“Find something you love to do, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” – Harvey MacKay
This is a list of the best books on career development, finding jobs, work-life balance, and workplace effectiveness.
This is a powerful collection of the best career development books that will help you find your path, achieve career success, master work-life balance, work less to achieve more, play to your strengths, follow your passion, bring out your best, and flourish in any arena.
Top 15 Books on Career Development
- Coping with Difficult Bosses by Robert Bramson: Robert Bramson offers insights and techniques for effectively dealing with challenging bosses and workplace situations.
- Getting Ahead by Joel A. Garfinkle: Garfinkle offers actionable strategies and insights for career advancement, providing a roadmap to success in the professional world.
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham: Buckingham guides you in identifying and leveraging your unique strengths to enhance their professional performance and overall satisfaction.
- Fat, Forty, Fired by Nigel Marsh: Nigel Marsh shares his personal journey of career transformation and achieving work-life balance.
- Is Your Genius at Work? by Dick Richards: Dick Richards explores the concept of finding and utilizing your unique genius in the workplace to enhance your career.
- Mindshift by Barbara Oakley: Barbara Oakley, an engineer and educator, shares insights and strategies for acquiring new skills, switching careers, and adapting to the rapidly changing world of work.
- Overachievement by John Eliot: Eliot presents a unique perspective on stress, providing practical tools to harness stress for peak performance and offering insights on achieving excellence.
- Secrets of a Buccaneer by James Bach: James Bach explores unconventional approaches to career success and personal development.
- The 4-Hour Work Week Tim Ferriss: Tim Ferriss presents strategies for achieving greater freedom and flexibility in your career, including tips on outsourcing and entrepreneurship.
- The Dip by Seth Godin: Seth Godin discusses the concept of “the dip” in your career and how to navigate it to achieve long-term success.
- The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins: Watkins shares a guide for new leaders, offering strategies and insights to navigate the critical initial period of a leadership transition successfully.
- The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope: Stephen Cope explores the concept of dharma, which means one’s unique path or purpose in life, ad shares guidance on overcoming obstacles, fears, and societal expectations that may hinder the pursuit of your true path.
- The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene: Robert Greene delves into the intricacies of human behavior, psychology, and social dynamics, revealing a comprehensive guide to understanding and navigating the complexities of human nature for personal and professional success.
- The Perfect Resume by Tom Jackson: Tom Jackson provides insights and tips on crafting a compelling resume to advance your career.
- Work from the Inside Out by Nancy O’Hara: Nancy O’Hara’s book focuses on personal development within the context of your career, emphasizing self-awareness and inner transformation.
Here is a list of the best books on career development sorted by category to help you master your career development skills…
Best Career Books on Brand, Reputation
- Career Distinction by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson
- Linchpin by Seth Godin
- Me 2.0 by Dan Schawbel
- Wild West 2.0 by David Thompson
Best Career Books on Careers, Career Paths
- 150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs, by Laurence Shatkin
- Career Match by Shoya Zichy
- Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring by Ford Myers
- Getting Ahead Joel A. Garfinkle
- I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher
- Making a Living Without a Job Barbara J. Winter
- Refuse to Choose! by Barbara Sher
- The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers by James Citrin and Richard Smith
- The 80/20 Individual by Richard Koch
- The Adventures of Johnny Bunko by Daniel Pink and Rob Ten Pas
- The Career Chronicles by Michael Gregory
- The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People by Carol Eikleberry
- The Dip by Seth Godin
- The Pathfinder by Nicholas Lore
- The Six-Figure Second Income by David Lindahl and Jonathan Rozek
- What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles
- You Majored in What? by Katherine Brooks
- Your Road Map for Success by John C. Maxwell
Best Career Books on Change, Changing Careers
- Changing Course by William A. Sadler
- Getting from College to Career by Lindsey Pollak
- The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers by James Citrin and Richard Smith
- The Bliss List by J.P. Hansen
- The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins
- What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles
- Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
- You Majored in What? by Katherine Brooks
- Your Next Move by Michael Watkins
Best Career Books on Consulting
- Flawless Consulting by Peter Block
- Getting Started in Consulting by Alan Weiss
- Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss
- Secrets of Consulting by Gerald Weinberg
- The Consulting Bible by Alan Weiss
- The McKinsey Engagement Paul N. Friga
- Value-Based Fees by Alan Weiss
Best Career Books on Creative Expression, Artists at Work
- Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields
- Linchpin by Seth Godin
- The Artist’s Way at Work by Mark Bryan
- The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People by Carol Eikleberry
- Zen and the Art of Making a Living by Laurence G. Boldt
Best Career Books on Effectiveness
- Be the Hero by Noah Blumenthal
- Brain Rules by John Medina
- Effective Immediately by Emily Bennington
- Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
- Equipping 101 by John C. Maxwell
- Getting Results the Agile Way, by J.D. Meier
- How to Be a Business Superhero by Sean Wise
- Mentored by a Millionaire by Steven Scott
- Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois P. Frankel
- Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina
- Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
- Talent Is Never Enough by John C. Maxwell
- The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers by James Citrin and Richard Smith
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness by Stephen R. Covey
- The 80/20 Individual by Richard Koch
- The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch
- The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield
- Trump: The Way to the Top by Donald Trump
- Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins
- What Would Machiavelli Do? by Stanley Bing
Best Career Books on Engagement, Energy
- Drive by Daniel H. Pink
- Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
- Mojo by Marshall Goldsmith
- Overachievement by John Eliot
- Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
- Refuse to Choose! by Barbara Sher
- The 80/20 Individual by Richard Koch
- The Bliss List by J.P. Hansen
- The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon
- The Adventures of Johnny Bunko by Daniel Pink and Rob Ten Pas
- The Charge by Brendon Burchard
- The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
- Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins
- Zengage by David Zinger
Best Career Books on Fear, Failure, Setbacks
- Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell
- Mentored by a Millionaire by Steven Scott
- Overachievement by John Eliot
- Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
- The Charge by Brendon Burchard
- The Dip by Seth Godin
Best Career Books on Interpersonal Relationships
- Crucial Confrontations, by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
- Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
- Dealing with People You Can’t Stand by Dr. Rick Brinkman and Dr. Rick Kirschner
- How to Click with People: The Secret to Better Relationships in Business and in Life by Dr. Rick Kirshner
- How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Tahl Raz
- Personal Village, How to Have People in Your Life by Choice, Not Chance by Marvin Thomas
- Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
- The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders
- The SPEED of Trust by Stephen Covey
- What Would Machiavelli Do? by Stanley Bing
Best Career Books on Interviews
- Boost Your Interview IQ by Carole Martin
- Case Interview Secrets by Victor Cheng
- Fearless Interviewing: How to Win the Job by Communicating with Confidence by Marky Stein
- How Would You Move Mount Fuji? by William Poundstone
- Programming Interviews Exposed by John Mongan and Noah Suojanen
Best Career Books on Job Hunting and Job Search
- Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring by Ford Myers
- How to Get Any Job by Donald Asher
- Knock ’em Dead 2012 by Yate Martin
- Really Useful Job Search Tactics by Rick Gillis
- Refuse to Choose!: by Barbara Sher
- The Job Search Solution by Tony Beshara
- The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search by Orville Pierson
Best Career Books on Lifestyle, Career Design
- Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields
- Laptop Lifestyle – How to Quit Your Job and Make a Good Living on the Internet by Christopher King
- Living The 80/20 Way by Richard Koch
- Making a Living Without a Job Barbara J. Winter
- Overachievement by John Eliot
- Refuse to Choose!: by Barbara Sher
- The 4-Hour work Week by Tim Ferris
- The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers by James Citrin and Richard Smith
- The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
- The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People by Carol Eikleberry
- The Power of Less by Leo Babauta
- Zen and the Art of Making a Living by Laurence G. Boldt
Best Career Books on Networking
- How to Click with People by Dr. Rick Kirshner
- How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Masters of Networking by Ivan R. Misner
- Never Eat Alone by Tahl Raz
- Personal Village by Marvin Thomas
- The 29% Solution by Ivan R. Misner
Best Career Books on Passion, Purpose, Motivation
- Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
- Drive by Daniel H. Pink
- Getting Results the Agile Way, by J.D. Meier
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham
- I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was by Barbara Sher
- Overachievement by John Eliot
- Put Your Dream to the Test by John C. Maxwell
- Refuse to Choose! by Barbara Sher
- The 80/20 Individual by Richard Koch
- The Adventures of Johnny Bunko by Daniel Pink and Rob Ten Pas
- The Bliss List by J.P. Hansen
- The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People by Carol Eikleberry
- The Charge by Brendon Burchard
- Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins
- Who Are You and What Do You Want? by Mick Ukleja
- Work from the Inside Out by Nancy O’Hara
- You Majored in What? by Katherine Brooks
Best Career Books on Resumes
- Asher’s Bible of Executive Resumes and How to Write Them by Donald Asher
- How to Say It on Your Resume by Brad Karsh
- The Google Resume by Gayle Laakmann McDowell
- The Perfect Resume by Tom Jackson
Best Career Books on Self-Employed
- Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields
- KaChing by Joel Comm
- Laptop Lifestyle – How to Quit Your Job and Make a Good Living on the Internet by Christopher King
- Secrets of Self-Employment (Working from Home) by Paul Edwards
- The Six-Figure Second Income by David Lindahl and Jonathan Rozek
Best Career Books on Strengths
- Character Strengths and Virtues by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman
- Getting Results the Agile Way by J.D. Meier
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham
- Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham
- Refuse to Choose! by Barbara Sher
- StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
- The Charge by Brendon Burchard
Best Career Books on Transition
- Changing Course by William A. Sadler
- The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins
- What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles
- What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
Best Career Books on Work Less, Achieve More
- Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work by Marcus Buckingham
- Living The 80/20 Way by Richard Koch
- Mentored by a Millionaire by Steven Scott
- Overachievement by John Eliot
- The 4-Hour work Week: Escape 9-5 by Tim Ferris
- The 80/20 Individual by Richard Koch
- The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch
- The Charge by Brendon Burchard
- The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield
- The Power of Less by Leo Babauta
- Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins
Best Career Books on Work-life Balance
- Getting Results the Agile Way by J.D. Meier
- How Full Is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath
- Overachievement by John Eliot
- Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
- The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield
- Work from the Inside Out by Nancy O’Hara
Best Career Books on Zen at Work
- Work from the Inside Out by Nancy O’Hara
- Zen and the Art of Making a Living by Laurence G. Boldt
- Zengage by David Zinger