“When I’m hungry, I eat. When I’m thirsty, I drink. And when I feel like saying something, I say it.” — Madonna
And when you want something, stop at nothing to make it a reality. That includes starting your own business or working your way up the corporate ladder.
There are plenty of haters out there telling women they can’t do things — from breastfeeding in public to owning their own business.
But it’s time that women stopped listening.
The following 10 authors stopped letting the negativity affect them. And you can learn a thing or two from the advice they have to offer.
If you need a little motivation to kickstart your professional career, these 10 career books for women are perfect for your busy schedule.
10 Best Career Books for Women
1. #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso
Sophia Amoruso is the founder and CEO of Nasty Gal. In this book, she details her own journey to business success. Part memoir, part how-to, #Girlboss is an essential tool in the female entrepreneur arsenal.
2. Girl Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Success, Sanity, and Happiness for the Female Entrepreneur by Cara Alwill Leyba
Girl Code is another book that’s perfect for women trying to navigate the world of starting their own business. This book teaches women how to follow their passion and embrace happiness. It teaches women to fight for what they want in their professional careers.
3. The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know By Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
The Confidence Code is all about teaching professional women how to believe in themselves and feel confident in the work that they do. It’s an empowering journey that details the steps women need to take to embrace their inner strengths. This books will get you motivated and focused.
4. The Big Life by Ann Shoket
If you’re a young professional trying to get started, The Big Life is the book for you. It’s an engaging and motivating take on the lives of young professionals and what young women can do to propel their careers forward. The short answer? Anything and everything.
See Also: How to Ask for That New Year’s Raise
5. Own It by Sallie Krawcheck
Own It is the book for women who need a bit of a pep talk. It’s a great book for empowering yourself to do better, be better and embrace the skills that make you, you. It’s a book that gives women in business the confidence boost they need to power through and reach their full potential.
6. Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong by Jessica Bacal
Mistakes I Made At Work isn’t exactly a book of positivity like most of the other career books for women on this list. It talks about the whole picture — the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s a book that details the struggles and failures of 25 professional women and how these mistakes shaped them into the powerful women they’ve become.
7. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Lean In is one of the most influential books for business women. And it’s written by a successful businesswoman herself. In it, Sandberg discusses key problems and issues women face in the workforce and how they can go about carving out their own place in the evolving world of business.
8. Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
Don’t be afraid of your own goals. Don’t let others shame you for your dreams. That’s the message that Girl, Stop Apologizing delivers to its readers. It’s a creative, witty and impactful book that teaches women in all fields and all industries how to accept themselves despite what others think or say.
9. You Are A Mogal by Tiffany Pham
Author Tiffany Pham redefined the term ‘mogal’ to include women, and she uses this book to outline her own path to success and her ambition to get there. Actionable advice infused throughout the book gives young professional access to the information they can use to put themselves on the same journey.
10. How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen
Written by a leadership coach, How Women Rise offers a 12-step guide for women on how to take a stand, ditch bad professional habits and push for the next step in their professional career. This book pinpoints the specific roadblocks women in the workforces face and how they can overcome them with ease.
With these books in your business toolbox, you’ll be one step closer to achieving your goals. And those goals could be scoring a new interview, securing that upcoming raise or establishing yourself as a strong and empowered professional business woman.
Whatever your professional goals are, these books can help you reach them. Harness your potential and let that inner girlboss thrive!
