Shelcy V. Joseph Dec 21, 2018
As you approach the new year, you may find yourself thinking about your professional goals. Maybe you’re planning to negotiate a promotion, switch to a more challenging company or transition into a new career. Maybe you’re looking to start a business, meet a mentor or grow your network. Or maybe, you’re content where you are, and you’re just looking for general career motivation.
No matter what stage of your career you’re in, you can find much needed guidance in this reading list. And when is a better time to tackle these new reads than over the holiday break?
WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams
WorkParty by Jaclyn Johnson is one this year’s most sought-after career books. As the CEO of online storytelling platform Create & Cultivate, Jaclyn knows a thing or two about overcoming obstacles, persisting through challenges and surely, executing on your dreams. Her highly anticipated first book shares her career story, after getting fired from a job she moved across the country for, and turned the experience into not one, but two successful, self-funded businesses. WorkParty is her career-manifesto, offering insights on how she built her digital empire from the ground up as well as the trials and tribulations she experienced along the way.
WorkParty is for anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit, whether you run your own business or work at a company. As Jaclyn breaks down everything from interview and salary negotiation tips to hard-hitting business advice on contracts, merging or selling your company, fundraising and more. WorkParty will inspire you to be bold, and design the life and career you’ve always dreamed of.
Year of Yes: How to Dance it Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person
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You might know Shonda Rhimes from shows like Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder. She is the creator and producer of some of the most watched shows on television today. Her iconic characters speak their mind and live boldly. So, would you guess that Shonda Rhimes was (and might still be) an introvert?
With three hit television shows and three children at home, Shonda had a never-ending to-do list. And for a while, she hid behind it to say no to unexpected invites. But the real reason behind her refusal was that she was afraid. When her sister finally gave her a reality check, saying, “You never say yes to anything,” Shonda turned it into a challenge! So for one year, she said YES to everything that scared her.
The book takes you on Shonda’s journey before and after her Year Of Yes began and shares her personal struggle with pushing boundaries and embracing change. Just like she learned to step onto the main stage with confidence and embrace her true self, any reader will feel empowered to do the same. Pick it up for some real-life advice on overcoming fear, stretching yourself and achieving more than you might ever give yourself credit for.
You’re Not Lost: An Inspired Action Plan for Finding Your Own Way
Feeling lost or confused? This book might be for you! In it, Maxie McCoy speaks to all the women (regardless of age) who need some encouragement and guidance on their next moves. This book gives you your power back by making you realize it in the first place! It helps answer the big-picture question, “Where am I going with my life?” while building readers’ confidence along the way.
The book is filled with step-by-step advice, exercises, and real-life case studies and anecdotes that will energize you into creating the amazing career and life you desire. Each chapter comes with actionable tactics that help create a roadmap for finding your way.
Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job. Kill It In Your Career. Rock Social Media.
Aliza Licht’s book reads like a long career advice session from an experienced friend. It outlines advice Aliza learned from building her career and is for anyone with an interest in the fashion, beauty, media and social media, even though it primarily focuses on public relations and personal branding.
Having grown a large audience on Twitter, Licht’s fans were constantly tapping her for her tips on how to break into fashion and PR. Her tone is conversational and her writing style is highly engaging. The book gives readers a newfound passion for their work and isn’t just for entry-level professionals; it’s for anyone interested in taking their personal brand to the next level.
Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity
Radical Candor by Kim Scott is a guide on becoming a great boss. It is primarily for current managers and business owners who are looking for ways to really get along with their team and communicate effectively. But it also applies to anyone who recognizes themselves as leaders. As a former executive at Google and Apple (and a successful one at that), Kim has extensive leadership experience. She learned to reinvent herself many times as a manager, recognize her weaknesses and commit to personal growth. She believes that in order to be a successful boss, you need to both Care Personally and Challenge Directly, a framework she details in the book.
I am what you could call a multipotentialite—someone with different passions and interests. I dabble in different things, but at the core of everything I do is creative storytelling.