An inspirational true story that is more than the sum of its parts. Rob sets out to inform, educate and inspire with care and compassion for every reader who's also, as he puts it, "#iBJA" (in between jobs, again).

There are many great books out there on job hunting, like "What color is my parachute?", which is more of a "workbook" than this with templates to follow. But what is special about "Next Job, Best Job" is that Rob actually seems to have invested emotionally in the outcome of your decision. He crosses over the great divide between oracle and audience to become "one of us". You just know he hasn't looked it up in a textbook but is talking from the trenches when he asks you to meditate or think about Ram Dass (who incidentally was also a hero of mine).

From the get-go he sets the tone by unashamedly admitting he got his first headhunting gig by bluffing it. But you don't look at him like a charlatan because you are already on his side. When he tells you his life changed by recording a brief video about his circumstances and uploading it on social media, you think he might be laying it on a bit thick. Especially when he says he's recorded a brief video every morning since, you think he must be exaggerating, Then you watch and you are hooked. Rob is Mr "Be Here Now", just like Ram Dass. He has turned tragedy into triumph with Next Job, Best Job.

I am forever being told I should engage more with social media and share more about myself, which is almost an anathema to a guy like me, but you'll have to excuse me, I've got a YouTube to make for my next job., .

In the Introduction, Barnett explains how he got into this entire career field of headhunting: While he was between jobs, he had received a call from an old acquaintance who had seen some of his recent videos about the hardships of searching for a job. The old friend asked if Barnett was a headhunter, and Barnett quickly said yes, without having any idea what being a headhunter entailed. This interaction three years ago started his new career, and he had to learn fast. Now personally, I'm not sure if that is the best way to start a book, because I wasn't exactly confident in his expertise after reading that introduction; but I continued to read anyway.

There are eleven chapters in the book, starting with advice about how to handle losing your last job, and working through to landing a better new job. The first few chapters are mostly about how to handle losing your last job. Chapter 4 starts to discuss how to decide what type of job is right for you. Chapter 5 gives advice about resume building, Chapter 6 talks about networking, Chapter 7 is about social media, and Chapter 8 focuses on finding the right company. Chapters 9 and 10 give tips about interviews, and Chapter 11 is mostly inspirational messages.

Overall, this book had a few nice tips and some solid advice, but there was also quite a bit of filler. In my opinion, you could skip the chapters about feeling sorry for yourself and why it is hard to lose your job, and just go directly to the more useful advice: the resume tips in Chapter 5, the social media tips in Chapter 7, and the interview tips in Chapters 9 and 10. Always keep in mind though, that the author is relatively new to this field too, and it seems like luck often plays a huge role in finding the best job (as it did with him).

Rob Barnett lists all the thing syou should be doing during job search especially not wasting time and staying organized. Since he has gone through this, he has the experience of all the troubles when you ar ein between jobs. The Tur North is a good way of aligning your skills and purpose. There are examples of how to repurpose your skills, if you are transitioning your career.

NEXT JOB, BEST JOB by recruiter and entrepreneur Rob Barnett offers many helpful ideas for both the job search and negotiating a new position. Barnett seems very opinionated and is certainly a high energy type of individual. However, I needed some space for reflection when trying to read his gung-ho text. His advice, subtitled "A Headhunter's 11 Strategies to Get Hired Now," felt a bit overwhelming, particularly for readers who might be dealing with involuntary changes in employment. My favorite quote appeared near the end: "if you opened this book in a state of pain and loss, my greatest wish is that you close it with passion and purpose." Yes, Barnett runs through rebranding yourself, identifying the best industry/career path, and getting callbacks and networking. Overall, though, I think he tried to explain what people **should** do, but did not offer sufficient details, guidance or practice, on **how** to accomplish many tasks.

Rob Barnett's Next Job, Best Job is a solid job guide, even if it doesn't offer groundbreaking advice. It can be difficult to offer new advice in the job hunt/career genre, but Barnett offers sound advice here.

Even if Barnett doesn't have any advice that was really unexpected, he does go a bit against the grain by advising job seekers to hold out for the right job. Many job guides will give you the usual advice in how to land an interview, and then land a job, but they don't say to hold out for the right job. This is an important distinction, and it is a tough one for people who are desperate to land a job. However, Barnett points out that settling for the "Next Job, Any Job" approach usually backfires and fails.

One middle ground option is what Barnett calls the "straight line theory." The idea is that if your dream job isn't currently attainable to find the path to get there. Find a job that manages to move you forward from your current job and moves you close to your dream job. Look at the job skills and objectives and find something that will give skills that will be useful in landing the dream job.

Another major strength of Next Job, Best Job is Barnett's savvy with negotiating salary. He walks you through ways to get a better offer tactfully. As he mentions, it is a tightrope exercise when it comes to salary. One has to fight to get a better figure, but it is a matter of some delicacy, too. He also discusses the possibility of a counter-offer, too. It's not necessarily something you may seek, but it is something that would be worth considering if you are still on the fence at the end of the job hunt process.