Books to Boost Your Career and Land Your Dream Job

I credit my bookworm tendencies with much of my career success. While I’ve learned so much from my colleagues and mentors, books gave me the frameworks and strategies to stand out, grow, and adapt. They’re where I learned the foundations -- how to think critically, prioritize effectively, and navigate the challenges of building a meaningful career.

Whether you're a job seeker, facing a work-related challenge, or trying to figure out what's next, these books can help guide the way. But you don't have to take my word for it... 🌈

1. "Smart and Gets Things Done" by Joel Spolsky

Smart & Gets Things Done is a cheat code for understanding what hiring managers are looking for.

Early in my career, I was fortunate to work under leaders who knew hiring the right people could make or break a team. Joel Spolsky’s practical advice on recruiting and retaining top talent became our company’s hiring playbook. In fact, we borrowed his title and added a third requirement for candidates: kind.

Whether you’re looking to build a high-performing team or aiming to be that indispensable person, this book will give you the insights you need to stand out and succeed.

2. Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

Have you ever gotten feedback and thought, “Wait, really? That doesn’t sound like me at all.” That’s exactly how I felt many years ago when my boss opened a mid-year review with, “You’re really good at accepting feedback.”

Oh, was he mistaken… I know I often resisted or became defensive when someone offered me advice. But if my boss thought I was a master at receiving feedback, I wasn’t about to let him down. I decided to live up to the compliment and began actively, yet haphazardly, seeking feedback from anyone willing to give it. 

Years later, I discovered Thanks for the Feedback, and everything clicked. Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen do so much more than teach you how to handle constructive criticism. They show you how, when, and from whom to seek it out, and how to leverage feedback as a universally effective way to level up in your career.

3. To Sell is Human by Daniel H. Pink

What comes to mind when you think of “sales”? 

Gross. I bet you're already picturing a sleazy used car salesman aiming to scam folks out of money, right? Where did this collective memory even come from? That’s exactly how I used to feel until I watched Daniel Pink’s Masterclass on Sales and Persuasion.

When you’re trying to convince someone to hire you, asking for a raise, or pitching your ideas in a meeting, the ability to “sell” is crucial. But here’s the kicker: if it makes you feel gross, you’re probably doing it wrong.

To Sell is Human reframes sales as an essential life skill, not a manipulative tactic. His advice helped me rethink how I presented myself in interviews, communicated my ideas, and influenced outcomes to drive progress in my career. This book will teach you how to persuade authentically and effectively... without that once-icky “selling” feeling.

4. What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles

Early in my career, I was overwhelmed by choices and unsure about what was "supposed to" be my next step. It all worked out in the end, but I do wish I had discovered What Color is Your Parachute? sooner.

This classic career guide is updated regularly to keep pace with changes in the job market, everything from applicant tracking systems and AI to remote work in a post-COVID world. But despite these updates, much of what makes an effective job search has stayed the same since the book’s first edition. Richard Bolles’ approach taught me how to discover what matters to ME (not just my boss), align my strengths with the right kind of role, and approach job hunting with confidence and clarity.

If you’re looking for some direction in your career, this book can help you find a role worthy of your passion and skills. 

5. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Personally, I find negotiating a job offer to be super intimidating. I have reason to believe I'm not alone on that.

I once accepted a job offer on the spot without attempting to negotiate. The next time I got a job offer… I did it again. My boss later told me they’d have given me more if only I had asked. 

Thanks, boss. Why not just pay me what I’m worth instead of playing this silly game? 😭

Unfortunately, that’s just how it works, and it sucks. Kudos to the companies that do better. 

Negotiation skills can help you create win-win outcomes, from job offers to everyday work interactions. While I'm always here to help and support you, you could figure it out on your own with this book. My seminar on negotiating job offers is built on the principles covered in Never Split the Difference. Don’t leave anything on the table. 

With Chris Voss’ anecdotes from his time as an FBI hostage negotiator, this is one of the most engaging reads on my list.

6. The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier

The Coaching Habit changed everything for me, long before I ever even considered becoming a Career Coach.

I used to treat one-on-ones as status meetings. But the simple question, “What’s on your mind?” turned them into coaching sessions that helped my team to grow in the ways they wanted and needed.

Michael Bungay Stainer taught me to ask open-ended, non-leading questions, encouraging others to find solutions and think critically. The “and what else?” question, in particular, is a game-changer. It sparks deeper exploration and helps uncover the root of challenges, leading to better problem-solving and more meaningful conversations. There’s always more beneath the surface.

Practical, easily actionable, and full of insights, The Coaching Habit can transform how you lead and support others. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to develop a coaching mindset and make their conversations count.

7. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

If you’ve ever asked me for help navigating a work-related challenge, you’re likely to have heard me recommend and/or quote How to Win Friends and Influence People.

This timeless classic pairs memorable one-liner mantras with well-told anecdotes highlighting how building genuine relationships is at the heart of success. Dale Carnegie’s advice to be genuinely interested in others and to see things from their perspective is surprisingly practical for resolving a wide range of situations.

Note: be sure to pick up a copy published after the 1981 revision. The original 1936 edition was written in an era where gender roles in the workplace were assumed, so many examples now feel outdated and miss the mark.

Since it feels so cliché to recommend this book, I might as well go all in: If you want to develop authentic relationships that open doors and create lasting influence, let this book be your guide.

8. Harvard Business Review's 10 Must Reads on Leadership

Whether you’re a wanna-be manager or already in an executive leadership role, the diverse topics covered in HBR's 10 Must Reads on Leadership will meet you where you are in your career. Harvard Business Review really does mean it when it says, "If you read nothing else on leadership, read these."

As a new manager, I hadn’t considered leadership styles beyond the simple dichotomy of “dictator” and “not a dictator.” However, one article in this collection dives deeply into different leadership styles. It introduces the idea of “servant leadership,” a concept that resonated with me instantly and shaped my approach from that point on.

I never saw my role as telling people what to do or being in charge for the sake of power. I always viewed myself more as a supporter than a traditional leader. Servant leadership perfectly captures this mindset: support your team, trust them, remove obstacles, and let them do what they do best. After all, you hired them for a reason.

For me, leadership is about service. It might mean something different for you. On Leadership can help you find that clarity.

9. The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch

Once you read The 80/20 Principle, be prepared: for the next month, you'll apply this concept to every area of your life. Your friends and family will hate you for it because it’s all you will talk about.

20% of your cleaning effort keeps your home 80% presentable. Just shove everything into the closet before guests arrive.

You wear the same 20% of your clothes 80% of the time. Maybe it's time to clean out your closet, making room for the above-noted shoving? More on this later, in book 15...

Richard Koch drills it into your head in nearly a hundred different ways: 80% of this comes from 20% of that.

In the context of job searching, this means pinpointing the highest-impact activities and prioritizing them, from applying to networking. 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts, so concentrate your energy on the actions that produce the most meaningful results instead of spreading yourself thin with bulk applications. Since 80% of your leads will come from 20% of your network, you don't need to reach out to everyone -- just the folks who are most likely to help you.

If you want to make your job search more effective and less stressful, this principle is a must.

10. The Stay Interview by Richard P. Finnegan

Have you ever heard of a Stay Interview?

It’s like an Exit Interview, except it happens long before the cause is lost. 

Unlike an exit interview, which comes too late, a stay interview focuses on what keeps employees engaged and satisfied in their roles.

The Stay Interview emphasizes that proactive conversations with your team can help identify their needs and prevent turnover before it happens. Richard Finnegan guides leaders to ask the right questions, understand what drives their team members, and pinpoint where additional support is needed.

If you’re serious about leadership, this book is essential reading. Employee retention and satisfaction are the natural byproducts of a culture that values, listens to, and invests in its people.

Combining the stay interview with a coaching habit has long been my secret to leading exceptional teams. Speaking of habits...

11. Atomic Habits by James Clear

“Kim, you always work so hard. You never stop! Where do you find the energy? How do you stay motivated?”

Stay motivated? I don’t. I can’t. Everyone has bad days. I don’t stay motivated.

Motivation isn’t the word you’re looking for. 

Motivation is the mind-killer.

Discipline is the skill of doing the thing even when you’re not motivated to do the thing. You do it anyway, because it’s a habit. You need to become the kind of person who just does the thing.

So, the hard part is building the habit. James Clear makes that part easy: Make the good habits obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying. Make the bad habits invisible, unattractive, difficult, and unsatisfying.

If you’re struggling to find motivation or stay motivated, pick up Atomic Habits and see if what you're really looking for is discipline.

12. The Pragmatic Programmer by David Thomas and Andrew Hunt

The Pragmatic Programmer is a timeless resource for anyone who values adaptability, continuous learning, and self-improvement. While it’s aimed at software developers, many of its principles are universally applicable.

In my past life in the tech industry, I aspired to be a pragmatic programmer. My first team (brilliantly) made this book required reading as part of the onboarding process. I now consider myself to be a pragmatic career coach. I can feel the principles put forth by David Thomas and Andrew Hunt in my bones.

The book emphasizes the importance of being pragmatic. Choose the right tool for the job. Adapt your approach as needed. YAGNI (You Aren’t Gonna Need It) -- a reminder to avoid overcomplicating things and focus only on what’s essential.

Whether tackling complex projects or striving for personal growth, these ideas will help you stay practical, be efficient, and continually improve. If you want to sharpen your problem-solving skills and build a mindset of resilience, The Pragmatic Programmer is a must-read. For programmers out there, you would be downright negligent not to.

13. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

7 Habits of Highly Effective People is one of those classics that stands the test of time because it actually makes you better at being better.

Stephen Covey’s principles transcend professional development, touching on personal growth, leadership, and the art of living effectively. 

The focus is on being proactive, prioritizing what matters, and thinking win-win to lay a solid foundation for both professional and personal fulfillment. It teaches that effectiveness is built on integrity, purpose, and continuous self-improvement.

7 Habits offers insights and frameworks that are always worth revisiting. It challenges you to rethink your approach, from how you set goals to how you deal with setbacks.

14. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

The Lean Startup is essential reading for anyone who wants to innovate without wasting time or resources. It’s not just for entrepreneurs or tech founders at startups. The principles of rapid experimentation, validated learning, and pivoting apply to any project or initiative where you need to test ideas quickly and adapt on the fly.

The core of this lean approach is an iterative cycle of creating, testing, and improving. You build an initial version of your idea, measure its performance, and then learn from the results to inform your next steps. This process repeats, allowing you to refine and optimize your approach over time. Eric Ries offers practical strategies for making more confident, data-backed decisions, especially for those operating in fast-paced environments where adaptability is crucial.

This kind of lean thinking helps avoid the pitfalls of investing significant time and resources into something that might not meet the needs of your team or customers.

15. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

... 🤨

What is this book doing here?

Decluttering your closet can’t possibly help you level up in your career or get a new job.

Or, can it?!

No, it can’t. But, you can take Marie Kondo’s "Does this spark joy?" question and apply it to your to-do list, with a twist. 

If you (or your team) have a never-ending list of features to implement, bugs to fix, and tasks to accomplish, it might be time to tidy up your backlog. 

"Will this make or save the company money?"

"Will this improve customer satisfaction?"

"Will this help us meet our key performance objectives?"

If it doesn’t help you accomplish your core mission, discard it. Delete the task. Archive it. Move it somewhere else. Get it out of your field of view to reduce the cognitive overload when prioritizing the rest of your task list. Stop wasting time reviewing the same low-priority, low-impact issues every time you try to figure out what you should work on next.

Focus on the work that brings value and aligns with your team’s primary goal. Discard the rest.

Embrace The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up your backlog. May each of your tasks spark joy in your heart. ❤️

Throughout this article, I’ve included links to each book on Bookshop.org, a platform that supports local independent bookstores. While you’re welcome to buy from other retailers if you prefer, I encourage you to shop locally and invest in your community.

This holiday season, remember that supporting small businesses can have a significant impact on keeping your neighborhood strong and vibrant.