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12-14-2009 100
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Posted on September 26, 2008 4:53 AM

Author advises graduates seeking jobs

Targeted toward "twentysomethings," Whoa, My Boss is Naked! is a handbook that offers advice on entering the workplace by relating specific concepts to pop culture references.

Author Jake Greene, of Nashville, Tenn., has worked as an analyst for a Fortune 500 company and served time in many varying internships throughout his time at Stanford University, where he earned a master's degree in sociology.

His book, Whoa, My Boss is Naked! A Career Book for People Who Would Never be Caught Dead Reading a Career Book, published Jan. 22, takes an atypical approach to career guidance supported by tons of puns and references that stem from Greene's self-acclaimed "pop culture junkie" tendencies.

A twentysomething himself, Greene said he wanted to write a book that didn't read like a lecture because he knew from experience that it wouldn't really interest the college student demographic.

"We are a generation of high hopes and low attention spans," Greene said.

Greene said "most career experts come at it from a Donald Trump perspective, and mine is more of an adult Ferris Bueller."

He said he wanted his book to stand out and be different than the others, which is part of the reason he gave it such a unique title.

The origin of the title is explained in chapter 39, where Greene puts a new spin on the classic story of The Emperor's New Clothes to illustrate the point that even interns or new employees should courageously voice concerns about oddities they notice within the company.

Out of the book's 60 chapters of tips, Greene said three tips were especially key in the entire job process.

One suggestion he gave was to pick a point of view and stick with it.

"It is important that you have the courage to step up and commit to something right away rather than having to protect your pride by being a jam band," he said, referencing the tendency of a music group to not "find its own sound."

While at work, Greene said one thing to remember is all spoken and written word is essentially on the record.

Also, he said to try to keep a consistency between the online and in-person personalities.

"Whether you type it freehand or spend a lot of time, it might as well be a final document," he said. "People are going to reference that when they think about you."

Lastly, Greene stressed it's critical to "do your homework" pre-interview and ask direct and targeted questions.

Overall, he advised twentysomethings to be concise.

By watching years of reality television confessionals, "we have developed the habit ... of broadcasting our inner monologues, and it's important that we learn to shut up and say something."



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