Socrates once said ‘True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing’, that’s why it crucial to gain fresh knowledge through books. Some people tend to read for pleasure and recreational purposes whilst other people take it upon themselves to read to strengthen their knowledge and learn new things.
If you are of the latter breed and a candidate on the lookout for a new job or even a HR manager looking to recruit your next PA, reading and learning about the recruitment industry can help put you above the competition and help to provide an insight into the type of candidate you are seeking. This post aims to give you an insight into some of the best books around which can do just that…
The Definitive Job Book: Rules from the Recruitment Insiders
Whether you are a student or an experienced professional, there are a lot of useful tips on how to perfect your cv and on how to optimize your performance at job interviews. It often points out do’s and don’t’s and mentions points that you wouldn’t really consider but that are worth considering and could make quite a difference to the impression you give employers.
By Anne Watson
£13/£11 (paperback/ebook)
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Successful Interviewing and Recruitment: Creating Success 91
This book is so well written it is hard to put it down. Mr Manahan’s style is engaging and entertaining, and so easy to read. It feels less like reading a book and more like being coached by an expert. The content is clearly laid out and covers every aspect normally found in CV books, however.
The most important aspect of this book is that it teaches you how to examine your own skills and experience, and communicate them in a fresh and appropriate way. It gets you into the head of the person who is likely to be reading your CV.
By Rowan Manahan
£7/£6 (paperback/ebook)
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Practice Psychometric Tests: How To Familiarise Yourself With Genuine Recruitment Tests And Get The Job You Want
Following the success of Andrea Shavick’s Passing Psychometric Tests and Psychometric Tests for Graduates comes this book, crammed full of even more genuine practice psychometric tests from SHL Group plc, the biggest test publisher in the world. These are the tests used by over 95 per cent of the FTSE 100 companies to select their staff, as do the police, the Civil Service, local authorities, the Armed Forces, the Fire Service, financial institutions, retail companies, the communications industry, the motor industry, the IT industry, the power industry…the list is endless. So if you’re looking for a job, you need this book!
By Andrea Shavick
£7
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The Assessment and Selection Handbook: Tools, Techniques and Exercises for Effective Recruitment and Development
This book offers a very down-to-earth approach to the design and running of assessment centres. Aimed at the experienced HR professional, it covered all aspects of the subject, even including the politics and internal barriers to the use of assessment centres that you typically find in organisations, large and small. It demystified the process and gave many practical exercises that could be built in to the centre; all except, that is, psychometric test content, where there is a pricey industry-wide accreditation barrier to the novice in adopting this element within the assessment.
By Ian Taylor
£33
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You’re Hired! CV: How to write a brilliant CV
What I particularly liked about this book is that it is clearly written for the UK job market. Excellent, practical advice on how to put together a professional CV, with clear examples and handy do’s and don’ts. This book certainly helps to create a CV with a professional image.
By Corinne Mills
£8
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