The 50 Career Books You Must Have

I have read and collected dozens of career books in my over 20 years as a practitioner. Recently, I was thinking that if I had the task of building a career library of only 50 books, which ones would I pick? I decided to stock it with some classics, some new resources as well as some of my favorite motivational books. I wanted ones that cover self-assessment, career exploration, job search strategies, networking, Internet job searching, resumes, cover letters, interviewing, internships and finding your mission in life. To maintain healthy career development, I recommend that you set a goal of reading at least one book on career development each year. Although you will find lots of books on the market, here is my list I of the ones you must have:

1. 50 Best Jobs For Your Personality by J. Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin, PhD

2. All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten by Robert Fulgrum

3. CampusCareerCenter’s The Job Hunting Guide by Ronald L. and Caryl Krannich, PhDs

4. College Majors Handbook by Neeta P Fogg, Paul E. Harrington, EdD and Thomas F. Harrington PhD

5. Coming Alive From Nine To Five In A 24/7 World by Betty Neville Michelozzi

6. Cover Letters For Dummies: A Reference For The Rest Of Us by Joyce Lain Kennedy

7. Discover What You’re Best At by Linda Gale

8. Do What You Are by Paul D. Tiegger & Barbara Barron-Tiegger

9. Do What You Love And The Money Will Follow: Discovering Your Right Livelihood by Marsha Sinetar

10. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff…And It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson, PhD

11. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman

12. Field Work Savvy by Joan Milnes

13. Free To Succeed: Designing The Life You Want In The New Free Agent Economy by Barbara B. Reinhold

14. Guerilla Tactics In The New Job Market by Tom Jackson

15. Guide To Internet Job Searching by Margaret Dikel and Frances Roehm

16. I Could Do Almost Anything If I Only Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher

17. I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This by Julie Jansen

18. Internet Your Way To A New Job: How To Really Find A Job Online by Alison Doyle

19. JobShift: How To Prosper In A Workplace Without Jobs by William Bridges

20. Knock ‘Em Dead: The Ultimate Job Seeker’s Handbook by Martin Yate

21. Life’s Little Instruction Book by H. Jackson Brown Jr.

22. Loving Your Job, Finding Your Passion: Work And The Spiritual Life by Joseph G. Allegretti

23. Major Options by Nicholas Basta

24. More Best Answers To The 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions by Matthew J. and Nanette F. DeLuca

25. Network Your Way To Your Next Job…Fast by Clyde C. Lowstuter and David P. Robertson

26. Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton

27. Passage: Predictable Crises Of Adult Life by Gail Sheehy

28. Quarterlife Crisis: The Unique Challenges Of Life In Your Twenties by Alexandra Robins and Abbey Wilner

29. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

30. Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art Of Being Interviewed by H. Anthony Medley

31. Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive by Harvey Mackay

32. The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons In Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey

33. The Answer by John Assaraf and Murray Smith

34. The Complete Job Search Handbook: Everything You Need To Know To Get The Job You Want by Howard Figler, PhD

35. The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover The 9 Types Of People by Renee Baron and Elizabeth Wagele

36. The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets Of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

37. The Power by Rhonda Byrne

38. The Power Of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

39. The Search For Meaning In The Workplace by Thomas H. Naylor, William H. Willimon and Rolf Osterberg

40. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

41. The Three Boxes Of Life And How To Get Out Of Them: An Introduction To Life/Work Planning by Richard Nelson Bolles

42. Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

43. Transitions: Making Sense Of Life’s Changes by William Bridges

44. Unlimited Power: The New Science Of Personal Achievement by Tony Robbins

45. What Do People Do All Day by Richard Scarry

46. What Color Is Your Parachute?: A Practical Manual For Job-Hunters And Career Changers by Richard Nelson Bolles

47. What Should I Do With My Life?: The True Story Of People Who Answered The Ultimate Question by Po Bronson

48. Wishcraft: How To Get What You Really Want by Barbara Sher with Annie Gottlieb

49. Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day And How They Feel About What They Do by Studs Turkel

50. Untitled by Dr. Thomas J. Denham – to be released in 2012, stay tuned…

Copyright 2012, Dr. Thomas J. Denham, Careers In Transition LLC – Published Friday, September 7, 2012