A Conversation with Rachel Zaslansky Sheer & Lori Zuker Briller

Your all-in-one starter kit for building a resume, nailing interviews, and getting hired.

Starting your job search can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re not sure where to begin, what employers really want, or how to stand out in a sea of applicants. Straight from the Grapevine: How to Crush Your Job Search is your no-nonsense, practical guide to landing your first job with confidence and clarity.

Rachel Zaslansky Sheer and Lori Zuker Briller have over twenty years of experience as recruiters. They’ve watched thousands of job seekers make the same avoidable mistakes, and they wrote this book so you can get it right the first time.

Whether you’re fresh out of high school, navigating college, or just ready to take that next step, this book breaks down everything you need to know from building a stand-out resume to networking like a pro. No jargon. No fluff. Just honest advice and proven tips you won’t find in most career guides.

Packed with real-world examples, actionable steps, and encouragement, Straight from the Grapevine helps turn the job search from a stressful chore into a clear, manageable process, so you can start building your future.

Rachel Zaslansky Sheer is the co-owner and co-founder of The Grapevine Agency, a premier staffing firm specializing in the permanent placement of executive and personal assistants, estate managers, and household staff for high-profile individuals and executives. With over two decades of experience, she is known for her intuitive matchmaking, discretion, and deeply personalized recruiting approach, shaped by her early career at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where she served as Executive Assistant to Managing Partner Kevin Huvane and supported leading talent agents in the Motion Picture Department. A graduate of the University of Maryland with a BS in Psychology and a concentration in Women’s Studies, Rachel co-authored Straight from the Grapevine: How to Crush Your Job Search to help high school and college students confidently launch their careers. Originally from Chappaqua, NY, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1998 and now lives in Brentwood with her husband and two children.

Lori Zuker Briller is the co-founder and co-owner of The Grapevine Agency, a nationally respected staffing firm serving clients across entertainment, tech, finance, fashion, beauty, media, and lifestyle. With a background in media and film development—including roles at CNN, Turner Pictures during the Amy Pascal era, Alec Baldwin’s El Dorado Pictures, and as Vice President of Development at Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment—Lori transitioned into recruiting over two decades ago, bringing her industry insight and instinct for talent to executive search and high-level placements. She previously launched and led the assistant division at The Robinson Company and has placed talent at organizations including MGM, Paramount Pictures, FOX, Nielsen, CAA, and Bruckheimer Films, as well as with private clients. Lori also co-authored Straight from the Grapevine: How to Crush Your Job Search and founded Grapevine Prepped, the agency’s coaching arm, where she helps professionals strengthen their positioning and career trajectory. A New York City native, she earned her BA in Radio, TV, and Film from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and lives in Sherman Oaks with her husband and two daughters.

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