Career advising and counseling annotative bibliography
Authored By: Dorothy Burton Nelson

 Amundson, N.E., Harris-Bowlsbey, J.A., & Niles, S.G. (2013). Essential elements of career counseling: Processes and techniques (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

• Amundson, Harris-Bowlsbey, and Niles address the basic elements of career counseling, attempting to bridge the gap between theory and practice.  The book addresses career assessment, ethics and the professional elements of career couseling and provides applications and examples of career couseling challenges. Integrating theory and practice, this book provides the reader with hands-on examples of how to apply career development concepts in work situations. The authors address career assessment, ethics and professional issues, and ongoing, challenging changes in the world-of-work. Readers will be helped to find their niche in career counseling practices, as the authors share their own journeys of adopting and applying career theory. The reader will find this book to be a valuable supplement to any career resources library.

Arruda, W., & Dixson, K. (2007). Career distinction: Stand out by building your brand. Hoboken, NJ: J. Wiley & Sons.

• The question “How can I make myself memorable and indispensible?” is answered in this book Just as companies translate their brand names into sought after commodities, Arruda and Dixon suggest that job applicants adopt the concept and do the same.  Job-seekers should “sell” themselves by stressing those unique characteristics that are stand-out features. The authors detail a step-by-step guide on how to make, manage, and sell your unique brand. The workforce is changing quickly and how a person presents him or herself is increasingly integral to gainful employment. Career Distinction is all about personal expression. This book provides case examples of workers in the field who capitalized on the opportunity to develop their brand for the sole purpose of thriving in the job search in the current ultracompetitive job market. Readers will gain awareness of the role of brands in the workforce and will gain skill in self-presentation.Career and personal brand management experts Arruda and Dixson demonstrate how to identify and tell your unique brand story; to make yourself memorable and indispensible.

Boldt, L.G. (2009). Zen and the art of making a living: A practical guide to creative career design (Rev. ed.) NewYork, NY: Penguin Books.

• In an updated version of his book first published in 1991, Boldt attempts to bring creative energy to the art of making a living.  Zen and the Art of Making a Living provides resources for every aspect of career development, from the job search to career assessment.  With over 100 worksheets and hundreds of contact and biographical resources, this book is also unique in providing over 500 inspirational quotations. A book that goes far beyond other career guides, Zen and the Art of Making a Living brings creativity, dignity, and meaning to every aspect of the work experience.

Bolles, R.N. (2013). What color is your parachute? : A practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers (2014 ed.) Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.

• The world's most popular job-search book is updated for 2014 to tailor its long-trusted guidance with up-to-the-minute information and advice for today's job-hunters and career-changers. In today's challenging job-market, the time-tested advice of "What Color Is Your Parachute?" is needed more than ever. Recent grads facing a tough economic landscape, workers laid off mid-career, and people searching for an inspiring work-life change all look to career guru Richard N. Bolles for support, encouragement, and nuts-and-bolts guidance on landing a job. Combining classic elements like the famed Flower Exercise with updated advice on social media and search tactics, this revised edition outlines what works--and what doesn't. This book provides job-seekers, from the new graduate to the midlife career changer, practical advice on everything from how to produce a great resume to how to use social media to your advantage. 

Brooks, K. (2009). You majored in what?: Mapping your path from chaos to career. New York, NY: Viking.

• In today’s increasingly competitive workplace, not all majors are having an equal time finding work.  This book is especially written for those students who are still in college and may be wondering if they made the right decision with their major or intended career.  Brooks helps these students with developing skills and habits that can lead to a degree and eventually employment.  The author’s “wandering map” is designed to aid those students who have lingered in uncertainty to find their way back to career saliency.  The general premise of the book implies that what you study in college does not necessarily define what you become after. That in and of itself, is a solid argument and one that needs to be absorbed by the naysayers of a liberal education and those who doubt the value of the humanities. The competitive workforce demands accountability for internships, co-ops, etc., though the author agrees that any college major is valuable and will greatly contribute to the economy, regardless of the field.  Resume writing chapters highlight the need for relevant resumes that will survive the job search process and end in gainful employment.

Brown, S.D., & Lent, R.W. (2013). Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

• The second edition of Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work  provides the career couselor or academic adviser with the latest theories on career development and research and helps the professional put these theories to work in their practice.  Brown and Lent provide the latest research on aspects of the job search, work satisfaction and performance and workforce diversity and provides resources to help the advisor assess values, interests and abilties.  The book also provides coverage of special situations regarding special needs students and people with disabilities. 

Fogg, N., Harrington, P., & Harrington, T.F. (2012). College majors handbook with real career paths and payoffs : the actual jobs, earnings, and trends for graduates of 60 college majors (3rd ed.). Indianapolis, IN: JIST Works.

• There is no denying that today’s workplace is complex and challenging, not to mention increasingly competitive. To compete and survive the job search in this competitive market, having the “right” major can provide the college graduate with a necessary advantage in the job market.  One major feature of this book is that it provides information on actual job outlooks and earnings for college graduates in 60 majors based on a U.S. Census Bureau study of 150,000 college graduates.  The authors have researched all aspects of occupational outlook, including the salary prospects and employment growth rates for specific majors and jobs. The reader will not only gain perspective on which majors are considered a good investment, but will also become aware of the percentage of graduates, by major, who go on to graduate school.

Gibson, R.L. & Mitchell, M. (2005). Introduction to career counseling for the 21st century. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

• Introduction to career counseling for the 21st century, as the name implies, is written to take a modern, global view of career counseling and examines the impact of technological advances and globalization on the future workplace and diversity.  Gibson and Mitchell provide chapters on career development theory and career counseling across life stages, legal and ethical guidelines, assessment techniques.  There are also case studies and class activities for use in career development courses along with an accompanying DVD. 

Gordon, V.N. (2006). Career advising: An academic advisor’s guide. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• Career advising: An academic advisor’s guide, is a valuable resource for all academic advisors including faculty advisors.  Virginia Gordon, a leader in strides to expand academic advising to include career development and exploration, presents some of her best work. This book is designed to provide advisors with the resources needed to integrate career advising into their academic advising practices.  It demonstrates the importance of the role of advisors in helping students understand the relationship between their academic and career choices, the importance of clarifying and setting early goals, and in explaining to students how their academic choices will impact their future job skills and personal and work lives.  The 3-I Process as described in the book – Inquire, Inform, and Integrate – can be used by advisors to help students think about and explore their academic and career possibilities and make sound decisions. 

Gordon, V.N. (2007). The undecided college student: An academic and career advising challenge (3rd ed.). Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.

• The student who is undecided presents a special challenge for the academic advisor.  The third edition of The undecided college student: An academic and career advising challenge, by Virginia Gordon provides one of the best resources available to the advisor to help undecided and exploring students process information and make important, rational decisions. Gordon uses theory based models to take a developmental approach to the career exportation and decision making process.  This book is could be considered a stand-alone resource for those working with undecided and exploring students.

Hughey, K.F., & National Academic Advising Association (U.S.). (2009). The handbook of career advising. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• The Handbook of Career Advising is one book that should be on every advisor’s self.  This book provides the essential information needed by all advisors who seek to enhance their career-advising capabilities.  This book presents the current philosophy on career advising as envisioned by NACADA professionals and presents tested and best practices for integrating career advising into academic advising.  Academic advisors who master these concepts will be better equipped to help students understand themselves and their academic and career goals and how to achieve those goals and aspirations.  Offering practical application, this book is not only a highly useful guide for advisors and administrators but serves well as a textbook for career development classes.

Levoy, G. (1997). Callings: Finding and following an authentic life. New York, NY: Harmony Books.

• Most career related resources address the same challenge of finding a satisfying fit between a worker and the work environment. Levoy wrote one of the first books on tuning into our “inner callings” that can change our lives.  Callings: Finding and following an authentic life, helps us make sense of those feelings that are often dismissed but can be life changing if explored.  In this classic book, the reader is led to understand how to recognize an internal calling and how to distinguish a true calling from external influences.  It discusses why most people ignore or resist the callings they intuit and the powerful results possible when a calling is recognized and answered.  Levoy includes stories of people who have responded to and followed their callings and provides a practical road map for others who may want to do so.  This is a uplifting and pleasurable book that career counselors and career advisers will be glad they took the time to read. 

Lock, R.D. (2004). Taking charge of your career direction: Career Planning Guide, Book 1. (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.

• The fifth edition of Taking charge of your career direction: Career Planning Guide, is a mainstay of Career Planning.  It provides a logical introduction to the concepts of making a career choice and provides a straightforward progression of topics related to that topic.  Highly motivating and empowering, the tone of the book energizes the reader. Because of its logical presentation, the book has been frequently used in college-level Career Planning courses. The material provides students with a complete guide to self-exploration and evaluation of their strengths and talents, and suggests strategies for managing areas of challenge. Lock clearly explicates the decision-making process and guides students in setting realistic and achievable goals.

Lock, R.D. (2004). Job search: Career Planning Guide, Book 2 (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.

• The 5^th edition of Job search: Career Planning Guide is a companion book to Lock’s Taking Charge book. Job Search  serves the reader well who is doing just that – beginning the job search. Also used as a college-level textbook, it provides students with a practical guide to the necessary steps involved in the approach and execution of a successful job search.  Students are encouraged to update their interviewing skills, create relevant and power resumes, researching and “profile” companies, and building a profitable network for finding viable job leads. Lock shares some of the most powerful elements of the job search process that are often overlooked or under used.

Lore, N. & Spadafore, A. (2008). Now what?: The young person’s guide to choosing the perfect career. New York, NY: Fireside.

• No college graduate wants to hear “You have just spent several years of your life and a small fortune studying something you may never use, and, if you do, chances are you won't like it. Happy job hunting!" Reports tell us that approximately 30 percent of college graduates who find jobs in related to their majors express high levels of job satisfaction. A logical conclusion for the low satisfaction rate is that a high percentage of college students selected a major without first designing a suitable career plan.  Lore and Spadafore believe that designing a career plan leads selecting a suitable college major that will, in turn, lead to a satisfying and successful career. They guide students through using insightful quizzes, worksheets, and charts that help them discover their talents and personality type and in what occupational settings they may find the best fit. The authors express their own journeys and stress how much they look forward to going to work every day. 

Niles, S.G. & Harris-Bowlsbey, J.E. (2012). Career development interventions in the 21st century (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

• Designed for students pursuing careers in career counseling and development, this text presents theories, assessments, planning tools, resources, and technologies available to the counselor.  Niles and Harris-Bowlsbey organized their book around the National Career Development Association’s competencies and the American Counseling Association ’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.  It is a comprehensive resource for both the student and practicing career counselors and analyzes all aspects of career counseling from elementary school to college and beyond.  Interviews with and sample counseling sessions presented by some of the top experts in the field bring to life their strategies and techniques for effective career counseling and career exploration practices.

Pollak, L. (2012). Getting from college to career: Your essential guide to succeeding in the real world (Rev ed.). New York, NY: Harper Business.

• Lindsey Pollak, a career expert and spokesperson for LinkedIn, presents her work in career development and the job search process through her book Getting from college to career: Your essential guide to succeeding in the real world, in an experiential and insightful manner.  The revised edition explores the changing, more competitive marketplace and gives the new graduate numerous tips and essential information on how to succeed. Readers will appreciate her “90 things to do before you join the real world” alert.

Swanson, J.L. &  Fouad, N.A. (2009). Career theory and practice: Learning through case studies (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

• The second edition of Career theory and practice: Learning through case studies updates a successful approach to teaching career theory and practice.  Using fictional case studies to illustrate career development and choice theories, the book provides an intertwining and integrative thread that tie together some of the most useful career theories and assess their relevance in practice.  This edition also extends the use of the First Edition’s effective hypothesis-strategy feature and includes an entirely new chapter on assessment. 

Tieger, P.D. & Barron-Tieger, B. (2007). Do what you are: Discover the perfect career for you through the secrets of personality type (4th ed.). New York, NY: Little, Brown.

• Here is a savvy book that presents the 16-types in a way the reader will clearly understand and use! This classic text, now in its fourth edition, has helped hundreds of thousands of people to discover their personality type and find a career that matches the strengths and values of that personality.  Using workbook exercises and real-life examples to highlight the strengths of each personality type, Tieger and Barron-Tieger take you though a journey on how to use your personality type to customize your job search and decisions.  Not a one-size-fits-all approach, the authors explain how to understand your own personality type in the work place, while becoming more accepting and tolerant of differences in your co-workers. One of the most practical uses of this book is the dozens of occupations that are “matched” with each personality type.  

Citiation: Nelson, D. B. (2013). Career advising and counseling annotative bibliography > NACADA. Retrieved from https://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Career-advising-and-counseling-annotative-bibliography.aspx