Why You, Why Me, Why Now - by Rachel Toor (Paperback)

About the Book

"Getting a job means successfully navigating the application process, and today that requires the right mindset--and the skills to convey it to a potential employer. You need to focus on the organization's needs, not your own, often a challenge for recent and soon-to-be college graduates. In this book, writing professor Rachel Toor shows you how to identify those needs, decide whether you are a good match for a job, and then tell a clear, concise, and authentic story about yourself through your cover letter, resumâe, and interviews. Full of insights from hiring managers and career professionals in a wide range of fields, the book reveals the traits employers are looking for and how they--and their AI bots--evaluate application materials. Instead of templates and timelines, it offers advice on how to present yourself professionally, from cover letter salutation to post-interview thank-you note. It also includes practical tips on such matters as understanding LinkedIn, preparing for Zoom interviews, and selecting appropriate references. And throughout it features Toor's tips on good writing, from choosing the right words to get past the bots and make the most of limited space to using classic storytelling techniques to explain what you can contribute to an organization. Encouraging, funny, and blunt, this is a job-search guide like no other"--

Book Synopsis

A clear, accessible, and fun guide on everything it takes to land a job.

Searching for a job can be hard and demoralizing work. In Why You, Why Me, Why Now, Rachel Toor delivers some good news. The most important thing is within your control--a mindset that shows you know the goals of the organization you want to work for and that you're ready and eager to contribute. Toor provides, with compassion and enthusiasm, strategies to make it easy for hiring managers to say "yes." Through useful and funny anecdotes, she offers advice from professionals across industries and focuses on the attitude applicants can adopt to find success. Revealing traits employers seek, Toor shows how to craft winning cover letters, ways to tailor resumes for each job, and practical tips to get past AI screening. She also explains how to use LinkedIn and gives tips on preparing for interviews. Throughout, the book features Toor's notes on writing well to help in landing a first job and beyond. Encouraging, entertaining, and blunt, this is a job-search guide like no other.

Review Quotes

"All college seniors entering the job market should read this book. It contains page after page of potentially life-altering job search ideas and tips people don't know and won't think of on their own."--Ellen Jovin, founder of the Grammar Table and author of Rebel with a Clause: Tales and Tips from a Roving Grammarian

"I wish I could deliver a copy of this enlightening book to everyone applying for a position at our company before they hit the submit button."
--Ken Goldstein, Chairman & CEO, ThriftBooks Global

"Jam-packed with frank wisdom and specific tips for anyone seeking a first job, with sage advice throughout that will help everyone seeking a new position at any stage in their career, Toor's book tells you what every hiring manager wishes you already knew."--Will Schwalbe, author of "The End of Your Life Book Club"

"Toor gives new ways to think about how we present ourselves to the professional world. For those looking to land a great job her advice is fresh, empowering, and dare I say fun."--Brandon Busteed, Global Head of Learn-Work Innovation, Kaplan

"Toor offers an insightful--and fun!--guide to how to 'match' with an employer for your first job. I recommend this book to any student preparing for the world of work."--Pericles Lewis, Dean of Yale College

"What sets Toor's book apart is the combination of extensive research with the unique insights of someone who knows firsthand the great talents of many students. Funny, down-to-earth, and empathetic, she shows how difficult it is to stand out in the job search process. A must read."--Felix V. Matos Rodriguez, Chancellor of the City University of New York

About the Author

Rachel Toor, professor of creative writing at Eastern Washington University, is the author of Write Your Way In: Crafting an Unforgettable Admissions Essay and other books. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Runner's World, Glamour, and many other publications.