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A handbook to successful networking for ANYBODY

In the interest of transparency, I'll start this review by saying that I did used to work for Keith. That being said, that was many years ago when he gave an untested 19 year old from Columbia a chance to intern at a place like Deloitte. Having said that, know that I have not spoken to Keith in years, and by no means would jump on this board editorializing or reviewing something that I did not feel strongly about. I have gone on to a very successful career in sales entirely on my own (as have many people who have worked for or with Keith Ferrazzi), but I can tell you without a doubt that I learned and earned more from working WITH Keith than having him actually open doors for me.

I challenge anyone, anywhwere to find a better networker than Keith. Simply put, the guy was born with a business card in his hand. Yet he is far, far different from the swarmy gladhanders you bump into at the standard "networking event". Keith loves people, loves to help people, and loves to learn from people - and this is the core of his business philosophy.

There is nothing revolutionary in this book - you will not find the Davinci Code solved in the epilogue, learn the secrets of inner peace from the Kaballah, or figure out why you didn't get that job you interviewed for last week. What you WILL get is a step-by-step primer on the REAL importance of networking and human capital - not the BS you get from a job site or a chamber of commerce. I now work as Corporate Recruiter for one of the largest executive search firms in the world - Keith's quotes on the preventative nature of networking, i.e. having the correct contacts in place in case something goes wrong in your career as opposed to trying to make those connections afterward - is something EVERYBODY should heed. If everybody read this book, my profession would be in serious jeapordy.

This is just one of the many kernels of wisdom that you can take form this book. Dinner party tips, guerilla convention strategies, phone and email techniques - everybody stands to learn something form this book that they did not know before or that they knew and had forgotten the importance of. And in case you were wondering - yes, Keith actually does all of this stuff; this is not some pompous, cliche' throwing "business guru" pontificating on something that he studied extensively during his tenure at Harvard Business School. He has ten thousand people in his PalmPilot and will still return your email in ten minutes.

Whether they are Partners at a consulting firm or telemarketers selling timeshares, if you have a sales staff, have them read this book. I personally bought copies for all my staff and am looking forward to the day when I can be considered an "anchor tenant". Even if you are not in sales -keep in mind that in any career you will end up having to sell yourself and your ideas at one point, and this book will help you do that. Buy it.