe, the reader will think of Meyer's message and reconsider the career strategy: it is safer to be paid for what you DO than for what you ARE. A title is no substitute for skill, creativity and, most important, sense of self-worth.

read it and weep -- and laugh, and hold your head

I so enjoyed this book I devoured it in one sitting -- which surprised even me. I have not a thing in common with the author: I am not male, I'm nowhere near 50, I have never been a senior executive and I've never been fired. In fact, I'm a stay-at-home mother. But Meyer writes well. And if you've ever had to look for a job under any circumstances, you'll identify. Don't believe the reviewers who call Meyer bitter -- he's not, he's just very, very specific about the details of his humiliation. His book does raise real questions about employers today, but more to the point, it's a good read.

ENGAGING ODYSSEY

Even if you are securely employed or living off a comfortable trust fund, this book is a superb read, painfully funny, sharp-witted, well written. Though I had never much sympathy for six- figure executives, Meyer's take on that world still engaged me to read the book in one sitting

Meyer pens brilliant memoir about being an unemployed exec.

G. J. (Jerry) Meyer writes an outstanding memoir reagarding his experience seeking work in the modern America of right-sizing and layoffs. Mr. Meyer writes honest and straight-forward prose about corporate life and the tough job market faced by the increasing numbers of people as production gets more efficient and automated. I read this book right after reading Jeremy Rifken's 'The End of Work' (which discusses WHY so many people are un- or under-employed), there should be a Surgeon General's warning about doing this, the experience is nearly too intense. One can only hope that Mr. Meyer gets screwed in some other manner, so that he'll be motivated to write more. Truly an excellent book by a very skilled and compelling writer

Corporate VP loses his job and feels like Dilbert.

How does a well-paid executive find himself pounding the pavement for months -- looking for a job?G.J. Meyer spares no excrutiating detail in this first-person account of downsizing in the '90's corporation.He shows us how the highest-ranking employee can share the fate of so many workplace drones who suddenly find themselves unexpectedly cast out of the hive. This book speaks the plain truth about the possible end of the worklife for any ordinary or extraordinary employee. Meyer writes well and accessibly about the world of work -- and keeps a wry sense of humor about himself operating to the end.