5 Books Everyone Should Read to Land the Dream Job

Whether you’ve just decided to start the hunt and need general guidance or you’re preparing for a big interview already, take a look at our book guide of the best career books of all time – we’re sure you’ll be able to find THE book for you:

The Complete Q&A Job Interview Book by Jeff Allen

Preparing for a job interview is much easier if you have a system – and this book provides you with a really fundamental one. If you’re at the very beginning of your job search path and have no idea how to start, that’s what you should read! World-famous expert Jeff Allen advices to prepare for a job interview like you would for a rehearsal as an actor. Know your lines, dress for your role, work on the perfect way of delivery – and you’re hired! And, of course, have your ideal script ready – this book will guide you through all the topics that may emerge in a job interview and the best ways of answering the typical job interview questions.

Quote:

“I know – you think background, qualifications or experience have something to do with getting hired. You’re right – not about the job, though. About interviewing! The director only knows what you show, That’s why the actor factor is so critical”

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2018: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard N. Bolles

This is probably one the most popular best career books of all time – the best thing about it is that it’s being thoroughly updated and reviewed every year. In every edition you will find up-to-the-minute job search tips (for example, on the social job search) along with the timeless career advice from the famous career guru Richard Bolles.

Quote:

“Why are you here?” This means, “Why are you knocking on our door, rather than someone else’s door? How much do you know about who we are, and what we do here?” 2. “What can you do for us?” This means, “If we were to hire you, will you help us with the tasks and challenges we face here? What are your relevant skills, and can you give us examples or stories from your past, that demonstrate you have these skills? Tell us about yourself.” 3. “What kind of person are you?” This means, “Will you not only fit in, but actually inspire those”

Refuse to Choose! By Barbara Sher 

Everybody keeps telling you that the real achievers are so successful because they know what they want and go for it. But what if you just don’t know? What if you have so many different interests and really can’t choose the one?

The counseling expert and motivational coach Barbara Sher believes that you shouldn’t fight your constant natural curiosity and force yourself to focus on one path – you should learn how to benefit from all of your passions at once, instead!

 Quote:

“You see, you’re not someone without direction; you’re an investigator, and the whole investigative process consists of learning a little bit about everything that looks interesting to you. If you respect your natural curiosity, you’ll come to trust your enthusiasm. It knows something about you. Your trail of enthusiasms is the most precise instrument you have for locating where you’d find the deepest satisfaction in your life.”

50 Ways to Get a Job: An Unconventional Guide to Finding Work on Your Terms By Dev Aujla

Action-orientated, up-to-date, millennial-friendly and really well-structured – if you’re eager to get some advice you can implement immediately, this career guide may be the perfect choice for you. Using the data from his popular website and blog, the book author has gathered tons of real-life stories to define the main young job seekers’ pain points and – of course! – has prepared the best solutions for these problems and dozens of practical exercises to train the most important skills you need at the every step of your job hunt. 

Quote:

“Building a spreadsheet for your job search will help you organize and track everyone you meet throughout this process. Your spreadsheet will give you a snapshot of everything you have done and change your perception of rejection, enabling you to see progress that is rarely visible otherwise. Your spreadsheet should look like a typical sales funnel This will help you mentally understand that it is normal to have 20 initial conversations over coffee (at the top), and only one potential interview (at the bottom). Not all your conversations need to, or should lead to, results. If you don’t visualize things in a funnel you quickly become mislead into thinking that every conversation should turn into a job opportunity.”

The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do Paperback by Jeff Goins

If the most challenging part for you is not finding your dream job, but defining what your dream job is and getting enough motivation to start actually looking for it, this book is probably for you. Jeff Goins, a sensational new author that immediately gained lots of fans (including professional coaches!), believes that the main purpose in you job search should be finding a meaningful career that really fits your personality. Through real-life cases and stories he shows how anyone can come closer to a dream job that matters and allows you to work with passion and purpose.

 Quote:

“We all want to do something that we are good at, that the world in some way recognizes, but the point of practice is never just about skill acquisition. It’s about making a contribution to the world. Which is why when we are in the midst of pursuing our calling, we must not only ask if this is something that we are good at, but if it is something good. We need more than excellence to satisfy the deepest longings of our souls. Which should raise the question: Is it, perhaps, possible to succeed at the wrong thing? It is, indeed.”