Best books to succeed in business

Between summer play and the hectic holidays, there’s the serious

business of fall -- often a prime time for finding a job, climbing

the corporate ladder and polishing skills that could boost your

career.

You can land a great position without resorting to the traditional

means of self-promotion, advises Jeffrey J. Fox in “Don’t Send a

Resume.” Find out how to “dollarize” yourself, compose a resu-letter

and look for a job in unorthodox places many job-seekers overlook in

this new sequel to the author’s “How to Become a CEO.”

Even if you trash your paper resume, you may need a marketing tool

you can use to respond to Internet job openings. Check out

“Cyberspace Job Search Kit,” by Mary Nemnich and Fred Jandt, for tips

on preparing and submitting scannable, e-mailable and HTML documents.

In addition, find advice for accessing 300 job databases, plus ways

to negotiate for the highest salary in the newest edition of this

online job-hunting guide.

Once you’ve landed a dream position, you’ll want to secure your

rung on the ladder. Explore how to enhance your worth to your

employer with Bob Nelson’s “Please Don’t Just Do What I Tell You! Do

What Needs to Be Done.” In his blueprint for moving up, learn simple

strategies for turning needs into opportunities and making any job

more rewarding.

Your path to the top could involve leading when you’re not the

leader, managing a hostile crew and going over the boss’ head. Study

tactics for these and other workplace challenges with Hal Lancaster’s

“52 Lessons for Getting to the Top ... and Staying There.” Master

nine other relationship principles that power your career, outlined

by Ronna Lichtenberg in “It’s Not Business, It’s Personal.”

Want to work smarter, not harder? Join the ranks of innovators,

visionaries and new-thinkers with help from Robert Kiegel’s “How to

Succeed in Business Without Working So Damn Hard.” In his newest

motivational manual, the former Olympic coach reveals how to get

ahead without working 60-hour weeks, spending hours in meetings or

taking cell phone calls on vacation.

If all else fails, turn to the Zen-based guidance of “Throwing the

Elephant” for help with such sticky situations as dealing with a

drunken boss and transcending negative feelings in the corporate

kingdom. In this hilarious spoof of workplace strategies, Stanley

Bing reveals what Buddha might tell you if he were your personal

career coach. And while he’s more intent on helping you see the humor

of office politics than in providing tips for getting ahead, just

lightening up may be the best step for succeeding in business.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach

Public Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams, in

collaboration with Tim Hetherton. All titles may be reserved from

home or office computers by accessing the catalog at

www.newportbeachlibrary.org.