The entire job searching process can be a daunting, confusing task – you might even be putting it off completely because you simply have no idea where to even begin. We’re here to help you through the process. We’ve compiled a list of helpful books to read every step along the way on your job search.

FIGURING IT OUT

The first and, arguably, most important step of your job search is the very first one you take: deciding what it is that you even want to do. This is an intimidating and paralyzing task for many, which is why anyone who is not entirely certain (or even totally lost and confused) should read the following book before even beginning to actually search for a job.

What Color Is Your Parachute?

By Richard N. Bolles

This book has been on job search help lists since it was originally written in 1970. Bolles writes almost yearly updates, so the information has managed to stay relevant through the years. This is the perfect book for anyone who is trying to figure out who they are and what they really want to do in their career.

The basic principle behind Bolles’ philosophy is that you have just as much to offer the employer as they have to offer you. This text provides numerous resources and aids to analyze your skills and behavioral traits to ultimately help you decide the direction that you want to go in life. Bolles takes you through the process of figuring out your next step while also showing how to keep your career in line with the overall goals of your life.

ACTUALLY SEARCHING FOR THE JOB

Okay, so now you know what you want to do in your career – or at least where you want to start. Now, you need to actually sit down and dig through job description after job description until you find the perfect match. We’ve named two books that will help you out in this repetitive part of the process.

Getting Things Done

By David Allen

This is a great resource for learning how to effectively manage your time and get things done as quickly as possible. Allen methodically breaks down the project completion process into five simple phases: collect everything that needs to get done, process tasks in order to determine urgency, organize tasks by level of importance, review and update your list of projects weekly, and finally, do the tasks! This book will get your life more organized and keep you accountable for your accomplished/unaccomplished projects.

The 2-Hour Job Search: Using Technology to Get the Right Job Faster

By Steve Dalton

This is the perfect book to reference when you are preparing to physically sit down and search for a position. It puts a process to the job search by outlining and expanding upon the things you should do in your search. Perhaps the biggest benefit of this book, Dalton really goes into detail about utilizing different forms/aspects of technology to help you immensely in your job search. On top of it all, Dalton also includes a very clear approach to networking in the United States, which is a skill that many people feel they need to work on.

WRITING A RESUME/COVER LETTER

You’ve finally narrowed the vast amount of potential job openings to just a few that you’re really excited to apply to. Now, it’s time to polish off that resume and send it on over. Maybe you’ve never written a resume in your life. Maybe the idea of writing a cover letter terrifies you. No matter – we’ve got you covered for everything from resumes to cover letters to professional emails with the following book.

Wait, How Do I Write This Email?

By Danny Rubin

Despite what the title may imply, this book covers far more than just emails. If you have ever wondered the correct way to format your resume, what exactly you’re supposed to include in a cover letter, or even what to say when talking on the phone to employers, this book is your new go-to guide. Keep it handy at all times when writing applications – there are numerous templates for all different situations which can be used and personalized as needed. Even if you think you know how to write, this book is sure to improve the way that everyone communicates!

INTERVIEWING

All your hard work has paid off and you’ve scored an interview! Congrats! This might be the most anxiety-inducing part of the job search, but it also has the chance to pay off with the biggest reward – an offer! We’ll help reduce that anxiety a little bit by suggesting that you read the following:

Nail That Interview

By Tim Vincent

This is a helpful book regardless of how many interviews you’ve been through in your lifetime. Vincent looks at the interview process with a fresh approach: the company needs you just as much as (if not more) than you need them. Through this lens, he explores the idea that an interview should be a comfortable conversation as opposed to a strict “question & answer” sort of setting. There’s a summary at the end of each chapter and various exercises throughout the book so you take this golden knowledge with you to interviews for years to come.

Read these books and then head on over to TriMech Services to put your new skills into practice![/fusion_text]