Nine recommended reads for career development

Are you looking to switch careers, get promoted, or take on a new leadership role?

Check out these nine books from some of today’s most notable voices in career development.

Job search & networking

The 2-Hour Job Search

by Steve Dalton

You’ve got the motivation and the qualifications to land a great new job. The problem is you lack the time to search for the right opportunities. This book offers a systematic, tech-savvy formula to help you target potential employers and land job interviews, fast.

The 20-Minute Networking Meeting: How Little Meetings Can Lead to Your Next Big Job

by Marcia Ballinger and Nathan A. Perez

Do you leave networking meetings wondering if you made a good connection or a lasting impression? This guide may help you strengthen your networking skills, which can be key to uncovering the hidden job market and landing new opportunities.

60 Seconds and You’re Hired!

by Robin Ryan

During a job interview, the hiring manager often forms an opinion of you in the first couple minutes. To help make a great impression fast, learn techniques like “The 60 Second Sell.” Veteran career counselor Robin Ryan teaches you to craft your strengths into verbal bullet points and shares 20 interview pitfalls to avoid.

Changing careers

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2017: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers

by Richard N. Bolles

An updated classic, this book offers time-tested advice for recent grads and those searching for an inspiring work-life change. Bolles demystifies the job search process, from resumes to interviewing to networking. The 2017 edition contains recent case studies and information on how to job-hunt when your dream job is not available.

The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do

by Jeff Goins

You’re not just searching for a new job, you’re seeking your vocation. Author Jeff Goins helps you discover your passion and purpose but doesn’t stop there. To help you lay a foundation for professional success, he also helps you identify where your passion intersects with the needs of the world.

Promotions

Who Gets Promoted, Who Doesn’t, and Why: 10 Things You’d Better Do If You Want to Get Ahead

by Donald Asher

To earn a promotion, all you need to do is your best, right? Not according to career expert Donald Asher, who says advancing at work is less about skills and more about strategy. This book offers 10 strategies that may increase your chances of getting promoted. Don’t miss the section on career mistakes, which often get in the way of advancement.

Productivity & job skills

Work Simply: Embracing the Power of Your Personal Productivity Style

by Carson Tate

Is information overload short-circuiting your ability to focus at work or school? You’re not alone. This book helps you identify what’s getting in the way of your optimal productivity, and offers tips to simplify. Start with the Productivity Style Assessment, a quick quiz that helps you identify your preferred productivity style.

Works Well with Others: An Outsider’s Guide to Shaking Hands, Shutting Up, and Other Crucial Skills in Business That No One Ever Teaches You

by Ross McCammon

The “soft skills” McCammon discusses aren’t on any resume, but they may be crucial to your professional success. The author, who is the business etiquette columnist for Entrepreneur magazine, teaches these mission-critical skills through engaging (and often funny) real-life examples.

Leadership

Becoming the Boss: New Rules for the Next Generation of Leaders

by Lindsey Pollak

Anyone looking to ascend to a leadership position, take note. This tech-savvy success manual is packed with actionable tips that have been road tested in the real world. Learn to develop a style that appeals to your colleagues, and how to stay on top of trends that affect your career.

The Capella UniversityCareer Centermission is to empower students and alumni to proactively manage their careers and make meaningful and effective career decisions.