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Recommended Books To Read For New Graduates
Reading good books is a great way to prepare for your career
Graduating from college is a significant milestone, marking the transition from student life to the professional world. It's a time of new beginnings, challenges, and opportunities. One of the best ways to prepare for this new chapter is by reading books that offer insights, advice, and inspiration.
However, like developing any new habit, reading books can take some time to really take root; but, let that not dishearten you. Even a few pages a day can make a huge difference to your outlook and confidence, which are both essential in the transformation of a life time.
Here are ten books that you might want to consider reading as a recent college graduate:
Best Books To Read For Fresh Graduates
1. The Defining Decade
2. Atomic Habits
3. The Alchemist
4. Thinking, Fast And Slow
5. The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People
6. The Power Of Now
7. The Courage To Be Disliked
8. The Goal
9. Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance
1. "The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them Now" by Meg Jay
This book provides practical advice on how to make the most of your twenties, covering topics like career, relationships, and personal growth. Dr. Meg Jay is a Clinical Psychologist and a Professor of Human Development at the University of Virginia. She specializes in adult development and focuses on the twenties (people 20-29) in particular.
There are popular authors and accomplished in the world of academics have long said that there are certain periods in people's lives where they are more elastic to rapid development. Read rapid as in quick spurts. This rapid development applies to both physiological and psychological aspects of human beings.
The book is organized in easy-to-follow chapters and asks the readers a lot of thought-provoking questions. Most of what we read in books are someone's opinions backed up by good intentions to help the reader. This book is no exception. The reason why we want to recommend to fresh college graduates is that this book nudges the readers to engage with themselves in asking very fundamental questions on what they would like to achieve in their lives.
2. "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones" by James Clear
James Clear's guide to building effective habits is essential for anyone looking to improve their productivity and achieve their goals.
The reason we recommend this book is because of a significant aspect we really loved. James's emphasis on the idea that change does not occur overnight, but rather through the accumulation of small, consistent actions. This book offers a simple and a practical framework with the backing of laws of behavior change. These laws, when applied meticulously, can help readers create habits that one wants to develop and keep.
Having personally read this book, this book will certainly help develop a strong discipline especially as you start figuring out new qualifications to increase your odds of success in the job market and broadly, new approaches for the life after this transformational period.
3. "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
You may have already read this book since this book has become a recommended reading in a lot of liberal arts courses. If not, we strongly suggest that you give it a read.
This book, thanks to the inspirational plot, is worth reading several times during one's life. Personally, I have bought several copies of this book over the last 15 years as I started to give away my copy to friends and family asking them to read. This book is such a force that you would want to believe in your dreams and listening to your heart.
We don't usually like to say one must do something. In the case of this book, we might change that stance and say you probably might not want to miss reading this book. Get a copy.
4. "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman's exploration of how our minds work and how we make decisions, perfect for anyone entering the workforce.
This book will teach you something for sure as you would embark on a ground-breaking tour of the mind. You will learn about two systems: System 1 is fast, emotional and intuitive; System 2 is slower, more deliberative and more logical. Learning about these two systems will make you become more self-aware as you better understand how you think in the first place and why you act in a certain way in certain situations.
Once you finished the book, you will be able to or better appreciate if not identify and understand errors of judgment, and choice in others, and ultimately in ourselves
We highly recommend that you give this book a read.
5. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change" by Stephen R. Covey
I forgot to tell you that the books we are recommending for you to read are in no particular order. I have to say this now that this fantastic book comes up in the list.
Ranking is not required in a world full of joy, wisdom and a sense of purpose. After reading these books, where will you find yourself in? Of course, a wonderland so let's stay away from rankings.
Coming to this book, this one is an absolute classic. I have never met a senior executive in my corporate life (maybe barring a handful) that has not spoken about this book and how this book helped them grow and become a more effective individual. It is not unusual for people in office parties to assume that you have read this book and refer to one of the principles in the book passingly. This book on personal development and leadership is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their life and career. Period.
6. "The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment" by Eckhart Tolle
You might like this book naturally if you like the field of psychology. Like it or not, our life is all about the relationships we make with people around us. The dynamics in dealing with people in varying set ups is what makes it both exhilarating and stressful.
This book is primarily a discussion about how people interact with themselves and others. The concept of self-reflection and presence in the moment are presented along with simple and fun exercises for the achievement of its principles.
What I liked about in this book is that this book taught me how to relieve myself of the pains I had been carrying. It would be a lie if I said I got rid of all of those pains but I came to terms with them and now they don't haunt me anymore. My single most take away from this book is the appreciation that when we are living in the now, we respond to events from our inner consciousness and not automatically, i.e. not without forethought and mindlessly.
Do not be misled by the word "spiritual" in the title. It is not a book centered around preaching anything. Read "Spiritual" as "self-help". Who doesn't need it.
As a fresh college graduate, you could be undergoing a lot of stress. Finding a job, moving to a new town or city, or maybe even starting up a business or working as a freelancer while improving your qualifications - all lead to constant juggling of priorities and without a doubt could take a toll on your personal wellbeing. Do yourself a favour and get some insights into how you could deal with all of the stresses like champ.
Highly recommend it. Get a copy on finish on your next road trip or train trip.
7. "The Courage To Be Disliked" By Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi
What an appropriate title for this goldmine of a book. This book will shake you up, very gently though, so you awake from the sleep of excuses. This book will show you how to unlock the power within yourself to become your best and truest self, change your future and find lasting happiness. Ask how does it do that - it does that by asking you and making you confront your long-held beliefs and excuses. I loved reading this book and found it supremely helpful, especially as I was beating myself up for some of the accomplishments I so badly wanted to achieve but kept telling me excuses.
So what changed in me after reading this book? I always wanted to play guitar. Over the last 20 years I bought 4 guitars at different times in my life but never managed to learn it. My excuses were plenty, ranging from my fingers were smaller so I couldn't get going some of the chords well and I had a 60-hour work week with nearly all weekends spent on traveling to my base from the place where I was working. 3 months after reading the book, I made so much progress in learning to play guitar. That should tell you something about the power of this book.
For me, it was about dealing with my worst fears; for you, it may be learning to code or scoring well in a competitive exam. Reading this book is probably going to be one of the best gifts you would have given yourself to unlock your full potential.
Get a copy, I say.
8. "The Goal" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox
It's a novel folks. But it is one of those novels that stay with you for the rest of your life time. Like Kane and Able.
This business novel that teaches us how to achieve our goals by applying the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to a production-based company. Don't be put of by geek-speak. This book is actually quite friendly. I promise you won't have to learn anything by heart. No rote learning. The focus is not on theory but the application of thought processes. The book's main theme is continuous improvement, and it offers insights on how to optimize productivity, set strategic goals, and increase profits.
Of all the books that I covered in my list so far, this book is directly related to giving you some solid 2X boost on your confidence from the new knowledge you would gain from reading this book.
The interviewers will sure be amazed that your read this book. Also, let me caution you that if you have read this book, you are going to talk about this book.
No matter you studied business, commerce or math as your major, you will love this book if you have appetite for how things improve continually and why we should bother ourselves with continual improvement.
9. "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" by Robert Pirsig
This is one of my first set of books that made me find reading books a hugely rewarding activity in my life. I never knew reading could be so life-changing until I read this book.
Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a fictionalized autobiography that uses a motorcycle road trip to explore the meaning of quality and the concept of high quality engagement. The book challenges objective reasoning and encourages introspection and appreciation for life's complexity
My most significant take away from this book is the appreciation that high quality engagement is the secret to a fulfilled life.
I also became content with who I am as a person and somewhat stopped complaining about the things I didn't have. I also developed greater appreciation for those things that life bestowed me with. I naturally became an easier and interesting person to talk to, despite my being an introvert, as I started to calm down and listen more than hastily talk a lot without saying much.
Oh, talk about falling in love with becoming self-reliant. All the events in the book will drench you in how being self-reliant gives you freedom in life.
It has been at least 2 years since I last read this book, but I remember Phaedrus. Let me not steal the thunder by talking about who Phaedrus was. You should read it.
Conclusion
Reading these books can provide you as a recent college graduate with valuable insights, inspiration, and practical advice as you navigate the most transformational period of your life. Whether you're looking to build better habits, improve your leadership skills, or simply find some inspiration, these books are a great place to start. Happy reading!