Top Career books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite Career books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of Career

Understanding the concepts of Career starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

Designing Your Life

Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life is a book by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans that aims to help readers organize themselves through journaling and design thinking.

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Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action is a book by Simon Sinek.

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The 4-Hour Workweek

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich is a self-help book by Timothy Ferriss, an American writer, educational activist, and entrepreneur.

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Deep Work

One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you'll achieve extraordinary results.Deep Work is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused ...

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989, is a business and self-help book written by Stephen R. Covey.Covey defines effectiveness as the balance of obtaining desirable results with caring for that which produces those results.

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So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

Cal Newport's clearly-written manifesto flies in the face of conventional wisdom by suggesting that it should be a person's talent and skill - and not necessarily their passion - that determines their career path. ...

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Additional Career Reading

These books are not required for you to learn Career, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One

What's next? is a question we all have to ask and answer more frequently in an economy where the average job tenure is only four years, roles change constantly even within that time, and smart, motivated people find themselves hitting professional plateaus. ...

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Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The probl…

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Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us is a non-fiction book written by Daniel Pink. The book was published in 2009 by Riverhead Hardcover. It argues that human motivation is largely intrinsic and that the aspects of this motivation can be divided into autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

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I Could Do Anything if I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It

Isn't It Time You Followed Your Real Dreams? This extraordinary book is designed to help you achieve them. In it, Barbara Sher goes beyond the groundbreaking principles introduced in her phenomenal number one best seller, Wishcraft. ...

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The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance---What Women Should Know

Following the success of Lean In and Why Women Should Rule the World, the authors of the bestselling Womenomics provide an informative and practical guide to understanding the importance of confidence—and ...

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The First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter

Transitions are a critical time for leaders. In fact, most agree that moving into a new role is the biggest challenge a manager will face. While transitions offer a chance to start fresh and make needed changes in an organization, they also place leaders in a position of acute vulnerability. Missteps made during the crucial first three months in a new role can jeopardize or even derail your su…

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Specializations and Deeper Career Knowledge

You've got your basics in order – time to move on to some advanced and specialized concepts. Career is evolving every day, these books can help you master it.

Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication

What makes someone charismatic? Why do some people captivate a room, while others have trouble managing a small meeting? What makes some ideas spread, while other good ones fall by the wayside?
Cues - the tiny signals we send to others 24/7 through our body language, facial expressions, word choices and vocal inflection - have a massive impact on how we, and our ideas, come across. Our cues…

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This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

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Permanent resident of Canada 🇨🇦 from Japan 🇯🇵, currently spending most of my time in Malawi 🇲🇼 in Africa at the intersection of tech and society. I am a freelance software developer, previously working at a Big Tech & Silicon Valley-based start-up company while wearing different hats such as an …

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🌱 Are you looking to grow in your PM career? As an experienced coach and product leader, I’ve worked with many Product Managers over the last 10 years, from PMs to CPOs to founders. I am passionate about accelerating growth, whether you're building a high-performing team, creating measurable value for …

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I'm an engineering leadership mentor with over a decade of experience helping software engineers and managers excel. I've built teams from scratch, coached engineers, created career growth plans leading to successful promotions, mentored numerous engineers, defined technical strategies, and envisioned, staffed, and spun off new teams. My mentorship provides practical …

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As someone who comes from a non-computer science background, I understand the doubts that can come with making a career switch. However, I'm excited to share my personal experience of successfully transitioning into the tech industry, particularly within the fintech sector. Over the past five years, I have gained valuable …

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As a senior user researcher with over 15 years of experience running international research projects for global companies such as PlayStation, Spotify, and in the finance industry, I have developed a keen eye for what makes a successful UX researcher. Through my experience as a mentor, I have helped many …

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15+ yrs exp, 10+ as CEO/Exec, leading teams, raising capital, building tech, scaling, investing and advising companies. Hey there! I'm Aly, a Canadian-based entrepreneur, investor and advisor who has spent over a decade building, investing and advising companies. I've had the opportunity to build both bootstrapped and venture-backed companies, learning …

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