5 Books to Read if You’re Thinking of Changing Careers

livemint.com:

During the pandemic, we had sudden layoffs, quickly followed by the Great Resignation. Now millions of positions are unfilled, yet many Americans still say they are unhappy in their jobs. In a survey of 1,000 workers between the ages of 25 and 44 by online-course provider edX back in 2018, some 29% of respondents said they had changed careers since their first job after college, and 32% said they were thinking about a change.

With that in mind, The Wall Street Journal asked some experts what books would be most helpful for people considering switching careers. Here’s what they said. “What Color Is Your Parachute: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success" By Richard N.

Bolles This book gets a big thumbs-up from Hartford, Conn.-based Paul Tieger, an expert in the study of personality types and a trainer of human-resources specialists. “What I appreciate most about Dick Bolles’s book is its comprehensiveness," Tieger says. “It was really the first career book, and it opens people’s eyes to how important it is to understand your needs to find career satisfaction and success." Richard N.

Bolles includes many activities that help people find satisfying work. It also covers such topics as identifying strengths for interviewing, networking, navigating the job market and handling career moves. Better still, it has stood the test of time.

The book was first published in 1970 and has been regularly updated since. “Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How for Business and Career Success" By Anne Baber and Lynne Waymon When switching jobs, who you know helps. That is why increasing your contacts is a key skill, says Red Bank, N.J.-based Dawn Graham, who works in talent management.