The WOW Factor by Frances Cole Jones

You've heard it before: in today's economy you need an edge.

And, we are all subjected to a daily barrage of advice, tips, and strategies for improving our visibility and hire-ability in this competitive job market from countless experts.

So, why would I suggest that you read Frances Cole Jones' latest book, The Wow Factor: The 33 Things You Must (and Must Not) Do to Guarantee Your Edge in Today's Business World -- which is filled with advice, tips, and strategies for ensuring a competitive edge-- right away?

Because no matter whether you are starting over, starting out, starting up, or trying to jump-start a stalled career, you will find more than a few practical tools you can use right now. No matter how savvy you are, I promise you will learn something new in The WOW Factor.

In The Wow Factor: The 33 Things You Must (and Must Not) Do to Guarantee Your Edge in Today's Business World Frances Cole Jones has distilled her own experience and success and combined it with what's she's learned as president of Cole Media Management to offer readers an unusual mix of straight-forward common sense advice and genuinely wise insights.

The "33 Things" are spread throughout the three sections of the book: Practice, Know and Do. Some of my favorites do's are

• the Six Layers of Why for maximum impact when interviewing, branding or selling
• the value of timing and silence when making a request
• adopting a "Renaissance Attitude"

Among the do not's, I particularly like her advice on

• not using trite phrases
• not 'over-sharing' personal information in business settings
• not committing unless you can follow through

What sets The WOW Factor apart is Frances Cole Jones' voice--you can hear the real person giving you her best information without jargon, condescension, or sugar-coating.

See for yourself at these sites:

Frances Cole Jones website

her blog

Interview with Dan Schwabel on Personal Branding

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this book.