The Little Silver Book - Interviewing
Everything You Need to Know
- 2014 INDIES Winner
- Bronze, Career (Adult Nonfiction)
This fast-paced, well-organized book is a pocket-sized friend to those seeking employment.
The Little Silver Book - Interviewing by D. Neil Berdiev is a start-to-finish guide for those facing the dreaded tap-dance of the job interview. Every prospective employee has been mystified by interview questions such as, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” or “Describe a time a project you were working on failed.” This book is the answer to the nagging question: “What am I supposed to say?”
From crafting a first impression, to mastering eye contact, to when and how to follow up, Berdiev gives the full picture of the interview experience, beyond just the hour or ninety minutes of the interview itself. While this book doesn’t present any silver bullets or never-before-told secrets, it’s comprehensive, like a book-length checklist, so that job-seekers won’t miss a thing—the tagline “Everything You Need to Know” isn’t lying.
The book is fast paced and well organized. Super-bite-sized chapters make the book easy to read quickly and jump around in, but they give it a little airy feeling that belies the depths of insight. Longer chapters would allow ideas to connect and build, giving a deeper sense of wisdom. The chapters are aptly organized by before, during, and after interview skills, and as a result the book has a measured step-by-step feel.
Berdiev has years of business experience, particularly in interviewing and hiring. He shares his knowledge generously, giving a behind-the-scenes look that can turn jobless into hired. Adding practical examples, real-life scenarios, and voices of job-seekers and hirers would give the book more depth—for those who respond more to story than fact.
Young adults seeking their first professional job, seasoned workers back on the job hunt for the first time in a while, or immigrants new to the conventions of the US job market will find this book a great, confidence boosting overview of the process. Berdiev’s tone is upbeat and to the point, buoying up and pushing ahead. It equips potential interviewees to see their strengths and feel prepared for the intensely personal yet impersonal scenarios they’ll face.
The chapter-ending action points launch job seekers from theory into practice. Some of the action points could break down assignments into even smaller, fully spelled out tasks, so that newbie job-seekers don’t get stuck.
The cover is professional and the colors are businesslike, but the key word—“Interviewing”—doesn’t stand out enough.
The Little Silver Book - Interviewing is a pocket-sized friend to those seeking employment.
Reviewed by
Melissa Wuske
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
