It’s hard to describe the feeling when you realize your college degree has been preparing you for a job, not a career.
what’s the difference?
You are reading: Career books for college students
A job is something people do for financial gain. A career is something you build over decades, at the end of which you look back with joy at all you’ve accomplished.
so while college may not prepare you for this, there are plenty of great books that cover a wide range of post-graduation options.
These are some of the best career books for college students.
1. the third gate by alex banayan
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have coffee with the richest man in the world? go clubbing with celebrities or even get rewarded for committing cybercrimes? Okay, maybe not the last, but here’s all the things college freshman Alex Banayan did!
alex embarked on a mission to interview the most successful people in the world to discover their secrets. what she found out was that they refused to wait in line or use conventional means; They took the third gate.
if you are a very ambitious person who dreams of becoming the next mark, warren or lady (gaga), this book is for you.
2. what color is your parachute? – richard n bolles
so you have two options: you can apply to work in fortune 500 or in a new company with a lot of growth potential. Which of these companies will be most likely to hire you?
if you chose startup then you are absolutely right and you just made richard bolles proud. What Color Is Your Parachute is the best-selling pro advice book for a reason. is full of offbeat wisdom and strategies guaranteed to land you several interviews before you graduate.
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The strategies have been so successful that 10 million people have bought this book in the last year and it just got a new update.
3. so good they can’t ignore you by cal newport
Passions are overrated and misleading. they are constantly changing, depending on who we are dating at the time. therefore, when they give you advice like “follow your passions”, it inevitably leads to “what am I passionate about?”
a more objective and reliable alternative according to cal newport, is to do what you are really good at. If this seems contradictory to what people are saying, it’s because it is, and they’re right.
like alex banayan, cal newport interviewed many successful people and found that passion comes as a result of excelling at something. But don’t stop with our summary, read the book for yourself.
further reading of: cal newport deep work
4. get the job you want even when no one is hiring for ford r. myers
There’s nothing like a global catastrophe or economic depression to make a person fear for their job security. Add on top of that a mountain of debt (student and otherwise) and it feels like his heart might explode.
but this book is the light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, you don’t even have to wait until the end, because this timeless masterpiece will show you how to employ unique strategies to get a good job with the right salary, in the right company.
In fact, the author argues that tough financial times can help you build an even better career. Now, that’s not something you read every day.
5. Do What You Are: By Paul D. tieger, barbara barron and kelly tigre
You’ve probably heard more than enough about personalities and careers, but now is the time to read it for yourself.
Over a million people have purchased this great guide to navigating the job market based on your particular skill set. What you’ll find here are plenty of references to doing what you’re passionate about, but before you think these books are contradictory, here’s a word of warning.
The authors of this book want you to do what you’ll love based on what you are naturally good at. There are a few helpful case studies in the book and who knows, you just might find one that matches your exact situation.
6. designing your life by bill burnet & David Evans
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when a stanford mechanical engineering professor writes a book, you expect it to be, well, not this!
Designing your life requires a methodical approach to help you get what you want out of life, without sacrificing your happiness. Unlike most career books, this one takes a holistic approach to your wellness.
This book was based on actual lectures and therefore has many applicable ideas and practical advice that can help you as a student, before you enter the big and bold world.
7. 120 Jobs That Won’t Chain You To Your Desk According To The Princeton Review
Enough of professional advice. now, we just want a good old book that tells me clearly that my life after college will not be a nightmare.
well, if you’re afraid of strict formal dress codes, cubicles, and boring group gatherings, then the princeton review has come to the rescue.
The 120 jobs discussed in the book come with practical advice from people living what could be their dream. while some of these jobs require a degree or even an advanced degree, others do not.
In hindsight, you probably should have read this book before college…well!
8. Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. paddle
Finally, we have a book by probably the most recognizable author on our list. jk rowling has had quite a remarkable career (and bank account) for someone who was constantly told writing wasn’t that great.
Well, if you’ve experienced some kind of disappointment in your personal and professional life and would like to learn how to make lemonade, this is the book for you.
Very Good Lives is based on Rowling’s 2008 Harvard commencement address and was published seven years later.
Unlike most of the books on our list, you won’t learn practical tips for landing your first job or excelling in an interview. however, what you will get is a sense of conviction that even if your first plan doesn’t work, one eventually will. and that plan you hit, can be more rewarding and satisfying than you could have anticipated.
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