The best books to unlock your career potential

Why am I passionate about this?

My career journey started as an HR trainee in Karachi, Pakistan, and ended as the head of HR at two major companies. Across 31 years, I have worked for blue-chip companies like The Gillette Company, P&G, and Del Monte, building my own and observing firsthand many extraordinary careers. Unfortunately, for every person I observed who built a fantastic career, I have seen many more feel unsuccessful and unfulfilled in their careers. This is why I am passionate about using my knowledge and experience to help people navigate the challenges of the modern workplace and to provide them with the tools and strategies necessary to create their own extraordinary careers. 


I wrote...

Careers Unleashed: Unlock your potential for extraordinary career success

By Asad Husain,

Book cover of Careers Unleashed: Unlock your potential for extraordinary career success

What is my book about?

My book is the answer for those who feel like they are sleepwalking through their careers, who feel purposeless and unmotivated in what they do. This book guides readers into not only finding success at work but also fulfillment, exploring how people can better understand themselves so that they can align their goals and passions to find their north star and unlock purpose in their careers.

Broken down into easy-to-digest sections, it creates an authentic roadmap that will enable readers to cultivate a blend of self-awareness, a winning mindset, critical career strategies, and career-building power skills. Emphasizing the idea that no matter what career you choose, anyone has the capability to maximize their potential by taking ownership of their career. 

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Sort Your Career Out: And Make More Money

Asad Husain Why did I love this book?

I love this book for two main reasons. One, it is written clearly with the new horizon for careers in mind, where the workplace has changed and will continue to change. Two, so many of the topics in it resonate with me, like career ownership, strategies, mindset, and more.

It's written in a very energizing and practical manner and is full of great exercises to help professionals discover their path and thrive. Their genuine passion for helping readers jumps out on every page and aligns with my own mission of empowering individuals to thrive in their careers.

I would love to sit down with authors and exchange valuable strategies for unlocking potential and achieving dreams. This book isn't just about career growth; it's about reclaiming control over your professional destiny. If you're ready to unleash your career's full potential, this is the book for you.

By Shelley Johnson, Glen James,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sort Your Career Out as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The best investment you can make is in yourself and your career

Sort Your Career Out: And Make More Money is your go-to guide for building a career that you love. Dream jobs don't just come along: you need to make them happen. And this is the book that will show you how, from creating the ultimate career strategy to getting paid what you're really worth. (Hint: It's not just about changing the font on your resume!) With tips and guidance from two of today's top money and career experts, you'll learn how to change jobs, secure a promotion, ask…


Book cover of The Career Change Guide: Five Steps to Finding Your Dream Job

Asad Husain Why did I love this book?

I picked up this book by Rachel Schofield because it deals with the subject of “career change,” which I think is something that almost everyone is going to face in this new world of work, as jobs disappear and new ones appear at warp speed.

I believe that everyone needs the skills, strategies, and mindset that are required to change careers, and this book, from my perspective, does a great job of assisting individuals seeking to make a significant transition in their professional lives.

I like it because, one, it offers practical advice and actionable strategies that resonate with me, and two, Rachel Schofield's insights into career change are not only practical but deeply empowering.

By Rachel Schofield,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Career Change Guide as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Discover what you really want from work - and how to get there - with this empowering, practical guide from expert career coach Rachel Schofield

AS SEEN IN GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
ONE OF THE TELEGRAPH'S BEST SELF-HELP BOOKS OF 2023

'A doable plan to make changes that'll stick. This is the only book you need to take the leap' STYLIST

Are you dreaming of a new career? Or do you just want more out of your job? Either way, The Career Change Guide ensures that work works for you . . .
__________

This empowering, practical guide takes the confusion, fear…


Book cover of The Right and Wrong Stuff: How Brilliant Careers Are Made and Unmade

Asad Husain Why did I love this book?

I picked up this book because I heard Carter Cast on a podcast and was very impressed with what he had to say.

This book isn't just a career guide; it's a game-changer. It resonates with me deeply because it's not about following a generic path to success but about embracing your unique strengths and qualities.

I like his refreshing and funny way of presenting his take on career success. His stories and actionable advice resonate with me because he has learned from his own career, which is also my story.

By Carter Cast,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Right and Wrong Stuff as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Nearly a quarter century ago Carter Cast seemed to have it all together: he had a first-class education, an all-American athletic career, and was a very bright and energetic rising star on the fast track at a Fortune 100 company, PepsiCo. But blissfully unaware of how negative perceptions were shaped, he was stunned when called into his boss's office, and told he was "unpromotable" because he was "obstinate," "resistant," and "insubordinate."

Baffled, scared, and embarrassed, that defining moment led to Cast's years-long effort to try to understand why he came so close to going off track, discovering that what he…


Book cover of So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

Asad Husain Why did I love this book?

I absolutely love this book because it is not just another career book; it is a paradigm shift.

Newport's approach challenged my perspective on passion and career fulfillment. His emphasis on skill development resonated deeply with me, especially as someone who believes in continuous growth.

I like the evidence-based blueprint he provides, and I found the book's insights to be practical and actionable, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking career success on their own terms.

By Cal Newport,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked So Good They Can't Ignore You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Cal Newport's clearly-written manifesto flies in the face of conventional wisdom by suggesting that it should be a person's talent and skill -- and not necessarily their passion -- that determines their career path. Newport, who graduated from Dartmouth College (Phi Beta Kappa) and recently earned a PhD. from MIT, contends that trying to find what drives us, instead of focusing on areas in which we naturally excel, is ultimately harmful and frustrating to job seekers. The title is a direct quote from comedian Steve Martin who, when once asked why he was successful in his career, immediately replied: "Be…


Book cover of The Squiggly Career: Ditch the Ladder, Discover Opportunity, Design Your Career

Asad Husain Why did I love this book?

I love this book because it is a game-changer in the world of career guidance. I wish they had written this book when I was starting my career.

Personally, I love it because it is written for the modern career, where there is so much change and traditional concepts of careers are dead. I love how they encourage embracing uncertainty and squiggles, offering practical advice and inspiration along the way.

I got a lot of value from the book because it's about finding fulfillment and purpose in your career journey.

By Helen Tupper, Sarah Ellis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Squiggly Career as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BUSINESS BESTSELLER 2020

'The Squiggly Career is about navigating work in a way that suits you, it's a timely and brilliant handbook for now' Stylist

'A brilliant guide. Read it and get the tools you need to thrive in your career now and in the future' Marie Forleo, author of Everything is Figureoutable

'Logical, practical and based on tried and tested models' Financial Times's Book of the Month


Career ladders and jobs for life are a thing of the past

Today, we're living in a world of squiggly careers, where moving frequently and fluidly between roles,…


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Book cover of The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

Michael Bungay Stanier Author Of The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Coaching is a wonderful technology that can help people be a force for change… and is often wrapped up in mystic and woo-woo and privilege that makes it inaccessible and/or unattractive to too many. I want being more coach-like—by which I mean staying curious a little longer, and rushing to action and advice-giving—to be an everyday way of being with one another. Driven by this, I’ve written the best-selling book on coaching this century (The Coaching Habit) and have created training that’s been used around the world by more than a quarter of a million people. I’m on a mission to unweird coaching.

Michael's book list on unexpectedly useful books about coaching

What is my book about?

The coaching book that's for all of us, not just coaches.

It's the best-selling book on coaching this century, with 15k+ online reviews. Brené Brown calls it "a classic". Dan Pink said it was "essential".

It is practical, funny, and short, and "unweirds" coaching. Whether you're a parent, a teacher, a leader, or even a coach, you can stay curious longer.

By Michael Bungay Stanier,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Coaching Habit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Look for Michael's new book, The Advice Trap, which focuses on taming your Advice Monster so you can stay curious a little longer and change the way you lead forever.

In Michael Bungay Stanier's The Coaching Habit, coaching becomes a regular, informal part of your day so managers and their teams can work less hard and have more impact.

Drawing on years of experience training more than 10,000 busy managers from around the globe in practical, everyday coaching skills, Bungay Stanier reveals how to unlock your peoples' potential. He unpacks seven essential coaching questions to demonstrate how-by saying less and…


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