Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/24/2012
ISBN-13: 9781591845447
ISBN-10: 1591845440

Only 23, Zac Bissonnette is already a bestselling author, thanks to a book on affording college (Debt-Free U); here, he tackles personal finance for 20-somethings in a cheery, cheeky, but always educational manner (we're not sure he can really help you be better-looking than your parents, but his financial advice is sound). Covering everything from buying a car to job hunting to saving for retirement, Bissonnette also gives tips on student loans, index funds, and credit. While you may not agree with everything he says (travel's not a necessity), he offers advice in a manner that those just starting out will find both appealing and helpful.

Table of Contents  

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/05/2012
ISBN-13: 9780374299279
ISBN-10: 0374299277

Born in 1877, Russian immigrant Samuel Zemurray arrived in the U.S. in 1891 and started working as a fruit peddler. He ended up leading the extremely powerful United Fruit Company, where he meddled in Central American politics in order to ensure a ready supply of bananas. In a biography that's "as page-turningly exciting as any thriller" (Booklist), author Rich Cohen presents Zemurray's dramatic rags-to-riches story without sugarcoating any of his more dastardly dealings. If this top-notch biography has you wanting to learn more about United Fruit's involvement in "banana republics," try Peter Chapman's Bananas.

First Chapter  Table of Contents  

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/12/2012
ISBN-13: 9781451617924
ISBN-10: 1451617925

Journalist Kristen Grind was writing for the Puget Sound Business Journal when Washington Mutual fell apart in 2008; her reporting on the topic was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Here, she extends her analysis of WaMu's failure and offers insight into the bank's history, vulnerabilities, and management. Extensively researched yet as entertaining as it is educational, this account of the crash of a bank not deemed "too big to fail" is a "gripping cautionary tale of unchecked greed and a shortage of ethics" (Library Journal).

Table of Contents  

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/24/2012
ISBN-13: 9780374203030
ISBN-10: 0374203032

This philosophical book is sure to drive discussion among those who read it, for there's plenty to sink your teeth into. Author Michael Sandel, political philosopher and Harvard professor, argues in What Money Can't Buy that we have moved from a market economy to a market society -- and he offers plenty of commentary to support that hypothesis, from for-profit prisons and paying kids for good grades to ticket scalpers and carbon emissions trading. He continues by suggesting that this evolution has been at the expense of society's values -- and that we owe it to ourselves to re-evaluate the way the market influences both private and societal morals. It also might be of special interest to those concerned with wealth disparity.

First Chapter  Table of Contents  

Publisher: Citadel Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/01/2011
ISBN-13: 9780806532455
ISBN-10: 0806532459

Though aimed at the 20-something crowd seeking their first jobs out of college, this unusual job-search book may be helpful for anyone considering a change, for like Studs Terkel's Working, it introduces a vast array of career options. Consisting of biographical entries on a variety of dynamic young people, Dig this Gig provides firsthand views of entirely different career paths in eight broad industries (such as "health care" or "entertainment"). In addition to the stories of those still in their twenties, author Laura Dodd includes insights and lessons learned from established individuals like Dan Rather and Jeffrey Sachs.

First Chapter  

Publisher: AMACOM Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 08/17/2011
ISBN-13: 9780814417348
ISBN-10: 0814417345

If you've been trying and failing to land a job for a while, your frustration surely has led you to wonder: just what are employers looking for, anyway? In Cracking the New Job Market, author R. William Holland explains what prospective employers find important and how to emphasize those skills, accomplishments, and qualities in resumes and interview answers. He also will help you to identify the intersection between your talents and what the marketplace needs, and he offers suggestions for reading job ads, writing cover letters and resumes, and dealing with hostile questions, among other things.

First Chapter  Table of Contents  

Publisher: JIST Works
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/01/2010
ISBN-13: 9781593577872
ISBN-10: 1593577877

Exciting narrative nonfiction this may not be, but what it is (a guide to finding jobs in the public sector) is highly useful to anyone looking for work with a nonprofit or university, "or any other work that contributes to the public good." Health care, civil rights, law enforcement, environmental protection -- career-services expert Heather Krasna offers salary, job outlook, and career information on these and many more industries, as well as listings for professional organizations, online job search sites, and other books. Plus, there are self-assessment exercises, sample resumes and cover letters, and tips on negotiating and networking. For a personal touch, there are also profiles of 26 professionals already established in their fields.

Table of Contents  

Publisher: Prentice Hall Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/05/2010
ISBN-13: 9780735204768
ISBN-10: 0735204764

In a difficult job market, competition for limited jobs can be intense, so it's important to present yourself in the most appealing way possible. If you need help figuring out what characteristics employers are looking for, you may want to check out this book by two long-time career coaches. It clearly and thoughtfully explains the six criteria -- presentation, ability, dependability, motivation, attitude, and network -- that employers consider when selecting future employees. The authors also describe the different ways that employers assess each criterion, and present strategies for targeting your job search, making this a useful source for job seekers.

Table of Contents  

Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 01/04/2011
ISBN-13: 9781591843436
ISBN-10: 159184343X

This well-reviewed book by bestselling author Harvey Mackay draws on real-life stories to explain how to rebuild confidence in oneself, take advantage of the way hiring decisions are made, and blend the latest online tools with old-fashioned face-to-face networking. Starting early in the process (one chapter addresses the seven danger signs of impending job loss), Mackay's useful advice is appropriate for job seekers of any age or experience level. If the hold list is long for this one, try Mackay's We Got Fired! for inspiration and a pick-me-up.

Table of Contents  

Publisher: Sterling
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 03/02/2010
ISBN-13: 9781402769566
ISBN-10: 1402769563

There's a silver lining to getting fired, according to coauthors Kitty Martini and Candice Reed -- it gives you the chance to ask yourself what you really want to do next. Do you want to consult? Freelance? Start a different career altogether? Packed with straightforward advice on everything from picking yourself up to entering growth markets, this encouraging guidebook is "an invaluable resource" (Publishers Weekly). As a plus, it was co-written by a freelance journalist (Reed) and a self-confessed expert on getting fired (Martini, who's also a comedian and an entrepreneur).

Table of Contents