Steve Dalton

"When you close your 5-Point Emails to Boosters by saying something like 'I recognize this may be a busy time for you, so if we are unable to connect by email I'll try to reach you next week to see fi that is more convenient, you demonstrate several key desirable traits.
First, you demonstrate deference to their schedules, showing you appreciate that their time is more valuable than yours. The job seeker is the one requesting the favor, so it should be the job seeker's responsibility to revive the outreach if it doesn't work out the first time. Clarifying your ownership of any inconvenience is an elegant way to keep your foot in the door in case your contract doesn't respond immediately." (120)

More Americans read this kind of book and others of the self-help genre than literary fiction or non-fiction. _The 2-Hour Job Search_ may indeed become canonical at some point, read by future scholars who want some insight into the mindset of the late late capitalism of the 2010s.
This book came out after 2008, when it was becoming increasingly difficult for college grads to make headway in the job market. Dalton wants to provide a straightforward and repeatable strategy for getting to the interview stage of a job search.

The examples and language here seem mainly directed at MBA program grads, people who have been indoctrinated in the idea that one's higher purpose consists mainly in buying and selling - euphemistically "creating value for customers/clients." This is the lifeblood of our culture, so we shouldn't be surprised that the job seeker should see herself as another product, to be branded and marketed and sold to the highest bidder.… (más)

Though I can't yet attest to its effectiveness, it seems like very good advice for finding a job. The approach should be especially effective for recent graduates of an American post-graduate program, especially MBAs, since that is where his expertise lies, and less effective for other job hunters. Basically he advises: be systematic, don't get distracted, use reminders. His system is to identify the best candidate firms based on your interest, contacts you can identify there (from Alumni records or LinkedIn), and whether they are hiring. Find a booster within the company. Do an informational interview. Follow-up appropriately. Some interesting tips for using psychology to your advantage, such as: a person who has done a small favour for you in the past is more likely to do a larger favour for you in the future.… (más)