More books for recent graduates

"10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College" by Bill Coplin, Ten Speed Press, 2012, $14.99. Originally written in pre-recession 2003 (or is that post-recession? Depends on which downturn you're tracking …), this book fits neatly into my love/hate pile of guides. Reasons to love it are obvious: Coplin is outlining strategies to parlay skills developed in college into skills employers will appreciate.

My reason for disliking the concept is more philosophical. I’m one of those liberal arts elitists who believes that not everything we learn has to be calibrated for optimum usefulness at a corporation.

Even so, I recommend this book. If you are a recent or soon-to-be graduate, you need to think strategically about translating your studies into assets for employers. More importantly, you need to understand what employers want. Coplin offers a good overview for both objectives, making this title worth its price.

"I Got My Dream Job and So Can You" by Pete Leibman, AMACOM, 2012, $15.95. Want to work in the marketing department for an NBA team? If that's your dream, you'll be fighting envy while reading about Leibman's terrific first job out of college. That's good — envy can be very motivating.

Leibman, who now heads the Dream Job Academy for young professionals, explains his approach to job search in an easy-to-read, easy-to-apply series of steps. The steps are not particularly innovative, although they are very solid. But Leibman’s enthusiasm and motivational writing style will keep you reading. New graduates need more people telling them what they can do, instead of downcast economists telling them what’s not possible.

This is a good guide to rejuvenate your search.

"All Work, No Pay: Finding an Internship" by Lauren Berger, Ten Speed Press, 2012, $12.99. You may have had lots of internships during college, but you probably didn't have as many as this author, who wrangled 15 learning positions during the course of her studies. The feat merits her self-ascribed moniker "Intern Queen," which is also the name of her company.

Although Berger’s book is aimed at those still in college, I’m including it in this postgraduate lineup. Internships are a possibility for non-students, and the steps Berger outlines in her book transfer very well to job search.

New graduates will find useful tips here for organizing time, cold-calling employers, communicating with colleagues and even packing for out-of-town employment. Her can-do spirit is contagious; if you need to get your mojo back, this is a good place to start.

"Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving True Success" by Rory Vaden, Perigree, 2012, $22.95. In "Take the Stairs," Vaden provides motivation and advice, but it's more of the boot-in-the-pants variety than the cheerleader mode. If you're feeling the need for an old-fashioned kick-start, this is a good choice.

Vaden believes that we are becoming a nation of people seeking shortcuts and easy pathways — that we don’t take the stairs. His solution is to focus more attention on daily discipline.

While this book is not aimed at young professionals, it’s a good fit for those trying to develop new structures for themselves after leaving the deadline-driven college setting.

One warning: Vaden incorporates a layer of religion in the book. It’s not a heavy dose, however, and shouldn’t overshadow an important message: It’s your life; do what you can to live it to the fullest, even if that means taking the difficult path.