Book Review: “Clock in” by emily Durham

“Clock In: No-BS Advice on Getting Ahead in Your Career (Without Losing Your Mind)” by Emily Durham is a handbook for one of the most important and vexing aspects of our lives – our careers.

Durham is a former recruiter who runs the “Clock In” podcast and social media feed and doles out advice she’s learned throughout the years. She writes in an easy-to-read manner so the book doesn’t feel heavy, and she provides great tips on writing a resume, asking for a raise and dealing with burnout, complete with examples and scripts.

Her advice is practical and witty. She says a great resume “boils down to three core elements: design, data and details. (Hey, if DDD is good enough for Dolly Parton, it’s good enough for me.)”

She talks about the 10 percent rule – spending that amount of time focusing “on something outside the scope of your job description. Online shopping doesn’t count – it needs to be something that will help you get to your ideal next job.”

It’s all good stuff, but the book best serves a specific audience – those who work in the corporate world in major cities. Some of the strategies won’t fit for those who serve in government, education and nonprofit fields and those who are in smaller towns.

It also feels like it’s written in a different time, with its overly optimistic tone. “Take ownership of your career growth, and when things feel off track, either redirect the action plan or get out of that job.” OK, the job market is very competitive right now and finding a job is not that easy. And many people are doing the work of two people because of budget cuts. Durham is a believer in “ABI (Always Be Interviewing),” but again it’s just not that simple. Job openings do not appear magically, and networking is not as easy as it appears.

Still, most of the information is solid and it’s especially useful to young people. Work is hard, and this guide gives you a good roadmap. It’s great to mark it up with a highlighter and turn to it when you need advice.