Many of us make New Year’s resolutions to kick start a job search or to commit to self-reflection about what direction our career it taking. Who isn’t trying to figure out what to do with their lives? To untangle our own thoughts, it can be useful to look no further than the book store, and I have ideas for some great reads.
Before sharing my suggestions, though, you should know I tend to run away from the huckster, self-help areas of a bookstore. But, I admit I continually find myself mesmerized and enthralled with the vast array of titles and am often tempted to investigate. As many of us know, though, on closer examination, most of these books are just plain old CRAP.
Below are some books that, in my opinion, are not crap and that you will keep around for awhile. Not all of the books I’ve chosen to highlight have a non-profit sector focus. But, all can be helpful to anyone thinking about making changes with regard to work life. Here are some traditional and non-traditional titles that may be good choices.
What Color Is Your Parachute? 2011: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard Nelson Bolles (Paperback – Aug 17, 2010) $12.91 paperback, $9.99 Kindle. This is simply the best book ever on how to figure out the whole career thing. There are many things we may do well, and there are many things we may like to do, but to figure out what one does well, likes to do AND can make a living at is not an easy task (especially considering the educational system doesn’t really prioritize figuring these things out when you are young). This book will get you focused and on a path to job fulfillment. It won’t be easy – you have to actually do the exercises to benefit, but this is a book worth keeping around and using every five to seven years.
The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for Sector Switchers (Hundreds of Heads Survival Guides) (Paperback) Steven Joiner (Author), Meg Busse . (Contributor); $14.02 paperback; $9.99 Kindle. This is the newest book in the group. Idealist.org, the website for Action Without Borders, is one of the best websites for all things nonprofit. The website has just undergone a major redo, and the website alone has great info for anyone involved in nonprofits whether as a professional, as a board member or as a volunteer. Their first published guide in 2007, Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers, was a free, downloadable PDF. This book is an updated version of that, and it isn’t free. The style is very much like a school workbook and includes chapters written by career counseling professionals including David Schachter, the Assistant Dean for Career Services at New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. One nice feature of the book is the use of sidebars. In particular, I like the “Learn More” sidebar that leads you to PDF’s you can download. In addition to print, it is available as an electronic book.
A Guide for the Perplexed by E. F. Schumacher (Paperback – May 31, 1978) $8.63 paperback. E.F Schumacher was the first sustainability guru. A German who ended up as an advisory to the UK’s National Coal Board, he became semi-famous in the 1970s writing about the human race’s relationship to the earth, to progress and to technology. You may think this is strange book to read when figuring out your career goals, but if you can get through it, Schumacher will have you looking at how you can work to fulfill your potential in this world. From his view of life and his perspective as to how to “map” out your own life, his thoughts will help you sort things out. Through the years, I’ve read it time and again, and it always opens my eyes to something different. It may be a bit difficult to find at a local merchant, but it is on Amazon.
The Leader’s Way: The Art of Making the Right Decisions in Our Careers, Our Companies, and the World at Large by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and Laurens van den Muyzenberg (Hardcover – Jul 21, 2009) $16.44 hardback, $14.49 Kindle. Continuing along the philosophic line, the Dalai Lama is a new player on the career counseling book shelf. The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader and Laurens van den Mayzenberg, an international management consultant who spent nine years as a consultant to the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile, have put together an interesting book on how eastern religion ideas of mindfulness can be helpful to the workplace and to one’s career. The authors are very creative in how they take traditional, western management theories — from Chester Barnard to Abraham Maslow — and mesh these Management 101 stalwart theories with Buddhist thought. It contains some good case studies and a section on the “Role of NGO’s.”
Another great idea would be to get your nonprofit professional, or would-be professional, a subscription to the Stanford Social Innovation Review. $44.95 (annual online subscription) This contains readable, thought-provoking articles on all things nonprofit. SSIR is a part of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at Stanford University and seeks “to strike a balance between the pragmatic and the intellectual, to embrace no predefined political ideology, and to champion the interests of no single constituency.” Sounds good to me — contributors include professors, former McKinsey types and some folks from Bridgespan.
Let me know your favorites, and I’ll spread the word about books that have helped you in your journey. All the best to all of you for the New Year!
Carmel Napolitano is a New York City based independent executive search consultant for the philanthropic, nonprofit, and public sectors. With over 20 years of experience, Carmel started her career in higher education fundraising, She has an exceptional track record of placing senior staff at local, regional, national, and global organizations. For more information take a look at her website, http://www.cgnassociates.wordpress.com or email her at cgnexecsearch@gmail.com.
Last updated on March 6th, 2012 at 09:58 pm
I would highly recommend Kivi Leroux Miller’s Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Even if your job title is not fundraising or marketing, the concepts and practical ideas in this book will be helpful in your nonprofit work.