Hi there, I’m Emily! 👋 Welcome to Hired Humanities, a biweekly newsletter devoted to helping humanities students build careers on their own terms.
Hey, readers!
This week we have a short and sweet issue dedicated to my favorite book recommendations to celebrate the arrival of high summer. Think of this as a little nod to the summer reading lists you used to get in high school, but with a lot less Charles Dickens.
I hope all of you had a safe and peaceful long weekend.
Photo by Dan Dumitriu on Unsplash
If you need help in the productivity department
How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life
By Caroline Webb
I picked up How to Have a Good Day about a year into my role as a publicist, and it’s still one of my favorites. The book is all about using behavioral science to make your workday less chaotic and more productive. Even if you’re not getting a billion emails as I did in PR, you can still benefit from Webb’s tips on batching your tasks, managing conflict, and communicating with power. In fact, I wish I had picked this book up when I was still in graduate school.
If you want people to actually remember what you say
By Julie Dirksen
Though its title might sound like it’s geared toward instructional designers, Design for How People Learn is full of great insights for mastering one of the most valuable skills to develop in any industry: the ability to present your ideas clearly and effectively. It’s transformed the way I approach presentations and conduct training sessions, and I’m pretty sure it will change the way you think about communication, too.
If you want a better relationship with your boss or advisor
Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss
By Mary Abbajay
No matter what industry you end up in— even academia— you will need to learn how to manage your relationship with your boss. Managing Up gives you practical, actionable advice for navigating even the most difficult management styles. If you’re lucky enough to already have a great relationship with your supervisor, Managing Up will give you ideas on how to make it even better.
If you want to get the job done
Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager
By Kory Kogon, Suzette Blakemore, and James Wood
It is a universal truth that whether you like it or not, you’re going to find yourself managing a project or initiative at some point in your career. Project Management outlines a step-by-step process to make sure whatever you're working on gets done, on time, and within budget. I’ve gone back to this little book many times over the years, and I could even see my former academic self finding it useful for research projects.
If you need a little inspiration
You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a "Useless" Liberal Arts Education
By George Anders
You Can Do Anything is like chicken soup for the humanist’s soul. Though it’s targeted at undergrads, anyone with a humanities background can find solace in George Anders’ exploration of what people actually do with their liberal arts degrees. If you’re feeling a little lost, this is a perfect pick-me-up and reminder that you can forge your own path.
A parting note
Thanks for tuning in this week! Please don't hesitate to drop me a line if you have questions or feedback. And, if you think someone else in your life would love to receive this newsletter in their inbox, feel free to spread the word.
Cheers,
Emily
P.S. Please support your local bookshops if you’re planning on picking up any of the titles above.