The 2-Hour Job Search: Using Technology to Get the Right Job Faster, 2nd Edition

by Steve Dalton

Use the latest technology to target potential employers and secure the first interview with these revised and updated tools and recommendations. Technology has changed not only the way we do business, but also the way we look for work. The 2-Hour Job Search rejects laundry lists of conventional wisdom in favor of a streamlined job search approach that produces results quickly and efficiently. In three steps, creator Steve Dalton shows you how to select, prioritize, and make contact with potential employers so you can land that critical first interview. In this revised second edition, you'll find updated advice on how to efficiently surf online job postings, how to reach out to contacts at your dream workplace and when to follow up, and advice on using LinkedIn, Indeed, and Google to your best advantage. Dalton incorporates ideas from leading thinkers in behavioral economics, psychology, and game theory, as well as success stories from fans of the first edition. The 2-Hour Job Search has been shared at schools across the globe and is a formal part of the curriculum for all first-year MBAs at Duke University. With this book, you'll learn how to make it work for you too.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

Audio CD

Published September 27, 2022

About the author

Steve Dalton is program director for the full-time MBA program at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. He is also the founder and CEO of corporate training firm Contact2Colleague.

Prior to entering the career services industry, Dalton was a strategy consultant at A.T. Kearney and an associate marketing manager at General Mills. He holds an MBA from Duke University and a chemical engineering degree from Case Western University.

Dalton has appeared in the Financial Times, Wall St. Journal, and US News & World Report, and he is a regular contributor at The Huffington Post.

Dalton presents workshops on The 2-Hour Job Search at dozens of schools across North America and Europe each year, and its concepts are taught at over one hundred universities worldwide.

Dalton can be followed on Twitter (@Dalton_Steve), his book's LinkedIn Group (The 2-Hour Job Search Q&A Forum), and at 2hourjobsearch.com. He currently resides in Durham, North Carolina.

Reviews

[Sophie Ruzecki · Rating 2 out of 5]

B school summer reading requirement but gotta count it for my reading challenge

[Declan Tomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gooooood stuff

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Total game-changer. Teaches you how to engage the autopilot button for your job search without falling into the black hole of the spray and pray approach.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good takeaways. The focus is on networking and informational interviews. Good advice for new graduates.

[Anwer Qureishi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good content for a fresh grad or someone with minimal experience in job search. Not meant for a seasoned mid to higher level job seeker.

[Nico · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll up my review if this actually gets me a job loll

[Joseph Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent several months applying for jobs before realizing my approach wasn’t working—and that I needed to understand why. After reviewing dozens of books on networking, interviewing, and job searching, The 2-Hour Job Search stood out because it does something most advice avoids: it clearly names the real problem and then builds a practical system around it.

The core insight—that online applications have extremely low odds unless paired with a warm path—isn’t just provocative, it’s accurate. The “1 in 13” framing is a refreshingly honest explanation of how hiring actually works, especially for experienced professionals. Instead of vague encouragement or generic networking tips, the book offers a probability-driven, relationship-first approach that’s grounded in reality.

What I appreciated most is how operational the framework is. The LAMP list, six-point emails, and time-boxed structure make the process usable and repeatable without burning out or resorting to spammy outreach. It’s not about working harder—it’s about working where effort actually matters.

This isn’t a motivational book or a shortcut guide. It’s for people who want to understand how hiring really works and are willing to follow a disciplined system. In a crowded field of superficial advice, The 2-Hour Job Search is thoughtful, practical, and unusually honest.

[David Pucii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great process on efficiently job hunting and securing those hard to find positions that are less competitive or a better fit. The book could be written better, but the process os sure to land you a job quicker than the spray and pray of online applications

[Xavi Valles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helps a lot to have a structured approach to metworking!