This book grew out of a lecture that he gives to graduating seniors called "What Your Professor Never Taught You." The subject might be described as "career advice", but it is quite different from other books of that sort. The writing style is friendly and conversational, with lots of anecdotes and humor. I found it hard to stop reading.

Broadly speaking, there are two parts to the book: "surviving and thriving in industry" and "thriving and surviving in academia." (Professor Longuski has done both.) Some of the chapter titles are:

It Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist to Be a Rocket Scientist.
Does This Mean You Have to Kiss Butt?
What if My Boss is Incompetent?
Why You Need Two Resumes.
How to Survive Your First Two Weeks on the Job.
How to Give a Presentation to Rocket Scientists.
Why Working on Your Ph.D. is Fun.
How Not to Give an Academic Interview.
The Academic Seminar for Hire.
What it Takes to Get Tenure.

Professor Longuski wrote this book because he really cares about his students and wants them to be happy with their lives. I think that anyone in engineering or science could learn something from it --- and be entertained too!

- Troy McConaghy (one of Jim Longuski's graduate students)

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:


An important reference book for any scientist or engineer  Jul 31, 2005 By Michael Jokic
I have no hesitation in recommending that Advice to Rocket Scientists be a part of any professional's reference library. The principles and recommendations within this book have proved invaluable during my graduate studies and subsequent transition to the workplace.

The book is a pleasure to read and full of helpful advice. I have found the section titled "How to Get the Right Job" particularly useful. The insight provided by Jim Longuski into the importance of the "Boss" has proven to be quite astute. Advice to Rocket Scientists is a unique source of sound instruction and useful suggestions presented in an entertaining and accessible format.

4 of 5 found the following review helpful:


Great gift for a college student  Aug 06, 2006 By J. Dranchak
Two great gifts for college students are the books Hello Real World by Jengyee Liang and Advice to Rocket Scientists by Jim Longuski. Hello Real World is oriented towards a college student looking for an internship or summer job in a professional environment. Advice to Rocket Scientists is written for the soon to graduate college student in an engineering or other professional discipline. I have read both of these books and highly recommend them. They are both well written and a very easy read and most importantly the advice given in either book is invaluable for a neophyte professional that will last with them throughout their career.

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:


Invaluable at any point in a career  Apr 26, 2007 By Stephen J. Licata "Steve L."
I had the privilege of overlapping in my time at the Jet Propulsion Lab with Prof Longuski. This book confirms many of the hard lessons of career life that the rest of us took years to absorb. I would recommend it to college-bound high school students, as well as college students and especially career engineers throughout their work life. There are so many "Ah-ha!" moments of real insight here, such as the "early burnout" point 10 years into an aerospace career, the fascinating overview of graduate school (from both the student and professor perspectives), how to "interview your boss" for a prospective industry job, and how teamwork really operates in the workplace. Much of this is applicable to just about any professional career. Thanks to Prof. Longuski for making a genuine contribution to the field of career development (and help others understand what makes a rocket scientist tick!).

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