You work hard. You’re excited about your career. Isn’t it about time you had a job promotion?
You’re eager to move up the ladder, but navigating the maze of company politics feels stressful and confusing. If you’re not sure how to ask, when to ask, or what to ask, it may be time to call in the professionals.
Here are five of the best career books that will help you advance faster, have greater success, and make more money. Ready to get this party started?
1 Who Gets Promoted, Who Doesn’t, And Why: 12 Things You’d Better Do If You Want to Get Ahead
Keep your head down, work hard, and you’ll be rewarded with a promotion, right?
Wrong!
Donald Asher debunks the commonly held “promotion myths” and reveals what really matters in your boss’s decision-making process. (Turns out timing is key!)
This book lays out proven strategies and actionable steps for navigating your next job promotion, so you can quit waiting around for your big break and start actively making it happen.
2 Rise: 3 Practical Steps for Advancing Your Career, Standing out as a Leader, and Liking Your Life
Did you ever wish someone would just write down what you have to do to get promoted? Rise lays it out for you. It’s easy to read, easy to implement, and tested in the real world. Read this book, or else work for someone who did. — Jim Davis, CEO, Verified Person, Inc.
Skip the learning curve and fast-track your career with practical advice from the brilliant Patty Azzarello (who spent her thirties zooming up the leadership ladder in Silicon Valley).
It’s a common misconception that “working hard” and “getting ahead” are the same thing—they’re not. Patty articulates the skills you need to break out of the daily grind, become a top performer, and have success in the corporate world, all while maintaining a great work-life balance.
3 Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
Want to get to the top? You can’t do it on your own. In this entertaining read, Keith Ferrazzi shares the secrets to growing a powerful personal network that will help you advance your career.
Forget the ugly stereotypes of phony schmoozing to get ahead. Ferrazzi shows that networking is all about being of service and forming genuine connections with people.
A great read for introverts who find networking intimidating or exhausting, this book delivers practical, step-by-step tips for how to build relationships.
4 How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships
Small talk! Can you hear the shudder? These two little words drive a stake into the hearts of some otherwise fearless and undaunted souls. — Leil Lowndes, How to Talk to Anyone
Wish you had more confidence in social settings? This book can be life changing for those who are shy and struggle to connect with people.
Getting that promotion will be a whole lot easier if you’re well liked, well connected, and seen as a team player. This quick (and sassy) read dishes up straightforward tactics for making a great first impression and establishing rapport, and more advanced techniques that will win you friends and allies in your climb to the top.
Whether you’re naturally outgoing or shrink in terror at the mention of small talk, you’ll come away with clear, actionable tips to improve your communication skills.
5 Getting More: How You Can Negotiate to Succeed in Work and Life
Negotiating a new salary can be one of the more stressful parts of advancing your career. In this New York Times bestseller, Stuart Diamond teaches powerful persuasion tactics for getting what you want.
If the thought of negotiating feels sleazy, intimidating, or just plain baffling, then this book is a must-read. Stuart’s empathetic and cooperative approach will ensure that you maintain both your morals and a great relationship with your boss while still getting the raise you’ve been hoping for.
Practitioners of Diamond’s negotiating techniques have saved thousands of dollars in purchases, made billions in business deals, avoided arranged marriages, and gotten their four-year-olds to brush their teeth and go to bed. If that’s not magical, we don’t know what it is.
