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#ENTRYLEVELBOSS: How to Get Any Job You Want
An easy-to-follow, nine-step process for how to land your dream job and cut through the noise of job-searching in the 21st century.
Banging your head against the wall about the job search? Wondering why nobody's even bothering to send you a rejection letter (much less an interview request)? You are not alone. This process is a beast, but there's good news: #EntryLevelBoss is the book for you. This is an easy-to-follow roadmap for transforming yourself from frustrated job seeker into hired, happy, productive human.
One part behind-the-scenes memoir, one part playbook, #EntryLevelBoss lays out career coach Alexa Shoen's proven 9-step methodology for approaching the job search during these crazy times we're living through. Think of it like a fitness plan--except instead of killer abs, you wind up with multiple interviews for a bunch of jobs you actually want. Cool, right?
This is not another manifesto about finding your passion. (I mean, yes, let's find your passion, sure, but the rent is also due and I would assume you're interested in getting paid.) This is a real plan that's based on the real rules of the game. You'll learn how to effectively identify your future hiring manager, for example, and slide into their DMs in the least creepy way possible.
Alexa Shoen is the internet's leading confidant for panicking job seekers. She has guided thousands of people into full-time employment using these exact steps. Even if you're convinced you're the least hireable person on the planet, Alexa's got you covered.
Banging your head against the wall about the job search? Wondering why nobody's even bothering to send you a rejection letter (much less an interview request)? You are not alone. This process is a beast, but there's good news: #EntryLevelBoss is the book for you. This is an easy-to-follow roadmap for transforming yourself from frustrated job seeker into hired, happy, productive human.
One part behind-the-scenes memoir, one part playbook, #EntryLevelBoss lays out career coach Alexa Shoen's proven 9-step methodology for approaching the job search during these crazy times we're living through. Think of it like a fitness plan--except instead of killer abs, you wind up with multiple interviews for a bunch of jobs you actually want. Cool, right?
This is not another manifesto about finding your passion. (I mean, yes, let's find your passion, sure, but the rent is also due and I would assume you're interested in getting paid.) This is a real plan that's based on the real rules of the game. You'll learn how to effectively identify your future hiring manager, for example, and slide into their DMs in the least creepy way possible.
Alexa Shoen is the internet's leading confidant for panicking job seekers. She has guided thousands of people into full-time employment using these exact steps. Even if you're convinced you're the least hireable person on the planet, Alexa's got you covered.
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 12, 2020
65 people are currently reading
1237 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
May 15, 2020
Shortly after starting #ENTRYLEVELBOSS: How to Get Any Job You Want, it became semi-apparent that this author started her company (#ENTRYLEVELBOSS) after only a couple of years in the working world and.... not having been at a single job for more than a year? Even a superstar wouldn't be ready to claim expertise that quickly. It gets worse when we find out she had never officially been a boss when she started the company. Is the title supposed to be theoretical? Also, the hashtag trend is not aging well.
Being a female millennial myself, I tried to think past this. Maybe she's got a cult following and totally stomps on the "old boys club" ways and is starting some kind of internet revolution! After all, she is advertised as "the internet’s leading confidant for panicking 20-something job seekers." LEADING! I checked out the company's social media. and. um. 2K followers on both Instagram and Twitter? I'm not a social media expert but isn't that... not a lot? Even in world of book sales, where we can expect some inflated brags, this is over the top.
Enough about the puzzling background. Let's talk about the book. She's a good writer and nicely-balanced humor to keep the topic interesting. I hire for my company and have obviously been hired, and everything here seemed reasonable. I nodded along. But, there wasn't anything within the pages that can't be found in a hundred other books or articles. Is there any harm in packaging these tips into a new volume every so often to keep things fresh and keep something on the shelves to gift to new grads or a friend who's been struggling to look for work? Definitely not. The issue goes back to her background. It sounds like this author is an outgoing, people-savvy person who has a natural skill for working a resume and scoring an interview. Her friends are surely lucky to have her. However, the focus is pretty narrow on certain professions and professional atmospheres. If she were qualified to advise job-seekers, then this book would be far more comprehensive. But bouncing between a few impressive jobs over a few years does not an expert make. Passion is not credibility.
Side note: I listened to the audiobook and I must say that the author has the best narration voice I've ever heard on an audiobook, and according to GR I've listened to over 200. She mentioned she's a professional (or former professional) jazz singer and it shows. She's a talented vocalist. So, if you want to read this I recommend the audio.
In the end, the issue is less the contents of this book, but rather how it is advertised. I don't think it's far-fetched that consumers should be able to assume certain qualifications behind books like these, and it feels dishonest. She touches upon impostor syndrome and how she more-or-less subscribes to the "fake it 'til you make it" philosophy. Which can be worthy advice, if it didn't feel SO phony. If this were marketed as coming from a non-expert, sharing what she learned as an everyday motivated employee, that could have been something. Instead the shadiness overtakes the message.
Being a female millennial myself, I tried to think past this. Maybe she's got a cult following and totally stomps on the "old boys club" ways and is starting some kind of internet revolution! After all, she is advertised as "the internet’s leading confidant for panicking 20-something job seekers." LEADING! I checked out the company's social media. and. um. 2K followers on both Instagram and Twitter? I'm not a social media expert but isn't that... not a lot? Even in world of book sales, where we can expect some inflated brags, this is over the top.
Enough about the puzzling background. Let's talk about the book. She's a good writer and nicely-balanced humor to keep the topic interesting. I hire for my company and have obviously been hired, and everything here seemed reasonable. I nodded along. But, there wasn't anything within the pages that can't be found in a hundred other books or articles. Is there any harm in packaging these tips into a new volume every so often to keep things fresh and keep something on the shelves to gift to new grads or a friend who's been struggling to look for work? Definitely not. The issue goes back to her background. It sounds like this author is an outgoing, people-savvy person who has a natural skill for working a resume and scoring an interview. Her friends are surely lucky to have her. However, the focus is pretty narrow on certain professions and professional atmospheres. If she were qualified to advise job-seekers, then this book would be far more comprehensive. But bouncing between a few impressive jobs over a few years does not an expert make. Passion is not credibility.
Side note: I listened to the audiobook and I must say that the author has the best narration voice I've ever heard on an audiobook, and according to GR I've listened to over 200. She mentioned she's a professional (or former professional) jazz singer and it shows. She's a talented vocalist. So, if you want to read this I recommend the audio.
In the end, the issue is less the contents of this book, but rather how it is advertised. I don't think it's far-fetched that consumers should be able to assume certain qualifications behind books like these, and it feels dishonest. She touches upon impostor syndrome and how she more-or-less subscribes to the "fake it 'til you make it" philosophy. Which can be worthy advice, if it didn't feel SO phony. If this were marketed as coming from a non-expert, sharing what she learned as an everyday motivated employee, that could have been something. Instead the shadiness overtakes the message.
February 6, 2021
I won this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting read. It wasn’t bad, but it was a lot of common sense. I didn’t read of any groundbreaking ideas! I think it could be good for college students that don’t know what they want to do for a living, or for people who haven’t had experience with many jobs yet. As for the average adult, though, I didn’t feel like I actually learned anything. However, it was very well written for what it was. The author did a good job.
This was an interesting read. It wasn’t bad, but it was a lot of common sense. I didn’t read of any groundbreaking ideas! I think it could be good for college students that don’t know what they want to do for a living, or for people who haven’t had experience with many jobs yet. As for the average adult, though, I didn’t feel like I actually learned anything. However, it was very well written for what it was. The author did a good job.
May 14, 2020
Buy this book. No, I mean it. As someone who's not easily impressed by most self-help/career books and people, I was initially skeptical when I ran across Alexa Shoen and her website. She impressed me with her wit, honesty, and authenticity. I thought long and hard about taking her career class (and I still might!), but when she told us she had a book coming out I was pleasantly surprised and pre-ordered it on Amazon.
Then... I got it and I... couldn't put it down. I absolutely devoured it in the last two days and I plan to reread it again. Full of actionable steps to help any job seeker to get hired, this is a must-read for anyone. Very rarely do books live up to the hype, regardless of whether that hype comes from. Most times, they overpromise and underdeliver, especially in this genre of writing. But, this is the exception that actually undersells itself and over-delivers. This book will change the way you view work, and maybe even your life if you let it. Go get it.
Then... I got it and I... couldn't put it down. I absolutely devoured it in the last two days and I plan to reread it again. Full of actionable steps to help any job seeker to get hired, this is a must-read for anyone. Very rarely do books live up to the hype, regardless of whether that hype comes from. Most times, they overpromise and underdeliver, especially in this genre of writing. But, this is the exception that actually undersells itself and over-delivers. This book will change the way you view work, and maybe even your life if you let it. Go get it.
April 22, 2020
Just out here trying to support myself, don't mind me. Plus, it *is* really good–I promise.
If you haven't grabbed your copy yet: alexashoen.com/book
I genuinely hope you love it. I hope you find it valuable. I hope it helps you breathe a little bit easier as you go up against whatever version of the job search battle you're fighting this year. I'm rooting for you like crazy, sweet friend.
Come find me on Instagram when you're done and let's chat it out! @alexashoen
If you haven't grabbed your copy yet: alexashoen.com/book
I genuinely hope you love it. I hope you find it valuable. I hope it helps you breathe a little bit easier as you go up against whatever version of the job search battle you're fighting this year. I'm rooting for you like crazy, sweet friend.
Come find me on Instagram when you're done and let's chat it out! @alexashoen
May 17, 2020
This book perfectly fit with my preference for how a book should be written - humor, wit, style, and SUBSTANCE! This book is how I wish college would have been: interesting, informational, and valuable. Alexa obviously knows her field and is very effective at communicating her expertise. Buy this book.
August 11, 2021
Highly recommend for anyone struggling with the job hunt. Shoen laid out 10 steps with a lot of tips and options depending on your needs. Not everything will work for everyone, but she gives a lot of advice and validates any worries or doubts.
May 15, 2020
I agree with the author of #ENTRYLEVELBOSS that as you get further into your career, you lose empathy for those just beginning theirs. I think this clearly laid out plan of attack would be very useful. If not for the full-time gamers in their parent’s basements, at least for the parents themselves.
The book begins with a plan to determine specifically what you want to do and where you want to do it, regardless of your degree and experience. It continues with how to find a network inside your dream business. Next, it explains how to prepare the perfect resume and cover letter. Finally, it shows how to ace the interview process.
The author knows of what she speaks. With a degree in English and a Master’s in jazz vocals, she is now a career coach who used do tech at Facebook. I think part of her success is pure chutzpah. However, her explanation of why “who you know” works is spot-on with my own career experiences. However, she goes further to explain ways to build networks while unemployed or underemployed.
I think #ENTRYLEVELBOSS will really resonant with the Millennials and Gen Zers it is written for. When you are used to syllabi, you want a nine-step process to your new career. It feels safer than searching aimlessly on job lead sites like you are Link in Breath of the Wild. This is a great gift for new college graduates—along with those former graduates still sitting on their parent’s couch. 4 stars and good luck in your job search!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
The book begins with a plan to determine specifically what you want to do and where you want to do it, regardless of your degree and experience. It continues with how to find a network inside your dream business. Next, it explains how to prepare the perfect resume and cover letter. Finally, it shows how to ace the interview process.
The author knows of what she speaks. With a degree in English and a Master’s in jazz vocals, she is now a career coach who used do tech at Facebook. I think part of her success is pure chutzpah. However, her explanation of why “who you know” works is spot-on with my own career experiences. However, she goes further to explain ways to build networks while unemployed or underemployed.
I think #ENTRYLEVELBOSS will really resonant with the Millennials and Gen Zers it is written for. When you are used to syllabi, you want a nine-step process to your new career. It feels safer than searching aimlessly on job lead sites like you are Link in Breath of the Wild. This is a great gift for new college graduates—along with those former graduates still sitting on their parent’s couch. 4 stars and good luck in your job search!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Read
January 25, 2023mostly focused on the resume tips and cover letter tips and thank god for this cover letter template but U know what it had good advice
May 25, 2020
Bought this for my eldest for her birthday, then did the customary thing and read it first. It should be more useful than the flail around method. Short version: know what you want and ask for it.
She liked her gift, then asked “How do I know what I want to do?” Will likely pair this gift with Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You and Amanda Palmer’s The Art of Asking.
She liked her gift, then asked “How do I know what I want to do?” Will likely pair this gift with Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You and Amanda Palmer’s The Art of Asking.
August 15, 2020
Excellent tips, and a quick read. Modernized for the 2020 job searcher.
My only complaint is that the writing at times sometimes belied a part of the author that seems very focused on having “name brand” experience and credentials. From her exhaustive and sometimes tiring details about how much of her identity is defined by her undergraduate degree at Notre Dame (yawn) to her frequent references to her time as Facebook, I got tired of the constant focus on having name-brand experience and credentials. It feels immature, annoying, and like a not-so-subtle form of self-aggrandizement that’s very intentional and very blatant.
Yes, graduating from a prestigious college is absolutely something to be proud of. But for one, once you’re a professional woman who is well into her thirties I become skeptical of why you need to make sure I know exactly every detail of your educational pedigree.
There was one part in this book as well that was very telling about the author’s inflated sense of self-importance. In chapter 6, the author gives tips on how to reach out to secondary connections, both the right and wrong way. While I agreed with all of her tips, her level of inflated self-importance was on full display here. She used emails from real people who have emailed her, who I am sure would not want to be in her book, and tore them apart for daring to email her too casually or in a manner that didn’t line up with her perceived level of how much pandering and ego-stroking she should receive. Spare me.
It’s also very clear that this book was written from the perspective of an upper-middle-class, heterosexual, cis-gendered white woman who received both a a bachelor’s degree from a prestigious university and a master’s degree from an exclusive program in the U.K. if you are from a similarly privileged background, I seriously commend you, and this book will be great for you. But for anyone else with a slightly less privileged background, you will find certain things lacking. She makes no mention and gives no tips for those who may be facing other barriers in their career or job search. The only lip-service she pays to her extreme privilege is mentioning that she was lucky enough to have parents who could help her through college, and parents who could help her financially move across the world to the U.K. to study with no job and no plan. Uh, yes, that is definitely something that a lot of young people do not have.
The book was not a total loss, it had good tips and is a quick refresher on how to send cold emails and how to polish up your resume and cover letter. However. I want others who are reading this as to be aware that you don’t need a fancy degree or name-brand experience at a mega tech company like Alexa Shoen to be worthy of a job that makes you happy.
Overall rating: this is a rent it, not buy it from me. Get it from your local library for the good tips, but leave the inflated sense of self-importance and the focus on pedigree above all else for someone else to purchase. You will also find similar tips in other career books, so, meh, this was a 3/5 for me.
My only complaint is that the writing at times sometimes belied a part of the author that seems very focused on having “name brand” experience and credentials. From her exhaustive and sometimes tiring details about how much of her identity is defined by her undergraduate degree at Notre Dame (yawn) to her frequent references to her time as Facebook, I got tired of the constant focus on having name-brand experience and credentials. It feels immature, annoying, and like a not-so-subtle form of self-aggrandizement that’s very intentional and very blatant.
Yes, graduating from a prestigious college is absolutely something to be proud of. But for one, once you’re a professional woman who is well into her thirties I become skeptical of why you need to make sure I know exactly every detail of your educational pedigree.
There was one part in this book as well that was very telling about the author’s inflated sense of self-importance. In chapter 6, the author gives tips on how to reach out to secondary connections, both the right and wrong way. While I agreed with all of her tips, her level of inflated self-importance was on full display here. She used emails from real people who have emailed her, who I am sure would not want to be in her book, and tore them apart for daring to email her too casually or in a manner that didn’t line up with her perceived level of how much pandering and ego-stroking she should receive. Spare me.
It’s also very clear that this book was written from the perspective of an upper-middle-class, heterosexual, cis-gendered white woman who received both a a bachelor’s degree from a prestigious university and a master’s degree from an exclusive program in the U.K. if you are from a similarly privileged background, I seriously commend you, and this book will be great for you. But for anyone else with a slightly less privileged background, you will find certain things lacking. She makes no mention and gives no tips for those who may be facing other barriers in their career or job search. The only lip-service she pays to her extreme privilege is mentioning that she was lucky enough to have parents who could help her through college, and parents who could help her financially move across the world to the U.K. to study with no job and no plan. Uh, yes, that is definitely something that a lot of young people do not have.
The book was not a total loss, it had good tips and is a quick refresher on how to send cold emails and how to polish up your resume and cover letter. However. I want others who are reading this as to be aware that you don’t need a fancy degree or name-brand experience at a mega tech company like Alexa Shoen to be worthy of a job that makes you happy.
Overall rating: this is a rent it, not buy it from me. Get it from your local library for the good tips, but leave the inflated sense of self-importance and the focus on pedigree above all else for someone else to purchase. You will also find similar tips in other career books, so, meh, this was a 3/5 for me.
March 24, 2021
I found this book’s author on TikTok and decided to give it a read as an aid to navigate job hunting in a pandemic. This book is written in an approachable, cheerleading tone and contains lots of nuggets of good advice for approaching a job search, preparing resumes and cover letters, and expanding one’s network to connect with potential employers. For recent college graduates and current college students who are often told they will find a job on the merit that they possess a college degree, this book contains some necessary wisdom to help them to unlearn that line of thinking. Where this book fell short for me was its emphasis on casual, trendy language that felt specific to the industries the author knows well (tech, marketing, social media management) and would be inappropriate in other industries. As a tool to help me sharpen my focus on my next career step, I appreciated Shoen’s direct advice but didn’t care much for some of the book’s millennial-speak filler.
June 22, 2021
I took this out of the library to try to reinvigorate my job search and career. Figured some new perspective could bring new tips or something. Woah was I wrong! So little experience and yet such big claims by the author! Written like a millennial for millennials and hip industries. Now, I may be a millennial or something else because of my age and where they say the cut off is, and I may sound like a grump old man, but this wasn’t for me. It may work for some industries, but unless it’s a startup law firm full of young against the grain beware attprneys, this isn’t the book for the legal profession. I’ve never met anyone in the legal field that this could work for. But I could be proven wrong.
It’s written like a high school paper more than a coherent self help plan. It’s full of a lot of braggadocio and fluff. I’d skip this. I ended up skimming most of it just to see if there was a gem in the muck, but there was none. Not even a glass gem knock off. Don’t bother.
It’s written like a high school paper more than a coherent self help plan. It’s full of a lot of braggadocio and fluff. I’d skip this. I ended up skimming most of it just to see if there was a gem in the muck, but there was none. Not even a glass gem knock off. Don’t bother.
February 15, 2021
This book was rife with "millenialisms" that I anticipate aging poorly. I also was not at all convinced in the credibility of Ms. Shoen. When she described her career, she did not seem like the kind of person best suited to giving career advice. Perhaps I'm just a sucker for more formal language, but the examples that she touts seem really informal, even snarky. I worry that readers of this book would take that as advice to go too far in their cover letters, resumes, etc.
August 11, 2021
If this fatuous American woman can send networking emails then you can too.
Listened in a masochistic effort to get over my squeamishness about sending networking emails. It worked, but it's a very cringe read - and already dated (see: hashtag in title, Game of Thrones references in text). Would recommend the first third or so if you're in a post-graduation career rut but the rest of it is fairly common knowledge.
Listened in a masochistic effort to get over my squeamishness about sending networking emails. It worked, but it's a very cringe read - and already dated (see: hashtag in title, Game of Thrones references in text). Would recommend the first third or so if you're in a post-graduation career rut but the rest of it is fairly common knowledge.
May 18, 2020
Can't wait for Alexa Shoen's book to drop! She tells it like it is in blunt terms that are poignant and hilarious at the same time. Her step by step process is VERY specific with templates and words for you to mimic in case you can't think of anything clever on your own. Plus, her examples end up being life lessons for me. Read it!! Share it!! Buy it!!
October 14, 2023
DNF
I bought this book because I saw the Alexa on Tiktok and it sparked my interest. But while the book and the idea behind it where really great and what you would expect from this book, the tips were all things that, if you had some classes in interviews and future management, you would know. Which made it that i really quickly putted it aside and decided to not really put my time towards.
So, if you never had any tips and tricks for how to start with work in the "adult world", this book is amazing for you! If you already had classes in how to make a resume, what to expect at a job interview etc, I would recommend looking at her TikTok to see how informative it still is, as you might already know everything within this book
I bought this book because I saw the Alexa on Tiktok and it sparked my interest. But while the book and the idea behind it where really great and what you would expect from this book, the tips were all things that, if you had some classes in interviews and future management, you would know. Which made it that i really quickly putted it aside and decided to not really put my time towards.
So, if you never had any tips and tricks for how to start with work in the "adult world", this book is amazing for you! If you already had classes in how to make a resume, what to expect at a job interview etc, I would recommend looking at her TikTok to see how informative it still is, as you might already know everything within this book
Read
January 9, 2021i highly recommend this book for anyone that feels defeated in their job search. it made me take a step back and realize everything ive been doing wrong. its also very encouraging and the way its written never makes you feel dumb for the previous ways youve gone about job hunting. i wish the methodology in this book was taught in schools!!
Read
February 4, 2021i am graduating uni in 4.5 months, big anxious, time to read my first ever self-help book i guess lol
May 31, 2020
Very basic information provided. Used the nauseating phrase “shoot your shot” so many times that I lost count.
August 28, 2020
Quick read that contains lots of interesting perspectives and insights. I like that she breaks each section down into easy to do tasks and “homework assignments.” I will definitely be implementing some of these strategies into my job search!
December 22, 2020
This NEEDS to be on the bookshelf of EVERY individual looking for a job in 2020. Alexa has a resonating personality that comes across clearly through her writing.
As a doctoral graduate student, she navigates REAL WORLD methods to begin and sustain communication in your professional network in a way where you can still be true to yourself.
Keep this with you as a reference whenever you need to go back to update your professional documents. Just knowing this is on my shelf has given me the confidence that I have all I need at my fingertips.
As a doctoral graduate student, she navigates REAL WORLD methods to begin and sustain communication in your professional network in a way where you can still be true to yourself.
Keep this with you as a reference whenever you need to go back to update your professional documents. Just knowing this is on my shelf has given me the confidence that I have all I need at my fingertips.
July 28, 2021
I'm a millennial and disagree on so many levels with this schmaltz. I'm also a professional resume writer, please DO NOT write your Resume like the template included. A few good tips for job search criteria and getting a solidly drafted cover letter (though her one template was embarrassingly casual). 2.5 stars
January 17, 2021
One of the best guidebooks for young professionals navigating a very confusing job market right now. Wish I had this book years ago, especially struggling with social anxiety!
June 8, 2020
See all my reviews at https://audreylinton.wixsite.com/reviews
Struggling with a dead-end job search? Stuck in an under-employed role that you hate? You’re not the only one. In this nine-step guide, career coach Alexa Shoen talks you through each stage of the job hunt – before the application, during, and after. With her help, you will take control and find your dream job.
I picked up this book because all publishing recruitment has basically stopped since lockdown, and I wanted something that would help me feel productive. I sometimes have my doubts about job-related books, simply because I feel like they always include the same type of advice.
Right from the start, Alexa Shoen’s writing is really friendly and funny, and the book is super easy to read. She also throws so much advice at you that I don’t even know where to start. The novel is a 9 step guide, and each step includes to-do lists and tasks, which was so helpful as I can refer back to these lists to see exactly what I need to do.
Most importantly, Alexa’s advice is actually really useful and different from others that I’ve heard. It’s also relevant and up to date with what job-hunting looks like today – she includes tips about LinkedIn, how to come across on social media and personal branding, which I haven’t really seen other people discuss in these types of books.
I loved the fact that Alexa includes real-life examples – she includes some of her own CV mistakes, networking emails that she improved on and so much more. It felt refreshing to read a careers advice book where the author didn’t seem really superior and flawless – we’ve all been unemployed and job hunters, and we’ve all learned from past mistakes.
One thing I would say is to consider the industry you’re looking to get into before taking on every one of her suggestions. I know I want to get into publishing, so not every CV and cover letter template would work for the type of job I want, so that’s definitely important to consider.
I felt really motivated reading #EntryLevelBoss, and I think I’ll be signing up to her newsletters to keep getting inspiration in my job search!
If you’re currently feeling disheartened about being unemployed, then I couldn’t recommend this book to you enough. I can guarantee you’ll pick up a new job hunting trick.
Favourite quotes:
“The curious will win over the educated, every time.”
“The right hiring choice and choosing the best candidate are not actually synonymous.”
“The desire to follow the crowd is so strong that we will hold ourselves back on purpose just to blend in with what everybody else seems to be doing.”
Struggling with a dead-end job search? Stuck in an under-employed role that you hate? You’re not the only one. In this nine-step guide, career coach Alexa Shoen talks you through each stage of the job hunt – before the application, during, and after. With her help, you will take control and find your dream job.
I picked up this book because all publishing recruitment has basically stopped since lockdown, and I wanted something that would help me feel productive. I sometimes have my doubts about job-related books, simply because I feel like they always include the same type of advice.
Right from the start, Alexa Shoen’s writing is really friendly and funny, and the book is super easy to read. She also throws so much advice at you that I don’t even know where to start. The novel is a 9 step guide, and each step includes to-do lists and tasks, which was so helpful as I can refer back to these lists to see exactly what I need to do.
Most importantly, Alexa’s advice is actually really useful and different from others that I’ve heard. It’s also relevant and up to date with what job-hunting looks like today – she includes tips about LinkedIn, how to come across on social media and personal branding, which I haven’t really seen other people discuss in these types of books.
I loved the fact that Alexa includes real-life examples – she includes some of her own CV mistakes, networking emails that she improved on and so much more. It felt refreshing to read a careers advice book where the author didn’t seem really superior and flawless – we’ve all been unemployed and job hunters, and we’ve all learned from past mistakes.
One thing I would say is to consider the industry you’re looking to get into before taking on every one of her suggestions. I know I want to get into publishing, so not every CV and cover letter template would work for the type of job I want, so that’s definitely important to consider.
I felt really motivated reading #EntryLevelBoss, and I think I’ll be signing up to her newsletters to keep getting inspiration in my job search!
If you’re currently feeling disheartened about being unemployed, then I couldn’t recommend this book to you enough. I can guarantee you’ll pick up a new job hunting trick.
Favourite quotes:
“The curious will win over the educated, every time.”
“The right hiring choice and choosing the best candidate are not actually synonymous.”
“The desire to follow the crowd is so strong that we will hold ourselves back on purpose just to blend in with what everybody else seems to be doing.”
January 21, 2021
This should be required reading to preserve the sanity of young people entering the workforce.
This book was a lifeline from the universe. Nothing like the scammy career advice that makes you feel like a used car salesman or the empty platitudes about "finding your passion" which is all I had been able to find.
Alexa is wise, authentic, empathetic, encouraging, and empowering. This book affirmed my frustrations with the new grad job search experience - cover letters are dumb - while giving me the intel and loving kick in the pants to engage with the messed up process anyway.
This book named every anxiety and discouraging thought and rage-inducing experience that I thought no one else felt, then gave me a helpful way of thinking about it all along with so many practical and actionable tasks.
This book was a lifeline from the universe. Nothing like the scammy career advice that makes you feel like a used car salesman or the empty platitudes about "finding your passion" which is all I had been able to find.
Alexa is wise, authentic, empathetic, encouraging, and empowering. This book affirmed my frustrations with the new grad job search experience - cover letters are dumb - while giving me the intel and loving kick in the pants to engage with the messed up process anyway.
This book named every anxiety and discouraging thought and rage-inducing experience that I thought no one else felt, then gave me a helpful way of thinking about it all along with so many practical and actionable tasks.
December 23, 2021
I always struggle with the job search process not knowing where to start, and the advice in this book has given me that starting point and calmed the job search panic. This is a quick and extremely helpful read, and I enjoy Alexa's quick, witty writing style (I also follow her on TikTok and she speaks as she writes!).
If you are reading this review, hello! I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a job but struggle to know what you want sometimes. And since you are here, I am looking for a remote administrative or assistant role to keep information organized and make the partners' or team leads' jobs easier in the environmental justice industry, and if you have any connections I would love to chat! (Yes I am implementing some tips - this one being putting yourself out there to your connections).
If you are reading this review, hello! I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a job but struggle to know what you want sometimes. And since you are here, I am looking for a remote administrative or assistant role to keep information organized and make the partners' or team leads' jobs easier in the environmental justice industry, and if you have any connections I would love to chat! (Yes I am implementing some tips - this one being putting yourself out there to your connections).
January 22, 2021
I’ve never purchased a self help book, nor have I ever read a non fiction book of any kind so quickly. Alexa manages to weave expertly crafted and detailed advice with honesty, humor, and flat out incredible writing. Her kindness and frankness throughout the book is enough just to get you out of the crippled-with-anxiety job hunting rut and boost your confidence, and then there’s the added bonus of TONS of helpful tips with examples and explanations to actually find a job. Everything she lays out about the process is pure genius, and the best part is that it all just feels like really solid advice from a good friend. This book should be required reading for every college senior, no matter the discipline.
April 26, 2021
I really tried to love this book and I really enjoy Alexa's content on TikTok, but I'm not sure who her target audience is. As someone who is a bit unsure of which career to pursue, I was not sure whether the book was directed at someone like me or someone who knows exactly what they would like to do as a career. In the very beginning (as early as the introduction), I was lured in because I thought I would be taught specific methods on HOW to narrow down that so-called "junk food job search". However, I was just TOLD to stop this "junk food job search" by mysteriously figuring out my desired specific job title, industry and location. Other than some helpful resume/job search tips, I didn't really get much out this book unfortunately.
January 10, 2021
This book came just when I needed it! I was moping about how I'd never get my first career job, and this book came along (along with Alexa's tiktok) and gave me hope again. I don't ever want to go back to the "junk food diet"
I've only just started putting into practise the recommendations, so I can't comment on it's success just yet, but it's given me a direction that I hadn't tried before and I'm excited to continue.
I'll update when I get a job. (see, I'm already being positive and assuming the best outcome)
I've only just started putting into practise the recommendations, so I can't comment on it's success just yet, but it's given me a direction that I hadn't tried before and I'm excited to continue.
I'll update when I get a job. (see, I'm already being positive and assuming the best outcome)
July 28, 2020
I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from Alexa Shoen and St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really liked this book; it is straight forward and simple to follow. I wish someone had explained how to complete a job search like this to me when I was younger. I appreciated all the resume and cover letter tips and the fact that Alexa asked others who had success to provide their input in her book.
Highly recommend this book!
I really liked this book; it is straight forward and simple to follow. I wish someone had explained how to complete a job search like this to me when I was younger. I appreciated all the resume and cover letter tips and the fact that Alexa asked others who had success to provide their input in her book.
Highly recommend this book!
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