Bait and Switch

I loved this book. In it, Ehrenreich explores unemployment and desparation not from the perspective of uneducated and chronically destitute blue-collar workers, but from that of educated and accomplished white collar professionals squeezed out of their cushy positions by downsizing. She changes her name, lines up colleagues to provide phony references, and dives into the applicant pool as a public relations expert looking for a nice middle management job.

Ehrenreich’s wry sense of humor and attention to detail when describing the various characters she meets prevents this from being another ho-hum story. I particularly liked the sections where she lampoons so-called “Job Search Coaches” who want to charge hundreds of dollars to endlessly revise her resume or subject her to personality tests (such as the ever present Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) to tell her what kind of job she should be looking for. Despite how, you know, she just spent ten minutes telling the guy she was looking for work in the PR field. It really highlights how at least some of these coaches and consultants are really just sharks going after freshly spilled blood.

Perhaps this wasn’t the right choice of book for me right as I’m initiating my own major changes in employment, but the obligatory anxiety aside, it’s a fun ride that guides you towards some really interesting questions about the job search processes and the absurdity of the cottage industry that has grown up around downsized professionals.

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