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 Customer Reviews
A simple, easy, excellent read., 14 Nov 2008
I bought this book two weeks before an interview, based on other peoples comments, and read it from cover to cover in five hours over a week.
It is very easy,uncomplicated and to the point book,with the information given in bite size and easy to remember chapters.
The auther also has the nack of building up your confidence too!
Excellent, 01 Oct 2008
Great book, easy to read and full of good tips. I used it with the Job Interview DVD that I bought on Amazon Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD as this shows the employers talking about what they look for in interviewees.
Both fantastic!
well worth it , 25 Aug 2008
I agree with all the other folk here. This is a really helpful, short snappy little guide for interview preperation. A friend suggested it and every time she reads this book before an interview she gets the job !
More Top Stuff, 09 May 2008
Further on from my CV literature review, this book got me through two intense interviews resulting in me getting the job. While some of the content doesn't necessarily need to be taken in, some specific items made ALL the difference!
Rewrite your CV, get this book, read it and prepare for your interview at least one week before the event. You will not regret it, just put the effort in.
Really good book - covers all you'd expect and hope for..., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book. Works really well to cover all the interview fundamentals. Read it alongside "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". Both these books are excellent, and perfect for finding and landing your perfect job. Cannot recommend them both highly enough.
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Customer Reviews
A simple, easy, excellent read., 14 Nov 2008
I bought this book two weeks before an interview, based on other peoples comments, and read it from cover to cover in five hours over a week.
It is very easy,uncomplicated and to the point book,with the information given in bite size and easy to remember chapters.
The auther also has the nack of building up your confidence too! Excellent, 01 Oct 2008
Great book, easy to read and full of good tips. I used it with the Job Interview DVD that I bought on Amazon Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD as this shows the employers talking about what they look for in interviewees.
Both fantastic! well worth it , 25 Aug 2008
I agree with all the other folk here. This is a really helpful, short snappy little guide for interview preperation. A friend suggested it and every time she reads this book before an interview she gets the job ! More Top Stuff, 09 May 2008
Further on from my CV literature review, this book got me through two intense interviews resulting in me getting the job. While some of the content doesn't necessarily need to be taken in, some specific items made ALL the difference!
Rewrite your CV, get this book, read it and prepare for your interview at least one week before the event. You will not regret it, just put the effort in.
Really good book - covers all you'd expect and hope for..., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book. Works really well to cover all the interview fundamentals. Read it alongside "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". Both these books are excellent, and perfect for finding and landing your perfect job. Cannot recommend them both highly enough. A practical, easy-to-use resource for minute-taking, 23 Jan 2007
The unsung hero of any corporate meeting is the minute-taker, quietly and diligently recording the decisions, big and small, that fuel the engines of business. Minute-taking is not simply the process of scribbling notes on a pad. A skilled minute-taker distills lengthy discussions down to their essential messages, and creates order and harmony from the often discordant process of reaching a consensus. Office communication consultant Joanna Gutmann carefully explains every aspect of the process, from setting up the meeting and distributing the agenda to taking notes and formatting the minutes. You will encounter quite a bit of redundancy if you read the book cover-to-cover, but we believe you will find it to be an indispensable reference if you are assigned to take the minutes. Fantastic Step-By-Step Guide, 19 Sep 2003
I have a new job where I am required to take minutes of meetings. I've never taken minutes before in my life. I bought this book in my hour of need. It is fantastic! It takes you through the process step-by-step offering advice in plain English. I have taken a few meetings now and everyone is shocked at my ability - they all think I've been minuting for years! Highly recommended!
Great value for money, 17 May 2003
Saved a fortune with this easy step by step guides. Local training centre was offering tuition at high cost.
Very convenient to teach yourself to achieve great proffessional results. Ideal for first time readers. Now I can up-date my CV
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Customer Reviews
A simple, easy, excellent read., 14 Nov 2008
I bought this book two weeks before an interview, based on other peoples comments, and read it from cover to cover in five hours over a week.
It is very easy,uncomplicated and to the point book,with the information given in bite size and easy to remember chapters.
The auther also has the nack of building up your confidence too! Excellent, 01 Oct 2008
Great book, easy to read and full of good tips. I used it with the Job Interview DVD that I bought on Amazon Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD as this shows the employers talking about what they look for in interviewees.
Both fantastic! well worth it , 25 Aug 2008
I agree with all the other folk here. This is a really helpful, short snappy little guide for interview preperation. A friend suggested it and every time she reads this book before an interview she gets the job ! More Top Stuff, 09 May 2008
Further on from my CV literature review, this book got me through two intense interviews resulting in me getting the job. While some of the content doesn't necessarily need to be taken in, some specific items made ALL the difference!
Rewrite your CV, get this book, read it and prepare for your interview at least one week before the event. You will not regret it, just put the effort in.
Really good book - covers all you'd expect and hope for..., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book. Works really well to cover all the interview fundamentals. Read it alongside "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". Both these books are excellent, and perfect for finding and landing your perfect job. Cannot recommend them both highly enough. A practical, easy-to-use resource for minute-taking, 23 Jan 2007
The unsung hero of any corporate meeting is the minute-taker, quietly and diligently recording the decisions, big and small, that fuel the engines of business. Minute-taking is not simply the process of scribbling notes on a pad. A skilled minute-taker distills lengthy discussions down to their essential messages, and creates order and harmony from the often discordant process of reaching a consensus. Office communication consultant Joanna Gutmann carefully explains every aspect of the process, from setting up the meeting and distributing the agenda to taking notes and formatting the minutes. You will encounter quite a bit of redundancy if you read the book cover-to-cover, but we believe you will find it to be an indispensable reference if you are assigned to take the minutes. Fantastic Step-By-Step Guide, 19 Sep 2003
I have a new job where I am required to take minutes of meetings. I've never taken minutes before in my life. I bought this book in my hour of need. It is fantastic! It takes you through the process step-by-step offering advice in plain English. I have taken a few meetings now and everyone is shocked at my ability - they all think I've been minuting for years! Highly recommended!
Great value for money, 17 May 2003
Saved a fortune with this easy step by step guides. Local training centre was offering tuition at high cost.
Very convenient to teach yourself to achieve great proffessional results. Ideal for first time readers. Now I can up-date my CV
Good, but need other reading too for a successful job hunt., 29 Feb 2008
Good book overall. But it is flawed and there are errors. Certainly to be regarded as a book to be used in conjunction with others such as the 'Brilliant' books eg Brilliant CVs, Brilliant Interviews, Brilliant Answers to Tough Interview Questions etc. Another extremely useful book for job hunters is "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". When all these books are used you really can get one step ahead of the competition in the fight for great jobs.
Too many errors., 13 Jul 2006
I'm not sure how this book made it through the editing stage. The questions are interesting, and a good example of what you might expect, however too many of the answers are wrong.
For example, in the estimation section, division by a fraction is done incorrectly, and the answers given for the assembly test are dire.
Avoid, unless you just want to see what questions might be asked.
Exceedingly useful, 26 Sep 2005
I graduated this year from Brunel University with a degree in computing and applied for several graduate schemes for big organisations including HSBC and EDS, Barclays Bank, etc. I was dead surprised that most of the psychometric tests in our assessment day were similar to the tests in this book, especially the ones in chapter 1, the Diagrammatic Test, chapter 2 the Number Series tests and chapter 3, Compiler Checking and assembly tests. I would like to say thanks for this lovely book which helped me to practise and pass and get my first graduate job with HSBC. I would say it is exceedingly useful if you want to win a graduate job in a big organisation.
Superb, 28 Oct 2004
I gradated from Brunel University after completing a BSc in Computing. I was invited for the EDS graduate recruitment day in September this year. I could definitely say that chapter one for the diagrammatic reasoning tests and chapter three psychometric tests for IT, were very helpful in my assessment day, to pass and receive a job offer.
However what I really liked about the book is the accuracy of all the tests as I couldn't find a single mistake, whereas in other series by Kogan Page I find many, My challenge is, can anyone find any mistakes in any of the tests and email me? Thumbs up. The book deserves 5 stars. Good luck to the author as I heard the book has been translated into 4 languages.
Brilliant, 19 Oct 2004
After graduating last July with a degree in Finance I went to the USA for my summer holiday and heard by chance about the book when reading an article about psychometric tests in one of the USA journals. I bought the second edition of the book on my return to the UK and attended two assessment days for Barclays and HSBC banks. I was surprised that most of the psychometric tests given to us by both banks were very similar to the ones provided in the book, especially the diagrammatic reasoning tests. I passed both assessment days and I was offered two graduate positions. However I chose the HSBC because is nearer to my home. Therefore I wholeheartedly believe the book deserves 5 stars. It is comprehensive, easy to ready and contains lots of expert tips to help you to do better in your assessment day.
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Customer Reviews
A simple, easy, excellent read., 14 Nov 2008
I bought this book two weeks before an interview, based on other peoples comments, and read it from cover to cover in five hours over a week.
It is very easy,uncomplicated and to the point book,with the information given in bite size and easy to remember chapters.
The auther also has the nack of building up your confidence too! Excellent, 01 Oct 2008
Great book, easy to read and full of good tips. I used it with the Job Interview DVD that I bought on Amazon Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD as this shows the employers talking about what they look for in interviewees.
Both fantastic! well worth it , 25 Aug 2008
I agree with all the other folk here. This is a really helpful, short snappy little guide for interview preperation. A friend suggested it and every time she reads this book before an interview she gets the job ! More Top Stuff, 09 May 2008
Further on from my CV literature review, this book got me through two intense interviews resulting in me getting the job. While some of the content doesn't necessarily need to be taken in, some specific items made ALL the difference!
Rewrite your CV, get this book, read it and prepare for your interview at least one week before the event. You will not regret it, just put the effort in.
Really good book - covers all you'd expect and hope for..., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book. Works really well to cover all the interview fundamentals. Read it alongside "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". Both these books are excellent, and perfect for finding and landing your perfect job. Cannot recommend them both highly enough. A practical, easy-to-use resource for minute-taking, 23 Jan 2007
The unsung hero of any corporate meeting is the minute-taker, quietly and diligently recording the decisions, big and small, that fuel the engines of business. Minute-taking is not simply the process of scribbling notes on a pad. A skilled minute-taker distills lengthy discussions down to their essential messages, and creates order and harmony from the often discordant process of reaching a consensus. Office communication consultant Joanna Gutmann carefully explains every aspect of the process, from setting up the meeting and distributing the agenda to taking notes and formatting the minutes. You will encounter quite a bit of redundancy if you read the book cover-to-cover, but we believe you will find it to be an indispensable reference if you are assigned to take the minutes. Fantastic Step-By-Step Guide, 19 Sep 2003
I have a new job where I am required to take minutes of meetings. I've never taken minutes before in my life. I bought this book in my hour of need. It is fantastic! It takes you through the process step-by-step offering advice in plain English. I have taken a few meetings now and everyone is shocked at my ability - they all think I've been minuting for years! Highly recommended!
Great value for money, 17 May 2003
Saved a fortune with this easy step by step guides. Local training centre was offering tuition at high cost.
Very convenient to teach yourself to achieve great proffessional results. Ideal for first time readers. Now I can up-date my CV
Good, but need other reading too for a successful job hunt., 29 Feb 2008
Good book overall. But it is flawed and there are errors. Certainly to be regarded as a book to be used in conjunction with others such as the 'Brilliant' books eg Brilliant CVs, Brilliant Interviews, Brilliant Answers to Tough Interview Questions etc. Another extremely useful book for job hunters is "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". When all these books are used you really can get one step ahead of the competition in the fight for great jobs.
Too many errors., 13 Jul 2006
I'm not sure how this book made it through the editing stage. The questions are interesting, and a good example of what you might expect, however too many of the answers are wrong.
For example, in the estimation section, division by a fraction is done incorrectly, and the answers given for the assembly test are dire.
Avoid, unless you just want to see what questions might be asked.
Exceedingly useful, 26 Sep 2005
I graduated this year from Brunel University with a degree in computing and applied for several graduate schemes for big organisations including HSBC and EDS, Barclays Bank, etc. I was dead surprised that most of the psychometric tests in our assessment day were similar to the tests in this book, especially the ones in chapter 1, the Diagrammatic Test, chapter 2 the Number Series tests and chapter 3, Compiler Checking and assembly tests. I would like to say thanks for this lovely book which helped me to practise and pass and get my first graduate job with HSBC. I would say it is exceedingly useful if you want to win a graduate job in a big organisation.
Superb, 28 Oct 2004
I gradated from Brunel University after completing a BSc in Computing. I was invited for the EDS graduate recruitment day in September this year. I could definitely say that chapter one for the diagrammatic reasoning tests and chapter three psychometric tests for IT, were very helpful in my assessment day, to pass and receive a job offer.
However what I really liked about the book is the accuracy of all the tests as I couldn't find a single mistake, whereas in other series by Kogan Page I find many, My challenge is, can anyone find any mistakes in any of the tests and email me? Thumbs up. The book deserves 5 stars. Good luck to the author as I heard the book has been translated into 4 languages.
Brilliant, 19 Oct 2004
After graduating last July with a degree in Finance I went to the USA for my summer holiday and heard by chance about the book when reading an article about psychometric tests in one of the USA journals. I bought the second edition of the book on my return to the UK and attended two assessment days for Barclays and HSBC banks. I was surprised that most of the psychometric tests given to us by both banks were very similar to the ones provided in the book, especially the diagrammatic reasoning tests. I passed both assessment days and I was offered two graduate positions. However I chose the HSBC because is nearer to my home. Therefore I wholeheartedly believe the book deserves 5 stars. It is comprehensive, easy to ready and contains lots of expert tips to help you to do better in your assessment day.
VERY helpful interview book to get ahead of the competition, 10 Oct 2008
Thanks to this book I received a job offer for a job I've wanted for the past few years of my career with a world-renown company.
I was very well prepared for all 3 interviews I had to go on to get this job. All the trick questions that were asked were questions from the book which I've already mentally prepared answers. Lastly, this book helped me immensely with negotiating an offer. I was able to get 2 weeks in between jobs (so I can go on a celebratory beach holiday!!)and bump up the salary.
I highly recommend this book for interviewers of all industries (except banking). The job market is incredibly competitive, this book will give you tips on how to get ahead!
Got me the job !!, 19 Sep 2008
Well I bought the book brilliant C.V which is good and this book to help me finding a job. I got an interview for a job that I was lacking a bit of experience in, read the book, went to the interview and got the job! If you are not an experienced job hunter then this book is critical to your success, otherwise it'll still give even the experienced job hunter some useful tips!
Great stuff
Ho hum, 08 Sep 2008
Fairly solid advice - but it didn't tell me much that I didn't already know. I apologise, as I'm sure the author spent a lot of tiem writing the book and tried to do her best. But I wanted some advice that was a bit more specific. For example, I've come across situations such as an arrogant male interviewer who kept staring at me like I was a piece of something he'd trodden on. So I began to struggle and didn't know how to rescue the interview. Perhaps this book is better for people who haven't had a job interview in ages and are looking for more basic advice?
Excellent Book. Want to succeed at interview? Then buy this book., 16 May 2008
I think the criticisms of this book in the negative reviews given here are totally unfounded and ill concieved. This book is excellent. (Criticisms levied at the unrealism of the title are clearly levelled by the same people who went into fits when Katie Melua suggested there were 9 million bicycles in Beijing.) This is a good book that helps those who need help in this area. Personally I'd recommend this book along with "Brilliant CV", "201 Best Questions to ask on your interview", and also "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant" which covers the key area that these other books don't. With those four books in your bag you will not fail.
A tough title to live up to, 25 Jan 2008
Almost anyone who writes a book on interviewing deserves praise for helping to make sense of this variable form of human interaction. This book is defintitely helpful in a number of ways. That said, the title is almost impossible to live up to. I found that, while largely encouraging the reader to tell the truth, there are moments when it seems as though the author is suggesting that we should say only what is going to help us get that job (e.g. see p.90 second paragraph and page 89 inset paragraph).
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Customer Reviews
A simple, easy, excellent read., 14 Nov 2008
I bought this book two weeks before an interview, based on other peoples comments, and read it from cover to cover in five hours over a week.
It is very easy,uncomplicated and to the point book,with the information given in bite size and easy to remember chapters.
The auther also has the nack of building up your confidence too! Excellent, 01 Oct 2008
Great book, easy to read and full of good tips. I used it with the Job Interview DVD that I bought on Amazon Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD as this shows the employers talking about what they look for in interviewees.
Both fantastic! well worth it , 25 Aug 2008
I agree with all the other folk here. This is a really helpful, short snappy little guide for interview preperation. A friend suggested it and every time she reads this book before an interview she gets the job ! More Top Stuff, 09 May 2008
Further on from my CV literature review, this book got me through two intense interviews resulting in me getting the job. While some of the content doesn't necessarily need to be taken in, some specific items made ALL the difference!
Rewrite your CV, get this book, read it and prepare for your interview at least one week before the event. You will not regret it, just put the effort in.
Really good book - covers all you'd expect and hope for..., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book. Works really well to cover all the interview fundamentals. Read it alongside "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". Both these books are excellent, and perfect for finding and landing your perfect job. Cannot recommend them both highly enough. A practical, easy-to-use resource for minute-taking, 23 Jan 2007
The unsung hero of any corporate meeting is the minute-taker, quietly and diligently recording the decisions, big and small, that fuel the engines of business. Minute-taking is not simply the process of scribbling notes on a pad. A skilled minute-taker distills lengthy discussions down to their essential messages, and creates order and harmony from the often discordant process of reaching a consensus. Office communication consultant Joanna Gutmann carefully explains every aspect of the process, from setting up the meeting and distributing the agenda to taking notes and formatting the minutes. You will encounter quite a bit of redundancy if you read the book cover-to-cover, but we believe you will find it to be an indispensable reference if you are assigned to take the minutes. Fantastic Step-By-Step Guide, 19 Sep 2003
I have a new job where I am required to take minutes of meetings. I've never taken minutes before in my life. I bought this book in my hour of need. It is fantastic! It takes you through the process step-by-step offering advice in plain English. I have taken a few meetings now and everyone is shocked at my ability - they all think I've been minuting for years! Highly recommended!
Great value for money, 17 May 2003
Saved a fortune with this easy step by step guides. Local training centre was offering tuition at high cost.
Very convenient to teach yourself to achieve great proffessional results. Ideal for first time readers. Now I can up-date my CV
Good, but need other reading too for a successful job hunt., 29 Feb 2008
Good book overall. But it is flawed and there are errors. Certainly to be regarded as a book to be used in conjunction with others such as the 'Brilliant' books eg Brilliant CVs, Brilliant Interviews, Brilliant Answers to Tough Interview Questions etc. Another extremely useful book for job hunters is "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". When all these books are used you really can get one step ahead of the competition in the fight for great jobs.
Too many errors., 13 Jul 2006
I'm not sure how this book made it through the editing stage. The questions are interesting, and a good example of what you might expect, however too many of the answers are wrong.
For example, in the estimation section, division by a fraction is done incorrectly, and the answers given for the assembly test are dire.
Avoid, unless you just want to see what questions might be asked.
Exceedingly useful, 26 Sep 2005
I graduated this year from Brunel University with a degree in computing and applied for several graduate schemes for big organisations including HSBC and EDS, Barclays Bank, etc. I was dead surprised that most of the psychometric tests in our assessment day were similar to the tests in this book, especially the ones in chapter 1, the Diagrammatic Test, chapter 2 the Number Series tests and chapter 3, Compiler Checking and assembly tests. I would like to say thanks for this lovely book which helped me to practise and pass and get my first graduate job with HSBC. I would say it is exceedingly useful if you want to win a graduate job in a big organisation.
Superb, 28 Oct 2004
I gradated from Brunel University after completing a BSc in Computing. I was invited for the EDS graduate recruitment day in September this year. I could definitely say that chapter one for the diagrammatic reasoning tests and chapter three psychometric tests for IT, were very helpful in my assessment day, to pass and receive a job offer.
However what I really liked about the book is the accuracy of all the tests as I couldn't find a single mistake, whereas in other series by Kogan Page I find many, My challenge is, can anyone find any mistakes in any of the tests and email me? Thumbs up. The book deserves 5 stars. Good luck to the author as I heard the book has been translated into 4 languages.
Brilliant, 19 Oct 2004
After graduating last July with a degree in Finance I went to the USA for my summer holiday and heard by chance about the book when reading an article about psychometric tests in one of the USA journals. I bought the second edition of the book on my return to the UK and attended two assessment days for Barclays and HSBC banks. I was surprised that most of the psychometric tests given to us by both banks were very similar to the ones provided in the book, especially the diagrammatic reasoning tests. I passed both assessment days and I was offered two graduate positions. However I chose the HSBC because is nearer to my home. Therefore I wholeheartedly believe the book deserves 5 stars. It is comprehensive, easy to ready and contains lots of expert tips to help you to do better in your assessment day.
VERY helpful interview book to get ahead of the competition, 10 Oct 2008
Thanks to this book I received a job offer for a job I've wanted for the past few years of my career with a world-renown company.
I was very well prepared for all 3 interviews I had to go on to get this job. All the trick questions that were asked were questions from the book which I've already mentally prepared answers. Lastly, this book helped me immensely with negotiating an offer. I was able to get 2 weeks in between jobs (so I can go on a celebratory beach holiday!!)and bump up the salary.
I highly recommend this book for interviewers of all industries (except banking). The job market is incredibly competitive, this book will give you tips on how to get ahead!
Got me the job !!, 19 Sep 2008
Well I bought the book brilliant C.V which is good and this book to help me finding a job. I got an interview for a job that I was lacking a bit of experience in, read the book, went to the interview and got the job! If you are not an experienced job hunter then this book is critical to your success, otherwise it'll still give even the experienced job hunter some useful tips!
Great stuff
Ho hum, 08 Sep 2008
Fairly solid advice - but it didn't tell me much that I didn't already know. I apologise, as I'm sure the author spent a lot of tiem writing the book and tried to do her best. But I wanted some advice that was a bit more specific. For example, I've come across situations such as an arrogant male interviewer who kept staring at me like I was a piece of something he'd trodden on. So I began to struggle and didn't know how to rescue the interview. Perhaps this book is better for people who haven't had a job interview in ages and are looking for more basic advice?
Excellent Book. Want to succeed at interview? Then buy this book., 16 May 2008
I think the criticisms of this book in the negative reviews given here are totally unfounded and ill concieved. This book is excellent. (Criticisms levied at the unrealism of the title are clearly levelled by the same people who went into fits when Katie Melua suggested there were 9 million bicycles in Beijing.) This is a good book that helps those who need help in this area. Personally I'd recommend this book along with "Brilliant CV", "201 Best Questions to ask on your interview", and also "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant" which covers the key area that these other books don't. With those four books in your bag you will not fail.
A tough title to live up to, 25 Jan 2008
Almost anyone who writes a book on interviewing deserves praise for helping to make sense of this variable form of human interaction. This book is defintitely helpful in a number of ways. That said, the title is almost impossible to live up to. I found that, while largely encouraging the reader to tell the truth, there are moments when it seems as though the author is suggesting that we should say only what is going to help us get that job (e.g. see p.90 second paragraph and page 89 inset paragraph).
this book has shown me the path i had forgot, 31 Jul 2001
I am training for a career with the greater manchester county fire service.whilest looking for information on recruitment on there web pages i was given examples of books to buy. one of which was HOW TO PASS VERBAL REASONING (By Dr Harry Tolley professor at the University of Nottingham,and Dr Ken Thomas a chartered psychologist and author). I would like to thank them both for re-opening my mind to a world I had forgot was there.Whilest reading there book I have been given a hole new understanding of written english.I have also a better understanding of exams,the way they work and how to handle the nervousness before the exams, which is all thanks to this book and HOW TO PASS NUMERACY TESTS (Dr Harry Tolley and Dr Ken Thomas).I have never been a "reading type" of person but i will be buying more of there books as I want to be as prepared as possible.
An extremely useful text that covers most of the topics., 19 Feb 2001
This book provided me with excellent information on verbal reasoning tests. It begins by giving you an overview of what the tests are looking for, and then goes on to remind you of the rules of English; many of which none of us have learnt since we were in secondary school. From this basis there are then a variety of practice questions, and then mock exams. This is extremely useful as the practice questions help to get you up to speed, and then the exam helps you get use to the timed conditions. I have found this to be a very valuable text, and am convinced that it has helped me to pass recent Verbal Reasoning Tests. It is very easy to read, and provides you with just the right amount of information to equip you with the necessary skills for the exams. I would not hesitate to recommend this text to anybody - an absolute must for anybody having to face the daunting challenge of Verbal Reasoning Tests!
Not the same as the verbal reasoning tests of the top jobs!, 30 Aug 2000
The book is tiny - no wonder its only £8. I found it was completely different to the verbal reasoning tests given by the likes of Psion, BAe, KPMG, Arthur Anderson...etc. However, I must say that the book slightly improved my verbal reasoning in a way. The tests vary significantly in difficulty and there is no explanation of the answers what so ever! One or two tests do improve the way you look at sentences and make you understand and see patterns. No tests with paragraphs of text then questions where the answers should be true, false or can't say. That's what I wanted!
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Customer Reviews
A simple, easy, excellent read., 14 Nov 2008
I bought this book two weeks before an interview, based on other peoples comments, and read it from cover to cover in five hours over a week.
It is very easy,uncomplicated and to the point book,with the information given in bite size and easy to remember chapters.
The auther also has the nack of building up your confidence too! Excellent, 01 Oct 2008
Great book, easy to read and full of good tips. I used it with the Job Interview DVD that I bought on Amazon Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD as this shows the employers talking about what they look for in interviewees.
Both fantastic! well worth it , 25 Aug 2008
I agree with all the other folk here. This is a really helpful, short snappy little guide for interview preperation. A friend suggested it and every time she reads this book before an interview she gets the job ! More Top Stuff, 09 May 2008
Further on from my CV literature review, this book got me through two intense interviews resulting in me getting the job. While some of the content doesn't necessarily need to be taken in, some specific items made ALL the difference!
Rewrite your CV, get this book, read it and prepare for your interview at least one week before the event. You will not regret it, just put the effort in.
Really good book - covers all you'd expect and hope for..., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book. Works really well to cover all the interview fundamentals. Read it alongside "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". Both these books are excellent, and perfect for finding and landing your perfect job. Cannot recommend them both highly enough. A practical, easy-to-use resource for minute-taking, 23 Jan 2007
The unsung hero of any corporate meeting is the minute-taker, quietly and diligently recording the decisions, big and small, that fuel the engines of business. Minute-taking is not simply the process of scribbling notes on a pad. A skilled minute-taker distills lengthy discussions down to their essential messages, and creates order and harmony from the often discordant process of reaching a consensus. Office communication consultant Joanna Gutmann carefully explains every aspect of the process, from setting up the meeting and distributing the agenda to taking notes and formatting the minutes. You will encounter quite a bit of redundancy if you read the book cover-to-cover, but we believe you will find it to be an indispensable reference if you are assigned to take the minutes. Fantastic Step-By-Step Guide, 19 Sep 2003
I have a new job where I am required to take minutes of meetings. I've never taken minutes before in my life. I bought this book in my hour of need. It is fantastic! It takes you through the process step-by-step offering advice in plain English. I have taken a few meetings now and everyone is shocked at my ability - they all think I've been minuting for years! Highly recommended!
Great value for money, 17 May 2003
Saved a fortune with this easy step by step guides. Local training centre was offering tuition at high cost.
Very convenient to teach yourself to achieve great proffessional results. Ideal for first time readers. Now I can up-date my CV
Good, but need other reading too for a successful job hunt., 29 Feb 2008
Good book overall. But it is flawed and there are errors. Certainly to be regarded as a book to be used in conjunction with others such as the 'Brilliant' books eg Brilliant CVs, Brilliant Interviews, Brilliant Answers to Tough Interview Questions etc. Another extremely useful book for job hunters is "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". When all these books are used you really can get one step ahead of the competition in the fight for great jobs.
Too many errors., 13 Jul 2006
I'm not sure how this book made it through the editing stage. The questions are interesting, and a good example of what you might expect, however too many of the answers are wrong.
For example, in the estimation section, division by a fraction is done incorrectly, and the answers given for the assembly test are dire.
Avoid, unless you just want to see what questions might be asked.
Exceedingly useful, 26 Sep 2005
I graduated this year from Brunel University with a degree in computing and applied for several graduate schemes for big organisations including HSBC and EDS, Barclays Bank, etc. I was dead surprised that most of the psychometric tests in our assessment day were similar to the tests in this book, especially the ones in chapter 1, the Diagrammatic Test, chapter 2 the Number Series tests and chapter 3, Compiler Checking and assembly tests. I would like to say thanks for this lovely book which helped me to practise and pass and get my first graduate job with HSBC. I would say it is exceedingly useful if you want to win a graduate job in a big organisation.
Superb, 28 Oct 2004
I gradated from Brunel University after completing a BSc in Computing. I was invited for the EDS graduate recruitment day in September this year. I could definitely say that chapter one for the diagrammatic reasoning tests and chapter three psychometric tests for IT, were very helpful in my assessment day, to pass and receive a job offer.
However what I really liked about the book is the accuracy of all the tests as I couldn't find a single mistake, whereas in other series by Kogan Page I find many, My challenge is, can anyone find any mistakes in any of the tests and email me? Thumbs up. The book deserves 5 stars. Good luck to the author as I heard the book has been translated into 4 languages.
Brilliant, 19 Oct 2004
After graduating last July with a degree in Finance I went to the USA for my summer holiday and heard by chance about the book when reading an article about psychometric tests in one of the USA journals. I bought the second edition of the book on my return to the UK and attended two assessment days for Barclays and HSBC banks. I was surprised that most of the psychometric tests given to us by both banks were very similar to the ones provided in the book, especially the diagrammatic reasoning tests. I passed both assessment days and I was offered two graduate positions. However I chose the HSBC because is nearer to my home. Therefore I wholeheartedly believe the book deserves 5 stars. It is comprehensive, easy to ready and contains lots of expert tips to help you to do better in your assessment day.
VERY helpful interview book to get ahead of the competition, 10 Oct 2008
Thanks to this book I received a job offer for a job I've wanted for the past few years of my career with a world-renown company.
I was very well prepared for all 3 interviews I had to go on to get this job. All the trick questions that were asked were questions from the book which I've already mentally prepared answers. Lastly, this book helped me immensely with negotiating an offer. I was able to get 2 weeks in between jobs (so I can go on a celebratory beach holiday!!)and bump up the salary.
I highly recommend this book for interviewers of all industries (except banking). The job market is incredibly competitive, this book will give you tips on how to get ahead!
Got me the job !!, 19 Sep 2008
Well I bought the book brilliant C.V which is good and this book to help me finding a job. I got an interview for a job that I was lacking a bit of experience in, read the book, went to the interview and got the job! If you are not an experienced job hunter then this book is critical to your success, otherwise it'll still give even the experienced job hunter some useful tips!
Great stuff
Ho hum, 08 Sep 2008
Fairly solid advice - but it didn't tell me much that I didn't already know. I apologise, as I'm sure the author spent a lot of tiem writing the book and tried to do her best. But I wanted some advice that was a bit more specific. For example, I've come across situations such as an arrogant male interviewer who kept staring at me like I was a piece of something he'd trodden on. So I began to struggle and didn't know how to rescue the interview. Perhaps this book is better for people who haven't had a job interview in ages and are looking for more basic advice?
Excellent Book. Want to succeed at interview? Then buy this book., 16 May 2008
I think the criticisms of this book in the negative reviews given here are totally unfounded and ill concieved. This book is excellent. (Criticisms levied at the unrealism of the title are clearly levelled by the same people who went into fits when Katie Melua suggested there were 9 million bicycles in Beijing.) This is a good book that helps those who need help in this area. Personally I'd recommend this book along with "Brilliant CV", "201 Best Questions to ask on your interview", and also "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant" which covers the key area that these other books don't. With those four books in your bag you will not fail.
A tough title to live up to, 25 Jan 2008
Almost anyone who writes a book on interviewing deserves praise for helping to make sense of this variable form of human interaction. This book is defintitely helpful in a number of ways. That said, the title is almost impossible to live up to. I found that, while largely encouraging the reader to tell the truth, there are moments when it seems as though the author is suggesting that we should say only what is going to help us get that job (e.g. see p.90 second paragraph and page 89 inset paragraph).
this book has shown me the path i had forgot, 31 Jul 2001
I am training for a career with the greater manchester county fire service.whilest looking for information on recruitment on there web pages i was given examples of books to buy. one of which was HOW TO PASS VERBAL REASONING (By Dr Harry Tolley professor at the University of Nottingham,and Dr Ken Thomas a chartered psychologist and author). I would like to thank them both for re-opening my mind to a world I had forgot was there.Whilest reading there book I have been given a hole new understanding of written english.I have also a better understanding of exams,the way they work and how to handle the nervousness before the exams, which is all thanks to this book and HOW TO PASS NUMERACY TESTS (Dr Harry Tolley and Dr Ken Thomas).I have never been a "reading type" of person but i will be buying more of there books as I want to be as prepared as possible.
An extremely useful text that covers most of the topics., 19 Feb 2001
This book provided me with excellent information on verbal reasoning tests. It begins by giving you an overview of what the tests are looking for, and then goes on to remind you of the rules of English; many of which none of us have learnt since we were in secondary school. From this basis there are then a variety of practice questions, and then mock exams. This is extremely useful as the practice questions help to get you up to speed, and then the exam helps you get use to the timed conditions. I have found this to be a very valuable text, and am convinced that it has helped me to pass recent Verbal Reasoning Tests. It is very easy to read, and provides you with just the right amount of information to equip you with the necessary skills for the exams. I would not hesitate to recommend this text to anybody - an absolute must for anybody having to face the daunting challenge of Verbal Reasoning Tests!
Not the same as the verbal reasoning tests of the top jobs!, 30 Aug 2000
The book is tiny - no wonder its only £8. I found it was completely different to the verbal reasoning tests given by the likes of Psion, BAe, KPMG, Arthur Anderson...etc. However, I must say that the book slightly improved my verbal reasoning in a way. The tests vary significantly in difficulty and there is no explanation of the answers what so ever! One or two tests do improve the way you look at sentences and make you understand and see patterns. No tests with paragraphs of text then questions where the answers should be true, false or can't say. That's what I wanted!
Positive thinking, 19 Mar 2008
This book is great and makes you really think about your situation in perspective.
There are many stories which I am sure many of us can empathise with and apply to our own situations as well as those of others family, friends and colleagues.
I strongly recommend this book if you feel like you are stuck in a black hole in your career or job or are experiencing difficulties at work and don't know why.
Fantastic book full of tips, practical examples and exercises, 04 Oct 2007
Anita Houghton. Finding Square Holes. Carmarthen United Kingdom: Crownhouse Publishing, 2005. 238 pages.
The book is full of tips, practical examples and exercises to "clear your brain" from unnecessary and negative thoughts. But though it is a kind of "workbook" it is very entertaining and easy to read and it provides the reader with an excellent structure for self-reflection and helps him to set realistic goals.
In the introduction of the book Anita explains that she is not one of the "sun tanned writers of self-help books who started from nothing and finally came out as international stars" but admits that one of her qualifications is that she had "the odd problem with work" herself. That was the point when I thought "she knows what she is writing about". Great! I am going to read this book.
The book focuses on happiness and fulfilment at work and not on the western concept of success defined by status and money. "What is important to you in life?" and "What is important about you?" were my favourite chapters. They contain very useful exercises to facilitate structured thinking. After having done the exercises I knew my values and my strength very well and I could work with the knowledge about it. For me that was a fantastic improvement.
My favourite exercise in her book is "Casting yourself in a role". You choose one important thing you want to do in your life which would make you feel that your life has been worthwhile. You start to imagine yourself doing this in a set of situations by asking questions in order to find out what it really means to do it. Practising this exercise gives you a feeling to live "your dream or vision". I use this exercise regularly now to make decisions. It works great! The exercise gives you more confidence in your decisions because you spent time reflecting it and you felt, heard and saw what it will be like to do it.
I would recommend the book to everybody who needs ideas and advice how to improve his/her work-life-balance. Finally I would like to mention that I had the opportunity to work with Anita in six face-to-face coaching sessions from which I benefited very much. Both, the book and the coaching sessions with her changed my way of thinking completely.
Anita, thank you very much again for your support.
So now we know why it didn't work in the past., 27 Aug 2007
Finding Square Holes is inspiring and thorough. It helps explain why past jobs have been the wrong jobs, maybe even disasters! It clarifies personal strengths and where an individual's personality and personal values and preferences influence the direction they should take. Well thought out and provides impetus for moving ahead, giving clear, concise advice for lost souls. At least now I know why I didn't fit with some jobs in the past. The book does as the title says. Thanks so much Anita.
Inside out is the right way round, 24 Aug 2006
This is an excellent book and I would recommend it to anyone who would like to feel more enthusiastic about getting up on a weekday morning.
It starts from the unusual but not unreasonable idea that to find a job that fits you properly you have to have a clear and realistic idea of what you are like, what you do (and don't) like, what it is you want from a job and what you are prepared to put up with - or do without - to find yourself a contented square peg in a square hole.
The book does this largely through exercises designed to help the reader form a conscious picture of their values, attitudes and priorities. It also uses the well-established idea of psychological type, where people are measured along scales which look at for example, how sociable and outgoing they are, whether they prefer concrete detail or a bigger picture, careful timetables or a last minute adrenalin rush, how much they need to take the human factor into account.
Finding Square Holes is thought provoking and sometimes quite challenging, but kindly written, with a light touch. I enjoyed reading it and found the exercises helpful. And at last I understand why I was such a disaster in what I thought was going to be a great job - and why I like the one I've got.
Definitely worth buying.
I can rule the world!, 28 Feb 2006
I've just finished this book and I now realise how amazing I am and what great skills and experience I have! I can rule the world!!
I loved the time-line work, so empowering. And I loved matching the MBTI personality preferences to past jobs. It really explained so much and made me much clearer about how I assess the jobs I go for in future. Really good stuff!
I'm now going to start looking seriously for work, and I do feel very confident that I will get what I want. This book has unleashed something within me.
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Customer Reviews
A simple, easy, excellent read., 14 Nov 2008
I bought this book two weeks before an interview, based on other peoples comments, and read it from cover to cover in five hours over a week.
It is very easy,uncomplicated and to the point book,with the information given in bite size and easy to remember chapters.
The auther also has the nack of building up your confidence too! Excellent, 01 Oct 2008
Great book, easy to read and full of good tips. I used it with the Job Interview DVD that I bought on Amazon Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD as this shows the employers talking about what they look for in interviewees.
Both fantastic! well worth it , 25 Aug 2008
I agree with all the other folk here. This is a really helpful, short snappy little guide for interview preperation. A friend suggested it and every time she reads this book before an interview she gets the job ! More Top Stuff, 09 May 2008
Further on from my CV literature review, this book got me through two intense interviews resulting in me getting the job. While some of the content doesn't necessarily need to be taken in, some specific items made ALL the difference!
Rewrite your CV, get this book, read it and prepare for your interview at least one week before the event. You will not regret it, just put the effort in.
Really good book - covers all you'd expect and hope for..., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book. Works really well to cover all the interview fundamentals. Read it alongside "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". Both these books are excellent, and perfect for finding and landing your perfect job. Cannot recommend them both highly enough. A practical, easy-to-use resource for minute-taking, 23 Jan 2007
The unsung hero of any corporate meeting is the minute-taker, quietly and diligently recording the decisions, big and small, that fuel the engines of business. Minute-taking is not simply the process of scribbling notes on a pad. A skilled minute-taker distills lengthy discussions down to their essential messages, and creates order and harmony from the often discordant process of reaching a consensus. Office communication consultant Joanna Gutmann carefully explains every aspect of the process, from setting up the meeting and distributing the agenda to taking notes and formatting the minutes. You will encounter quite a bit of redundancy if you read the book cover-to-cover, but we believe you will find it to be an indispensable reference if you are assigned to take the minutes. Fantastic Step-By-Step Guide, 19 Sep 2003
I have a new job where I am required to take minutes of meetings. I've never taken minutes before in my life. I bought this book in my hour of need. It is fantastic! It takes you through the process step-by-step offering advice in plain English. I have taken a few meetings now and everyone is shocked at my ability - they all think I've been minuting for years! Highly recommended!
Great value for money, 17 May 2003
Saved a fortune with this easy step by step guides. Local training centre was offering tuition at high cost.
Very convenient to teach yourself to achieve great proffessional results. Ideal for first time readers. Now I can up-date my CV
Good, but need other reading too for a successful job hunt., 29 Feb 2008
Good book overall. But it is flawed and there are errors. Certainly to be regarded as a book to be used in conjunction with others such as the 'Brilliant' books eg Brilliant CVs, Brilliant Interviews, Brilliant Answers to Tough Interview Questions etc. Another extremely useful book for job hunters is "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". When all these books are used you really can get one step ahead of the competition in the fight for great jobs.
Too many errors., 13 Jul 2006
I'm not sure how this book made it through the editing stage. The questions are interesting, and a good example of what you might expect, however too many of the answers are wrong.
For example, in the estimation section, division by a fraction is done incorrectly, and the answers given for the assembly test are dire.
Avoid, unless you just want to see what questions might be asked.
Exceedingly useful, 26 Sep 2005
I graduated this year from Brunel University with a degree in computing and applied for several graduate schemes for big organisations including HSBC and EDS, Barclays Bank, etc. I was dead surprised that most of the psychometric tests in our assessment day were similar to the tests in this book, especially the ones in chapter 1, the Diagrammatic Test, chapter 2 the Number Series tests and chapter 3, Compiler Checking and assembly tests. I would like to say thanks for this lovely book which helped me to practise and pass and get my first graduate job with HSBC. I would say it is exceedingly useful if you want to win a graduate job in a big organisation.
Superb, 28 Oct 2004
I gradated from Brunel University after completing a BSc in Computing. I was invited for the EDS graduate recruitment day in September this year. I could definitely say that chapter one for the diagrammatic reasoning tests and chapter three psychometric tests for IT, were very helpful in my assessment day, to pass and receive a job offer.
However what I really liked about the book is the accuracy of all the tests as I couldn't find a single mistake, whereas in other series by Kogan Page I find many, My challenge is, can anyone find any mistakes in any of the tests and email me? Thumbs up. The book deserves 5 stars. Good luck to the author as I heard the book has been translated into 4 languages.
Brilliant, 19 Oct 2004
After graduating last July with a degree in Finance I went to the USA for my summer holiday and heard by chance about the book when reading an article about psychometric tests in one of the USA journals. I bought the second edition of the book on my return to the UK and attended two assessment days for Barclays and HSBC banks. I was surprised that most of the psychometric tests given to us by both banks were very similar to the ones provided in the book, especially the diagrammatic reasoning tests. I passed both assessment days and I was offered two graduate positions. However I chose the HSBC because is nearer to my home. Therefore I wholeheartedly believe the book deserves 5 stars. It is comprehensive, easy to ready and contains lots of expert tips to help you to do better in your assessment day.
VERY helpful interview book to get ahead of the competition, 10 Oct 2008
Thanks to this book I received a job offer for a job I've wanted for the past few years of my career with a world-renown company.
I was very well prepared for all 3 interviews I had to go on to get this job. All the trick questions that were asked were questions from the book which I've already mentally prepared answers. Lastly, this book helped me immensely with negotiating an offer. I was able to get 2 weeks in between jobs (so I can go on a celebratory beach holiday!!)and bump up the salary.
I highly recommend this book for interviewers of all industries (except banking). The job market is incredibly competitive, this book will give you tips on how to get ahead!
Got me the job !!, 19 Sep 2008
Well I bought the book brilliant C.V which is good and this book to help me finding a job. I got an interview for a job that I was lacking a bit of experience in, read the book, went to the interview and got the job! If you are not an experienced job hunter then this book is critical to your success, otherwise it'll still give even the experienced job hunter some useful tips!
Great stuff
Ho hum, 08 Sep 2008
Fairly solid advice - but it didn't tell me much that I didn't already know. I apologise, as I'm sure the author spent a lot of tiem writing the book and tried to do her best. But I wanted some advice that was a bit more specific. For example, I've come across situations such as an arrogant male interviewer who kept staring at me like I was a piece of something he'd trodden on. So I began to struggle and didn't know how to rescue the interview. Perhaps this book is better for people who haven't had a job interview in ages and are looking for more basic advice?
Excellent Book. Want to succeed at interview? Then buy this book., 16 May 2008
I think the criticisms of this book in the negative reviews given here are totally unfounded and ill concieved. This book is excellent. (Criticisms levied at the unrealism of the title are clearly levelled by the same people who went into fits when Katie Melua suggested there were 9 million bicycles in Beijing.) This is a good book that helps those who need help in this area. Personally I'd recommend this book along with "Brilliant CV", "201 Best Questions to ask on your interview", and also "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant" which covers the key area that these other books don't. With those four books in your bag you will not fail.
A tough title to live up to, 25 Jan 2008
Almost anyone who writes a book on interviewing deserves praise for helping to make sense of this variable form of human interaction. This book is defintitely helpful in a number of ways. That said, the title is almost impossible to live up to. I found that, while largely encouraging the reader to tell the truth, there are moments when it seems as though the author is suggesting that we should say only what is going to help us get that job (e.g. see p.90 second paragraph and page 89 inset paragraph).
this book has shown me the path i had forgot, 31 Jul 2001
I am training for a career with the greater manchester county fire service.whilest looking for information on recruitment on there web pages i was given examples of books to buy. one of which was HOW TO PASS VERBAL REASONING (By Dr Harry Tolley professor at the University of Nottingham,and Dr Ken Thomas a chartered psychologist and author). I would like to thank them both for re-opening my mind to a world I had forgot was there.Whilest reading there book I have been given a hole new understanding of written english.I have also a better understanding of exams,the way they work and how to handle the nervousness before the exams, which is all thanks to this book and HOW TO PASS NUMERACY TESTS (Dr Harry Tolley and Dr Ken Thomas).I have never been a "reading type" of person but i will be buying more of there books as I want to be as prepared as possible.
An extremely useful text that covers most of the topics., 19 Feb 2001
This book provided me with excellent information on verbal reasoning tests. It begins by giving you an overview of what the tests are looking for, and then goes on to remind you of the rules of English; many of which none of us have learnt since we were in secondary school. From this basis there are then a variety of practice questions, and then mock exams. This is extremely useful as the practice questions help to get you up to speed, and then the exam helps you get use to the timed conditions. I have found this to be a very valuable text, and am convinced that it has helped me to pass recent Verbal Reasoning Tests. It is very easy to read, and provides you with just the right amount of information to equip you with the necessary skills for the exams. I would not hesitate to recommend this text to anybody - an absolute must for anybody having to face the daunting challenge of Verbal Reasoning Tests!
Not the same as the verbal reasoning tests of the top jobs!, 30 Aug 2000
The book is tiny - no wonder its only £8. I found it was completely different to the verbal reasoning tests given by the likes of Psion, BAe, KPMG, Arthur Anderson...etc. However, I must say that the book slightly improved my verbal reasoning in a way. The tests vary significantly in difficulty and there is no explanation of the answers what so ever! One or two tests do improve the way you look at sentences and make you understand and see patterns. No tests with paragraphs of text then questions where the answers should be true, false or can't say. That's what I wanted!
Positive thinking, 19 Mar 2008
This book is great and makes you really think about your situation in perspective.
There are many stories which I am sure many of us can empathise with and apply to our own situations as well as those of others family, friends and colleagues.
I strongly recommend this book if you feel like you are stuck in a black hole in your career or job or are experiencing difficulties at work and don't know why.
Fantastic book full of tips, practical examples and exercises, 04 Oct 2007
Anita Houghton. Finding Square Holes. Carmarthen United Kingdom: Crownhouse Publishing, 2005. 238 pages.
The book is full of tips, practical examples and exercises to "clear your brain" from unnecessary and negative thoughts. But though it is a kind of "workbook" it is very entertaining and easy to read and it provides the reader with an excellent structure for self-reflection and helps him to set realistic goals.
In the introduction of the book Anita explains that she is not one of the "sun tanned writers of self-help books who started from nothing and finally came out as international stars" but admits that one of her qualifications is that she had "the odd problem with work" herself. That was the point when I thought "she knows what she is writing about". Great! I am going to read this book.
The book focuses on happiness and fulfilment at work and not on the western concept of success defined by status and money. "What is important to you in life?" and "What is important about you?" were my favourite chapters. They contain very useful exercises to facilitate structured thinking. After having done the exercises I knew my values and my strength very well and I could work with the knowledge about it. For me that was a fantastic improvement.
My favourite exercise in her book is "Casting yourself in a role". You choose one important thing you want to do in your life which would make you feel that your life has been worthwhile. You start to imagine yourself doing this in a set of situations by asking questions in order to find out what it really means to do it. Practising this exercise gives you a feeling to live "your dream or vision". I use this exercise regularly now to make decisions. It works great! The exercise gives you more confidence in your decisions because you spent time reflecting it and you felt, heard and saw what it will be like to do it.
I would recommend the book to everybody who needs ideas and advice how to improve his/her work-life-balance. Finally I would like to mention that I had the opportunity to work with Anita in six face-to-face coaching sessions from which I benefited very much. Both, the book and the coaching sessions with her changed my way of thinking completely.
Anita, thank you very much again for your support.
So now we know why it didn't work in the past., 27 Aug 2007
Finding Square Holes is inspiring and thorough. It helps explain why past jobs have been the wrong jobs, maybe even disasters! It clarifies personal strengths and where an individual's personality and personal values and preferences influence the direction they should take. Well thought out and provides impetus for moving ahead, giving clear, concise advice for lost souls. At least now I know why I didn't fit with some jobs in the past. The book does as the title says. Thanks so much Anita.
Inside out is the right way round, 24 Aug 2006
This is an excellent book and I would recommend it to anyone who would like to feel more enthusiastic about getting up on a weekday morning.
It starts from the unusual but not unreasonable idea that to find a job that fits you properly you have to have a clear and realistic idea of what you are like, what you do (and don't) like, what it is you want from a job and what you are prepared to put up with - or do without - to find yourself a contented square peg in a square hole.
The book does this largely through exercises designed to help the reader form a conscious picture of their values, attitudes and priorities. It also uses the well-established idea of psychological type, where people are measured along scales which look at for example, how sociable and outgoing they are, whether they prefer concrete detail or a bigger picture, careful timetables or a last minute adrenalin rush, how much they need to take the human factor into account.
Finding Square Holes is thought provoking and sometimes quite challenging, but kindly written, with a light touch. I enjoyed reading it and found the exercises helpful. And at last I understand why I was such a disaster in what I thought was going to be a great job - and why I like the one I've got.
Definitely worth buying.
I can rule the world!, 28 Feb 2006
I've just finished this book and I now realise how amazing I am and what great skills and experience I have! I can rule the world!!
I loved the time-line work, so empowering. And I loved matching the MBTI personality preferences to past jobs. It really explained so much and made me much clearer about how I assess the jobs I go for in future. Really good stuff!
I'm now going to start looking seriously for work, and I do feel very confident that I will get what I want. This book has unleashed something within me.
Who's A Reader? No Spy, No pretending Please, 07 Jan 2007
I have been looking around different titles of books about psychometric tests. I found the reviews are really jokes. Just someone keeps using the same names, cloning the same words, same tone for the reviews. He is probably sent out by the publishers to fool us. The webmaster should be awared of it and set out some regulations.
Great preparation for Psychometric tests, especially verbal reasoning, 03 Jan 2007
I applied for several finance-related graduate jobs including the NHS Graduate Training Scheme and Big-4 accounting firms, and this was pretty much the only one I found whose level of difficulty reflected that of the actual tests, particularly the verbal reasoning section, and the final section of the numerical reasoning part. The author provides detailed explanations for the answers which were really helped me to improve my scores, and eventually pass!
Great book in preparation for psychometric testing, 03 Mar 2006
I found this book to be really useful in preparation for psychometric tests. It has loads of practise material and really clear answers to show you where you went wrong. A good buy.
Great Book for Graduate Psychometric Tests, 03 Mar 2006
I found this book to be really useful in preparation for psychometric tests. It has loads of practise material and really clear answers to show you where you went wrong. A good buy.
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Customer Reviews
A simple, easy, excellent read., 14 Nov 2008
I bought this book two weeks before an interview, based on other peoples comments, and read it from cover to cover in five hours over a week.
It is very easy,uncomplicated and to the point book,with the information given in bite size and easy to remember chapters.
The auther also has the nack of building up your confidence too! Excellent, 01 Oct 2008
Great book, easy to read and full of good tips. I used it with the Job Interview DVD that I bought on Amazon Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD as this shows the employers talking about what they look for in interviewees.
Both fantastic! well worth it , 25 Aug 2008
I agree with all the other folk here. This is a really helpful, short snappy little guide for interview preperation. A friend suggested it and every time she reads this book before an interview she gets the job ! More Top Stuff, 09 May 2008
Further on from my CV literature review, this book got me through two intense interviews resulting in me getting the job. While some of the content doesn't necessarily need to be taken in, some specific items made ALL the difference!
Rewrite your CV, get this book, read it and prepare for your interview at least one week before the event. You will not regret it, just put the effort in.
Really good book - covers all you'd expect and hope for..., 29 Feb 2008
Excellent book. Works really well to cover all the interview fundamentals. Read it alongside "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". Both these books are excellent, and perfect for finding and landing your perfect job. Cannot recommend them both highly enough. A practical, easy-to-use resource for minute-taking, 23 Jan 2007
The unsung hero of any corporate meeting is the minute-taker, quietly and diligently recording the decisions, big and small, that fuel the engines of business. Minute-taking is not simply the process of scribbling notes on a pad. A skilled minute-taker distills lengthy discussions down to their essential messages, and creates order and harmony from the often discordant process of reaching a consensus. Office communication consultant Joanna Gutmann carefully explains every aspect of the process, from setting up the meeting and distributing the agenda to taking notes and formatting the minutes. You will encounter quite a bit of redundancy if you read the book cover-to-cover, but we believe you will find it to be an indispensable reference if you are assigned to take the minutes. Fantastic Step-By-Step Guide, 19 Sep 2003
I have a new job where I am required to take minutes of meetings. I've never taken minutes before in my life. I bought this book in my hour of need. It is fantastic! It takes you through the process step-by-step offering advice in plain English. I have taken a few meetings now and everyone is shocked at my ability - they all think I've been minuting for years! Highly recommended!
Great value for money, 17 May 2003
Saved a fortune with this easy step by step guides. Local training centre was offering tuition at high cost.
Very convenient to teach yourself to achieve great proffessional results. Ideal for first time readers. Now I can up-date my CV
Good, but need other reading too for a successful job hunt., 29 Feb 2008
Good book overall. But it is flawed and there are errors. Certainly to be regarded as a book to be used in conjunction with others such as the 'Brilliant' books eg Brilliant CVs, Brilliant Interviews, Brilliant Answers to Tough Interview Questions etc. Another extremely useful book for job hunters is "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant". When all these books are used you really can get one step ahead of the competition in the fight for great jobs.
Too many errors., 13 Jul 2006
I'm not sure how this book made it through the editing stage. The questions are interesting, and a good example of what you might expect, however too many of the answers are wrong.
For example, in the estimation section, division by a fraction is done incorrectly, and the answers given for the assembly test are dire.
Avoid, unless you just want to see what questions might be asked.
Exceedingly useful, 26 Sep 2005
I graduated this year from Brunel University with a degree in computing and applied for several graduate schemes for big organisations including HSBC and EDS, Barclays Bank, etc. I was dead surprised that most of the psychometric tests in our assessment day were similar to the tests in this book, especially the ones in chapter 1, the Diagrammatic Test, chapter 2 the Number Series tests and chapter 3, Compiler Checking and assembly tests. I would like to say thanks for this lovely book which helped me to practise and pass and get my first graduate job with HSBC. I would say it is exceedingly useful if you want to win a graduate job in a big organisation.
Superb, 28 Oct 2004
I gradated from Brunel University after completing a BSc in Computing. I was invited for the EDS graduate recruitment day in September this year. I could definitely say that chapter one for the diagrammatic reasoning tests and chapter three psychometric tests for IT, were very helpful in my assessment day, to pass and receive a job offer.
However what I really liked about the book is the accuracy of all the tests as I couldn't find a single mistake, whereas in other series by Kogan Page I find many, My challenge is, can anyone find any mistakes in any of the tests and email me? Thumbs up. The book deserves 5 stars. Good luck to the author as I heard the book has been translated into 4 languages.
Brilliant, 19 Oct 2004
After graduating last July with a degree in Finance I went to the USA for my summer holiday and heard by chance about the book when reading an article about psychometric tests in one of the USA journals. I bought the second edition of the book on my return to the UK and attended two assessment days for Barclays and HSBC banks. I was surprised that most of the psychometric tests given to us by both banks were very similar to the ones provided in the book, especially the diagrammatic reasoning tests. I passed both assessment days and I was offered two graduate positions. However I chose the HSBC because is nearer to my home. Therefore I wholeheartedly believe the book deserves 5 stars. It is comprehensive, easy to ready and contains lots of expert tips to help you to do better in your assessment day.
VERY helpful interview book to get ahead of the competition, 10 Oct 2008
Thanks to this book I received a job offer for a job I've wanted for the past few years of my career with a world-renown company.
I was very well prepared for all 3 interviews I had to go on to get this job. All the trick questions that were asked were questions from the book which I've already mentally prepared answers. Lastly, this book helped me immensely with negotiating an offer. I was able to get 2 weeks in between jobs (so I can go on a celebratory beach holiday!!)and bump up the salary.
I highly recommend this book for interviewers of all industries (except banking). The job market is incredibly competitive, this book will give you tips on how to get ahead!
Got me the job !!, 19 Sep 2008
Well I bought the book brilliant C.V which is good and this book to help me finding a job. I got an interview for a job that I was lacking a bit of experience in, read the book, went to the interview and got the job! If you are not an experienced job hunter then this book is critical to your success, otherwise it'll still give even the experienced job hunter some useful tips!
Great stuff
Ho hum, 08 Sep 2008
Fairly solid advice - but it didn't tell me much that I didn't already know. I apologise, as I'm sure the author spent a lot of tiem writing the book and tried to do her best. But I wanted some advice that was a bit more specific. For example, I've come across situations such as an arrogant male interviewer who kept staring at me like I was a piece of something he'd trodden on. So I began to struggle and didn't know how to rescue the interview. Perhaps this book is better for people who haven't had a job interview in ages and are looking for more basic advice?
Excellent Book. Want to succeed at interview? Then buy this book., 16 May 2008
I think the criticisms of this book in the negative reviews given here are totally unfounded and ill concieved. This book is excellent. (Criticisms levied at the unrealism of the title are clearly levelled by the same people who went into fits when Katie Melua suggested there were 9 million bicycles in Beijing.) This is a good book that helps those who need help in this area. Personally I'd recommend this book along with "Brilliant CV", "201 Best Questions to ask on your interview", and also "How to Handle Your Recruitment Consultant" which covers the key area that these other books don't. With those four books in your bag you will not fail.
A tough title to live up to, 25 Jan 2008
Almost anyone who writes a book on interviewing deserves praise for helping to make sense of this variable form of human interaction. This book is defintitely helpful in a number of ways. That said, the title is almost impossible to live up to. I found that, while largely encouraging the reader to tell the truth, there are moments when it seems as though the author is suggesting that we should say only what is going to help us get that job (e.g. see p.90 second paragraph and page 89 inset paragraph).
this book has shown me the path i had forgot, 31 Jul 2001
I am training for a career with the greater manchester county fire service.whilest looking for information on recruitment on there web pages i was given examples of books to buy. one of which was HOW TO PASS VERBAL REASONING (By Dr Harry Tolley professor at the University of Nottingham,and Dr Ken Thomas a chartered psychologist and author). I would like to thank them both for re-opening my mind to a world I had forgot was there.Whilest reading there book I have been given a hole new understanding of written english.I have also a better understanding of exams,the way they work and how to handle the nervousness before the exams, which is all thanks to this book and HOW TO PASS NUMERACY TESTS (Dr Harry Tolley and Dr Ken Thomas).I have never been a "reading type" of person but i will be buying more of there books as I want to be as prepared as possible.
An extremely useful text that covers most of the topics., 19 Feb 2001
This book provided me with excellent information on verbal reasoning tests. It begins by giving you an overview of what the tests are looking for, and then goes on to remind you of the rules of English; many of which none of us have learnt since we were in secondary school. From this basis there are then a variety of practice questions, and then mock exams. This is extremely useful as the practice questions help to get you up to speed, and then the exam helps you get use to the timed conditions. I have found this to be a very valuable text, and am convinced that it has helped me to pass recent Verbal Reasoning Tests. It is very easy to read, and provides you with just the right amount of information to equip you with the necessary skills for the exams. I would not hesitate to recommend this text to anybody - an absolute must for anybody having to face the daunting challenge of Verbal Reasoning Tests!
Not the same as the verbal reasoning tests of the top jobs!, 30 Aug 2000
The book is tiny - no wonder its only £8. I found it was completely different to the verbal reasoning tests given by the likes of Psion, BAe, KPMG, Arthur Anderson...etc. However, I must say that the book slightly improved my verbal reasoning in a way. The tests vary significantly in difficulty and there is no explanation of the answers what so ever! One or two tests do improve the way you look at sentences and make you understand and see patterns. No tests with paragraphs of text then questions where the answers should be true, false or can't say. That's what I wanted!
Positive thinking, 19 Mar 2008
This book is great and makes you really think about your situation in perspective.
There are many stories which I am sure many of us can empathise with and apply to our own situations as well as those of others family, friends and colleagues.
I strongly recommend this book if you feel like you are stuck in a black hole in your career or job or are experiencing difficulties at work and don't know why.
Fantastic book full of tips, practical examples and exercises, 04 Oct 2007
Anita Houghton. Finding Square Holes. Carmarthen United Kingdom: Crownhouse Publishing, 2005. 238 pages.
The book is full of tips, practical examples and exercises to "clear your brain" from unnecessary and negative thoughts. But though it is a kind of "workbook" it is very entertaining and easy to read and it provides the reader with an excellent structure for self-reflection and helps him to set realistic goals.
In the introduction of the book Anita explains that she is not one of the "sun tanned writers of self-help books who started from nothing and finally came out as international stars" but admits that one of her qualifications is that she had "the odd problem with work" herself. That was the point when I thought "she knows what she is writing about". Great! I am going to read this book.
The book focuses on happiness and fulfilment at work and not on the western concept of success defined by status and money. "What is important to you in life?" and "What is important about you?" were my favourite chapters. They contain very useful exercises to facilitate structured thinking. After having done the exercises I knew my values and my strength very well and I could work with the knowledge about it. For me that was a fantastic improvement.
My favourite exercise in her book is "Casting yourself in a role". You choose one important thing you want to do in your life which would make you feel that your life has been worthwhile. You start to imagine yourself doing this in a set of situations by asking questions in order to find out what it really means to do it. Practising this exercise gives you a feeling to live "your dream or vision". I use this exercise regularly now to make decisions. It works great! The exercise gives you more confidence in your decisions because you spent time reflecting it and you felt, heard and saw what it will be like to do it.
I would recommend the book to everybody who needs ideas and advice how to improve his/her work-life-balance. Finally I would like to mention that I had the opportunity to work with Anita in six face-to-face coaching sessions from which I benefited very much. Both, the book and the coaching sessions with her changed my way of thinking completely.
Anita, thank you very much again for your support.
So now we know why it didn't work in the past., 27 Aug 2007
Finding Square Holes is inspiring and thorough. It helps explain why past jobs have been the wrong jobs, maybe even disasters! It clarifies personal strengths and where an individual's personality and personal values and preferences influence the direction they should take. Well thought out and provides impetus for moving ahead, giving clear, concise advice for lost souls. At least now I know why I didn't fit with some jobs in the past. The book does as the title says. Thanks so much Anita.
Inside out is the right way round, 24 Aug 2006
This is an excellent book and I would recommend it to anyone who would like to feel more enthusiastic about getting up on a weekday morning.
It starts from the unusual but not unreasonable idea that to find a job that fits you properly you have to have a clear and realistic idea of what you are like, what you do (and don't) like, what it is you want from a job and what you are prepared to put up with - or do without - to find yourself a contented square peg in a square hole.
The book does this largely through exercises designed to help the reader form a conscious picture of their values, attitudes and priorities. It also uses the well-established idea of psychological type, where people are measured along scales which look at for example, how sociable and outgoing they are, whether they prefer concrete detail or a bigger picture, careful timetables or a last minute adrenalin rush, how much they need to take the human factor into account.
Finding Square Holes is thought provoking and sometimes quite challenging, but kindly written, with a light touch. I enjoyed reading it and found the exercises helpful. And at last I understand why I was such a disaster in what I thought was going to be a great job - and why I like the one I've got.
Definitely worth buying.
I can rule the world!, 28 Feb 2006
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