The Key Class: The Keys to Job Search Success

by John J. Daly Jr.

Etiquette as a Winning Formula for Job Search Success? Really?

When John Daly explains to people that the reason they aren’t successful in their job search is because they don’t understand business and personal etiquette, he’s often met with, “You mean that stuffy, eat-with-the-right-fork stuff?”

Far from it. Daly encourages people to think of job hunting as a game. Job hunting depends on knowing the rules of the game. Like playing football, you need to know all the rules, particularly the ones you don’t want to break, such as being out-of-bounds.
The point of the game in job searching and in life is to know how to be comfortable and make others comfortable with you in every situation. And that’s why etiquette!

So, why are so many people lacking in an understanding of the rules? Daly’s response is simple: No one has ever taught them!
This book is a collection of articles he’s written over the past few years. Get ready to capture a winning formula for job search success contained in the pages of this book!

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

252 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2013

About the author

In 2010, with the experiences over the past 16 years that he had with mentees that demonstrated extremely poor dining skills, John Daly, founder and creator of The Key Class, decided that high school and college students were missing an important step in their education. After a career that required social skills for its success, Daly, who retired from the field of international special events, made the decision to give back to society in ways that could make it stronger and hence he created the curriculum of social skills and job readiness techniques.

John Daly is an international legend in the world of special events. John is the founding owner and creative force behind one of the most successful event planning businesses in the world. As an employer of many people throughout his career, John knows the importance of a positive interview process. His experiences interviewing, hiring and promoting his own staff, as well as working with top-level executives and celebrities, have taught him the importance of having the proper skills necessary to succeed. He attributes his training and social skills as the keys to his success.

After creating his curriculum in 2010, John began providing The Key Class to at-risk teens through Teen Court in Santa Barbara County, California. Working with Partners in Education he teaches The Key Class in the majority of Santa Barbara County High Schools as well as instructing for the Partnership in Education Internship Program. In addition, he is teaching in United Way’s Fun in the Sun Program; at Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, the Workforce Investment Bureau; and open classes on Thursday nights at the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara.

His vision of a nationwide program encompasses classes not only for at-risk teens, but also for ESL students, high school, college and business school graduates, as well as returning veterans and job seekers, who also need this information to secure and keep the right jobs and a brighter future.

Reviews

[Jennifer Westecott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was well wrttien and easy to understand so that one can instill the objective in their own lives. Though it was well written, I did find that the author repeated himself a little too often. I find that when an author is repetious like that, I bored easily and discontinue reading. This time I chose to finish reading so that I could give a more indepth review. The author was clear and concise as to what he was trying portray for the buisness world, but too often he would jump back to dealing with teens. It is my opinion that if your going to write a book about business etiquette, then stick to that subject and save the teen etiquette for another book, otherwise your just going to frustrate and confuse your readers. Other than that, it was well rounded, and good use of footnotes and so on to acknowledge other contributors to the book.

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. There is a lot of knowledge and notes that you could take and use in life. I didn't like that allot of things were repeated and that got old. Other than that I liked it! Thank you for letting me read and review it.

[Carrie Lahain · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review

John J. Daly Jr. spent decades runing a successful events planning company, working with such clients as MasterCard, CBS, Gillette, Oprah Winfrey, Frank Sinatra and even the Smithsonian Institution. He channeled his years of experience in the business world into a course presented to at-risk teens through Santa Barbara County's Teen Court. He also writes a blog on business etiquette. His book, THE KEY CLASS: THE KEYS TO JOB SEARCH SUCCESS, is a compilation of selected blog posts.

Though geared toward young people just entering the work world, Daly's friendly advice applies anyone looking for employment or interested in making the most of their current position. He begins by presenting the basic fact that good manners is about respect--respect for yourself and for other people. Demonstrating respect is the foundation of success in any life endeavor.

Daly uses fun, concrete examples of how a job applicant can make a fabulous first impression, prepare for an interview, build a professional network and forge a solid career. He also goes out of his way to show how NOT to behave if you want to get ahead. For example, when lunching with a potential employer, it's not a great idea to tear into a lobster and half a bottle of wine, especially if your would-be boss isn't drinking.

Once you have a job, Daly goes into detail about how to make a success of it. How to deal with angry callers and workplace gossips. What to say to "break up" with a client. Where applicable, he brings in guest bloggers, specialists in, say, protocol or public relations, to offer additional insights. All the information is presented in an easy-going, conversational manner with an eye towards interactions that are win-win for everyone involved.

If there is a weakness in the THE KEY CLASS, it has to do with the "sound-bite" nature of blog posts. There are times when a story or tip appears in more than one section of the book. Even though the context or emphasis is different each time, the brief length of the sections makes these repetitions more noticeable than they would have been in a traditional non-fiction book. This does not impact the overall style of THE KEY CLASS or undermine its usefulness.

If I had a child preparing for his or her first job hunt, I would give them this book. It's a great quick reference and would likely save them some bumps and bruises.

[Jeannie Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all want to be successful in business and our personal lives, don't we?
Nothing can make a person feel better than a smile from another.
Do you know how to spot a liar? There are four "tale-tell" signals. I think we all want to be able to spot another person's dishonesty. After all, honesty is the most important virtue, but it seems nowadays some people think nothing about spontaneous lying to another. The author tells us how to recognize liars in this book, along with so many other tips for success.
It is my belief that if you are an extrovert (an out-going, expressive person) - you will learn something from this book.
If you are an introvert (a shy, person not good at revealing one's thoughts or feelings) - you will also learn something from this book.
Anyone in the middle of these two personality types will also learn something.
The Key Class is very well-written and the winning formulas in it are so easy to understand and carry out.
We all want to be successful, don't we?

Jeannie Walker - Award Winning Author

[Maria Miaoulis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most career guides focus on resumes and interviews, but what about the nuances that really make a difference? Like etiquette, respect and decorum? Many don't realize the role these behaviors play during a job search, but they often mean the difference between being considered for a job even if your qualifications are lacking and getting lost in the pile with the rest of the competition. A quick read full of commonsense points most take for granted.

[Carol McKibben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed John Daly's book that address how to secure and retain a job and generally get along better in life. He focuses on the soft skills that so many people, young and old, lack. More people need to pay attention to these important skills. Many will tell you they already know it all, but go out into the public and observe all the abundantly rude behavior that exists in our society. Then, think about getting this book for family and friends. It's a keeper.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book on etiquette in the business world. A great teaching tool for those fresh in their careers and job hunting, with good reminders for those who have been in their careers for a long time. Every high school graduation or new employee should read this book. Also great etiquette tips and reminders for your personal, everyday world.

[Diana-Michaela Shaffner · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book by John J. Daly Jr. is nothing more than a collection of very basic advise in good manners. The vast majority of "tips" are common sense. Extremely young individuals may benefit from reading "The Key Class" in order to better navigate the business environment and improve their own chances of success. However, for most well educated adults this book is not worth their time.

[Velvetink]

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[Diego · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is my dads book he is the auother