This is the third annual best-career- books-of-the-year awards handed out by Dr. Ronald Krannich of Impact Publications in Manassas, Va., who publishes the nation’s most complete career books catalog, and myself.
Between us, we see most of the year’s career books hot off the presses. Our choices are listed in random order, except for the first selection:
– “CareerXroads 2000” by recruiting industry leaders Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler (MMC Group) is the best of the best. A guide to online career sites plus editorial content, it is the first book ever which we (Krannich and Kennedy) name as No. 1 for the year. Previous editions were laudable, earning a spot on our award list in 1997 and 1998. But this fifth edition is spectacular in its scope, coverage and simplicity. A personal note from Joyce: I used to find “CareerXroads” useful in my work; now, with the Net moving so fast that you miss it if you blink, I can’t do without it. Neither should you.
– “Haldane’s Best Resumes for Professionals” by Bernard Haldane Associates (Impact Publications). Key career-management principles identified by the founding icon of modern career advising, Bernard Haldane, are amply explained in this outstanding guide to resume writing, production and distribution.
– “Career Change,” second edition, by David P. Helfand (NTC Publishing) is a four-star book with the subtitle of “Everything You Need to Know to Meet New Challenges and Take Control of Your Career.” This authoritative guidance by a well- credentialed career counselor earns a fifth star for addressing special needs of women, minorities, over 50, disabled and ex-military.
– “The Resume Kit,” fourth edition, by leading career author Richard Beatty (John Wiley) is a contemporary classic. Tens of thousands of managers and professionals everywhere owe Beatty for his sound, practical advice on writing high-impact resumes. As with all of Beatty’s books, this one is imprinted with crackerjack “how to” advice and includes plenty of excellent samples to use in patterning an effective resume document.
– “A Safe Place for Dangerous Truths” by behavioral-science consultant Annette Simmons (Amacom) is innovative, fresh and filled with recommendations to help you think your way through lies and confusion encountered in the workplace.
– “International Jobs: Where They Are, How to Get Them” by Eric Kocher and Nina Segal (Perseus Books). This comprehensive guide to finding borderless employment is designed with college graduates in mind, covering everything from networking and internships to the United Nations and teaching abroad.
– “If You want to Make God Really Laugh, Show Him Your Business Plan” by Barry J. Gibbons (Amacom). Subtitled “The 101 Universal Laws of Business,” this jocular- but-jugular guide was written by the man who brought a dangerously sick Burger King back to full health. Gibbonsesque comments: “People are coin-operated. Period. Understand that and do not patronize them.”
– “Navigating Your Career” edited by Christopher W. Hunt and Scott A. Scanlon (John Wiley). The subtitle “1,121 of America’s Leading Headhunters Tell You How It’s Done” refers to chapters written by consultants who work in the industries they write about. As well as job search guidance, the book highlights the hottest new millennium industries.
– “Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em” by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans (Berrett-Koehler) is written for managers, with comments on what America’s top companies are doing to retain top employees.
– “Directory of Executive Recruiters 1999” (Kennedy Information; no relation). If you want to contact executive recruiters, it doesn’t get any better than this consistently top-grade annual guide.
Find these books at libraries and brick- and-mortar bookstores, or at such online bookstores as Impact Career Superstore (impactpublications.com), Barnes and Noble (barnesandnoble.com), Amazon (amazon.com) and Borders (borders.com). CareerXroads is at its own Web site (careerxroads.com).
E-mail career questions for possible use in this column to Kennedy at (jlk@sunfeatures.com).
& #352;1999, Los Angeles Times Syndicate
