Books
7 Books Packed With Career Advice From Badass Authors Who've Been There
Whether you are finishing university, waiting for a promotion, or in need of a a complete career change, it can be hard to know who to turn to and how to go about getting what you want. Imposter syndrome is a very real issue, so looking at how other people have progressed can be incredibly helpful. Empowered women empower women. At the moment, it feels like so many people are being open about their successes, as well as their low points, and some have even written them down. Here are the seven best books for career advice. One of the most comforting feelings is knowing that someone you admire has felt the same as you at one point and they’re still killing the game.
Management consulting company Gallup recently named millennials the "job hopping generation" off the back of a report that found that 21 percent of millennials say they’ve changed jobs within the last year. That's more than three times the number of non-millennials. Changing jobs and careers isn’t uncommon anymore, and if social media is to be believed, everyone has a side hustle or freelance work to bring in a bit of extra dough. While this is super exciting, it can also leave you feeling really uncertain about what you're doing, where you stand in terms of career progression, and how you're getting to get to the next stage. Here are seven of the best books that dish out awesome career advice. Trust me: reading these is like having a career mentor on your bedside table.
1“Little Black Book” by Otegha Uwagba
If you are in need of a pep talk, some guidance, or a ton of inspiration, Otegha Uwagba has got your back. Writer and founder of Women Who, a community for creative working women, Uwagba poured years of knowledge from working in creative industries into Little Black Book. Described as a toolkit for working women, it offers advice on everything, from dealing with networking to negotiating a pay rise. It also fits perfectly in your bag so you won’t ever have to be without it.
You can buy it here.
2“Who Thought This Was A Good Idea?” by Alyssa Mastromonaco
So often, political memoirs put the good times on a pedestal while glazing over the bad. Alyssa Mastromonaco worked in one of the most famous offices in the land for the most powerful man in the world, and she gives us a picture of exactly what it was like — warts and all. Who Thought This Was A Good Idea is hilarious, insightful, and *so* honest. Each chapter will teach you a different attribute that is helpful for success; Mastromonaco is a career advisor and friendly voice all wrapped into one.
You can buy it here.
3“The Skills” by Mishal Husain
Cool, calm, and collected, Mishal Husain is such a broadcasting pro you'd never you would never guess that she still gets a little bit nervous before going on air. If you've ever wanted to learn how to build confidence, prepare for wins and defeats, and find a work-life balance that suits you down to the ground then you need to read The Skills. Drawing on her own experiences from working her way up to become an internationally recognised journalist, Husain is honest and really empowering. She will make you realise you shouldn’t apologise for being ambitious and will share some of the skills you need to get there.
You can buy it here.
4“How To Fail” by Elizabeth Day
One of the scariest things about taking a leap of faith is the prospect that you might fail. There is no shame in it, but it’s still really scary. Multi-award-winning writer and author Elizabeth Day has embraced some of her fails and written them down to prove that no one wins every time and that you can always learn something from failing. As well as writing about work, Day shares personal anecdotes about family, dating, anger, and so much more to highlight that you're going to make mistakes but they don’t need to define you.
You can buy it here.
5"I Am That Girl" by Alexis Jones
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” might be the scariest question in the world. Between finishing school, finding a job, and getting caught up in the general hustle and bustle of life it's really easy to lose sight of what you are really passionate about. Alexis Jones has carved out a career helping women find what they love and she shares all her secrets in I Am That Girl: How to Speak Your Truth, Discover Your Purpose, and #bethatgirl. Living your best life can seem like an impossible task but Jones wants to spread the message that you are already epic as you are, you have all the capabilities to succeed within yourself, and you just need to give yourself a break from time to time.
You can buy it here.
6"Leave Your Mark" by Aliza Licht
In a time when Instagram is your 'brand' and your emails follow you around 24/7, it can feel like your work day doesn't end at 6 p.m. and you’re never quite doing enough. You can work yourself to absolute breaking point in the hope that someone will notice. Aliza Licht gets it and, within the pages of Leave Your Mark, she will give you handy tips on how to clear your email inbox, build great professional relationships, and get your ideas heard. Dubbed as fashion's favourite PR girl Licht has a ton of stories from the frontline of an industry that can so often eat people up and spit them out. Her underlying message is that in a world where personal and professional boundaries are blurred you need to know who you are.
You can buy it here.
7"The Creative Habit" by Twyla Tharp
Getting stuck in a rut at work is one of the most irritating things. It's so hard looking at other people thriving when you can’t work out where you are going wrong. Whoever coined the phrase “comparison is the thief of joy” wasn’t lying. While good ideas can feel like they come to you out of sheer luck Twyla Tharp thinks there are a few good habits you can get yourself into to have them more frequently. In The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life Tharp explores the relatively small things that remarkable women do on a daily basis that helps them move forward.
You can buy it here.
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Making changes at work can be one of the scariest things in the world. Standing out, taking up space, and pushing your ideas forward takes guts, so reading about how other women have done it can be so encouraging. These seven books, written by seven incredible women, will give you the push you need to take the next step.
