What are You Reading, and How Can it Help Your Resume and Job Search?

<h1>What are You Reading, and How Can it Help Your Resume and Job Search?</h1>Author: <a title="Allen Voivod" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/allen-voivod/21488.htm">Allen Voivod</a> If you're about to prepare a resume, or you're considering a revision to a resume, of course you're bound to be diving in to books about writing resumes.

But you're not just a resume writer, are you? You're a well-rounded business person. As a manager, executive, or solo business professional, your reading shouldn't (and probably doesn't) center simply around task-based books. And interestingly, reading some of the higher level business books can actually help you with the task of completing your resume - and other job-search-related tasks.

Before we get into that, though, here are three great resources for finding out which business books should be on the top of your reading list.

*Bestseller lists. From major media outlets like the New York Times, to major retailers like Amazon, you'll find a bounty of bestseller lists with a quick Google search.

*Top books of the year lists. The lists differ, since everyone's opinion is different, and lists like these are more about fostering discussion than anything else. Major media and retailers put out these lists, too, and so do more job-search-relevant places. Monster.com, for example, offers an Best Business Books of the Year list.

*Business summaries. You've seen them advertised in the airline magazines, flooding your mailbox with direct response offers, and blinking in banner ads on the sides of your favorite business websites. The truth is, these summaries are a great deal for the time-crunched professional. Absorb the main concepts in a short reading session, and take a stroll over to your local library if you want to dive deeper.

So, what do these business books have to do with resume writing and distribution? On the face of it, not much. But step back for a moment and ask yourself these questions:

* What are hiring managers in your target industries reading right now?

* What are recruiters and headhunters reading right now?

* What's on the executive office bookshelves in venture captial firms right now?

I'd be willing to bet the answers include a few of the books on those lists. And if these are the books they're reading, shouldn't these be the books you're reading, too?

Make sure your resume, your interviews, and your networking encounters demonstrate (in a nicely understated way) you're up to date with some of the hottest business books out there. Even (and especially) if you don't agree with what you read in them. Polite disagreement makes for some great conversation.

About the Author: Allen Voivod is the Chief Blogger for ResumeMachine.com, the leading <a href="http://www.ResumeMachine.com">resume distribution</a> resource for managers, executives, and professionals looking to accelerate their job search results. Get the attention of thousands of hiring agents with the largest and most frequently updated recruiter database on the web, and dive into a wealth of immediately useful career articles and blog posts - all at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ResumeMachine.com">http://www.ResumeMachine.com</a> !Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/what-are-you-reading-and-how-can-it-help-your-resume-and-job-search-366594.html" title="What are You Reading, and How Can it Help Your Resume and Job Search?">What are You Reading, and How Can it Help Your Resume and Job Search?</a>

If you're about to prepare a resume, or you're considering a revision to a resume, of course you're bound to be diving in to books about writing resumes.

But you're not just a resume writer, are you? You're a well-rounded business person. As a manager, executive, or solo business professional, your reading shouldn't (and probably doesn't) center simply around task-based books. And interestingly, reading some of the higher level business books can actually help you with the task of completing your resume - and other job-search-related tasks.

Before we get into that, though, here are three great resources for finding out which business books should be on the top of your reading list.

*Bestseller lists. From major media outlets like the New York Times, to major retailers like Amazon, you'll find a bounty of bestseller lists with a quick Google search.

*Top books of the year lists. The lists differ, since everyone's opinion is different, and lists like these are more about fostering discussion than anything else. Major media and retailers put out these lists, too, and so do more job-search-relevant places. Monster.com, for example, offers an Best Business Books of the Year list.

*Business summaries. You've seen them advertised in the airline magazines, flooding your mailbox with direct response offers, and blinking in banner ads on the sides of your favorite business websites. The truth is, these summaries are a great deal for the time-crunched professional. Absorb the main concepts in a short reading session, and take a stroll over to your local library if you want to dive deeper.

So, what do these business books have to do with resume writing and distribution? On the face of it, not much. But step back for a moment and ask yourself these questions:

* What are hiring managers in your target industries reading right now?

* What are recruiters and headhunters reading right now?

* What's on the executive office bookshelves in venture captial firms right now?

I'd be willing to bet the answers include a few of the books on those lists. And if these are the books they're reading, shouldn't these be the books you're reading, too?

Make sure your resume, your interviews, and your networking encounters demonstrate (in a nicely understated way) you're up to date with some of the hottest business books out there. Even (and especially) if you don't agree with what you read in them. Polite disagreement makes for some great conversation.

Allen Voivod is the Chief Blogger for ResumeMachine.com, the leading resume distribution resource for managers, executives, and professionals looking to accelerate their job search results. Get the attention of thousands of hiring agents with the largest and most frequently updated recruiter database on the web, and dive into a wealth of immediately useful career articles and blog posts - all at http://www.ResumeMachine.com !

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/what-are-you-reading-and-how-can-it-help-your-resume-and-job-search-366594.html

Article Tags: Career, Job, Job Search, Resume, Resumes, Jobs, Employment, Venture Capital, Recruiter, Headhunter, Resume Distribution, Monster, Head Hunters, Resume Posting, Resume Post, Search Firms, Internet Job Search, Internet Posting

Related Articles
Related Q&A

Latest Business Articles
More from Allen Voivod

How Do You Retrieve Criminal Records Free To Check Someones Background

By: James Nash | 06/01/2010
If you need to hire someone new to work with there are few regulations that needs to be followed. This means a lot of paperwork and a lot of time at the police station. Well it doesn’t have to be that way, because today you can find and access all the records that you need on the internet free of charge.

The World Nonwovens Industry: Profiles of Ten Leading Producers - 1 of 3

By: Bharat Book Bureau | 06/01/2010
Bharatbook.com added a new report on "The World Nonwovens Industry: Profiles of Ten Leading Producers - 1 of 3" which gives the technologies and investment in Nonwovens Industry.

The Types of Designer Chairs and Their Uses

By: Articlesubmitter | 06/01/2010
Building a home is always a pleasure. And the finishing touches of making your home perfect happens when you add especially picked furniture that will make your house complete. When shopping for furniture, more particularly sofas, chairs, and lounges, a strong suggestion would be for you to always check out the designer series. These models may be a little expensive. But all the extra dollars will be worth it because you’re purchasing a product that is big on comfort, style, and quality.

On Choosing the Right Chair

By: Articlesubmitter | 06/01/2010
A lot of people who shop for furniture consider the look of the product more than its functionality. This idealism should change, simply because chairs are made for sitting upon and not for looking at. If you have to buy a piece of furniture such as an ottoman, a lounger, or a sofa, the thing you should consider first and foremost is quality.

Search Engine Marketing | 3 Types of Bloggers You Can Market To. By Mike McCoy

By: Mike McCoy | 06/01/2010
Micheal McCoy Present Reputation Management And Internet Branding With Today's Topic: "3 Types of Bloggers You Can Market To. " Go To: http://www.Blog.DirectHorizon.com

Central Air Conditioning Systems Are The Smartest Choice

By: Vikram kuamr | 06/01/2010
When you are trying to figure out what the best way to bring an air conditioner into your home is going to be, you will absolutely want to look into central air conditioning systems.

Figuring Out What Affordable Air Conditioning Prices Are

By: Vikram kuamr | 06/01/2010
When you decide that it’s time to bring an air conditioner into your home, you’re going to be faced with a number of decisions which need to be made.

Search Engine Marketing | Blogging for Profit Begins With a Long Term Plan. By Mike McCoy

By: Mike McCoy | 06/01/2010
Micheal McCoy Present Reputation Management And Internet Branding With Today's Topic: "Blogging for Profit Begins With a Long Term Plan." Go To: http://www.Blog.DirectHorizon.com

Three Networking Basics to Get You Into a Networking Comfort Zone

By: Allen Voivod | 16/12/2008 | Self Improvement
Let's talk about networking, shall we? Stop ten people on the street, and ask them about networking. Nine of them will say things along these lines: ---I don't like to do it. ---It doesn't work for me. Other answers, like "I never get anything out of it," "I'm shy," and so forth are just reflections of some basic issues.....

4 Basics Steps That Cement the Foundation of Your Resume's Success

By: Allen Voivod | 16/12/2008 | Self Improvement
In times of greater competition for jobs - no matter what level of the workforce we're talking about - you need to raise your resume game. And that's true whether you're submitting resumes by hand (some people still do!), by email, or through a resume distribution service. Learn more...

3 Simple Questions to Help You Find Your Ideal Work-life Balance

By: Allen Voivod | 16/12/2008 | Self Improvement
Work-life balance is a tricky thing to opine upon. In the abstract, it's kind of meaningless. It's not like you can say, "1.5 hours of work is the equivalent of 2.2 hours of conscious life (removing sleep from the equation), and I'm at work for 9.5 hours a day on average, and my commute is about 1.25 hours per day each way, and it takes me about 0.45 hours to de-brief my spouse on the work day...

The Four "big Ideas" About Staying Educated on the Job

By: Allen Voivod | 16/12/2008 | Self Improvement
If you thought education days were over when you left high school or college, you've probably learned how wrong you were. From the kinds of continuing professional education credits required in some fields, to staying up with changes in technology so your job skills don't get out-moded, and everything in between, constant learning is the baseline expectation of the professional workforce, at every management level...

The Counter-intuitive Secret to Success in the Workplace

By: Allen Voivod | 16/12/2008 | Business
My whole philosophy about fun in the world of business, and in relation to the executive, management, and professional audience is this: If you don't enjoy what you're doing, is it worth doing? Read the full article to learn more...

Design an Ideal Job by Identifying Your Must-have Benefits

By: Allen Voivod | 16/12/2008 | Self Improvement
I first came across the list below and used it as part of a tip about salary negotiation ("33 things to think about when negotiating your executive compensation"). It can also be looked at in another way. These things are essentially a laundry list of the kinds of job benefits you could see as part of your employment package...

3 Steps to Making the Informational Interview Work for You

By: Allen Voivod | 16/12/2008 | Self Improvement
In talking about interviews, we have to widen the net to include a couple of other topics. These days, the interview process often includes behavioral and skills testing, and people who talk about interviews often focus on the on-the-nose issue of the job interview, to the exclusion of the highly useful and related topic of the informational interview. Learn more...

Improve Your Salary Negotiation Skills With These 3 Must-dos

By: Allen Voivod | 16/12/2008 | Self Improvement
If it weren't for the whole "copyright violation" thing, I'd reprint a certain article in its entirety on my blog. It's called "The Salary Game," by Donald Asher, and I love, love, LOVE it. It made me laugh out loud, and it reminded me strongly of the absolute impenetrability advised in my favorite section of J.P Donleavy's hysterical book...