Lose the Resume, Land the Job

Chapter OneYour Wake-Up Call

1. The Blunt Truth
2. Getting a Clue
3. When Passion and Purpose Go Missing
4. The Boss Problem
5. The Tale of Startup Zach
6. The Wrong Reasons to Look for Work
7. The Right Reasons to Look

“I'm getting a new job.” You've been telling your family and friends this so many times they're ready to run away when you say it again. Reminders are on hand-scrawled notes on the refrigerator and clutter your iPhone calendar. What drove you to make this move has ranged over the years, but pick one: Your boss is a nightmare; your company is posting losses; you don't feel appreciated. Or on a more positive note, you know you've done amazing work and deserve a fantastic opportunity—the kind that Jane, your cheery neighbor, just got with seemingly half your effort. The thoughts won't leave your head: I'm going to get a new job. Today! I'm not kidding.

That means it's time to look in the bathroom mirror, splash some cold water on your face, and ask yourself:

Now what?

There is an entire industry that will give you a simple, pat answer: Polish that resume and start searching online. You've no doubt seen these firms. Out of virtually nowhere has sprung a resume-writing sector that numbers 4,000 to 6,000 companies in the United States alone. While most are one-person operations, ...