Rating: 
Summary: Dont Waste Your Money !
Review: And you need to read it now. When I was a kid the only people who I knew who got fired were a couple of odd relatives by marriage who were generally thought of as the family nut cases. The very word "fired" was spoken the same way people used to say " cancer" or "prison." Obviously things have changed. You can be a great employee and still get the corporate shaft. The odds are a firing or whatever euphemism you want to use could be in your future so grab Mr. Laskoff's book and get ready. The book is very funny, and is the only career book I've read so far that honestly describes how humiliating and frightning it is to be out of work but Laskoff doesn't just allow his readers to wallow in grief. As he states himself, this is not a pychobabble book. It's a pratical guide to getting back on the right side. Laskoff tells you the truth about resumes, how to really work an interview and how to negotiate when you get a job offer. It's a great book.
Rating: 
Summary: Definite Read!
Review: Dear Mr. Laskoff, The purpose of my letter is to regale you with laughter by letting you know that your suggestions, tactics, and advice when put to work- REALLY works! I cannot thank you enough for putting your experiences, and suggestions into print. After being pushed out of a position - in a not so very nice way - I slumped into my local bookseller. On the verge of loosing my last threads of sanity, knowing that I had been dumped on my ASS - the very name of your book excitingly brought a smile to my face. With- tongue-in-cheek, I gleefully left the store with your book hidden - like lost treasure in my folio. Needing to make the leap into the work a day world again - I swallowed the content, came to terms with the situation, and put to action the thought processes, lifestyle adjustment, and work that you suggested into high gear. Within 2 weeks, in a very small community - I had two "Fortune XXX noted" companies offer me positions. Such a far, far cry from where I had recently been "dumped from. Thank you for sharing your experiences. What a great time in our culture for this book to hit the shelves. Undoubtedly, the cost of the book, is the best money that I have spent in a long time. I am giving a copy to a local personnel agency, a friend who has recently experienced job loss, will be keeping a copy for myself to use as a reference, and recommending the book to anyone that is looking for advice in regaining or bettering their employment situation. Thank You so Much! Warmest Regards -
Rating: 
Summary: I once was lost; but, now I've found...
Review: Four years out of college and well immersed in the business world, I have found Laskoff's "Ass" a welcome, fresh, perspectve on today's employment/unemployment dilemmas. The strength of the book comes from its tone... a no-nonsense approach that proves to be way more effective than the usual stuffy, human resources-driven, dribble one finds in other books within the same genre. While I am still employed, as an associate manager at a local hardware store, I am sure Laskoff's insight and advice will come in handy as I progress through the now-standard 3-4 careers in my lifetime. Whether you're happily employed, a digruntled employee, angrily unemployed, or happily mooching off of welfare, "Landing on the Right Side of Your Ass" is an indispensable tome that will prep you for life's eventualities.
Rating:
Summary: Cheaper than a shrink and A LOT funnier!
Review: Having experienced and survived the job-related angst of loss, betrayal and rejection, Laskoff, with an open and insightful approach, addresses the stages and strategies of turning an employment crisis into an opportunity with a sensitive and often comedic style. His approach is clear, pragmatic, no-nonsense and leaves no room for a 'pity-party.'" Stan S., Ed.D. Psychologist
Rating:
Summary: Advice I could actually use...
Review: I am usually skeptical of books like this because they usually state the obvious and treat the reader like he/she has no common sense. But the straightforward title of this book seemed to promised a no-nonsense, practical approach to dispensing job seeking advice, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that that was indeed the case. Laskoff presents useful, actionable, effective advice for smart adults on not only finding a new job, but dealing with the emotional, financial, and logistical ramifications of losing your old one. And it's funny! (Must check out the website...) The humorous anecdotes and Laskoff's witty style help diffuse unemployment depression, and put the reader in a lighter, more productive frame of mind. It's certainly the best volume on this topic I've seen so far.
Rating:
Summary: Get Yourself a New Job With This Book!
Review: I came across this book in the library exactly one week after losing a job. The title alone was enough to make me pull the book off the shelf, but when I saw that the subtitle was -- "A Survival Guide for the Recently Unemployed" -- I thought, "Well, that sure is me! And I could use some advice on how to land on the right side of my you-know-what."
I read half of this engaging how-to book right there in the library. I couldn't put it down. Author Michael Laskoff uses irreverent humor (almost like that of the Motley Fool investment books, except slightly edgier) to deliver his very practical, sound, time-tested advice on how to survive -- and bounce back from -- "employment separation."
In this book, you'll find realistic, can-do methods of handling the news of your sacking, how to deal with the emotions it engenders, how to break the news to your loved ones, what to do in the first few days after being fired (hint: have fun!), how to organize a daily schedule for your unemployed self, and how to reenter the workforce -- from writing a resume and cover letter, to conducting inital research and networking, right on up through negotiating a job offer.
The chapter on networking was especially helpful to me. When I reached that point and saw the kind of information Laskoff was offering, I said to myself, "I'm checking this book out of the library so I can make notes at home!" Nothing else I've ever read or heard has spelled out networking so completely and made it sound like SOMETHING I CAN TRULY DO. Laskoff tells you exactly how to go about it. No mystery whatsoever.
The engaging voice and priceless information is marred only by the dreadful copyediting job somebody did (or, perhaps more correctly, didn't do) on this book. Misspellings, errors in usage and style inconsistencies plague the text. Surely Three Rivers Press, which is a division of Crown -- which is a division of Random House! -- can do better.
Thanks, Mr. Laskoff. I needed this book, and not a moment too soon.
Rating:
Summary: Ready For My Next Interview
Review: I generally hate advice books (lots of platatudes and silly strategies) but a friend introduced me to Laskoff's web site (askyourass.com) last year and I was hooked. Much like the web site, "Landing" is witty and intelligent and offers serious and disciplined approaches to marketing yourself for a new position (whether you have been fired or not). In particular, the section on resumes is critical and does in one short chapter what alot of books spend hundreds of pages reiterating. Laskoff is also insightful in his chapter on what you possibily could have done to deserve your fate in being fired; and his real life examples are informative as well as humerous. In the week since I finished the book I completely redid my resume and developed my speech for interviews (an excellent chapter also). This is a book worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: I'm furious! And now I'm getting over myself!
Review: I read this book because I've been wanting to look for a new job and didn't know where to start. I found everything I was looking for, great tips, marketing strategies for myself, etc. And the book has such a friendly vibe, you feel that Mr. Laskoff is an actual friend who has all the answers for you. Now I've been dispensing my own career wisdom to friends that find themselves, well... out on their ass. I've found that so many friends get so angry when let go from a job and they can't loose that. This book starts by saying, you might have been fired unfairly, or you might have totally done it to yourself... but you HAVE to get over it and move on. It's great advice that a surprising majority of people don't seem to quite get. This book is a very entertaining read that you won't regret. His website is very very fun too. His man on the street interviews can be laugh out loud funny. If you don't have a job, GET THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read with Actionable Guidance
Review: I'm employed, wasn't even looking for something on getting another job, but was passing the Career section when this book jumped out at me. (How often do you see word "Ass" in bold in the career section of a book store?) Flipping through, I came across a section called "Self-Sabotage," which talks about how employed people sometimes unconsciously bring about their
own professional demise. This struck a nerve - I've given some though to changing jobs - so I bought the book and gave it a quick read. And I'm shocked to say that I learned some actually helpful things. I found the advice on networking to be particularly good, as everyone says you should do this but no one tells you how to go about it. I also liked the last chapter
on negotiating an offer, because it gives real guidelines to help someone who's received an offer figure out just how much leverage he's got and what he can realistically do with it. For better or worse, I've read or skimmed a bunch of career books in the past. Some were good - most were not - but I can't ever recall finding something that's so readable, thought provoking and actionable. I'd recommend this strongly to anyone who's looking for work, whether they're employed or not.
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: If you are currently unemployed, this is a great book. It is also good preparation if you think you might be laid off (or quit your job). The first part of the book is great and is right on target, showing that the author knows what he is talking about. Although the resume writing part is small and boring for those of us who keep our resumes updated, it is definitely good for people who have not updated theirs in years. Overall a very good book and an easy read.
| 
