Comments on: My first book is out! It’s on recruiting young talent and it’s in bookstores everywhere

By: D

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:55:30 +0000

“I’ve hired a fulltime employee as recently as this week, and I outweighed experience over pedigree every single time.”

Actually, I agree with stargell. The reality is that people will say “experience matters most” but they then go and behave in way that shows that it really doesn’t. In my own experience, being hired and knowing people who do hiring, the number of people who will recruit based on pedigree and ‘brand loyalty’ outweighs the number of people who seek out experienced people – most especially for fresh out of college, new hires.

Here’s more or less how it works: the upper class send their children to “good” schools, the “good” universities pull students from those “good” schools, the foot in the door at the “good” company goes to the student from the “good” universities, the student from the “good” university gains essential “good” experience at the “good” company, the “good” experience gets the student other “good” opportunities at other “good” companies.

Replace the words “good” with “bad”, “upper class” with “lower class” and you have a full working model of the US system.

It’s something everyone knows, they just can’t bring themselves to admit it – like spending more money than they are truly able to afford. Interesting site, I’ll look into your book.

By: Eva Holtz

Eva Holtz — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:07:42 +0000

Hey Ramit. Friend of Ramana’s and dweekly’s here. Saw your book at a bookstore while in Boston for my sister’s college graduation and thought of you. So exciting! Congrats on your continued successes.

By: Kartik

Kartik — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:27:19 +0000

Hey Ramit,
Your book really interesting. I live in Mumbai, and would love to purchase it. Do you know if it’s available in Indian bookstores?

By: styleosophy

styleosophy — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 18:48:17 +0000

I have been (feeding) reading your blog for a couple of monthes, and I just wanted to drop you a little note to say congratulations on the article in Entreprenuer Mag. I think it’s great to get that recognition! (And for the record, McKinsey is an interesting place to work for. I worked in Graphics, in the Chicago Office, and I am always glad I took off those ‘golden handcuffs’.)

I will be purchasing the book for myself and then passing it along to my boss. Although we work in government, I am anxious to see how the book’s premise is directly translatable to (overall) lower-paying jobs offered by the public sector.

By: Ramit Sethi

Ramit Sethi — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:34:25 +0000

Stargell, thanks for the thoughtful comment indicating that you have not read even part of my new book. If you pick up a copy and still think it’s “bullshit,” I will personally refund your money. Before advocating your absurd ideas like “These talent war books are pure bullshit” and “The only thing that matters…is pedigree,” perhaps you should try talking to companies and young people. And perhaps hiring some of them.

I’ve hired a fulltime employee as recently as this week, and I outweighed experience over pedigree every single time.

Again, please read the book and tell me what you think afterwards. I do believe we included enough new advice, case studies, and useful tactics to change your mind.

By: stargell

stargell — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:12:54 +0000

Another book to teach corporate America how to tap the riches of Gen-Y– woo, hoo! I thought Bruce Tulgan had milked the subject to death with Gen-X, but along comes another opportunist with enough moxy to make a mint by telling corporate America with it wants to hear about younger workers.

These talent war books are pure bullshit. The only thing that matters about recruiting is pedigree, and the brand of an applicant’s sheepskin. Rugrats who went to ivy schools on mommy and daddy’s dime are automatically labeled talented commodities, and companies will pay absurd premiums to hire them. Experience be damned!

By: Tushar Wadekar

Tushar Wadekar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 04:57:21 +0000

Congratulations!

By: Ricky

Ricky — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:27:55 +0000

I have always loved your website, and I’m sure your book is great. I will have to either buy it, or read it at the bookstore.

I look very forward to reading it!

By: Recruit or Die

Recruit or Die — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:22:23 +0000

[...] Can Beat the Big Guys in the War for Young Talent which I’m looking forward to reading. In his blog, Ramit gives a little of the inspiration behind that led him and Chris Resto writing it: “To [...]

By: Minimum Wage

Minimum Wage — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:17:03 +0000

I know quite a few underemployed college graduates. There are three where I work, all earning our state minimum wage.

Have employers ever considered hiring cheap some of the underemployed, and retraining them for whatever the employer wants or needs? We’re very easy to please and we’ll work cheap and be happy.