The book is told to be based on ficticious events. However, after reading this piece, I question how ficticious it really is or how far it really is from the truth. I will never look at another research report the same. A must read. Quick, entertaining, and argueably transparent. A fun read for anyone on the Street or considering a career in ER.
You can read this book in one night. It is very general and the company profiles were simply information taken from the web sites of the companies covered. I was expecting more in depth reviews of the firms which would touch on compensation structures, reputations, and an "insider's view" of the companies. On the positive side, it did contain many interview questions w/sample answers.
Overall if you are very new to the field....buy it. However, if you have been doing your homework on the industry and positions available, I do not see the need to purchase this "guide".
If you read a financial text w/o checking the numbers, you wouldn't find the mistakes. This book has had too many, because I am checking the numbers. I had to cross reference this book with a Financial Accounting text b/c I kept thinking I was incorrect.
All I have to say is take a look at pages 100, 101, 102 for great examples of the many mistakes. I am not happy.
By the way, I picked up this book from a friend in order to gauge whether I would buy the new version. Guess what I am not going to buy?
As a professional with graduate degrees in business and science, I was extremely disappointed in this resource for 3 reasons. One, the "language" of the book is characteristic of grade schools texts and inherently instills doubt in the books arguments, objectives and goals. Two, the statistics compiled in the text are outdated and discounted by the author on multiple occasions. Finally, and most importantly, the resource appears to be most applicable to those in the blue collar field. Many examples and self-marketing strategies target positions or firms which require less education and even experience.
Overall, the book is written at a level for children and suggests strategies that are great if you are not a well educated and seasoned professional. For a book that generates 20,000 copy revenues per month, I was shocked. This text is not for a seasoned professional contemplating a vertical or horizontal career change.