16 Career Advice Books That Every Job Seeker Must Read

Between searching for a job, tweaking resumes, writing cover letters, building your network, and trying to stay sane, you probably have a pretty full schedule. The job search almost always feels like a full time job. In the rare event that you have a few extra minutes, it’s easiest to get outside or stare at the television. But why not read a book?

As Dr. Seuss says, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” It’s true in life and in your career. Read a book. Reading career books are a great way to relax and fill your head with useful info. What could be better than reading a book that makes you a better person and a stronger job applicant? Reading is one of the best things you can do for your mind and your soul. Is it time that you sat down and read a career advice book? Or maybe pick up an audiobook and listen to it during your commute?

Books, articles, blogs, news, and magazines are full of fantastic information that can help you be successful. Try to put that advice into practice in your life. Whether you want to start a company, boost your productivity, escape the 9 to 5, establish good habits, improve your networking skills, stand out, find creative jobs, build your personal brand, or just about anything else – there’s a career book about it.

Career books are written by career experts who know their stuff. They’ve either done it themselves or helped countless other people find the success they desire in their life. They are one of the best resources (besides the JobMonkey blog of course) that you will find. Next time you’re at the book store or you’re browsing through Amazon.com, check out some of these cool career books. They may be the ticket you need to do what you want to do.

It would be impossible to share every job search, career advice, or business book that’s worth reading, but here are a few career advice books that stand out:

1. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join The New Rich by Timothy Ferriss – This classic book takes an excellent look at how to design the lifestyle you desire without sitting in an office all day.
2. Life Reimagined: Discovering Your New Life Possibilities by Richard J. Leider – Are you ready for the next phase of your life? This book will help you map our what is possible.
3. The Start-Up Of You by Reid Hoffman & Ben Casnocha – If you don’t invest in yourself, you’ll never go anywhere. Treat yourself like a start up and see where it takes you.
4. The $100 Startup: Reinvent The Way You Make A Living, Do What You Love, and Create A New Future by Chris Guillebeau – This book will help you refocus how you think about business. It will help you determine how to start something new and do what you want to do.
5. The Power Of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business by Charles Duhigg – If you want to do something, you need to make it a habit. This book looks at why we develop habits and how to change them for the best.
6. Made To Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath & Dan Heath – Make yourself “stick” if you want to be successful. This is an excellent book to improve your communication skills.
7. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell – What contributes to your success? Gladwell looks at all of the factors that contribute to your success.
8. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons In Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey – This book has been a bestseller for years. It looks at how to shift your outlook to best accept change. If you want to change what you do, this is a great read.
9. Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon – Creativity is a valuable trait. This book will help your creative side grow.
10. Job Searching With Social Media For Dummies by Joshua Waldman – Finding a job online would be awesome. Here are a few tips to make social media work for your job search.
11. Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi – We always say life is all about who know. This book explores the power of those relationships and how you can be a better networker.
12. Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future by Dorie Clark – Thinking about making a change? This is the book for you.
13. The Career Guide For Creative and Unconventional People by Carol Eikleberry – Are you an artistic, creative person? Find a job where you can pursue your dreams.
14. What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles – This bestseller helps you determine what you love to do, where you love to do it, and how to find a job to do that.
15. The Escape Manifesto: Quit Your Corporate Job. Do Something Different by Escape The City – There are other job options out there – some of them are ridiculously cool. You just have to know where to look and be open to doing something different.
16. Linchpin: Are you Indispensable? by Seth Godin – Here’s how to stand out so that people believe that you are an indispensable asset.

These awesome career books are worth reading. They will help you hone your skills, spark new ideas, discover new job search tactics, explore the world of networking, improve yourself, stay on top of network trends, reinvigorate your job search, and be a better you. Everyone can benefit from reading one or all of these books.

If you can’t commit to reading one of these books, be sure to at least check out our Link Love section, where we regularly share some of our favorite online resources for job seekers. We recommend taking the time to read a career advice book. You’ll be amazed at the results.

The advice is there. You just have to apply it.