The most recommended career development books

Who picked these books? Meet our 20 experts.

20 authors created a book list connected to career development, and here are their favorite career development books.
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The Long Game

By Dorie Clark,

Book cover of The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World

Jenny Foss Author Of Do This, Not That: Career

From the list on taking charge of your career.

Who am I?

As a kid, I dreamed of becoming a California beach lifeguard. Considering I grew up in Michigan, this was a rather aspirational choice. To my parents’ relief, my career goals shifted over time, as I realized my gift for writing. I became a journalist then went into marketing. But after years of cranking out corporate content, I (sadly) burned out on it, dropped everything, and became a recruiter. Within months, I missed writing – so much so that I started a career-related blog, which became a thriving business dedicated to helping people move their careers forward. Gratefully, this work led to an amazing assignment, writing Do This, Not That: Career

Jenny's book list on taking charge of your career

Why did Jenny love this book?

It’s hard to not want instant gratification, especially in our “get what you want, and now” culture. We see the shiny objects and opportunities for a quick win, and we chase them. Unfortunately, as Dorie Clark maps out in The Long Game, this frenetic behavior isn’t helpful if you want to achieve big goals. 

I discovered this book when life was starting to feel like a giant game of Whac-a-mole. Sure, I was achieving success, but I could never seem to find the time to get to a couple of long-range projects that really matter to me. 

The Long Game gave me several tangible tips for staying focused on my long-term goals in a world that pushes me, and all of us, to grab for those immediate, more shallow victories.

By Dorie Clark,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Long Game as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A Wall Street Journal Bestseller

Your personal goals need a long-term strategy.

It's no secret that we're pushed to the limit. Today's professionals feel rushed, overwhelmed, and perennially behind. So we keep our heads down, focused on the next thing, and the next, without a moment to breathe.

How can we break out of this endless cycle and create the kind of interesting, meaningful lives we all seek?

Just as CEOs who optimize for quarterly profits often fail to make the strategic investments necessary for long-term growth, the same is true in our own personal and professional lives. We need…


Book cover of Career Development For New College Students: How to Find the Right Career Path and Get the Job that Makes You Happy

Zakiya Akerele Author Of Dump Your Degree: How to Repurpose Your Education, Control Your Career, and Gain Financial Freedom

From the list on managing your career and finances after college.

Who am I?

Many degree holders experience career and financial challenges they aren't prepared to handle. I know this first hand because after completing my Ph.D., I faced joblessness and massive student loan debt, and after becoming a professor, I saw my students encounter similar situations. This prompted me to write, Dump Your Degree: How to Repurpose Your Education, Control Your Career, and Gain Financial Freedom. My mission is to provide tangible solutions to students and early career professionals so that they stop solely relying on their degrees but instead learn how to use the sum of their knowledge, skills, and talents in unique ways to create meaningful, viable careers.

Zakiya's book list on managing your career and finances after college

Why did Zakiya love this book?

For many, choosing a career path feels like the sole reason for going to college. The pressure is high, and you think you have to have it all figured out immediately. What do you do to help you make those tough decisions? Mike Sun's book offers a step-by-step guide on choosing the right career path while in school and, more importantly, making it a career you enjoy. Career Development for New College Students walks you through job exploration, self-discovery, and career goal setting so that you are well-prepared for the road ahead. 

By Mike Sun,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Career Development For New College Students as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Worried about your professional future? Feeling lost or intimidated by your options? You’re not alone…

When you were a child, people probably asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

As a kid, you may have had all sorts of answers to that question.

An astronaut, a ballerina, a veterinarian – the possibilities are endless. But as you get older, it becomes clearer that deciding what you want to do with your life isn’t as simple as it seems.

Sure, there are many career pathways open to you. In fact, there are so many options that…


Be A Free Range Human

By Marianne Cantwell,

Book cover of Be A Free Range Human: Escape the 9-5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills

Kathryn Curzon Author Of No Damage: An adventure in courage, survival and the pursuit of dreams

From the list on helping you ditch the 9 to 5 & create your dream life.

Who am I?

I’ve been fascinated with living life on my own terms since I was a child and drew pictures with inspirational quotes such as ‘go your own way!’ and ‘aim for the moon!’ Fast forward to my thirties and I quit my 9-5 career to embrace what it means to live out my wildest dreams. I was terrified but, aren’t we all? I can’t get enough of inspiring books that teach me how to live big, believe in myself, and push far beyond what society tells us we should do. All of which helped me to build my dream life and live it. Now get out there and make your dream life happen!

Kathryn's book list on helping you ditch the 9 to 5 & create your dream life

Why did Kathryn love this book?

In amongst the inspiring tales of world travel and lives made magnificent, you need a practical handbook to get you started and guide you along the way. Be a Free Range Human fits the bill perfectly.

The author is one of the pioneers of quitting the 9-5 and knows her stuff. This book is full of guidance and exercises to help you work out what you really want and how your dream life looks.

I was so impressed with the range of topics the book contains and how it gave me the ultimate freedom to dream without constraint – even when I was working in a grey, corporate office.

By Marianne Cantwell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Be A Free Range Human as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

DISTINGUISHED FAVORITE: NYC Big Book Award 2020 - Career Trapped in a job or business that's "just not you"? Always dreaming of your next vacation or living for the weekend? Marianne Cantwell's straight-talking bestseller will help you break out of that career cage and Be A Free Range Human. It's about much more than just quitting your job and becoming your own boss. It's about life on your terms, working when, where and how you want - so you don't have to fit yourself into someone else's box to make a great income. This second edition won't just inspire you,…


Think Big

By Grace Lordan,

Book cover of Think Big: Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want

Gena Cox Author Of Leading Inclusion: Drive Change Your Employees Can See and Feel

From the list on the need for DEI and workplace inclusion.

Who am I?

I have been an organizational psychologist and executive coach for more than two decades, advising high-level executives, including Fortune 500 leaders, to build workplace cultures in which all employees can flourish. Yet, for many employees of color, the workplace is so challenging that many feel professionally stifled. I realized many years ago that to accomplish my own goals; I needed to take control of my career and not depend upon the vagaries of individual leaders. I needed to set goals, take a long game view, be honest with myself and my leaders, and help leaders understand how changing some habits could help them and me succeed in a disrupted world. 

Gena's book list on the need for DEI and workplace inclusion

Why did Gena love this book?

Think Big is a science-based roadmap to help a reader achieve their wildest dreams, by taking small and big steps that move you incrementally toward the goal. Sometimes the steps require doing things you have not done before but sometimes they require stopping or reducing or changing your current patterns of dealing with the realities of life.

By Grace Lordan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Think Big as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What are you doing today to make your dream future come true?

'A rare self-help book that's actually informed by evidence. A host of perceptive, practical tips for getting out of your own way and making progress toward your career goals.' Adam Grant, bestselling author of Think Again and Originals

'A practical and accessible guide to using behavioural science in your career.' Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women
________________

We all have big ambitions for the future but those dreams only become reality if we do something towards them regularly. To achieve audacious goals, we need to take action…


Book cover of I Shouldn't Be Telling You This: How to Ask for the Money, Snag the Promotion, and Create the Career You Deserve

PeggySue Wells Author Of The 10 Best Decisions a Single Mom Can Make: A Biblical Guide for Navigating Family Life on Your Own

From the list on being a single mom and staying sane.

Who am I?

“Eminently quotable, PeggySue Wells is a tonic — warm like your favorite blanket, bracing like a stiff drink.”

History buff and tropical island votary, PeggySue parasails, skydives, scuba dives, and has taken (but not passed) pilot training. The bestselling author of 30 books including the What To Do series, The Slave Across the Street, Bonding With Your Child Through Boundaries, Homeless for the Holidays, Chasing Sunrise, and The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make, PeggySue’s most challenging and rewarding adventure was solo parenting seven children. With one in four homes single mom-led, PeggySue teamed with Pam Farrel to offer practical help and tangible tips to moms navigating parenting solo.

PeggySue's book list on being a single mom and staying sane

Why did PeggySue love this book?

A spunky and accomplished businesswoman and author, Kate White carved her own highly successful career and provides a practical and proven how-to for women to follow. Women wear many hats simultaneously (Think Seuss’ Ten Apples Up On Top) and Kate gives witty, wise, straight-talk for moms on how to balance parenting and craft a career you enjoy. You have talents and potential, I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This is step-by-step guidance to hone your abilities and navigate challenges. These are essential tips from the gutsy innovator who helped increase Cosmopolitan Magazine's circulation by half a million copies per month.

By Kate White,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Shouldn't Be Telling You This as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Whether you've just settled into your first work cubicle, getting back to work after taking some time off for kids, or are looking to get that corner office, I Shouldn't Be Telling You This gives you all the secrets you need to become a success, go big with it, and savor every second. Here, Kate White shares the five essential secrets every woman needs to know, as well as the crucial lesson you need to achieve your dreams: go big or go home-do what's unexpected and always keep your career trajectory in mind. Jam-packed with insider strategies, interviews with women…


The Conscience Code

By G. Richard Shell,

Book cover of The Conscience Code: Lead with Your Values. Advance Your Career.

Carrie J. Menkel-Meadow Author Of What's Fair: Ethics for Negotiators

From the list on ethical negotiators.

Who am I?

I am one of the founders of the American dispute resolution field and have taught negotiation, legal ethics, mediation, alternative dispute resolution and international dispute resolution for 40 years in over 25 countries on every continent. I have mediated, negotiated or arbitrated hundreds of cases. I am a law professor who has taught legal ethics since it was required post-Watergate for all law students. As a negotiation teacher and practitioner, I have seen the effects of deceit and dishonorable negotiations in law and diplomacy and peace seeking and I have also seen what can happen when people treat each other fairly to reach better outcomes for problems than they could achieve on their own.

Carrie's book list on ethical negotiators

Why did Carrie love this book?

Drawing on years of business school teaching and research and leading negotiation trainings in many countries, Shell provides an important guide for people to stand up for their values in business, law, and complex work situations. Real-world stories put flesh on the bones of outlines of both philosophical and political approaches to difficult choices in career and workplace negotiations. This book can assist any negotiator in figuring out what is really important to them (and their clients and organizations) and then how to actualize behaviors that make principled change happen. This book also provides great advice about when to walk away from the negotiation table or a particular task or job because higher values call.

By G. Richard Shell,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The Conscience Code is a practical guide to creating workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Surveys show that more than 40% of employees report seeing ethical misconduct at work, and most fail to report it--killing office morale and allowing the wrong people to set the example. Collegiate professor G. Richard Shell has heard work misconduct stories from his MBA students which inspired him to create this helpful guide for navigating these nuances.

Shell created?this book?to point to a better path: recognize that these conflicts are coming, learn to spot them, then follow a research-based, step-by-step approach for resolving them skillfully.?By committing…


The Renaissance Soul

By Margaret Lobenstine,

Book cover of The Renaissance Soul: How to Make Your Passions Your Life--A Creative and Practical Guide

Emilie Wapnick Author Of How to Be Everything: A Guide for Those Who (Still) Don't Know What They Want to Be When They Grow Up

From the list on when can't figure out what to do with your life.

Who am I?

Emilie Wapnick is an award-winning author and community builder. She is the founder and creative director at Puttylike, where she helps multipotentialites (people with many passions and creative pursuits) integrate all of their interests to create dynamic, fulfilling, and fruitful careers and lives. Her popular TED talk, Why some of us don’t have one true calling, has been viewed 7 million times and she has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, BBC, and Vice.

Emilie's book list on when can't figure out what to do with your life

Why did Emilie love this book?

Another important antecedent to How to Be Everything, this book offers a serious focus on career, work, and revenue streams. Lobesnstine, a career and life coach, makes the argument that a need for variety and love for finding new challenges are not liabilities, but assets. If you’re ready to get down to business, this might be the read for you.

By Margaret Lobenstine,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The guide to leading a creative, passionate, and multifaceted life―big enough to embrace all your dreams

Are you unwilling to settle on doing just one thing “for the rest of your life”? Do you jump at the chance to learn something new―or, after achieving success in one field, find yourself yearning for new challenges and looking around for something different to do? If so, you may be a Renaissance Soul. The Renaissance Soul is the first book devoted to this personality type, and in this updated edition―in paperback for the first time― author Margaret Lobenstine offers a life-planning strategy perfectly…


Roadmap

By Roadtrip Nation,

Book cover of Roadmap: The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What to Do with Your Life

Emilie Wapnick Author Of How to Be Everything: A Guide for Those Who (Still) Don't Know What They Want to Be When They Grow Up

From the list on when can't figure out what to do with your life.

Who am I?

Emilie Wapnick is an award-winning author and community builder. She is the founder and creative director at Puttylike, where she helps multipotentialites (people with many passions and creative pursuits) integrate all of their interests to create dynamic, fulfilling, and fruitful careers and lives. Her popular TED talk, Why some of us don’t have one true calling, has been viewed 7 million times and she has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, BBC, and Vice.

Emilie's book list on when can't figure out what to do with your life

Why did Emilie love this book?

Written by a team of documentarians, Roadmap is a great read for folks who are just starting their career—or starting over! It offers inspiring examples of people with weird, creative careers, including tons of interviews where you can learn about people’s specific paths. The exercises in the book emphasize seeking variety and blending your interests, rather than narrowing down your multi-passionate soul.

By Roadtrip Nation,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The New York Times bestseller is back! The career workbook Roadmap is better than ever.

Roadmap has been updated and expanded with tons of brand new content-including chapters on changing directions mid-career and not letting your past define your future.

Through inspirational stories and interviews, journal-like prompts, and practical career development information, this helpful resource will steer students, recent graduates, and career-changers toward an authentic, fulfilling life.

* Features fresh perspectives from people like singer-songwriter John Legend, surfing world champion Layne Beachley, and MacArthur fellow and radio host Jad Abumrad
* Full of advice for people seeking a fulfilling work…


Body of Work

By Pamela Slim,

Book cover of Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together

Emilie Wapnick Author Of How to Be Everything: A Guide for Those Who (Still) Don't Know What They Want to Be When They Grow Up

From the list on when can't figure out what to do with your life.

Who am I?

Emilie Wapnick is an award-winning author and community builder. She is the founder and creative director at Puttylike, where she helps multipotentialites (people with many passions and creative pursuits) integrate all of their interests to create dynamic, fulfilling, and fruitful careers and lives. Her popular TED talk, Why some of us don’t have one true calling, has been viewed 7 million times and she has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, BBC, and Vice.

Emilie's book list on when can't figure out what to do with your life

Why did Emilie love this book?

Pamela Slim offers a wonderful way to reimagine your life and career, build your personal brand, and share your story. Multipotentialites often struggle to describe where they’ve been and where they’re headed in an impactful way. This book argues that your career is not a linear thing—it’s a collection of different types of work that you’re proud of. Body of Work will help you see your life story from a totally new vantage point.

By Pamela Slim,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Body of Work as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

These days it's increasingly rare to have a stable career in any field. More and more of us are blending big company jobs, startup gigs, freelance work, and volunteer side projects. We take chances to expand our knowledge, capabilities, and experience. But how do we make sense of that kind of career - and explain it? Pamela Slim, the acclaimed author of Escape from Cubicle Nation, gives us the tools to have meaningful careers in this new world of work. She shows how to find the connections among diverse accomplishments, sell your story, and continually reinvent and relaunch your brand.


The Unspoken Rules

By Gorick Ng,

Book cover of The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right

Joy Batra Author Of The Freelance Mindset: Unleashing Your Side Hustles for Better Work, Play, and Life

From the list on freelancers, side hustlers, and portfolio careerists.

Who am I?

I fell into freelancing when I unexpectedly got the opportunity to act in Bollywood after graduating from law school and business school. With six figure student loans, I needed to make money and still have time for auditions. Enter freelancing! A decade later, I’ve helped other people expand beyond their day jobs, change careers, or tap into a different skillset, and I’ve collected stories of over fifty freelancers who are doing the same. I hope these books inspire and support you as you venture off the beaten path to create a career that’s just right for you!

Joy's book list on freelancers, side hustlers, and portfolio careerists

Why did Joy love this book?

A couple years ago, I accepted a full-time job on top of my freelancing so I could be part of a bigger team.

I thought landing the job would be the hard part, but on my first day of work I found out I was wrong. It had been years since I’d worked at a company and I had no idea how to navigate office politics. This book totally saved me.

It helped me transition from freelance to full-time, but it also made me a better freelancer because I understood my clients and what they valued more deeply, so I could communicate in a way that resonated with them. Whether you’re freelance or full-time, this book is a must.

By Gorick Ng,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Named one of 10 Best New Management Books for 2022 by Thinkers50

A Wall Street Journal Bestseller

"...this guide provides readers with much more than just early careers advice; it can help everyone from interns to CEOs." - a Financial Times top title

You've landed a job. Now what?

No one tells you how to navigate your first day in a new role. No one tells you how to take ownership, manage expectations, or handle workplace politics. No one tells you how to get promoted.

The answers to these professional unknowns lie in the unspoken rules-the certain ways of doing…


Book cover of Show Your Work! 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered

Koyaki Author Of You Are Ketchup: And Other Fly Music Industry Tales

From the list on helping parents feel better about you being a musician.

Who am I?

I’m a Grammy-nominated musician and creative who actually loves music, not as a vocation but as a cathartic practice and art form. Because I love music and the process of creating I also understood that no matter how much I love music that the love of it had nothing to do with the business of selling music. If I wanted to maintain the love I had to learn the business and find a way to continue to cherish the art while familiarizing myself with the business of art. I found peace and a deeper understanding of where I stood in the business and understanding that helps to keep the artist sane.

Koyaki's book list on helping parents feel better about you being a musician

Why did Koyaki love this book?

I wish I could add the trilogy of Austin Kleon books; with Steal Like an Artist and Keep Going completing the trilogy. Show Your Work was the first book that I read that spoke to me about letting your supporters in on the creating. The sharing of exclusive content has become a staple for independent and major-label artists, Instagram, Tik Tok, and social platforms all rely on the need to share. For me this book was the progenitor of this line of thinking, encouraging the creative to share and disperse with the secrecy of process and move toward converting investors in one's product to investing in the person. 

By Austin Kleon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Show Your Work! 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In his New York Times bestseller Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon showed readers how to unlock their creativity by stealing from the community of other movers and shakers. Now, in an even more forward-thinking and necessary book, he shows how to take that critical next step on a creative journey getting known. Show Your Work! is about why generosity trumps genius. It s about getting findable, about using the network instead of wasting time networking. It s not self-promotion, it s self-discovery let others into your process, then let them steal from you. Filled with illustrations, quotes, stories, and…


Up Is Not the Only Way

By Beverly Kaye, Lindy Williams, Lynn Cowart

Book cover of Up Is Not the Only Way: Rethinking Career Mobility

Ted Fleming Author Of Develop: 7 Practical Tools to Take Charge of Your Career

From the list on managing your career.

Who am I?

I am a strategist, human resources executive, and business consultant who is passionate about helping people reach their potential, find enjoyable work, and perform their best. Born in Chicago, I grew up in New England and call Connecticut home with my wife Kathryn. I love learning and have found books to be the gateway to exploring innovative ideas, gaining insights, and achieving success. I am an avid tennis and squash player, and reader. I am part of an international book club that meets several times per year to explore diverse topics.

Ted's book list on managing your career

Why did Ted love this book?

Beverly Kaye is a training and development icon who received the "Distinguished Contribution" award from the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) for her impact on workplace learning over the past three decades.

Most career development and mobility books focus on getting a promotion or new job. But career mobility can also mean growing, stretching, learning, and transforming, without ever changing your job title, company, or location.

Kaye, Williams, and Cowart do an expert job of helping readers analyze their current situation and make good choices by balancing money and meaning. Whether it is time for you to grow right where you are by enriching your skills, making a lateral move, or stepping back and realigning your objectives - this book will guide you through it.

By Beverly Kaye, Lindy Williams, Lynn Cowart

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Up Is Not the Only Way as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Up Was Never for Everyone!

Move up or move out. When those two options appear to be the only ones, dissatisfaction grows and engagement suffers. In decades of studying careers around the globe, Beverly Kaye, Lindy Williams, and Lynn Cowart have found that, in fact, there are more options. And rethinking career mobility can lead you to them!

The authors show how managers, coaches, and employees can partner to determine what's best and what's next. Keep the same job but discover new ways to learn and grow? Explore moving to a position that could be a better fit? Step back…


Do Cool Sh*t

By Miki Agrawal,

Book cover of Do Cool Sh*t: Quit Your Day Job, Start Your Own Business, and Live Happily Ever After

Koyaki Author Of You Are Ketchup: And Other Fly Music Industry Tales

From the list on helping parents feel better about you being a musician.

Who am I?

I’m a Grammy-nominated musician and creative who actually loves music, not as a vocation but as a cathartic practice and art form. Because I love music and the process of creating I also understood that no matter how much I love music that the love of it had nothing to do with the business of selling music. If I wanted to maintain the love I had to learn the business and find a way to continue to cherish the art while familiarizing myself with the business of art. I found peace and a deeper understanding of where I stood in the business and understanding that helps to keep the artist sane.

Koyaki's book list on helping parents feel better about you being a musician

Why did Koyaki love this book?

A great guide to starting over, Do Cool Sh*t resonated with me so much while I was working a 9-5, touring, and being a multi-hyphenate at the same time. This book is about shedding the idea of what is “practical” while embracing the concepts of taking chances, failing, learning, failing some more, and understanding that all of these steps are necessary to convert dreams into realities. It’s a personal journey to being content, not complacent, understanding that sometimes it’s leaping off the edge, both feet at the same damn time. 

By Miki Agrawal,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Do Cool Sh*t as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Miki Agrawal opened Slice Perfect, her first farm-to-table pizzeria in New York City with zero experience and no capital. Since then she has watched her business grow exponentially, including a partnership with Zappos.com founder and bestselling author Tony Hsieh with whom she is opening her dream restaurant, Slice: Las Vegas. She's also become become an angel investor for other promising start-ups. In Do Cool Sh*t, she shares her own adventures in entrepreneurship, offering solid, easy-to-follow advice aspiring entrepreneurs can use to start their own business, fund it on a shoestring budget, convene the perfect brain trust to brainstorm a business…


Remote Not Distant

By Gustavo Razzetti,

Book cover of Remote Not Distant: Design a Company Culture That Will Help You Thrive in a Hybrid Workplace

Brad Federman Author Of Cultivating Culture: 101 Ways to Foster Engagement in 15 Minutes or Less

From the list on improving workplace culture.

Who am I?

I see it every day. People wake up and trudge to work, resentfully working at a company that falls short of its promises and values. This is a problem that I've dedicated my career to resolving. My job is to ‘help organizations discover and live their possible’. This mission has guided me throughout my career as an international author, speaker, coach, and consultant with more than 25 years of corporate experience. Your brand promise doesn't determine your customer’s experience, your culture does. The problem is that we see culture as a means to an end leading us to a “set it and forget it mentality.” Culture is a living, breathing thing that must be nurtured.  

Brad's book list on improving workplace culture

Why did Brad love this book?

The world changed the moment we were hit with a global pandemic. Most books are out-of-date and irrelevant. Not this one.

This book is all about culture in a post-pandemic world. He built this book from extensive interviews and research. I know too many companies that are struggling with culture and remote workforces.  This book is timely, relevant, and sorely needed.  

By Gustavo Razzetti,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Remote Not Distant as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rethink everything you know about office culture, hybrid work, and remote teams.

"If you want to thrive in a post-pandemic world, read this book!" --Dr. Tasha Eurich, New York Times Bestselling Author of Insight

"The future of work isn't fixed; it's waiting to be built. Remote, Not Distant offers a tactical blueprint to building a better future for all." --Darren Murph, Head of Remote, GitLab

"Gustavo Razzetti captures the return to the office/remote debate so well and enables us to understand how we can utilize the benefits of remote working without compromising on having a great company culture. A great…


Book cover of Making a Living Without a Job: Winning Ways for Creating Work That You Love

Tama J. Kieves Author Of This Time I Dance! Creating the Work You Love

From the list on to help you stay true to yourself and your calling.

Who am I?

I am moved by the deepest potential in all of us. Having graduated from Harvard Law School and working as an unfilled attorney, I finally left everything to follow my true desire to write. So, I know how vital it is to have support for our inspiration instead of our fears. That’s why I’ve written 5 books to champion visionary minds, creative souls, freedom junkies, and more. And as a TEDx speaker and USA Today featured visionary career coach, I am always reading for my own growth and for my students. I recommend these books because they helped me to trust in greater possibilities. I hope they support your dreams. 

Tama's book list on to help you stay true to yourself and your calling

Why did Tama love this book?

I recommend this book because it’s a crayon box of creative and practical ideas and insights. This is a great read for someone who wants to be entrepreneurial, l but isn’t yet in the I-have-to-dominate-the-market-and-own-Silicon-Valley- stage. I guess I’d call it approachable entrepreneurship. The author gives you ideas for how to be “joyfully jobless” including multiple profit centers and marketing on a shoestring. I love authors who can give you creative hope, no-nonsense ideas, and specific creative ideas like “find all the ways to put raspberry and chocolate together.”    

By Barbara Winter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Making a Living Without a Job as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

For all of the millions of Americans who are out of work, soon to be out of work, or wishing to be freed from unrewarding work—here is the must-have book that will show you how you can make a living by working when, where, and how you want.

Newly revised and updated, Barbara J. Winter’s guide to successful self-employment is now more relevant than ever before. Drawing on the techniques and ideas of her popular seminars as well as her own thirty years of business expertise and that of other successful entrepreneurs, Winter offers the practical, proven way to launch…


Entrepreneurial You

By Dorie Clark,

Book cover of Entrepreneurial You: Monetize Your Expertise, Create Multiple Income Streams, and Thrive

Patrick J. McGinnis Author Of The 10% Entrepreneur: Live Your Startup Dream Without Quitting Your Day Job

From the list on for part-time entrepreneurs.

Who am I?

I never thought I would be an entrepreneur. In fact, I was happy in corporate life. But when my job in corporate America blew up, I realized that I need to rethink my entire approach to building my career and my life. The result of these efforts is The 10% Entrepreneur. Over the past decade, I have integrated entrepreneurship into my life on a part-time basis, reaping meaningful financial and psychic rewards in the process. In the process, I have taught hundreds of thousands of others that entrepreneurship does not have to be an all-or-nothing proposition.

Patrick's book list on for part-time entrepreneurs

Why did Patrick love this book?

So many entrepreneurs work endless hours without finding a way to monetize their work. They achieve success on paper, but don’t actually reap the financial benefits. This book provides a roadmap to monetize your talents in a number of ways – from building your brand to figuring out how to get people to pay for your services. 

By Dorie Clark,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Entrepreneurial You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What does it take to create the career you want?

It's no secret that the world of work has changed, and we're shifting toward an ever more entrepreneurial, self-reliant, work-from-wherever-you-are economy. That can be a liberating force, and many professionals dream of becoming independent, whether by starting their own businesses, becoming consultants or freelancers, or developing a sideline.

But there's a major obstacle professionals face when they contemplate taking the leap: how to actually make money doing what they love. You may have incredible talent and novel ideas, but figuring out how to get started, building your reputation in a…


The Visibility Mindset

By Bernice M. Chao, Jessalin Lam,

Book cover of The Visibility Mindset: How Asian American Leaders Create Opportunities and Push Past Barriers

Sheena Yap Chan Author Of The Tao of Self-Confidence: A Guide to Moving Beyond Trauma and Awakening the Leader Within

From the list on dismantling negative stereotypes of Asian and Pacific Island women.

Who am I?

This is a topic that is very passionate for me since growing up in Toronto, and I never had any role models that look like me to look up to. I wanted to showcase powerful Asian women authors to show others what is possible and that we can also dismantle the negative stereotypes we still face. I want to be able to create better representation for Asian women in the media, and highlighting these amazing authors is a great way to showcase that.

Sheena's book list on dismantling negative stereotypes of Asian and Pacific Island women

Why did Sheena love this book?

This is a great guide for any Asian professional who wants to create more visibility in the workplace.  There are great interviews from leaders and tips that you can use in your own journey. 

It’s such a timely book for anyone who wants to advance in their career and be seen as a leader in their industry.

By Bernice M. Chao, Jessalin Lam,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Explore the challenges faced by Asian professionals and how to overcome them.

A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BOOK FESTIVAL AWARD WINNER
A NEW ENGLAND BOOK FESTIVAL AWARD WINNER
A PINNACLE BOOK AWARD WINNER

"A must-read if you're ready to unlock your full potential!"
-Tiffany Pham, Founder and CEO, Mogul

Find your voice, own your story, and elevate your professional life. In The Visibility Mindset: How Asian American Leaders Create Opportunities and Push Past Barriers, Chao and Lam deliver an engaging and enlightening treatment of how Asian American professional leaders have powered through the obstacles in their way. Exploring a variety of myths,…


#ENTRYLEVELBOSS

By Alexa Shoen,

Book cover of #ENTRYLEVELBOSS: How to Get Any Job You Want

Meg Jay Author Of The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter--And How to Make the Most of Them Now

From the list on figuring out your 20s.

Who am I?

Meg Jay, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist, and an Associate Professor of Human Development at the University of Virginia, who specializes in adult development and in twentysomethings in particular. She earned a doctorate in clinical psychology, and in gender studies, from the University of California, Berkeley. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and her work has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review and on NPR and BBC. Her TED talk “Why 30 Is Not the New 20” is among the most watched of all time.

Meg's book list on figuring out your 20s

Why did Meg love this book?

Three cheers for Entry Level Boss. I love Alexa's voice. I love her advice. And I love that she's broken down getting a job into the steps that every twentysomething wants and needs. Anyone who wants that first job--but is not sure how to get it--should read this book.

By Alexa Shoen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked #ENTRYLEVELBOSS as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An easy-to-follow, nine-step process for how to land your dream job and cut through the noise of job-searching in the 21st century.

Banging your head against the wall about the job search? Wondering why nobody’s even bothering to send you a rejection letter (much less an interview request)? You are not alone. This process is a beast, but there’s good news: #EntryLevelBoss is the book for you. This is an easy-to-follow roadmap for transforming yourself from frustrated job seeker into hired, happy, productive human.

One part behind-the-scenes memoir, one part playbook, #EntryLevelBoss lays out career coach Alexa Shoen’s proven 9-step…


Chutes and Ladders

By Katherine S. Newman,

Book cover of Chutes and Ladders: Navigating the Low-Wage Labor Market

George Farkas Author Of Industries, Firms, and Jobs: Sociological and Economic Approaches

From the list on understanding American poverty and inequality.

Who am I?

I have an unusual personal history. I majored in math in college and aspired to a life as a scientist. However, the civil rights movement and other events of the 1960s and 1970s inspired me to switch and earn a doctorate in sociology. (Which considers itself a science.) My first faculty position, at Yale beginning in 1972, involved a joint appointment in the Sociology Department and the Institution for Social and Policy Studies, which focused on public policy. During the remainder of my career I have worked and published together with economists and sought to do research that uses the perspectives of both fields. 

George's book list on understanding American poverty and inequality

Why did George love this book?

This book by sociologist Newman provides an ideal mix of statistical data with in-depth interviews with a group of low-wage workers, describing how their employment and life conditions changed over time.

We come to know these people, to understand what it is like to be employed in a low-wage job, and how it is possible but not easy for them to move up to better-paying jobs.

By Katherine S. Newman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Chutes and Ladders as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Now that the welfare system has been largely dismantled, the fate of America's poor depends on what happens to them in the low-wage labour market. In this timely volume, Katherine S. Newman explores whether the poorest workers and families benefited from the tight labour markets and good economic times of the late 1990s. Following black and Latino workers in Harlem, who began their work lives flipping burgers, she finds more good news than we might have expected coming out of a high-poverty neighbourhood. Many adult workers returned to school and obtained trade certificates, high school diplomas and college degrees. Their…


Novations

By Gene W. Dalton, Paul H. Thompson,

Book cover of Novations: Strategies for Career Management

Jon Younger Author Of Agile Talent: How to Source and Manage Outside Experts

From the list on talent management.

Who am I?

The future of talent management is now. I’m a teacher, consultant, and board member who is deeply interested in the social and economic impact of the freelance revolution. Millions of people around the world are now working for themselves as independent professionals or “solopreneurs”. Millions more are taking on freelance assignments to augment their income or increase their expertise and experience. Technology makes it possible for professionals in many fields to work remotely and free themselves from the limitations of their local economy. These benefits organizations by offering greater access to talent and gives professionals greater access to opportunity. 

Jon's book list on talent management

Why did Jon love this book?

Gene Dalton and Paul Thompson changed the way we think about career development through their research and what they called the four stages of development. It has influenced career development and talent management practices in companies around the world. Deeply accessible and practical, the four stages are fully described and the book is rich in application tools, methods and best practices.

By Gene W. Dalton, Paul H. Thompson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

1 HARDCOVER BOOK WITH DUST COVER