Top Reads for Job Seekers
By Stephanie Beirne Leuer, Marketing Coordinator, Drake & Company Staffing Specialists
The internet offers a flood of advice for job seekers. Sometimes the information can be overwhelming as you sift through articles from a variety experts that give out conflicting pieces of advice to candidates. Another route job hunters may want to consider is to look for advice from a book.
The local library has a treasure trove of books on relevant topics such as how to write a resume, construct the perfect cover letter and how to handle a job interview. As you browse the library shelves, keep an eye out for some of these recommended reads. 
What Color Is Your Parachute? Known in the industry as the world’s most popular job search book, “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by Richard N. Bolles has sold more than 10 million copies. This guide for job hunters is annually updated to provide the most relevant information to people in the market for a new job or a career change.
Bolles’ practical advice includes a resume starter kit, the top ten biggest interview mistakes, the role of social media in the job search and ways to define your career goals. His advice also speaks to the usefulness of staffing agencies to help people achieve career goals. He suggests job seekers consider temporary positions to expand professional contacts and gain relevant experience in the field.
This Is How To Get Your Next Job
“This Is How to Get Your Next Job: An Inside Look At What Employers Really Want” author Andrea Kay is a career consultant, author and syndicated columnist. Her no nonsense advice instructs job seekers on what they should never wear to an interview (miniskirts, ill-fitted suits and ripped pants are out!), how to send a proper thank you note after an interview and what employers look for in candidates.
In the book, Kay spends some time exploring how social media can change an employer’s perception of a job seeker. She states as many as 91 percent of employers look at an applicant’s social media accounts before making a hiring decision. Inappropriate photographs, references to illegal activities and improper grammar are some of the top social media offenses by job hunters.
When Can You Start?
“New York Times” best-seller Paul Freiberger shares his expertise with job seeks in his book “When Can You Start? How to Ace the Interview and Win the Job”. This book offers insight into what employers really want to know when they ask tough questions in a job interview.
When an employer poses the question, “How many golf balls does it take to fill a school bus?” there is a hidden meaning behind this type of seemingly off the wall question. According to Freiberger, most employers want to see applicants answer these type of interview questions creatively to demonstrate an ability to think in a pressure situation. When asked in an interview about weaknesses, job applicants should use this opportunity to demonstrate how they handled a difficult situation with success, not point out flaws that would turn an employer off.
These examples are just some of the books available in the market for job seekers, and with thousands of choices applicants are never short on professional advice. As a job seeker, what books have you found helpful in your search for employment? Do you have a method that helped you find success in a job search?
Stephanie Beirne Leuer is the Marketing Coordinator at Drake & Company, a staffing firm based in Madison, Wisconsin. Drake & Company specializes in temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct hire administrative, clerical and legal placements. Since 1978, Drake has reached beyond skills and qualifications to match candidate personalities with a company’s culture. You can connect with Stephanie by , and you can find Drake & Company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest.