Winning at Job Hunting

Video Librarian, 11/91

(1991) 60 m. $129 (manual included). Successful Job Hunting, Inc. Public performance tights included. Color cover.

Robert Chesney (Winning on Wall Street) is the host for this interview/instructional tape featuring Mel Schnapper, Ph.D., creator of the "Winning at Job Hunting" program. Working with members from 40 Plus, Schnapper takes his subjects through his "accomplishments form" (which focuses on skills, results achieved, and source of pride), helps them to define their career objectives, briefly addresses resume writing, offers substantial information about networking techniques, outlines the principles of "power interviewing," and talks about salary negotiations.

On the plus side, Schnapper does indeed have some helpful tips for the corporate climber (and this is definitely for upscale business people- after telling viewers to avoid any mention of a figure during salary discussions, he says, if pressed, the appropriate response would be "something in the mid-70s." Period.) On the minus side, anyone with even a passing respect for the English language is bound to be annoyed by Schnapper's consistently overblown businessspeak. The circular logic of some of his more longwinded explanations beggars the imagination, not to mention the attention span. However, on those rare occasions that linguistic lucidity visits Mr. Schnapper, a few job-hunting gems do indeed come forth. The 50-plus page manual, which is included with the video, is helpful, and much more to the point. On balance, we recommend this program. (Available from: Successful Job Hunting, Inc., P.O. Box 146821, Chicago, IL 60614; 1-800-JOB--'TAPE.)