You have (or, your student has) just finished a college degree. Congrats! It’s a huge accomplishment. And, perhaps best of all, no more assigned homework. However, just because no one is assigning more reading to be done at home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t devour writings on important topics.
Today, we’re suggesting the second of five critical topics for recent graduate readings. We may not be your professor, but these readings still count for pass/fail–in real life. Consider these required readings.
Topic 2: Job-Seeking
One of the most important things to do after graduating is to get a job. 45% of graduates live with family after graduation, but, almost certainly, the number of graduates who would prefer that living situation is significantly smaller. The key to finding that job that prevents you from boomeranging to your parent’s basement is excellence in the following categories: the right recommendations/resume; searching for jobs that fit; and interviewing well/impressing the boss.
Recommendations and Résumé
Searching for Jobs that Fit
- Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type
Do What You Are focuses on Personality Types – how you process information, make decisions and interact with the world around you – and shows you which of the 16 types describes you best. It lists dozens of occupations that are popular with people of your type. Then, using workbook exercises and real-life examples to highlight the strengths and pitfalls of each personality type, it shows you step-by-step how to use your unique strengths to customize your job search, ensuring the best results in the shortest period of time.
- Career Match: Connecting Who You Are with What You’ll Love to Do
“Career Match” is a one-of-a-kind guide that uses the author’s revealing 10 minute self-assessment to help people discover their ideal work. Featuring in-depth chapters for each personality type, the book shows readers how to find a career that fits their passion and personality, and then shows them how to get it. It is an invaluable resource for those in need of direction, whether they’re seeking a new path or trying to confirm that they’re already on the right one.
- What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers
What do you most love to do? Where do you most love to do it? How do you find such a job and persuade those employers to hire you? Career and business guru Richard (“Dick”) N. Bolles, who coined the terms “informational interview” and “transferable skills,” demystifies the entire job-search process, from resumes, interviewing, networking, salary negotiation, career coaches, how to start your own business, and more.
Interviewing Well and Impressing the Boss
- The 250 Job Interview Questions: You’ll Most Likely Be Asked…and the Answers That Will Get You Hired!
Do you have convincing answers ready for these important questions? Landing a good job is a competitive process and often the final decision is based on your performance at the interview. By following the advice of prominent career planning and human resources expert Peter Veruki, you’ll know you have the right answers at your job interview.
- 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions
This book helps job seekers pinpoint what employers are really asking with every question, and more importantly: what they want to hear in response. This no-nonsense guide will prepare you to leverage the trickiest questions to your advantage. Learn how to deal gracefully with complicated case interviews, various personality types, and even potentially illegal questions – all while avoiding common mistakes.
- When Reality Hits: What Employers Want Recent Graduates To Know
What do all college graduates have in common? A degree. So, what is going to separate you from the rest of the pack? Your success will be largely measured by your soft skills, such as: the right attitude, a professional demeanor, the ability to communicate on a professional level, being a team player, proper etiquette, and much more. This book will help you understand what your boss wants you to know, but does not have time to tell you.
