Here are some of my favorite career books. Most links go through my Amazon associates account, so I get a commission when you purchase through me. You pay the same whether you buy here or go directly to the site.
Some of these books have been around awhile. They’re still relevant and still the best I’ve found anywhere. Let me know if you’ve got suggestions for something I’ve missed.
Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career. by Herminia Ibarra.
This is the best book I’ve ever found for midlife, mid-career professionals. If you’re wondering why conventional career counseling doesn’t usually work, here’s the book you need. The author has been a professor at top business schools in the US and Europe. Based on solid research and interviews.
Making the Big Move : How to Transform Relocation into a Creative Life Transition. by Cathy Goodwin, PhD.
Should I relocate for a new career? This book answers that question and shows you how to minimize the stress of moving and maximize the ease of settling into a new community.
3 top books for a career change from corporate to entrepreneurship:
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber.
An essential book that explains how to transform a hobby into a business – and why some entrepreneurs become frustrated when they follow their dream.
Entrepreneuerial You by Dorie Clark.
A blueprint for creating a career, business and life on your own terms. I’d also recommend her latest book, The Long Game, which gives you an idea of how hard she had to work to get where she is now.
Side Hustle by Scott Guillebeau. A clear, realistic blueprint to starting a side hustle – your first step to self-employment.
Embracing Fear and Finding the Courage to Live Your Life. by Thom Rutledge. One of the most intelligent,
insightful books you can find about fear and generally taking charge of your life. No quick fixes, no jargon, no glitz. Solid wisdom based on the author’s life experience. Perfect gift for a friend in transition (and you, too).
The psychological processes:
The Way of Transition: Embracing Life’s Most Difficult Moments. by William Bridges.Based on his own experience with bereavement and career transition, Bridges offers realistic and inspiring guidance. One of my favorites.
The Gifted Adult: A revolutionary guide for liberating everyday genius by Mary-Elaine Jacobsen and Cheryl Woodruff.
Gifted adults can be accused of being scattered, hyperactive, oversensitive and blunt. They’re often lonely and frustrated — and reading this book can change their lives.
Toxic Emotions at Work by Peter Frost, Ph.D.
Written for managers to want to help employees survive on-the-job-pain, a welcome recognition that jobs can be harmful. Frost uses metaphor of toxins that spread around an organization, poisoning the members, and warns that toxin-handlers, who save others, may do so only by sacrificing their own needs.
The Myth of Laziness by Mel Levine, MD
Not accomplishing as much as you like? Stop beating yourself up, says this psychiatrist-author: you may need to compensate for cognitive and other functional deficits. And if you have children, this book may make the difference between being ridiculed as a failure and becoming a triumphant successful adul
Creating the Work You Love : Courage, Commitment and Career. by Rick Jarow, Ph.D.
This is more of a work for people looking for nontraditional approaches. A career book that’s more about “anticareers.”