Best Networking Strategies to Meet the Right People & Land Your Dream Job | Career Growth & Professional Success Tips

PROS:* A sober, straightforward system for networking for a new job.* Builds on Pierson's past work effectively.* A refreshing, low-key change to the "supernetworking" books.CONS:* Repeats some previous material.* The system presented is very intense, and may take effort to adapt to a lower-key job search.SUMMARY: A book on career networking with the network you have, and how to do it in an organized manner. A good purchase if you want to improve your network use or use Pierson's techniques.Orville Pierson's "The Unwritten Secrets of the Highly Effective Job Search" is one of the books I recommend to every job seeker, professional, and careerists. Though his prose is at times dull, his intelligent, rational, and systematic approach is simply fantastic. Pierson took a lot of common sense job search tips and made a system out of it.So when I heard he had another book out, focusing on networking in the job search, I had to read it - and of course review it.If there was a flaw in the last book, it was the dull prose. I'm pleased to report Pierson has changed his style, keeping his sober and non-sensational style, while making it more accessible and less dull. It also makes the book read remarkably fast, as it's well-paced.Pierson's focus is deliberately not on supernetworking or becoming a master of networking - he leaves that to others. His goal instead is to spell out how people can use the network they have to create a highly effective job search. Even if you don't think you have much of a network, Pierson's book helps you figure out what you can do with your current network, and helps you see how much networking power you really have..His approach is, as in his last book, a serious, systematic approach - and one that is for a serious job hunter. He discusses examining your target markets and businesses, then focusing on how you can leverage your network to find the jobs you want at the places you want. Each step is designed to get you closer to the right people and the decision that hires you.As Pierson leads you through his system, he also discusses the philosophies of good job searches and networking. This helps understand the "why" of what you're doing, and it frankly does a good job of helping explain what good job networking involves. These lessons and digressions aren't invasive, and actually help one understand just what good job networking involves.The book itself can stand alone from Pierson's first work, though it does work better as a compliment to it. The books do share a lot of material, so though both are worth reading, you will get some repetition.I'm glad to see another good, rational, organized book on job searching and networking. Pierson is a welcome voice of calm, organization, professionalism, and thoughtful action. I'm looking forward to his next book!