11 Books All Career-Driven Millennial Women Should Read
Job searching can be hard. It can take years of experience. And sometimes you even need the right connections to make a career for yourself. A mentor once told me that for every 10 or so jobs that I’d apply for, I’d likely only hear back from three or four. Maybe.
Being an English major and Theatre minor; I’ve learned that a job opportunity, usually comes when you least expect them. This type of journey is great if you’re able to see what skills you gain from your in-between-jobs. But not so great when you go to a family reunion with a degree but no job in your field. Luckily, we’ve got eleven books for the career-driven millennial women who are looking for a job to help you out in your search.
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1. Bossypants by Tina Fey
This comic tale of juggling a work, family, and personal life is something that any woman can relate to in some part. Tina Fey lends her voice in Bossypants that is relatable on so many levels, giving anyone who reads it hope in knowing that we’re not alone in thinking that life is one crazy ride.
2. In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs by Grace Bonney
If you’re feeling lost and looking for inspiration, In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs may be just what you’re looking for. The stories and advice of one hundred women have been written down, and their jobs range from media titans to tattoo artists to architects. Whatever career path you’re pursuing or dream of pursuing, there’s probably a woman in here who have done just that.
3. The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won't Learn in Business School by Selena Rezvani
For those in Generations X and Y, The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won't Learn in Business School. Business can be a tough industry to make a career in, especially for a woman. This book is full of empowering and groundbreaking advice from women at the top of their chosen fields.
4. The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life (Learn In and Use It for Life) by Twyla Tharp
If you’re a creative type, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life (Learn In and Use It for Life) has a ton of suggestions and exercises on how to incorporate those creative juices into your life. If you feel like you’ve hit a brick wall and ideas just aren’t coming to you anymore, pick this book up and see what happens. A creative spark from this book may give you new inspiration for your life and career.
5. Swing Time by Zadie Smith
There’s a lesson to be learned in Swing Time that follows the lives of two fictional characters. It can help give you a sense of perspective and remind you that developing a career is a journey. The themes of talent, ideas, and the struggles of adult life are woven through the narrative, lives, and friendship of Tracey and Aimee.
6. How Remarkable Women Lead: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life by Joanna Barsh, Geoffrey Lewis, and Susie Cranston
How Remarkable Women Lead: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life follows the careers of five women who navigated their way through the male-dominated and competitive industries of orchestral conducting and business. The book itself draws on five years worth of research in which the authors identified five categories that any career-seeking woman should be mindful of: meaning, framing, connecting, engaging, and energizing. These characteristics can be found in all of these books and are good things to incorporate into your job search and brainstorming.
7. Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders (Center for Public Leadership) by Alice H. Eagly, and Linda L. Carli
We all know or have heard the phrase “glass ceiling” being used, especially in the past year. It’s a common metaphor used to describe the challenges and hurdles that women often face in the workplace. What if the glass ceiling was more of a maze? That’s what Alice Eagly and Linda Carli explore in Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders (Center for Public Leadership). Their analysis draws on research from five different and incredibly relevant fields, ranging from psychology to political science to management.
8. Gaiam is perfect for reminding you that building a career is all about the opportunities that present themselves, no matter how far off the beaten track the are. The road less traveled is often harder and longer, but in the end, it has the potential to pay off big time.
10. The Slight Edge (Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness) by Jeff Olson
Mental gymnastics can be invaluable when building a career. Luckily, this book is a useful tool for making little changes in your daily life that will help you in your career building. I’ve been a bank teller for the past three years and even though it’s the farthest thing from the career I actually want to pursue, it’s been an incredibly valuable experience because of the skills that I realized I could add to my resume. With a little out-of-the-box thinking and The Slight Edge (Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness), you’ll have everything you need to make your next move.
11. 20-Something, 20-Everything: A Quarter-life Woman's Guide to Balance and Direction by Christine Hassler
Existential crisis. It’s a common occurrence in millennials, especially after a college graduation. There are those who seem confident and on the perfect upward path. Then, there are those who have no idea what they’re going to do or where they’re going to go. Life after college is a blank slate and that can be terrifying. Christine Hassler did what many people would think of as crazy. She left her fast-paced career in order to start her own business. Like any sudden change, it was a huge risk, but it paid off in the end. She shares 20-Something, 20-Everything: A Quarter-life Woman's Guide to Balance and Direction and that of hundreds of other women to encourage you to take the chance of finding the right path.
Resources
In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives by Katie Couric
The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success and Happiness by Jeff Olson
