I get pinged once or twice a week about books and guides I recommend for job hunting.
So here’s an in-depth list of the best books for job seekers broken down by topic (like best book about resume writing, best book about job interviews, etc.)
Note: Some of the links below are Amazon affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission on purchases made through these links (at no cost to you). We work hard to only recommend products & services that are high-quality and that we use ourselves.
The 9 Best Books For Job Seekers:
Best Resume Writing Book For Job Seekers
If you’re looking for a book on how to create an interview-winning resume, this is the book I recommend.
Your resume is the biggest factor in whether you get the interview or not, so this is one of the best books for job seekers.
The reviews are outstanding and it’s easy to read, follow, and implement so you can start getting more interviews quickly.
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Best Book About Adding Specific Details And Metrics To Your Resume
The first thing I recommend job seekers do on their resume is make sure they’re not just listing past responsibilities, but also putting actual results and accomplishments.
By putting data, metrics, and past successes on your resume, you will get you far more interviews than starting your bullets with boring phrases like, “responsible for…”
And this book shows you exactly how to do this, making it one of the best job hunting books you can buy in our opinion.
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The Best Book About Job Interviews & Interview Answers
This is the only place on this list of job hunting books were I’m recommending my own book… and it’s for one reason…
I believe my Complete Guide To Job Interview Answers is the most in-depth and effective book on job interview preparation and job interview answers (it contains separate sections for both).
I’ve collected so many testimonials from job seekers telling me how much this helped them, and the types of high-paying jobs they’ve landed. So I know this stuff works and feel 110% confident in recommending it.
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One exception:
If you are a software engineer/programmer, “Cracking The Coding Interview” is an incredible book on job interviews.
I’ve spoken to numerous software developers who SWEAR by this book.
So if you’re a computer scientist/programmer… then buy that book instead.
…Or buy both because my Complete Guide To Job Interview Answers will help you answer all of the personality-based questions that hiring managers ask to assess your motivation, your work ethic, etc.
(After you do the technical screening, they’re still going to want to sit down with you and make sure you’re a good cultural fit and the type of person they want on their team).
But if you only buy one, grab “Cracking The Coding Interview.” I’ve just heard way too many software engineers swear by this book to not recommend it.
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The Best Book On Negotiation
This next book is not strictly a salary negotiation book but it’s the best book on negotiation we’ve found overall, to the point where we’re recommending it over salary-specific books!
It’s that good.
It’s written by former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and will help you be more persuasive and negotiate better in a variety of situations in life, including salary negotiations .
If learning proven negotiating tactics that you can use in a variety of areas in your life sounds interesting, this is a must-read book.
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The Best Book On Habits And Productivity
This next book is one of the top 5 books I’ve ever read, and is one of the best books for job hunting if you struggle being consistent or staying focused.
It reveals how habits form in the brain, why we fall into behavior “loops” where bad habits and routines seem so hard to escape, and how to change your habits for good.
In short, this book will help you destroy bad habits and build productive ones – in your job search, your career, and your life.
I’d consider this to be a must-read book for anyone who cares about being successful in their life, enjoying their work, earning more money, being more productive, or advancing faster in their career.
And if none of that appeals to you, then you’re probably on the wrong blog :)
One note: The final 1/3 of the book didn’t really interest me. It’s about how habits in groups and organizations.
At the time I read this, it just didn’t grab me. Maybe if I re-read it now I’d like it more. But the first 2/3 of the book are so ridiculously good and insightful that I didn’t care.
It was worth the price just to read the first 2/3 and learn how my personal habits work… why I fall into the same routines… why certain habits seem so hard to kill off… and how to finally fix it (this book reveals all of that).
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The Best Book On Networking To Get Interviews
Networking is extremely important in the modern job search and is the fastest possible way to find a job.
(If someone a company knows speaks highly of you or recommends you, they’re going to interview you much sooner and the interview could be a lot easier and more relaxed, too. Not always, but quite often).
And this is the best book I’ve been able to find on job search networking, how to use modern technology to get more interviews, and more.
I personally spoke with the author, Steve Dalton, on LinkedIn, and here’s how he described the content when I asked if he’d consider this a networking book or not:
“I myself would call it a ‘getting interviews’ book…
Networking books are generally comprised of tips and cover all aspects of networking. However, my book is a set of replicable instructions that covers just the subset of networking that correlates with individually sourcing and securing interviews (so nothing about career fairs or conferences).
In other words, my book covers implementation AND its underlying strategy — more like a recipe than a list of ingredients, so readers who follow the steps exactly as laid out can safely know what to expect.
Networking books as I understand them tend not to be so concrete in terms of what to do when, for how long, and when to stop.”
If you’re looking for a great job hunting book that covers precise instructions on how to use networking to get interviews and get job offers, then this book is highly-recommended.
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The Best Book On Leadership
If you want to become a leader or advance in your career as a leader, this is the best book for you.
And if you’re actively searching for jobs, then reading a book on leadership will give you something you can mention in job interviews and talk about to stand out.
Hiring managers LOVE when a candidate is taking initiative and spending their own time to advance/learn new skills.
This can directly help you get job offers for leadership positions.
It’s crucial to show employers you’re actively working to develop your leadership skills if you want to be considered for leadership jobs.
They want to hire the best leaders possible, and not just people who are looking for a position of power or authority.
By showing them you’ve invested your time and a tiny bit of money into a book like this, you’ll stand out and make it clear to them that you’re serious about a career path in leadership.
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The Best Book On Entrepreneurship
“Whoa… whoa, this is a job hunting book list. Why entrepreneurship?”
Well, maybe you’re fed up with working for someone else and want to QUIT and work for yourself.
Or if you’re job searching while unemployed, maybe you want to build an income stream that allows you to never take a job again.
Sounds pretty good, right?
I quit my job a few years ago and turned this blog into my full-time business (after freelancing for one year to supplement my income as the blog grew).
It’s the best decision I ever made, and this is the best book I’ve read on the topic of entrepreneurship.
I can’t recommend this book enough. It could possibly change your life. I’ve read it twice.
FYI: The second best book I’ve read on the topic of entrepreneurship is the ultra-popular (and almost cliche at this point) “Four Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferris. But this is better!
I think The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco (above), is the #1 best book you can read to start learning about entrepreneurship and walk away with real, tangible ideas of things you could do to make money for yourself.
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That wraps up our list of the 9 best job hunting books on the web. I plan on updating this list regularly, so feel free to bookmark this page and check back for future updates.
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