100 Best Interviewing Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best interviewing books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

interview compilation books

Cracking the Coding Interview

189 Programming Questions and Solutions

Gayle Laakmann McDowell | 5.00

See more recommendations for this book...

interview compilation books

Voices from Chernobyl

Svetlana Alexievich, Keith Gessen | 4.70

interview compilation books

Craig Mazin These are sources I found fascinating and useful. Not ALL of them, but a bunch. First up, obviously... Svetlana Alexievich's Voices From Chernobyl. Absolutely essential, and heartbreaking, reading. There's a reason Ms. Alexievich has a Nobel Prize. (Source)

Kate Brown It’s a very beautiful work and I think it gives you the emotional landscape of how people dealt with their anxieties, fears, the health problems that ensued, and their growing sense of disillusionment with their political leaders and the Communist party. (Source)

interview compilation books

Rebecca Altman What follows events like Chernobyl is a politics of measurement. Who counts? What counts? Who does the counting? How are boundaries drawn for the purposes of counting and comparing? And what is discounted, or never counted at all? (Source)

interview compilation books

Hitchcock. Edition définitive

François Truffaut | 4.63

interview compilation books

Darren Aronofsky This book is an amazing guide to Hitchcock’s thought process…Truffaut got Hitchcock to reveal a lot of the different techniques that he used to put together his monumental body of work. (Source)

Mat Whitecross One of the best books on film ever written. (Source)

interview compilation books

World War Z

An Oral History of the Zombie War

Max Brooks | 4.56

interview compilation books

Geoffrey Miller World War Z (the book, not the movie) by @maxbrooksauthor is an incredibly well-researched, thoughtful, horrifying page-turner that explores the many ways that people, media, & gov'ts are likely to mismanage global pandemics. Highly prescient must-read. https://t.co/04YMqnu06e https://t.co/7dyx0F9qqB (Source)

P W Singer and August Cole It’s about more than a zombie takeover, it’s about what it means to live together in a prosperous and stable world. (Source)

Greg Garrett World War Z is a novel that bridges the gap between pulp and high literature. It takes a subject matter which we would think of as mainstream geek culture, but it finds universal human themes, develops characters that you care about, and also manages to be culturally critical. It is clearly critical of many of the post-9/11 choices made by the United States and Britain. (Source)

interview compilation books

The Power of Myth

Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers | 4.53

interview compilation books

Naval Ravikant I’m rereading The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell. Sometimes I think it’s better to just to reread the greats than it is to read something that’s not as great. (Source)

Bryan Callen Joseph Campbell was the first person to really open my eyes to [the] compassionate side of life, or of thought... Campbell was the guy who really kind of put it all together for me, and not in a way I could put my finger on... It made you just glad to be alive, [realizing] how vast this world is, and how similar and how different we are. (Source)

Park Howell This is one of the books I recommend to people looking for a career in advertising. (Source)

interview compilation books

Please Kill Me

The Uncensored Oral History of Punk

Legs McNeil, Gillian McCain | 4.43

interview compilation books

Seth Mandel @LBC1983 love that book (Source)

Santigold Please Kill Me is one of the most fun books I’ve ever read. It’s basically a collection of oral histories, first-hand accounts from all the people who were around in New York as punk began. It’s the inside scoop on everything punk, with all kinds of details about who hooked up with who and the crazy shit they did. It’s not like reading a history book – it’s almost like being there, talking to all... (Source)

interview compilation books

Secondhand Time

The Last of the Soviets

Svetlana Alexievich, Bela Shayevich | 4.43

interview compilation books

Sam Freedman @martinbright It's amazing. Have you read Second Hand Time? Best book of the century so far for me. Just incredible. (Source)

Stephanie Flanders The power comes from the stories themselves, the people she found and talked to. (Source)

interview compilation books

American Gods (American Gods, #1)

Neil Gaiman | 4.40

interview compilation books

Ricky Whittle Nobody can break my family.I’m proud to be apart of this diverse cast & crew who are working their butts off to deliver a fantastic season 3 continuing to tell Shadows story and the awesome characters he meets along the way as in @neilhimself incredible book #readit #details🤔 https://t.co/PahPC9j3HB (Source)

Scott Johnson American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This is a brilliant thought experiment about what happens to a god when its believers stop believing. My preferred edition is the 10th Anniversary release with expanded text. (Source)

Marko Rakar Basically, first of all, I am a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy books and I grew up with Douglas Adams and Arthur C Clarke. For me, this is the best of Gaiman’s books and I’ve got all of them. It’s set in the present time and talks about settlers who have settled a continent and have brought their gods with them. So, if you are Swedish and you cherish Nordic gods and move to the US, the... (Source)

interview compilation books

Get That Job!

The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Interview

Thea Kelley and Orville Pierson | 4.30

interview compilation books

The Paris Review Interviews, I

16 Celebrated Interviews

The Paris Review The Paris Review | 4.29

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Herzog on Herzog

Paul Cronin, Werner Herzog | 4.27

interview compilation books

Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges

Amy Cuddy | 4.27

interview compilation books

Ryan Foland Finished listening to Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest ... by @amyjccuddy via #Audible. Great book 👍👍 Want it? Get it free: https://t.co/Q0kbPqqJuF (Source)

interview compilation books

Coders at Work

Reflections on the Craft of Programming

Peter Seibel | 4.26

interview compilation books

Santiago Basulto Founders at Work and Coders at Work are really good ones too. They’re filled with interesting and inspiring stories. (Source)

Vicki Boykis It’s about how those people got into programming and how they think about it. It’s a very conversational book that really helps you to learn the culture of this industry you’re coming into, and some of its terminology. (Source)

interview compilation books

How to Be Successful at Interviews

An In-Depth Guide on Interviewing, Answering Questions, and Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Ernest Enabulele | 4.24

interview compilation books

Algorithm Design Manual

Steven S Skiena | 4.23

interview compilation books

Hadley Wickham This book is an illustration of the power of names in the Google era. (Source)

interview compilation books

People Talk about What They Do All Day and How They Feel about What They Do

Studs Terkel | 4.23

interview compilation books

Barack Obama According to the president’s Facebook page and a 2008 interview with the New York Times, these titles are among his most influential forever favorites: Moby Dick, Herman Melville Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson Song Of Solomon, Toni Morrison Parting The Waters, Taylor Branch Gilead, Marylinne Robinson Best and the Brightest, David Halberstam The Federalist, Alexander Hamilton Souls of Black... (Source)

interview compilation books

Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles, #1)

Anne Rice | 4.23

Lynch on Lynch

David Lynch | 4.23

interview compilation books

Motivation-based Interviewing

A Revolutionary Approach to Hiring the Best

Carol Quinn | 4.23

interview compilation books

An Oral History of the Great Depression

Studs Terkel | 4.22

interview compilation books

Gary Gorton This is an oral history of the Great Depression, including people from all walks of life describing what they did, from the demonstrations and riots of the out-of-work to Goldman Sachs executives. (Source)

interview compilation books

Dialogues With Marcel Duchamp

Pierre Cabanne | 4.22

interview compilation books

60 Seconds and You're Hired!

Robin Ryan | 4.21

interview compilation books

This is Not the End of the Book

Umberto Eco | 4.21

interview compilation books

Underground

The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche

Haruki Murakami | 4.21

interview compilation books

Elements of Programming Interviews

The Insiders' Guide C++

Adnan Aziz, Tsung-Hsien Lee, et al. | 4.21

interview compilation books

Talks with T. G. Masaryk

Karel Capek, Michael Henry Heim | 4.19

interview compilation books

Swipe to Unlock

The Primer on Technology and Business Strategy

Neel Mehta, Aditya Agashe, Parth Detroja | 4.18

interview compilation books

This Is Orson Welles

Orson Welles, Peter Bogdanovich, Jonathan Rosenbaum | 4.18

Mat Whitecross Orson Welles has always been my favourite director. I remember catching films of his late at night. One of the first films I saw of his was Touch of Evil; I had never seen anything like it. And the book is incredibly inspiring. He is sitting down with his friend Peter Bogdanovich, who is another great film director, and the two of them just talk about Orson Welles’s career. Welles is a great... (Source)

interview compilation books

The Proximity Principle

The Proven Strategy That Will Lead to a Career You Love

Ken Coleman, Dave Ramsey | 4.18

Dave Ramsey Ken Coleman's Proximity Principle book is the PROVEN strategy that will lead to the career you love. Don't waste another year wishing you'd done something different. Read this book and start to make a change. (Source)

interview compilation books

Java Concurrency in Practice

Brian Goetz | 4.17

interview compilation books

Programming Interviews Exposed

Secrets to Landing Your Next Job (Programmer to Programmer)

John Mongan, Noah Suojanen, Eric Giguère | 4.16

interview compilation books

Motivational Interviewing for School Counselors

Reagan A North | 4.16

interview compilation books

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle

Angela Y. Davis, Frank Barat, Cornel West | 4.16

interview compilation books

Conversations with Tom Petty

Tom Petty, PaulPaul ZolloZollo | 4.15

interview compilation books

Understanding Power

The Indispensable Chomsky

Noam Chomsky, John Schoeffel, R. Mitchell | 4.15

interview compilation books

Cracking the PM Interview

How to Land a Product Manager Job in Technology

Gayle Laakmann McDowell and Jackie Bavaro | 4.15

interview compilation books

Listening Is an Act of Love

A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project

Dave Isay | 4.15

interview compilation books

Ursula K. Le Guin

The last interview and other conversations.

Ursula K. Le Guin, David Streitfeld | 4.14

interview compilation books

Last Testament

In His Own Words

Pope Benedict XVI, Peter Seewald | 4.14

interview compilation books

Decode and Conquer

Answers to Product Management Interviews

Lewis C. Lin | 4.13

interview compilation books

Conversations with Glenn Gould

Jonathan Cott | 4.13

Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best

Motivational Interviewing in Sports

Stephen Rollnick, Jonathan Fader, et al. | 4.13

interview compilation books

Susan Sontag

The Complete Rolling Stone Interview

interview compilation books

Motivational Interviewing in Health Care

Helping Patients Change Behavior

Stephen Rollnick, William R. Miller, et al. | 4.12

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2020

A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers

Richard N. Bolles | 4.12

interview compilation books

The Professor Is In

The Essential Guide To Turning Your Ph.D. Into a Job

Karen Kelsky | 4.12

interview compilation books

The Complete Software Developer's Career Guide

How to Learn Your Next Programming Language, Ace Your Programming Interview, and Land The Coding Job Of Your Dreams

John Sonmez | 4.12

Early in his software developer career, John Sonmez discovered that technical knowledge alone isn't enough to break through to the next income level - developers need "soft skills" like the ability to learn new technologies just in time, communicate clearly with management and consulting clients, negotiate a fair hourly rate, and unite teammates and coworkers in working toward a common goal.

As John invested in these skills his career took off, and he...

As John invested in these skills his career took off, and he became a highly paid, highly sought-after developer and consultant .

Today John helps more than 1.4 million programmers every year to increase their income by developing this unique blend of skills.

"If you're a developer, green or a veteran, you owe it to yourself to read The Complete Software Developers Career Guide." - Jason Down, Platform Developer, Ontario, Canada

This book will show you how to ensure you have the technical skills your future boss is looking for, create a resume that leaps off a hiring manager's desk, and escape the "no work experience" trap.

You'll see how to find and fill in gaps in your technical knowledge, position yourself as the one team member your boss can't live without, and turn those dreaded annual reviews into chance to make an iron-clad case for your salary bump.

This book will show you how to become a specialist who can command above-market wages, how building a name for yourself can make opportunities come to you, and how to decide whether consulting or entrepreneurship are paths you should pursue.

interview compilation books

Becoming Wise

An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living

Krista Tippett | 4.11

Elizabeth Gilbert I am a great admirer of Krista Tippett, who has spent years using her mind as a gentle but probing research tool into the beautiful, perilous, mysterious realm of the human soul. With this book, she has gathered all her years of learning and listening to create a masterpiece of philosophical and spiritual reflection. About halfway through the book, I stopped flagging pages and highlighting... (Source)

Brene Brown We need Krista Tippett’s voice and wisdom now more than ever. She has elevated the art of listening and the practice of being present in a way that is both accessible and soulful. Becoming Wise is what I’ve been waiting for from Krista - the opportunity to learn from her and her experiences. This is brilliant thinking, beautiful storytelling, and practical insight. You won’t forget what you read... (Source)

interview compilation books

Bresson par Bresson

Entretiens 1943-1983

Mylène Bresson, Robert Bresson | 4.11

interview compilation books

1001 Solution-Focused Questions

Handbook for Solution-Focused Interviewing

Fredrike Bannink | 4.11

interview compilation books

Jim Jarmusch

Ludvig Hertzberg | 4.11

interview compilation books

Conversations

Richard Burgin | 4.10

interview compilation books

Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself

A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace

David Lipsky | 4.10

interview compilation books

Interviews with Francis Bacon

David Sylvester | 4.10

interview compilation books

Motivational Interviewing with Offenders

Engagement, Rehabilitation, and Reentry

Jill D. Stinson and Michael D. Clark | 4.10

interview compilation books

Motivational Interviewing in Diabetes Care

Marc P. Steinberg and William R. Miller Phd | 4.10

interview compilation books

Cronenberg on Cronenberg

David Cronenberg, Chris Rodley | 4.10

interview compilation books

Motivational Interviewing in Nutrition and Fitness

Dawn Clifford and Laura Curtis | 4.09

interview compilation books

Case Interview Secrets

A Former McKinsey Interviewer Reveals How to Get Multiple Job Offers in Consulting

Victor Cheng | 4.08

interview compilation books

What Color Is Your Parachute?

Richard N. Bolles | 4.08

Armina Sirbu "What Color is Your Parachute" by R. Bolles is iconic for a student or fresh graduate who has no clue what's next. It helped me realized that even though I was graduating from computer science, my heart was in training and HR so that's how I chose my masters and then built a career path that mixed both IT and HR. Basically it gave me the courage to "go for it", showed me that it's ok to mix the... (Source)

interview compilation books

Elements of Programming Interviews in Python

The Insiders' Guide

Adnan Aziz, Tsung-Hsien Lee, et al. | 4.08

interview compilation books

Salt of the Earth

The Church at the End of the Millennium - An Interview With Peter Seewald

Peter Seewald, Adrian Walker, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger | 4.08

interview compilation books

Dinner with Lenny

The Last Long Interview with Leonard Bernstein

Jonathan Cott | 4.08

interview compilation books

101 Great Answers to Toughest Interview Questions

Ron Fry | 4.08

interview compilation books

Heard on the Street

Quantitative Questions from Wall Street Job Interviews

Timothy Falcon Crack | 4.08

interview compilation books

Lennon Remembers

The Full Rolling Stone Interviews from 1970

Jann S. Wenner, Yoko Ono, John Lennon | 4.08

interview compilation books

Complete Interview Answer Guide

Don Georgevich | 4.08

interview compilation books

Roberto Bolaño, Sybil Perez, Marcela Valdes | 4.07

Case in Point 10

Complete Case Interview Preparation

Marc P. Cosentino | 4.06

interview compilation books

Clinical Interviewing, with Video Resource Center

John Sommers-Flanagan and Rita Sommers-Flanagan | 4.05

interview compilation books

The Art of the Novel

Milan Kundera | 4.05

interview compilation books

#ENTRYLEVELBOSS

How to Get Any Job You Want

Alexa Shoen | 4.05

interview compilation books

The 2-Hour Job Search, Second Edition

Using Technology to Get the Right Job Faster

Steve Dalton | 4.05

interview compilation books

Ladders 2019 Interviews Guide

74 Questions That Will Land You The Job

Marc Cenedella | 4.05

interview compilation books

How to Write the Perfect Resume

Stand Out, Land Interviews, and Get the Job You Want

Dan Clay | 4.05

interview compilation books

Anthony Bourdain

The Kindle Singles Interview (Kindle Single)

David Blu | 4.05

interview compilation books

Interviews with William S. Burroughs

Daniel Odier, William S. Burroughs | 4.05

interview compilation books

Coding Interview Questions

Narasimha Karumanchi | 4.04

interview compilation books

Java Puzzlers

Traps, Pitfalls, and Corner Cases

Joshua Bloch / Neal Gafter Bloch / Gafter | 4.04

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Interview with History

Oriana Fallaci | 4.04

interview compilation books

Absolutely on Music

Conversations with Seiji Ozawa

Haruki Murakami, Seiji Ozawa, et al | 4.04

Stanley Kubrick

Gene D. Phillips | 4.04

interview compilation books

Internships in Psychology

The Apags Workbook for Writing Successful Applications and Finding the Right Fit

Carol Williams-Nickelson PsyD | 4.03

interview compilation books

The Addiction Recovery Skills Workbook

Changing Addictive Behaviors Using CBT, Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing Techniques

Suzette Glasner-Edwards PhD and Richard A Rawson PhD | 4.03

interview compilation books

Learning to Live Finally

The Last Interview

Jacques Derrida, Jean Birnbaum | 4.03

interview compilation books

Hacking the Case Interview

Your Shortcut Guide to Mastering Consulting Interviews

Taylor Warfield | 4.03

interview compilation books

Building Motivational Interviewing Skills, Second Edition

A Practitioner Workbook

David B. Rosengren | 4.02

101 Clinical Interventions for Trauma

Activities & Worksheets for Moving Your Client and Therapy Forward

Linda Curran | 4.02

interview compilation books

Gilliam on Gilliam (Directors on Directors)

Terry Gilliam, Ian Christie | 4.01

interview compilation books

Interview Intervention: Communication That Gets You Hired

A Milewalk Business Book

Andrew Lacivita | 4.01

interview compilation books

Robert Biedron | 4.01

interview compilation books

How Would You Move Mount Fuji? Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle--How the World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers

William Poundstone | 4.01

interview compilation books

Truman Capote

In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances, and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career

George Plimpton | 4.01

Connecting Paradigms

A Trauma-Informed & Neurobiological Framework for Motivational Interviewing Implementation

Matthew S Bennett | 4.01

interview compilation books

Knock 'Em Dead 2016

The Ultimate Job Search Guide

Martin Yate CPC | 4.01

interview compilation books

Knock 'em Dead Job Interview

How to Turn Job Interviews Into Job Offers

Martin Yate CPC | 4.00

interview compilation books

96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire

Paul Falcone | 4.00

With more than 120,000 copies sold, this hiring classic gets results.

Why do so many promising job candidates turn out to be disappointing employees? How can you consistently hire the right people at the right time for the right roles?

Employment expert Paul Falcone supplies the tools you need to land top talent. The third edition of his practical and popular book is packed with interview questions, each designed to reveal the real person sitting across the table. What is the applicant’s motivation for changing jobs? How well does he handle stress?...

Employment expert Paul Falcone supplies the tools you need to land top talent. The third edition of his practical and popular book is packed with interview questions, each designed to reveal the real person sitting across the table. What is the applicant’s motivation for changing jobs? How well does he handle stress? Does she consistently show initiative? Managers learn to define the key criteria they seek in their next hire and pose strategic questions to uncover these qualities, including:

● Achievement-anchored questions ● Questions that gauge likeability and fit ● Pressure-cooker questions ● Holistic questions that invite self-assessment ● Questions tailored to sales, mid-level, or senior management positions ● And more

Complete with guidelines for analyzing answers, asking follow-up questions, checking references, and making winning offers — as well as new chapters on evaluating freelancers and onboarding successfully — the book simplifies the hiring process and puts people in place who can get the job done.

interview compilation books

And Here's the Kicker

Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers on their Craft and the Industry

Mike Sacks | 4.00

Kieslowski on Kieslowski

Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzystof Kieslowski, Danusia Stok | 4.00

interview compilation books

Motivational Interviewing in Schools

Conversations to Improve Behavior and Learning

Stephen Rollnick, Sebastian G. Kaplan, et al. | 4.00

13 Top Books to Ace Your Next Job Interview [& Land the Job]

Background Image

Interviews are one of the most nerve-racking parts of any job hunt. 

From fresh graduates to seasoned professionals, job-seekers are always looking for an edge to make it run smoother.

This is where interview books come in. 

By informing yourself about the interview process and learning how to “wow!” hiring managers, you increase your odds of landing that job you’re after.

So to help you gain as much of an upper hand in job interviews as possible, we’ve compiled this list of 13 must-read interview books for 2024.

Let’s check them out!

13 Must-Read Interview Books in 2024

#1. job interview masterclass.

job interview masterclass

If you want a book that breaks down job interviews into their most basic parts and gives you a window into a hiring manager’s mind, look no further.

“Job Interview Masterclass” by Novorésumé has you covered!

Job Interview Masterclass is split into four main chapters:

  • The first one goes over topics such as how to research a company, what to do before your interview day, and how to dress to impress during the job interview itself.
  • The second chapter digs deeper and shows you the most important interview questions and everything you need to know to answer them effectively.
  • Chapter three focuses on behavioral interview questions and Novoresume experts’ advice on how to ace them.
  • In chapter four, the guide goes beyond the job interview itself and coaches you on what to do once you get the job or how to handle rejection gracefully.

Whether you’re a seasoned or an entry-level professional, “Job Interview Masterclass” is the perfect read if you want to learn how to excel in job interviews or simply brush up on your skills.

#2. Job Search Masterclass

job search masterclass

You can find everything you need to know to nail a job application in Novorésumé's “Job Search Masterclass”. The book details the entire journey, from creating a flawless resume to adding an effective cover letter and wowing any job interviewer.

“Job Search Masterclass” is an invaluable companion to your job search, whether you’re a senior professional calculating your career’s next steps or a recent graduate making the first move towards your career journey. 

Job Search Masterclass is divided into the following chapters:

  • How to write a resume. All the information about creating a resume is detailed here, including picking the right format, choosing the best resume layout, adding your contact information, creating a great resume summary, listing your work experience right, highlighting your skills, and so much more.
  • How to write a cover letter. A must-have companion piece to your resume is an equally eye-catching cover letter. From addressing the hiring manager to using an effective call to action, this section of the book will show you how to match your resume with a cover letter to match.
  • How to nail an interview. For most candidates, interviews are the bane of the entire application process. So, this chapter teaches you all about how to prepare for interviews. You’ll see the most common interview questions and the best answers to them as well as tried and tested interview tips to help you ace your next interview.
  • All about remote work. As an increasingly large part of the job market, remote work is the talk of the town. This chapter will show you how to find remote job offers, which roles are most remote-friendly, and teach you how to ace a remote work interview.
  • Hack your job search. The book finishes with a special bonus chapter with some life-saving job-hunt hacks that you wish you’d known sooner.

#3. Basic Interviewing Skills

Raymond L. Gordon’s titular interview book sets itself apart from others in the genre since it’s aimed at recruiters, not candidates. That said, it still provides insight into the minds of interviewers which all candidates can benefit from.

“Basic Interviewing Skills” is a practical guide that aims to equip you with the skills and techniques necessary to conduct interviews and provide you with an in-depth understanding of the interviewing process. 

After reading it, you’ll understand how important communication skills, active listening , and empathy are in helping you establish rapport and elicit information more easily. An especially useful part is the explained art of phrasing questions and how interviewers encourage a natural flow of conversation to obtain candid responses.

The book covers all the most important subjects any job-seeker wants to know, including how an interviewer sees you, how they choose resumes, why they ask certain common questions, and what they want to hear you say. 

The practical approach and focus on basic techniques make it useful to readers at any career stage and industry.

#4. Smart Answers to Tricky Interview Questions

Rob Yeung’s guide to interviews comes with practical advice and a strong focus on handling any questions an interviewer can throw your way. 

“Smart Answers to Tricky Interview Questions: How to Prepare for a Job-Winning Interview” offers useful strategies you can apply and helps you craft the most effective responses to a hiring manager’s concerns. Yeung emphasizes the importance of understanding the role you’re applying for and tailoring your responses to the company’s culture and values.

This interview book gives insight into the hiring manager’s perspective, prepares you for challenging questions, and puts forth real-life examples from interviews to show you what works best and what interview mistakes to avoid . 

“Smart Answers to Tricky Interview Questions” explains tricky questions and equips you to handle them gracefully.

#5. Interview Like A Boss

“Interview Like A Boss: The Most Talked About Book In Corporate America” by Hans Van Nas is a well-researched and to-the-point book that dives into interviews and how to own them. 

The interview book covers the main aspects of the interviewing process, such as preparing ahead of time, personal presentation, including what to wear to an interview , and follow-up tips to solidify the impression you’ve made. The author gives a practical guide to researching your desired company , preparing for the most common interview questions, and the ones that might otherwise surprise you.

“Interview Like a Boss” shows you the big picture and offers a direct approach to tackling job interviews, without sparing the details. 

Do you have something you’re scared an interviewer will ask about, such as a former arrest? No worries, this interview book has got your back on that. We recommend you add it to your reading list to help boost your confidence before that upcoming interview.

Are you incredibly anxious about flunking a job interview? Then this interview book is for you. 

“Aced” by Gerald Ratigan shines through as an introvert’s lifeline to making it through an interview as a winner. The book helps readers navigate the modern interview process and land that dream job. The author shares his own experiences, including his worst failures, and highlights what works and what doesn’t.

“Aced” gives you practical tips and focuses on interview preparation, as well as covering essential soft skills that will help you in the long run. As someone with decades of experience as both an interviewer and an interviewee, Ratigan explains the importance of personal branding and creating a lasting impression and how it can make or break your interview. Overall, “Aced” is an insightful read for any job-seeker.

#7. GET THAT JOB!

“Get That Job!: The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Interview” by the career coach Thea Kelley is more than just a motivating title. The book is designed as a roadmap for interview success, and the final destination is your dream job.

The book starts with the mindset of interviewers and the need for you to present a strong and consistent brand in front of them. The author emphasized the use of research and preparation, including coming equipped with persuasive answers to the most common questions you might expect. Kelley offers frameworks to help you analyze your past experiences and present them clearly in response to situational interview questions related to your problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

“Get That Job!” lists the presentation skills and preparation you need to wow an interviewer and leave a long-lasting impression. It includes a section on handling stress and anxiety before and during the interview, so you can keep your cool and ace it. Make sure to check out the post-interview tips, such as sending thank-you notes and following up with the employer. Finally, you can learn how to negotiate a job offer to secure the best terms and set yourself up for career growth. All in all, “Get That Job!” is a worthwhile read.

#8. How to Talk to Anyone

“How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships” by Leil Lowndes is a useful guide to navigating all sorts of communication, and interviews especially. The book gives detailed advice on how to improve your communication skills and build meaningful relationships across different social contexts. It’s a great read for brushing up on your networking skills , too.

The essential aspects of interpersonal communication, such as body language, conversation starters, and active listening are some of the aspects that can help you ace your next interview. 

Some of the 92 easy-to-follow strategies Lowndes offers include showing genuine interest in the person you’re speaking to, offering compliments when appropriate, using humor to ease tension, and more. “How to Talk to Anyone” will leave you feeling more confident in your people skills and help set you up for success, both professional and personal.

#9. What Color Is Your Parachute?

Richard Nelson Bolles’ contribution to the career book genre is a great choice for job-seekers on the lookout for a fulfilling career path. “What Color Is Your Parachute?” prepares its reader with tips for every part of the job hunt and hiring process, including how to write a resume , interviews, and follow-up. This book will turn answering the question “ Why do you want to work here? ” into your favorite part of the interview.

The book starts by teaching you how to leverage your skills, values, and interests to find your ideal job. Through introspection and self-assessment, you learn what your strengths and weaknesses are and how to talk about them at a job interview. “What Color Is Your Parachute?” offers valuable networking tips , how to tap into a hidden job market, and the A to Z on how to prepare for an interview. By following the author’s advice, job-seekers can expect a lot more satisfaction in their professional lives.

#10. How To Win Friends & Influence People

Dale Carnegie’s classic published in 1936 still rings true. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is beneficial across all walks of life because what it teaches are valuable interpersonal skills that help you achieve personal and professional goals more easily. Fostering positive relationships, practicing effective communication, and persuading others is part of the strategies the book offers.

Despite not being an interview book, Carnegie’s principles are timeless and find their use during interviews, too. Showing genuine interest in people, handling criticism constructively, and understanding the perspectives of others are all key to developing your social skills, and confidence and ultimately conveying your best self to your future employer.

#11. The Art of the Interview

James Storey’s “Interview: The Art of the Interview - The Perfect Answers to Every Question” comes through as a guide designed to help any job-seeker deliver outstanding answers to the most common interview questions . The book gives you insight into the interviewer’s mindset in order to understand them and address their questions and concerns most effectively.

The book includes practical tips for crafting well-rounded and persuasive answers to any type of interview question. Storey aims to arm you for any of the behavioral interview questions that candidates dread. “The Art of the Interview” details essential aspects of interviewing, such as non-verbal cues, communication skills, and anxiety-reduction strategies. Storey’s focus is on motivational interviewing, and as such the book will help you build up your confidence, present your best self and score the job position you’re after.

#12. 60 Seconds and You’re Hired

Robin Ryan’s 1994 book has been revised several times and offers job-seekers practical advice to secure their desired positions. “60 Seconds and You’re Hired” emphasizes the importance of concise answers and introduces the “60 Second Sell” strategy.

A successful interview is all about making a strong impression and making it fast, and that’s where “60 Seconds and You’re Hired” comes in. Several aspects of the interview process are discussed in detail, such as preparing for the most common questions and learning to negotiate for your salary. And don’t forget to ask the interviewer some of the questions Ryan’s book lists in order to secure the best offer you can get. 

#13. Gravitas

“Gravitas: Communicate with Confidence, Influence and Authority” by Caroline Goyder teaches you something that will make any interview child’s play. While not necessarily specific to interviews, the book teaches readers how to communicate effectively, exude confidence, and project authority in various professional and personal settings. As a voice and communication expert, the author uses her know-how to give you practical techniques, exercises, and relatable examples to help refine your communication skills .

The book follows the six so-called principles of gravitas: passion, knowledge, conviction, integrity, connection, and projections. When you understand and incorporate them into your communication style, you’ll be sure to make an impression whenever you speak. Conveying your meaning with clarity, persuading others, establishing yourself as a respectable figure, and honing your leadership skills are all connected to gravitas. And you can use all of these skills to impress the next hiring manager you meet with your silver tongue.

The book touches on some of the same bases as other interview books, such as the importance of body language and keeping your nerves in check when you have to speak. “Gravitas” is a great choice for anyone out to improve their communication skills and can be adapted to different contexts, such as speeches, presentations, and interviews.

7 Advantages of Reading Interview Books

By reading a book on a specialized subject, you stand to gain the valuable insight you might otherwise miss. 

As such, expanding your knowledge of job interviews can help you prepare well-rounded answers and face your interviewer more confident about your skills. 

These are some of the top benefits that come with reading interview books:

  • Preparation. By reading interview books, you enhance your job interview skills through the useful tips and techniques they provide, making you more confident.
  • Understanding the interviewer. Interview books offer insight into the interviewers’ mindset and allow you to anticipate certain questions, understand why they are asked, and address the interviewer’s concerns more effectively.
  • Self-awareness. Interview books encourage you to identify your own strengths, weaknesses, and goals, which allows you to convey them to an interviewer clearly.
  • Better communication skills. Studying common interview question and answer examples helps you articulate your thoughts and experiences more clearly.
  • Improved negotiation skills. Many interview books offer guidance on how to negotiate a job offer and secure the best terms for your employment.
  • Enhanced self-presentation skills. Interview books frequently mention body language and other non-verbal cues which helps you make a good impression both during the interview process and later on in your career.
  • Reduced anxiety. Becoming familiar with the interview process and preparing some answers beforehand saves you a lot of stress and anxiety during the interview.

FAQs About Interview Books

Do you still have some questions about interview books? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions below:

1. What is an interview book?

An interview book is a sub-genre of a career book that gives job-seekers advice, helpful tips, and strategies to excel in job interviews. These books cover several aspects of the interview process, including the most commonly asked questions and effective communication methods. 

2. What are some good interview books for when you’re changing careers?

Our top interview book suggestions for career changers are Novorésumé’s “Job Interview Masterclass” and “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by Richard Nelson Bolles.

The “Job Interview Masterclass” offers a detailed breakdown of everything you need to know about interviews, hiring managers’ points of view, and how to sell yourself as the right candidate before the interview even starts, all while in the middle of a career change . As an older resource, “What Color Is Your Parachute?” has now been updated and rereleased for the current age, and helps you make sure you’ve set yourself on the right gig in the first place, as well as guide you through the interview.

3. What are the best interview books for students?

The top interview books for students we recommend are “Job Search Masterclass” and “Gravitas”.

You’ll get a holistic introduction to the world of job interviews through “Job Search Masterclass”, along with some exclusive tips about topics like remote work and remote work interviews. Meanwhile “Gravitas” will help you confidently present yourself and speak in a way that makes people listen. All of which are important advantages for students with no experience in the job market.

4. What’s the purpose of interview books?

The main purpose of interview books is to prepare the job candidate for what might be the most stressful part of their job hunt. Interview books offer specific guidance, strategies, and insightful perspectives that can put the reader’s mind at ease during the interview.

That concludes our list of awesome interview books to read in 2024!

A great interview book can enhance your communication skills, boost your confidence, and inspire you to keep going on your career journey. We hope you find the book you need to help you walk out of your next job interview with a smile and a great employment offer.

Check out our career blog for any other job-hunt resources you might need.

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Tips to Compiling an Anthology Book

Posted by Stephanie Chandler | Feb 26, 2019 | Blog , Publishing , WRITING - MEMBERS ONLY , Writing Nonfiction | 2

Tips to Compiling an Anthology Book

Benefits of Compiling an Anthology

There are many reasons why anthologies make great book projects:

Quick to Produce

You can certainly write an entire book, though for most, that process can take time. If you’re anxious to get a book done quickly and you can round up a good number of contributors (which you can—keep reading!), you can compile an anthology in a matter of weeks.

Good Marketability

Each contributor to the book automatically becomes a marketing agent. Most will want to help spread the word by telling friends, family and colleagues about it. You can help this process along by providing contributors with a list of suggested ways to assist with promotion (announce it on their blog, sell through their website, post to social media, e-mail announcements, etc.).

Instant Credibility and Business-Builder

Being the author of a book provides instant credibility in your field. Even if you are compiling stories by others, you are still credited as the primary author and have the ability to contribute as much or as little content to the book as you choose. You can leverage your author status and your book to uncover new opportunities: impress clients, schedule speaking engagements, get media exposure, and much more.

Generate Exposure

The entire process of compiling an anthology can bring exposure to your business. When you post a call for submissions along with a link to your website, you introduce your business to a new audience. Even those who don’t contribute are suddenly introduced to your company. Once the book is generally available, a whole world of opportunity can be unleashed.

Make an Impact

Anthologies are highly-readable because entries are usually brief. This makes them appealing to readers who want a quick way to engage in a subject. By bringing together contributions from various writers, you have the opportunity to share many perspectives and make an impact on the life of the reader. Books are powerful and a wonderful way to educate, affect change in readers’ lives and contribute to the world.

How to Compile Your Anthology

1. Choose a theme for your book.

For example, if you are a business coach who specializes in sales skills, you could compile a book of success stories from people who have grown their businesses by improving their sales processes. If you are a doctor who treats children with behavior problems, you could compile a book with inspirational stories about how families have overcome similar challenges. If you have survived an illness, you could compile stories from others who’ve been through the battle. Whatever you choose, your book needs a clear theme.

2. Understand copyright law.

Many people mistakenly assume that if you give credit to a source, they can reprint their materials. It is a violation of copyright law to publish other people’s work without their permission. For example, you cannot reprint an article from someone’s website, blog, a magazine or even a newsletter without their express permission. However, if you want to share a quote from a book (up to a few sentences), this is generally acceptable provided you cite the source and do not reference it in a defamatory manner. Because of this, be sure you get permission from ALL contributors.

3. Develop an outline.

Books are separated into chapters and sometimes into several sections based on some sort of theme. This adds interest to the book and makes it easier for a reader to navigate. Brainstorm a list of themes you want to cover in the book as your chapters. Using the example of a sales-related book, chapter topics could include Cold Calling, Sales Training Techniques, Value Propositions, Online Sales Strategies, etc.

4. Decide what you want people to contribute.

There are numerous ways to generate content for an anthology. You could ask contributors to:

  • Write and submit their personal experience in story format.
  • Tell their story to you or a ghostwriter.
  • Fill out an interview questionnaire and either publish it in its entirety or use it as a basis from which to write their story.
  • Submit related poetry.
  • Contribute artwork such as a cartoon or photo.
  • Submit an article (even an article that has been published elsewhere, as long as the contributor owns the rights to reprint the article).
  • Provide a brief tip, advice or recommended resource.
  • All of the above.

5. Decide how many contributions you need.

A typical manuscript for a trade paperback averages around 60,000 words. If you invite people to contribute stories of up to 1,500 words (about three typed pages), and you write an introduction and some related commentary throughout the book, you will probably need 30 to 40 contributors. If you accept longer stories, you’ll need fewer contributors.

If you are inviting people to contribute quick tips of 500 words or less, you will need many more contributors or you can simply publish a smaller book. Keep in mind that a smaller book will have a smaller retail price so if profitability is important, it might be wise to produce a larger book that can withstand a higher price tag.

6. Establish parameters for submissions.

Ideally you should set up a Web page with an overview about the book and instructions for how you want writers to contribute. Include a deadline and either an e-mail address or online form.

Also, explain what contributors will receive in exchange for their contribution. Though some commercially-produced anthologies (like Chicken Soup for the Soul) pay contributors $100 to $200 if their work is chosen for the book, if that’s not in your budget you could provide contributors with a couple of complimentary copies of the book, plus recognition, and offer a discount if they decide to purchase additional copies.

7. Announce a call for submissions.

You can launch your call for submissions via an e-mail announcement to clients, colleagues, friends and family. Also, post it to your website, blog and social networks. If you belong to trade associations that publish a newsletter or have a message board, see if you can post it there. Also, www.craigslist.org is another option for reaching the general public (post your announcement in several major cities).

Another great resource is www.HelpaReporter.com (scroll down to find the link for journalists to submit queries). This is a fantastic media service where users subscribe to inquiries from reporters, editors, producers and authors. Be sure to sign up for the general mailing list so you can also be notified of media opportunities.

8. Select contributions for your book.

As submissions come in, you may want to designate someone to help review them. You won’t likely want to include all submissions if they don’t suit the tone of the book, don’t meet the requirements you outlined in your submission process, or if the writing style is beyond repair. Not every submission will be a winner so plan to review more than you will use, and craft a gentle response for those you decline.

9. Obtain permissions.

For any contribution that is chosen for inclusion in the book, you should require that contributors sign a release form authorizing you to publish their material. The form should indicate that their submission is original, that they are the rightful owner of the material and have the right to offer it for publication, and that they grant you the right to publish the contribution and reprint it for promotional purposes. I recommend that you accept non-exclusive rights, giving the contributor the right to retain ownership of their material so that they can use it elsewhere if so desired. It’s a good idea to consult with an attorney to craft your release form.

10. Compile your manuscript.

As you review submissions, determine where they belong within the outline of your book. You may find that you have more submissions than you need for a specific chapter, while you come up short on submissions for other chapters. If you need more specific types of contributions, put out another call for submissions that explains your needs. Ultimately you want to assemble a book that flows logically, is interesting to read and includes a nice variety of information.

11. Obtain professional editing.

No book should be put into print without professional editing. Even the best writers can’t catch all of their own typos and grammatical errors.

12. Obtain professional production services.

Appearance matters when it comes to books. A professionally designed cover with solid sales copy is essential to book sales. Your book is a tool for your business and should represent you in the most professional manner possible.

The interior layout of a book is also an important element that requires more work than most people realize. Page numbering needs to be verified, headings need to be consistent, fonts need to be readable, chapters should begin on the right side of the page, along with many other details.

Though self-publishing is a wonderful and accessible option for writers, your efforts will be wasted if you produce a book that does not impress readers. Take a look at books along your own bookshelf and notice how they are eye-catching and appealing. This is how your book should be represented.

13. Set a reasonable price.

There are several factors to consider when setting the retail price for your book. First and foremost is to determine what the market is willing to pay. If you produce a short 100-page trade paperback, unless you are targeting an extreme niche that expects a higher price, you will need to keep the price on the low end ($10.95 to $14.95). However, a 200+ page paperback book can typically withstand a higher price (on average $15.95 to $19.95).

Retail price is also an important consideration in the pricing model since you want to leave room for profit. Retailers like Amazon will take a 40% to 55% discount off of the cover price. So, for a book priced at $19.95, Amazon will purchase it for $11.97. Your cost for your books should be below this number in order to make a profit. As a rule, traditional bookstores purchase books at 40% off and general retailers purchase products at 50% off.

14. Promote the heck out of your book.

Just as a business cannot thrive without marketing, it is essential to put effort into marketing your anthology book. Ideally you want to create a solid marketing plan that includes many elements such as social networking, online marketing, media interviews, article reprints, book reviews and much more.

Book promotion should also begin before the book is in print in order to build momentum. I recommend offering books for pre-sale through your website. Set a realistic target release date and offer visitors some incentive to buy early. This can also help offset your costs of book production. You can do the same thing with your contributors by offering them a discount on a quantity purchase.

15. Engage contributors in the promotion process.

Contributors will want to know when the book is released and most will want to help spread the word (bragging rights!). Engage them in the promotion process by sending them a list of things they can do to help. Here is an example:

Dear <contributor>, I am excited to announce the release of <book title> on <release date> and I want to thank you again for your participation. I would like to ask for your help in spreading the word. Please take a moment to review this brief list and let me know if you are able to help in any way. Your support is greatly appreciated! Ways You Can Help: – Send a book announcement to your clients, friends, family and other contacts who might be interested in the subject matter. – Link to my website <link> from your website or blog. – Publish a book announcement in your newsletter, trade publication or website. – Announce on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. – Ask friends to post a review for the book on Amazon.com and/or BN.com. – Buy copies of the book to sell from your website or blog or as give-aways for your clients! <insert link to purchase> Who Do You Know? – I will be speaking on the topic of <insert topic> at trade associations, colleges, and events that reach my target audience of <insert audience here>. If you know anyone who can assist with booking me as a speaker, please let me know. – Media coverage is a big focus for me. Please let me know if you have any contacts in the newspaper, magazine, radio or television industry. – Online media is also an important focus. If you know anyone with an influential blog, Web site, online radio show or related platform, I would love to be connected with them. – I have several articles available for reprint. If you or someone you know has a newsletter, Web site or other publication that would be appropriate for my articles, they can be accessed on my site: <insert link>. – Who else do you know who might be able to assist? I am open to all ideas so please send them to me. – As a contributor to the book, you are also welcome to pursue these promotion strategies. Remember that you can purchase books at a quantity discount. Please contact me for details. Thank you very much for your support, <your name>

16. Have fun with the process.

Launching a book is a fun adventure and a great accomplishment. Make sure you take time to enjoy the journey.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Book

Maximize Your Own Contribution to the Book

Though your book may be a collection of contributions from others, it should also include a significant contribution from you—the author! Here are elements to include:

  • Write an introduction at the beginning of the book to engage readers and let them get to know YOU. Invite them to contact you via e-mail or visit your website.
  • Include your own personal story, similar to those submitted by others.
  • Consider adding a summary or comment before or after each submission to clarify key points or offer additional information and resources.
  • At the end of the book, include an “About the Author” page with a brief bio about you. Always includes links to your websites and relevant contact information. This is a good place to include a call to action such as “Sign up for our newsletter at www…” or “Quantity discounts are available. Call us today to purchase additional copies for your clients!”

Enlist Help if Needed

If writing isn’t your thing, hire a ghostwriter or a great editor to help write your story as well as those of contributors who don’t write well. You can also record an audio and have it transcribed for the book.

Never Stop Promoting

In a survey called “The Business Impact of Writing a Book” conducted by RainToday.com, respondents (authors who were also business owners) indicated their top marketing tactics (listed here in order of popularity):

  • Internet marketing
  • Trade magazine coverageMarketed to existing clients
  • Newspaper coverage
  • Marketed by association
  • Marketed to own newsletter list
  • Third-party newsletter coverage
  • Directly to companies
  • Radio coverage
  • Marketed through catalogs
  • Marketed directly to bookstores
  • Marketed to colleges/graduate schools
  • Trade show marketing
  • TV coverage
  • Book signing events
  • Marketed to libraries

Your book can be an asset for many years provided you keep the marketing wheels in motion. Be on the lookout for promotion opportunities. Send copies to potential clients and influential bloggers. Give copies away at trade association events and raffles. The more people who read your book, the more who will be talking about it. Promotion is never-ending.

Don’t Less Moss Grow Under Your Feet

Studies show that as many as 80% of people want to publish a book. We’re all busy and there are never enough hours in a day, but if this is a goal for you, start NOW! Carve out some extra time in your day or take a day off to assemble the details of your project. The sooner you start, the sooner you can reap the rewards.

Don’t Stop with One!

If you have a good experience and results from your book, why not compile more books? Ideas can also be spawned from reader feedback so pay attention. If readers are asking for more, then a follow-up book or even an entire series may make good sense for you. Imagine if you wrote one book every year or two. Your titles could fill a shelf in just a few years—and impact the lives of many readers. Also, with each new title you release, you have the chance to reach past readers while attracting new readers!

If you like this blog post, you’ll love our Author Toolkit on writing nonfiction books . It includes checklists, templates, worksheets and more. Check it out!

About The Author

Stephanie Chandler

Stephanie Chandler

Stephanie Chandler is the founder of the Nonfiction Authors Association and Nonfiction Writers Conference , and author of several books including The Nonfiction Book Publishing Plan . A frequent speaker at business events and on the radio, she has been featured in Entrepreneur, BusinessWeek, and Wired magazine. Visit StephanieChandler.com to learn more.

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Gippy Adams Henry

Thank you for this information. I feel like I hit the jackpot. I about to put together an Anthology with contributors to the book. As a fiction writer, I know very little of non-fiction. I am grateful for people who are willing to share their knowledge.

Bobbie

Love this Stephanie, very well-written and crystal clear information, this will help a lot in my writing journey. I wanted to say thank you for the key points you have pointed out as they are enlightening.

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interview compilation books

Reading can be just as important as dressing to the nines or practicing your firmest handshake when you're gearing up for a job interview . When the stakes are sky-high and your eye is on that corner office, picking up a book might feel irresponsible. Reckless. Maybe even dumb. But, good news, readers: I'm here to report that spending time with text that's not your resume or your potential employer's website could be the key to you landing that dream job.

We all know reading is good for your health ; studies have linked reading to improved memory and brain functioning, longer life expectancy rates, and better self-reflection skills. But there's also evidence that reading helps us reduce stress — and when is stress higher than before a job interview? Except for those exceptional people who get a rush from championing their skills in a high-pressure situation, I'm pretty sure most of us would rank job-interviewing right up there with public speaking. That's why reading, like any other stress-buster, is important to prioritize before a job interview. University of Sussex neuropsychologists found that six minutes of reading relieves stress better than taking a walk, drinking a cup of tea, or listening to music.

So the next time you're interviewing for a major gig, take out your earbuds, skip the treadmill, and spend your prep time with one of these eight books that will help you land the job.

1. Ovenman by Jeff Parker

interview compilation books

Click here to buy .

Though you might not aspire to be When Thinfinger, the punk skateboarder hero of this novel, his epic journey through restaurant jobs and pizza-selling gigs just might motivate you to try harder — or discover that success can take many forms.

2. Presence : Bringing Your Boldest Self To Your Biggest Challenges by Dr. Amy Cuddy

interview compilation books

Click here to buy.

Raise your hand if you haven't seen Cuddy's 2012 TED talk . (It's only the series' second most-viewed video of all time.) Spending some time with Presence will remind you that you have all the tools necessary to meet whatever challenge might await in that conference room.

3. Hotels Of North America by Rick Moody

interview compilation books

Moody's novel was one of my favorites of 2015: I want everyone to read it. But it's also perfect if you're staying in an unfamiliar city for an out-of-town interview. Structured as a series of hotel reviews by motivational speaker Reginald Edward Morse, a top contributor to RateYourLodging.com, Hotels of North America is one man's life story as told through vignettes. They're just as frequently gross-out funny as they are heart-wrenching and, luckily for you, Job Seeker, many of them take a mere six minutes to read.

4. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

interview compilation books

Reading Roxane Gay is a surefire path to feeling empowered and confident in the best way — because these essays also celebrate our individual nuances and complexities. Smart but accessible, Gay's voice is a great one to have in your head before any high pressure situation.

5. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

interview compilation books

Ignatius J. Reilly is a protagonist so singular he's bound to get you out of your head. Plus, Toole's tragicomic novel brilliantly pokes fun at the very nature of the corporate workplace (against the unlikely backdrop of the Levy Pants factory), especially with Ignatius's hysterical text-within-the-text, "Journal of a Working Boy."

6. Those Who Leave And Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante

interview compilation books

A lot has been written about how vividly Elena Ferrante portrays female friendships, but her Neapolitan novels also portray working life in a detailed and realistic way. Elena and Lila's career paths are just — if not more — interesting than their sex lives.

7. Stories In The Worst Way by Gary Lutz

interview compilation books

If you're a writer who's preparing for a job interview (yes, some writers do have to work ), there's a good chance you know Lutz's now-renowned essay, " The Sentence Is a Lonely Place ." If you're new to Lutz, though, start with his stories , which comprise sentences so radical they'll make you re-evaluate the parts of speech.

8. Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed

interview compilation books

If you really can't stop thinking about the interview and need the coolest coach ever to give you a pep talk, turn your six minutes over to Cheryl Strayed and soak up the wisdom.

Images : Annie Spratt / Unsplash

interview compilation books

Modern Recruiters

13 Best Recruiting Books to Help You Attract, Interview, Evaluate, and Hire Top Talent

13 Best Recruiting Books to Help You Attract, Interview, Evaluate, and Hire Top Talent

Looking for the best recruiting books to help you ace your next hire? Look no further! We have searched high and low and compiled a list of the best books to help you attract, interview, evaluate, and hire new employees.

These books are a great resource for recruiters of all levels of experience, covering topics like data-driven hiring practices, interviewing strategies, technology’s role in recruiting, and best practices for assembling offers. So whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started in the recruiting field, these books are sure to give you the insights and tools you need to hire the best of the best.

Best Recruiting Books For Recruiters

Let’s step back for a moment. For context, recruitment books are guides to attracting, interviewing, evaluating, and hiring new employees. These resources cover topics like data-driving hiring practices, interviewing strategies, technology’s role in recruiting, and best practices for assembling offers. These books are also called “hiring books” or “recruiting books.”

These books are a subset of HR books, and share similarities with books on project management, people management books, and employee engagement books. But what sets recruitment books apart is their focus on meeting and greeting new people every day. And if you want to be a successful recruiter, you have to keep yourself updated every day.

Benefits of Reading Recruiting Books

There are many benefits of reading recruiting books. For starters, they can help you learn about the latest trends in recruiting and hiring. They can also give you insights into different recruitment strategies that you can use to attract top talent. Additionally, these books can provide you with tips on how to interview candidates, evaluate their qualifications, and make job offers.

Reading recruiting books can also help you develop a network of contacts in the recruitment industry. These contacts can be invaluable when you’re looking for a new job or trying to fill a position in your company. Finally, reading these books can simply be enjoyable. They’re packed with useful information, but they’re also written in an engaging and entertaining style.

Top 13 Best Recruiting Books You Need To Read Now

Now that you know more about recruiting books and how to choose the best ones, it’s time to start reading! Below is a list of our 30 top picks, organized by topic.

Recruit Rockstars – The 10 Step Playbook to Find the Winners and Ignite Your Business

Recruiting problems are often a cover for business issues. If you’re filling your company’s vacant spots with B-Players, you’re playing with fire. Instead, hire Rockstars to create an organization with limitless potential. Recruit Top-Tier Executive Recruiter Jeff Hyman has hired over 3000 individuals throughout his career as an executive recruiter.

In this book, Hyman goes over a ten-step technique for finding the best talent that is based on data rather than intuition. From sourcing and screening to closing and onboarding, you’ll learn how to attract winners like a magnet while avoiding the errors that result in bad hires. Assembling a team of driven and inventive Rockstars is one of the most potent competitive advantages available in today’s ever-changing business climate. Recruit Rockstars will assist you in achieving your numbers, impressing your investors, and outperforming your competition.

Buy Recruit Rockstarts book

Full Stack Recruiter – The Ultimate Edition

There are several strategies used by successful recruiters that will help you advance your career, whether you’re already in the industry or just looking to start. Of course, no one is born knowing how to do this; it takes years of experience in the field to acquire these skills. This book is a compilation of years of practical, real-world expertise distilled into one comprehensive handbook for succeeding in your recruiting career in the digital era.

With this book, recruiters can learn more about the industry as a whole while also increasing and deepening the expertise of more experienced specialists. Whether you’re in the first or second category, this book will assist you in taking your career to the next level.

This book is divided into two parts:

You’ll start with the basics, focusing on sourcing techniques. You’ll discover new and innovative ways to source and locate great prospects, as well as how to get in touch with them and approach them in a professional and effective manner. And there’s much more!

The second section covers recruitment. You’ll learn how to excel in recruitment marketing, candidate engagement, and recruiting analytics, as well as handle a variety of other responsibilities effectively.

Buy Full Stack Recruiter book

The Best Team Wins – Build Your Business Through Predictive Hiring

Adam Robinson’s The Best Team Wins offers a tried-and-true, straightforward, and successful approach to bringing on new recruits. He explains how to reevaluate the recruiting, evaluation, and hiring process.

In this book, the author will teach you a data-driven approach to recruiting that is based on analytics and research rather than “gut instinct.” The book goes through subjects like identifying an organization’s competitive advantage, filtering the applicant pool, and validating prospects without being overly invasive.

Buy The Best Team Wins book

Social Media Recruitment – How to successfully integrate social media into recruitment strategy

As the recruiting space evolves, different strategies are required to attract talent, and social media is one of them. Many HR and recruiting professionals, on the other hand, lack the expertise and understanding to develop a successful social media recruitment strategy.

Social Media Recruitment integrates practical advice with case studies and insights from industry experts to give a comprehensive overview of what social media means for human resources and recruitment as well as how to implement it successfully.

Buy Social Media Recruitment book

The Talent War – How Special Operations and Great Organizations Win on Talent

The “war for talent” is a phrase frequently used by professionals. So, who else but combat commanders to navigate fights and high-pressure situations? In The Talent War, authors and former Navy SEALs Mike Sarraille, George Randle, and Josh Cotton share their unique insights on how to identify, assess, attract, and retain top talent.

The book begins with an overview of the “talent war” landscape, before diving into actionable advice for businesses—including how to build a high-performance team, identify key players on that team, and foster a culture where everyone can succeed.

Buy The Talent War book

Who is one of the most recommended recruiting books on the market, according to leading experts? The single greatest challenge in business today, according to The Economist, is ineffective hiring, which has been dubbed “the $1.5 million mistake.” Every year, a company loses approximately $1.5 million dollars in revenue and countless man-hours due to bad hires. Even more startling when you consider that managers’ typical hiring success rate is only 50%.

In this book, Geoff Smart and Randy Street provide a simple, practical, and effective solution to the challenge of hiring great talent. They explain how to find and hire A players by using a data-driven approach that anyone can learn and apply.

It’s all about Who when it comes to hiring, whether you’re a member of a board of directors seeking a new CEO, the owner of a small business searching for the right people to help your company grow, or a parent looking for someone to watch their child.

Buy Who book

Hiring for Attitude – A Revolutionary Approach to Recruiting and Selecting People with Both Tremendous Skills and Superb Attitude

This book is about a revolutionary approach to recruiting and selecting people who have not only the skills but also the right attitude for the job. In Hiring for Attitude, Mark Murphy reveals the importance of hiring for attitude and provides a step-by-step process for doing so.

The book starts with an overview of the current state of affairs in recruitment, where Murphy argues that the traditional approach to hiring is broken. He then goes on to explain what attitude is and why it matters. Next, he outlines a proven process for hiring for attitude, which includes identifying the right attitude profile for the job, using structured interviews to assess candidates’ attitudes, and making sure that new hires are a good fit for the company culture.

Buy Hiring for Attitude book

High-Impact Interview Questions – 701 Behavior-Based Questions to Find the Right Person for Every Job

The usual interview questions we’ve all experienced are expected from most prospective hires. And, as might be expected, their answers do not always set them apart from others. As a result, the employer is left with no alternative but to go on a hunch. But with High-Impaction Interview Questions at your disposal, you won’t have to guess any longer if the responses are genuine or prepared.

This book will show you how to dig deeper using competency-based behavioral interview techniques to find truly relevant and useful information. The interviewer will have a more detailed knowledge of past behaviors and a more accurate prediction of future performance when the applicant is asked to describe particular, job-related situations.

The second edition of this book includes hundreds of new questions to assess accountability, assertiveness, attention to detail, judgment, follow-through, risk-taking, social media usage, and more, is available now. By the time interviews are completed, the real person behind the CV will be revealed and you will be able to make an offer based on verified information rather than hopeful predictions.

Buy High-Impact Interview Questions book

Motivation-based Interviewing: A Revolutionary Approach to Hiring the Best

This is an excellent book on how to conduct interviews that focus on motivation. The book is based on the premise that it is not IQ or skills that predict success on the job, but rather a motivation. The book provides a step-by-step guide to conducting these types of interviews , as well as how to evaluate the results.

Stop asking the wrong interview questions, and start using motivation-based interviewing to hire the best candidates for the job.

Carol Quinn, world-renowned keynote speaker, and career expert, offers a comprehensive guide for correctly and confidently assessing competence, attitude, and passion so you can identify the incremental differences that distinguish the pretenders from the genuine high performers. You’ll never conduct an interview in the same way again once you discover the power of Motivation-based Interviewing!

Buy Motivation-based Interviewing book

High Velocity Hiring – How to Hire Top Talent in an Instant

In High Velocity Hiring, authors Scott Wintrip provides a step-by-step guide to help organizations find and hire the best talent quickly and efficiently. The book starts with an overview of the high-velocity hiring process, which includes identifying the need, sourcing candidates, screening candidates, interviewing candidates, and making an offer.

The authors then go on to provide detailed instructions for each step of the process, including how to use technology to speed up the hiring process, how to assess candidates using behavioral-based interviews, and how to make sure that new hires are a good fit for the company culture.

Buy High Velocity Hiring book

The Effective Hiring Manager

The Effective Hiring Manager is a comprehensive guide to hiring great talent. The book covers everything from how to write a job ad that attracts the right candidates to how to conduct an effective interview.

The book also covers how to evaluate resumes, plan interviews, document and assess interview outcomes, and make offers or reject candidates. The Effective Hiring Manager is a useful resource for new recruiters, hiring managers unfamiliar with HR standards, or seasoned business professionals looking for a refresher.

Buy The Effective Hiring Manager book

The Talent Fix – A Leader’s Guide to Recruiting Great Talent

For decades, attempts to acquire corporate talent have failed, but they don’t have to. There are straightforward solutions, organizational designs, and technological advancements that can quickly improve an organization’s capability to hire new employees.

The Talent Fix is a new, practical, and scalable talent acquisition method for organization leaders and recruiters who want to develop and maintain a great talent acquisition function. With real-world examples and stories about how innovative firms and top talent acquirement executives are successfully recruiting today, this book provides a tested, practical, and scalable recruit model for talent acquirement planners. It also shows how businesses may establish and sustain a fantastic talent acquisition department.

Buy The Talent Fix book

Hiring for Diversity: The Guide to Building an Inclusive and Equitable Organization

You want to create a more diverse organization, but you’re not sure how to change your recruiting practices. Learn from the world’s top talent executives and the worldwide leader in diversity hiring about the playbook. Hiring for Diversity: The Guide to Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Organization gathers all of the most cutting-edge strategies for implementing a diversity hiring strategy while providing your company with a comprehensive perspective and an actionable plan.

You’ll master the following skills throughout this course: how to evaluate your current recruiting and retention practices in order to identify the most pressing and high-impact possibilities; where to make quick changes to your hiring procedures and policies in order to reduce bias and increase accessibility; how to create a comprehensive diversity sourcing plan by gaining a holistic knowledge of underrepresented groups; how to shift people at your company’s mindset and behavior so that you may collaboratively advance your diversity recruiting efforts; and how to track your progress as well as report your impact on diversity hiring.

Buy Hiring for Diversity book

How to Choose the Best Recruiting Books

With so many recruiting books on the market, it can be difficult to know which ones are worth reading. When you’re choosing a book, look for one that covers the topics that you’re most interested in. You should also make sure that the book is from a reputable source and that it’s been well-reviewed by other readers.

You can also ask your friends, colleagues, or mentors for recommendations. If you know someone who’s particularly knowledgeable about recruiting, they may be able to point you in the direction of some great books. Finally, don’t forget to check out the resources section at the end of this article for a list of our top picks.

How Does Reading Help You in Recruiting?

Reading helps you in recruiting in multiple ways. For starters, it helps to keep you updated on the latest trends and developments in the recruitment industry. Additionally, reading gives you insights into different recruitment strategies that you can use to attract top talent. Furthermore, reading provides tips on how to interview candidates, evaluate their qualifications, and make job offers. Finally, reading also helps you develop a network of contacts in the recruitment industry.

What Are the Different Types of Recruitment Books?

There are many different types of recruitment books available on the market. Some focus on specific topics, such as how to use technology in recruiting or how to conduct data-driven hiring practices. Others are more general in nature and provide an overview of the recruitment process from start to finish. Additionally, there are books that focus on specific aspects of recruiting, such as how to interview candidates or how to evaluate resumes.

What Are the Best Recruiting Books?

The best-recruiting books are those that offer insights into the latest trends and developments in the recruitment industry. They should also provide tips on how to attract top talent, how to interview candidates, and how to make job offers. Additionally, the best-recruiting books should be from a reputable source and well-reviewed by other readers.

Final Thoughts

Recruiting changes every day, which is why it’s important to keep up with the latest books on the subject. By reading these 13 best-recruiting books, you’ll learn how to attract, interview, evaluate, and hire new employees using the most up-to-date methods.

These books will also help you understand the techniques in recruiting, and how to create an inclusive and equitable organization. By reading these books, you’ll be sure to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-changing world of recruiting.

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ModernRecruiters.com was created to give hiring managers and recruiters an edge in sourcing the best candidates. A digital publication that provides clear, practical advice on finding and keeping top talent.

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10 of the best books to read to prep for job interviews

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” Zig Ziglar, an American author, salesman, and motivational speaker

Preparing for job interviews is vital because it increases your chances of your success.

Preparation boosts your confidence. When you know who you are and how you can help the company you are interviewing with, you can answer questions with assurance and make a positive impression.

Additionally, preparing helps you articulate your thoughts more clearly and concisely. You. can structure your answers in a way that the interviewers understand how you can help the company.

Interviews can be nerve-wracking. Preparation helps you reduce stress during the interview and helps you stand out compared to other candidates being interviewed. When you are prepared, you can increase your chances of getting the job.

To help you prepare for job interviews, books can be an invaluable resource. They provide in-depth knowledge about common interview questions, effective answering techniques, and practice questions and exercises. Books can provide you with a structured approach and enable you to learn at your own pace where you absorb information that works for you.

While you can’t learn everything about acing a job interview and securing a job from books, they should help you become well-versed so you can knock the job interview out of the pack.

10 of the best books to read this year to prep for your job interviews

Here’s a list of top 10 books you should read before you go to a job interview.

1. Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It

interview compilation books

Author: Peggy Klaus

Why should you read this book? This book is about how to bring out your strengths and qualities to excel in your career. This book can help you boost your confidence without being arrogant.

Written by a communication expert known as the “brag lady” or “bragologist,” this book gives you a plan for setting yourself without turning those off you are trying to impress. Author Peggy Klaus has worked with leading Fortune 500 companies on their communication and leadership training programs so she knows her stuff.

If you are looking for ways to “brag” about yourself in a subtle way during your job interviews and grow your career, this book is for you. This books outlines how you can brand yourself in the right way. Remember, it’s how we talk about ourselves is critical to success.

2. The Magic of Thinking Big

interview compilation books

Author: David J. Schwartz

Why should you read this book? In this book, you’ll learn why setting your goals high is important and how to exceed those goals. In this book, you’ll learn how to achieve what you want by finding the ideal job and living a rewarding and happy life.

The author is one of the top experts on motivation and in this book, you’ll learn how to sell better, earn more money, and find greater happiness and peace of mind. After reading this book, you will acquire the secrets to success and satisfaction. YOu’ll learn the power of your mindset and behaving in a way to get the most out of your job, relationships, and community.

3. The Power of STAR Method: How to Succeed at Behavioral Job Interview

interview compilation books

Author: Martha Gage

Why should you read this book? In this book, you’ll learn how to master the behavioral job interview. Behavioral interviewing is one of the biggest challenges for today’s job applicants. Many companies use this hiring technique to find the right candidate where an average job opening gets more than 20 applications.

In today’s competitive world, you can’t rely on just your credential and professional demeanor to land a job, you must take advantage of the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. One of the keys to succeeding in a job interview is how you tell your story.

The STAR method will help you become a top 10% of applicants. In this book, you’ll learn common behavior questions, how to best handle behavior interviews, how to develop your stories, common mistakes, and how to showcase the best features of your personality.

4. Crush Your Career: Ace the Interview, Land the Job, and Launch Your Future

interview compilation books

Author: Dee Ann Turner and Tim Elmore

Why should you read this book? In this book, you’ll learn the secrets to finding a job, preparing for a job interview, conquering the first 90 days at a new job, how to manage work relationships, and how to add more value to your team.

If you are entering the job market, been in it for a while, or hoping to make a transition in their career, you will learn advice on how to create a work life you love.

The author, Dee Ann Turner, has lead teams and coaching staff members at Chick-fil-A and what it takes to build a fulfilling career with this hands-on book on how to thrive in a competitive job market.

5. NAILED IT! 10 Keys to Crushing the Interview

interview compilation books

Authors: Matthew G Marvin

Why should you read this book? This book has tips on how to answer some of the most common job interview questions, such as tell me about yourself, why do you want this position, what are your strengths and weakness, and what questions do you have for me?

This book will give you interviewing tips to help you build your confidence to crush the job interview and land the job you want.

In this book, you’ll learn how to prepare for your next job interview and the techniques and strategies you need to succeed in the interview process. This book will help you distinguish yourself from other candidates and secure the job you desire.

6. The Job Closer: Time-Saving Techniques for Acing Resumes, Interviews, Negotiations, and More

interview compilation books

Author: Steve Dalton

Why should you read this book? In this book, you’ll learn the techniques for mastering job interviews, master job offer negotiations, and writing an excellent resume and cover letter.

Steve Dalton is the author of The 2-Hour Job Search and he shows you how to land your dream job. This book helps you apply the author’s time-saving techniques to be a job closer.

The author is a career consultant who can help you avoid waster effort and excel using frameworks, models and tools, such as the FIT and RAC Models, the CAR Matrix, and the pre-negotiation call. This book will help you find more time for networking, and make deeper connections. Find out how to showcase your talents, increasing your odds for landing that job you want and love.  

7. 101 Job Interview Questions You’ll Never Fear Again

interview compilation books

Author: James Reed

Why should you read this book? In this book, you’ll learn how to master more than 100 job interview questions. Discover what each question really means and the answers to these job questions so you can secure the job you want.

The author is the chairman of one of the largest recruiting agencies and provides tips for handling job interview questions from the classic ones like what is your greatest weakness to the puzzlers like sell me this pen.

In this book, you’ll overcome the fear of preparing for job interviews and help you adequenly prepare for job interviews. Find out how adopt the right mindset and approach to standing out from other candidates and being prepared for questions you’ll be asked

8. The Interview Mindset: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Your Career

interview compilation books

Author: Mark James

Why should you read this book? This book is from the author of Keys to the C Suite: Unlock the Doors to Executive Career Path Success . In this book, you’ll learn how to adjust your outlook and timeframe so you can master your job search with patience and positivity.

In this book, you’ll learn how to document your job search activities. You’ll realize that it is all about the numbers, and you’ll think realistically about timing. You’ll also discover how important it is to manage your expectations, and the power of being patient and staying positive.

This book will help you understand the hiring process, give you career advice, and tips for making a career transition.

9. What Color Is Your Parachute?: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success

interview compilation books

Author: Richard N. Bolles

Why should you read this book? This books is more than a job search book. The author provides a guide to finding meaningful work and succeeding in your career. This book will transform how you think about job hunting.

Whether you are looking to find your first job, recovering from a layoff, make a career change, this book will show you how to network effectively, write compelling resumes and cover letters, and interview with confidence.

This book will help you uncover your passions, discovery your transferable skills, and leverae your most valued traits. After reading this book, you’ll land the job you want and how to make make your job part of a life that is filled with purpose and passion.

10. 60 Seconds and You’re Hired!

interview compilation books

Author: Robin Ryan

Why should you read this book? This book has helped many job seekers find their next job. This guide has more than 100 answers to challenging job interview questions and suggestions on what questions to ask during an interview. You’ll also learn how social media can help you during your job search, and negotiation techniques to secure a higher salary.

This book is written by Robin Ryan, a career counselor who has extensive experience hiring. She has learned proven strategies to help you take charge of your interview process. In this book, you’ll learn how to get hired by mastering all the steps you must take to get hired. This book has been completed revised and updated with the latest strategies, techniques, and best practices.

Bringing it all together

Books are an excellent way to help you prepare for job interviews. They give you practical experience, mock interviews, and feedback from career experts. Job interview preparation can help you boost your confidence and enhance your chances of landing a job quickly.

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I was personal assistant to the billionaire founder of a secretive Wall Street firm. This is how I landed a meeting with him, from 10 personal reference calls to a 'Devil Wears Prada' interview moment.

  • Carrie Sun was the personal assistant to a billionaire founder of a top Wall Street hedge fund.
  • She describes the high-stakes, wealthy world of investment in her new memoir "Private Equity."
  • In this excerpt, Sun shares how securing an interview was rigorous, including 10 personal reference calls. 

Insider Today

Carrie Sun is an MIT graduate and holds an MFA from the New School. She has written a memoir about working for a secretive and wildly prestigious Wall Street hedge fund.

As the personal assistant to the firm's CEO, Sun threw herself into a world of extreme wealth and power, only to be nearly swallowed whole by long hours and intense workloads. The following excerpt reveals the rigorous process Sun went through to secure an interview at the firm. The names of the CEO and the fund given here are both pseudonyms.

Yuna called me immediately after she got off the phone with Boone. "God, Carrie," she said. "I was so nervous, the first thing I said was 'I can't believe I'm speaking to a billionaire!'"

I had prepped her, of course. Yuna was my best friend from Michigan, from the part of the Mitten where P. F. Chang's was a hot spot and going to Meijer was a pastime.

After high school, I went out east; Yuna enrolled at a local community college and dipped in and out of jobs. She had finally achieved her dream of leaving Michigan, working as a field test engineer for Samsung in Kansas, when I asked her to be a personal reference for my interview process with Boone. She was the last of his calls, of which there were 10.

Eighteen days earlier, I had gone to meet with a head-hunter in Midtown. Peter specialized in support roles for boldface names. His team placed candidates in positions from receptionists to chiefs of staff at major firms in finance, real estate, media, and other industries.

He and I went over my background again and again. "You're a superstar. But ," he stressed in his British accent, "everyone will ask you why a math and finance dual degree from MIT, who graduated in three years, wants to be an assistant."

I looked out the window of that small, sterile room and wished the air conditioning would work a lot harder.

Three years before this, I had dropped out of an MBA program because I felt restless with the conviction that I had been wasting my life. I wanted to change paths. So, I enrolled as a non-degree student at various universities and cobbled together a liberal arts education by taking classes in the humanities.

When I told my fiancé I wished to go back to school to get a graduate degree in creative writing, he asked, "But who's going to cook dinner?" Like so many aspiring writers and artists, I hoped to get a job during the day that would allow me to pay the bills while working on my craft and getting an MFA.

But finance nudged at me. My yearslong indecision about what to do next — whether I should put to better use the education my parents had climbed mountains and crossed oceans to provide for me; whether I should marry my fiancé, who paid for all our joint expenses and some of my individual expenses and in exchange wanted me to prioritize him and his career and not work myself —had cost me over half my life savings. I paid for anything my fiancé did not want me to do. We argued over my taking a fiction workshop, the reason I was alone in Manhattan for the summer even though he and I lived in Ann Arbor.

Three weeks into the workshop, I received a cold email from Peter after one of his researchers had come across my profile on LinkedIn.

I looked back at Peter and explained that my objective was neither maximizing earnings nor status. "I want a job," I said, "so I can afford to figure out my life." Peter asked about the last line on my résumé, where I had written down some interests: Creative writing. College football. I told him he had to keep them there.

"I get it," he said. "I'm a photographer." He paused.

Then he inhaled.

"So," he said. Another pause as he looked me in the eye, smiling. Recruiters are one of the main gatekeepers for the hedge fund and private equity industries. Some jobs are posted on employment ag- gregator sites; many are not. After a résumé screen, a phone call, and the current interview to make sure I would comport myself in just the right way, finally, he let me in.

"I'm working on a search I think you'd be perfect for," he said. "Have you heard of Carbon?"

I hadn't — but I had heard of Argon, a hedge fund that had long and widely been seen as financial royalty. I asked Peter if the two funds were related.

"Correct." The founder of Carbon had cut his teeth at Argon. "Carbon, they are a rock star of a fund. And yet" — Peter raised an index finger and lowered his voice — "under the radar. We never see any Carbon résumés floating around because once people get there, they stay. Forever. No one leaves." He let a few seconds pass.

"The job is the sole assistant to the founder of the Firm, Boone Prescott. He's a billionaire. And he's young." Peter glanced down at his notebook. "Boone is, from all accounts, the nicest . And Jen, who runs his family office and personal life — she's an absolute sweetheart. The job is essentially being Boone's right-hand person: you'd manage his time and business life, help with some research, and also provide support to one of his analysts. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Can I pitch you to them?"

I left Peter's office and went back home to a dorm room I'd rented through NYU. I was working on a short story about a woman in the middle of a quarter-life crisis when I received an email from Peter: "Pls call me!" Jen wanted me to come in at 2:30 p.m. in two hours. Could I make it?

I had had plans to meet someone for lunch, a woman named Ruth. She was one of two Americans who had sponsored my father so he could leave China and come to the United States for his graduate studies in the eighties. I felt I owed much of my life to Ruth's kindness, although I had never had the chance to share this senti- ment with her. Now that I was in New York, I had reached out a week earlier in hopes of expressing my gratitude and catching up.

My mother was in awe of Ruth. In Mom's telling: Ruth, after being a homemaker and raising two kids, realized how her kids respected her husband more than herself because he had a career and she did not. So, she got divorced, went back to school, and later taught at a small liberal arts college in New Jersey.

It was during those years that she traveled to Anhui, one of the poorer and less-developed provinces in the middle of China; there, she met my dad, who served as her translator.

Ruth was in her garage in New Jersey when I called to cancel. "You really caught me in the nick of time," she said.

She did not guilt or yell at me, though I felt her disappointment seep through the phone. I was disappointed too. But I could not say no. You don't say no to Carbon.

I headed back uptown to meet with Jen in a building near Barneys on Madison Avenue. Never before had I had a same-day, in-person interview after applying for a job. I arrived on the 10th floor and rang the bell. Maya opened the frosted-glass doors. I knew about Maya; Peter had told me that she had once been an assistant to the head of a mini-major film studio. Maya seemed warm and maternal, like someone whose fuse might extend all the way to the moon. After bringing me a bottle of water, she dropped me in a room to wait for Jen.

I had spent the short hours prior to this interview reading anything on Boone I could find.

Carbon did not have a website or a Wikipedia page, and Boone was not active on social media. He did not give interviews. He did not sit for photos. Stories about him featured squiggly lines coalescing into caricatures of what appeared to be very different people. All this did not stop the financial press from crowning him Wall Street aristocracy or the society pages from speculating about his wife and kids and homes and money.

About the money: In the early part of the decade, Boone debuted on a prominent list of the youngest billionaires in America. What was special about Boone was his age, his net worth, and his industry. If Boone continued compounding his wealth at, say, a rate of 20 percent per year — a conservative estimate given some of his reported returns; a number that does not even factor in carry, the profits he'd receive from owning and managing the funds — he'd have a net worth of over $5 trillion by the time he reached the age of Warren Buffett.

About the Firm: I found a dribble of information. A leading financial publication had called Carbon the world's hottest hedge fund. Another had named it one of the world's top-performing large hedge funds, ranking it among other hedge fund titans and their flagships, like Ray Dalio's Pure Alpha II and Ken Griffin's Citadel. Of note, I could find nothing negative written about Boone or Carbon anywhere — in contrast to Dalio and Griffin and their firms, about which I had read articles mentioning subpoenas tied to possible insider trading, as well as employee turnover tied to a culture wherein the biggest insult was to call someone suboptimal.

About Jen: There was no information. No LinkedIn, no Facebook, no Twitter.

About the position: I received no job description.

A minute later, Jen walked in, apologizing for the look of their suite. She and her colleagues had just moved into the new family-office space. I stood up to shake her hand and noticed her well-tailored outfit, mid-heel pumps, and silky brown hair. My mind flashed to the iconic "The Devil Wears Prada" scene in which a post-makeover Anne Hathaway struts through the office wearing Chanel.

I looked down at my suit, which I had bought on sale for my business-school interview years ago and which had ripped on the way there (later, Mom sewed up the tear on the back slit of my pencil skirt); I made immediate plans to go shopping.

Jen mentioned she was from Missouri. As I walked her through my background, her eyes appeared to twinkle. "That makes complete sense," she said after I told her I had tried being on the investment side. That I'd loved it, then hated it, then realized I wanted to do something else.

When Jen asked me the question Peter said she would, about why I would want to be an assistant and not a hedge fund manager myself, I was prepared.

"I have other passions that interest me more," I said. "At heart, I'm a nerd. My favorite class in college was optimization. I'd love to optimize someone's life and help someone great do great things."

An hour after I left, I received an email from Peter: "Please call me when you get this." Boone wanted to meet me as soon as possible. When could I come in?

Excerpted from PRIVATE EQUITY: A Memoir by Carrie Sun. Copyright © 2024 by the author and reprinted by permission of Penguin Press.

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Photo illustration by Bráulio Amado

What It’s Like to Be a Sociopath

By David Marchese Photo Illustration by Bráulio Amado

Sociopaths are modern-day boogeymen, and the word “sociopath” is casually tossed around to describe the worst, most amoral among us. But they are not boogeymen; they are real people and, according to Patric Gagne, widely misunderstood. Gagne wrote “Sociopath,” her buzzy forthcoming memoir, to try to correct some of those misunderstandings and provide a fuller picture of sociopathy, which is now more frequently referred to as antisocial personality disorder. As a child, Gagne found herself compelled toward violent outbursts in an effort to try to compensate for the emotional apathy that was her default. As she got older, those compulsive behaviors turned into criminal ones like trespassing and theft. Eventually, she discovered that there was a name — that dreaded word — that could be used to describe and explain her experiences of remorselessness, criminality and lack of empathy. The desire to destigmatize her experience and also to help others who may share it (Gagne previously worked as a therapist to those with the disorder and has also written about sociopathy) put Gagne on a path that led to “Sociopath.” “I’m not trying to say, ‘Sometimes we do bad things, but we’re really sweet on the inside,’” says Gagne, who is 48. “I’m saying there is more to this personality type.”

What does that redirecting look like in practice? Every once in a while, I will have an urge to do something destructive just because I can, and my redirect is, Do you want this destructive behavior? Or do you want to continue to maintain this life that you have, which requires that you not do those things? I have to have that conversation with myself.

What’s a recent sociopathic impulse that you had? This is a very vanilla example. When I go to the grocery store and I come home, if anything that I’ve purchased has gone bad, I’ll make a mental note: I’m stealing this next time.

You write about your difficulty with understanding other people’s emotions, feeling apathy and lacking empathy. But you also write about experiencing love. Why are you innately able to feel love but not, say, empathy? The way I experience love seems to be very different from the so-called neurotypical experience. My experience of love seems less emotional. If I had to explain what love feels like to me, I would say symbiotic. So, a relationship that’s beneficial to both people involved. Not transactional, not possessive, not ego-driven. Mutual homeostasis. It’s not that I’m unable to access emotions or empathy. It’s that my experience of those emotions is different.

Are you able to describe how you’ve built a sense of morality? Just because I don’t care about someone else’s pain, so to speak, doesn’t mean I want to cause more of it. I enjoy living in this society. I understand that there are rules. I choose to follow those rules because I understand the benefits of this world, this house where I get to live, this relationship I get to have. That is different from people who follow the rules because they have to, they should, they want to be a good person. None of those apply to me. I want to live in a world where things function properly. If I create messes, my life will become messy. I think people are uncomfortable with the idea of, You don’t really care? What does it matter? What does it matter why I choose to help the woman cross the street? Why does it matter why I choose to pick up a wallet and hand it to the person in as opposed to keeping it? It’s not because I’m a good person. It’s not because I would feel shame or guilt. But why does that matter?

What advice do you have for neurotypical people about how best to interact with someone who identifies as sociopathic? I’m not sure neurotypicals need any, because I have been identifying as a sociopath for years now, and my experience with people who don’t know that has been positive. I have yet to encounter anybody who, when I disclose my diagnosis, acts afraid or upset. I think, inherently, neurotypicals are fascinated by sociopathy because it’s a relatable disorder. Everybody has that darkness in them. Everybody has those thoughts that they shoo away because of guilt. If more conversations between neurotypical and so-called neurodivergents were to occur, it would benefit both. It would benefit the sociopathic person because that acceptance lets 80 percent of the air out of the balloon, but it would help the neurotypicals, like, Oh, I can share things with this person that maybe I couldn’t share with other people. I get more secrets from strangers after telling them my diagnosis; you wouldn’t believe the things that people have told me because they feel safe.

What secrets do they tell you? Oh, man. I was sitting across from a man at a dinner party — this was like two years ago — and my diagnosis came up, and 30 seconds afterward he said, “You know, I have thoughts of killing my wife a lot.” Not to normalize that, but I was like, Tell me about that. And he goes: “I’ve really thought about it. I’ve reached out to people about hiring somebody to kill her.”

So people just assume that you’re a sympathetic audience? Yeah, because these are things you’re not supposed to think about. So to be able to talk to somebody — you don’t have to worry that I’m going to start clutching my pearls.

You were a practicing therapist, and we think of therapists as highly empathic, invested in the emotions and stories of their clients. So how did you relate to your clients? I didn’t relate to them. Now, that is not to say I didn’t care about my patients. The easy answer is, of course I care about you. I wouldn’t continue to see you if I didn’t, but why do you need that reassurance from me? My job is to help you understand what’s going on with you. My job is to help you take your emotions, separate them out, explore your motivation. That’s my job. I think that I was a good therapist because I was able to parse those things out unemotionally. My gift to my therapy patients was that I was able to lend them sociopathy: Why do you care? What does it matter? What do you need from that? That, I felt, helped them achieve things that maybe a nonsociopathic therapist couldn’t have offered.

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Patric Gagne at age 4.

From Patric Gagne

What’s an invasive question you want to ask me? Why are you interested in me? Why are you interested in sociopathy? Talk to me about your darkness. I’m not expecting answers.

You want to get into it? Oh, yes. I find neurotypical people absolutely delightful!

I’ll give you two reasons I’m interested: I was sent the book, and I started reading, and the opening involved you as a second grader stabbing a kid in the head with a pencil. I thought, Holy moly, readers will be interested in this! So there was a mercenary quality to my own interest. Then also, there are times when I’ve wondered if the skills that I’ve learned from doing my job over the years are basically just forms of interpersonal manipulation, and I was curious to talk to you as a roundabout way of exploring that question for myself. Where does that question reach you?

What do you mean? Do you manipulate people in order to execute your job?

I think there is a degree of manipulation, but what do we really mean by manipulation? Is manipulation by definition negative, or does manipulation just mean intentionally creating a certain interpersonal context? That sounds like a justification to me, which means you’re sidestepping shame or sidestepping guilt.

I disagree. That would be like saying therapists are always guilty of “manipulation.” Just so we’re clear, when I said justification, I wasn’t trying to say that what you were doing was bad. You’re talking to a sociopath! I don’t think anything that you’re doing is bad. Yes, you are manipulating people to a certain extent — to your point — in the way that I might manipulate somebody in therapy, but I would never feel the need to justify it, and your justification came so quickly. That’s why I was like, Hey, what’s happening that you felt the need to defend your answer?

We don’t usually say we have to justify a positive thing. That’s probably why I reacted that way. What else? How much of that dark side of sociopathy can you relate to? And if you don’t have an easy answer for that, was it comforting to read about somebody who was open with their experience of being fully immersed in their darkest impulses and a lot of times carrying them out?

Well, I would say that one question that the book raised for me was the extent to which a lot of behaviors that people do could be considered sociopathic, and we just don’t understand them that way. Plenty of us do things that we know are bad because the transgressions feel good. It feels good. Why? I think it feels good because it feels free. To do something bad, it’s like, I don’t give a [expletive]. The consequences — be it internal guilt or getting thrown in jail — happen after. In this moment, I’m going to do this because it feels [expletive] great to just not care. That is what the sociopath experience is almost all the time. One piece of advice I would give to anyone who sees themselves in my description is to find an external philosophy that works for you. I liked karma. It seemed clean. It seemed organized. Find that philosophy for yourself, because you’re not going to get to rely on internal checks and balances.

I realize I didn’t quite understand what you meant when you said that you can experience empathy, just differently. What is empathy to you? Eventually as I got older, what I started to realize is that if I can connect to something that I can internalize naturally, I use that as a bridge to broaden my empathic response. For example, I’ve found frequently that a lot of people who exhibit sociopathic symptoms have strong feelings for pets. That’s a great bridge: You would feel upset if something happened to this animal that you care about. Now let’s extend that feeling to someone close to you that you have a strong relationship with.

But when you say “extend that feeling,” is it cognitive understanding that you’re describing or an emotional response? At first it is cognitive. Then, over time, that does grow into the emotion. It’s the understanding of it that leads to the feeling. I’m sure you’ve had a situation where someone is explaining something to you, and at first you’re like, I don’t care.

Multiple times a day! [Laughs.] Great. Now, imagine if that’s your first instinct, but you understand that you have to be like, Oh, yeah, I understand that I have to care. That is cognitive empathy. You’re not faking it, but you’re internalizing it. That’s your first take on something, and then maybe you get to know the situation better, or you find something about that situation that you can anchor to, and then the feeling kicks in.

Do you see your sociopathy as beneficial to you? I think my sociopathy is entirely beneficial to me. I see my friends struggling with guilt. On an almost daily basis I think, I’m glad I don’t have that. The psychological characteristics of sociopathy are not inherently bad. Lack of remorse and shame and guilt has been misappropriated to mean this horrible thing, but again, just because I don’t care about you doesn’t mean I want to cause you more pain. I like that I don’t have guilt because I’m making my decisions based on logic, based on truth, as opposed to ought or should. Now, there is a flip side. I don’t have those natural emotional connections to other people, but I’ve never had those. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. Just because I love differently doesn’t mean my love doesn’t count.

Opening illustration: Source photograph by Kristia Knowles, via Simon & Schuster

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity from two conversations.

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More From the Talk Column

David marchese, a staff writer for the new york times magazine, interviews celebrities and newsmakers..

Marilynne Robinson: The celebrated writer discusses human freedom, immortality and why she considers President Biden a gift of God .

Charan Ranganath: The neuroscientist and author of the illuminating new book “Why We Remember” explains how to make precious moments last .

John Malkovich: The actor has played a million different parts during his decades-long career, but somehow they’re all defined by the John Malkovich style .

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Top Notch Executive Interviews: How to Strategically Deal With Recruiters, Search Firms, Boards of Directors, Panels, Presentations, Pre-interviews, and Other High-Stress Situations

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Top Notch Executive Interviews: How to Strategically Deal With Recruiters, Search Firms, Boards of Directors, Panels, Presentations, Pre-interviews, and Other High-Stress Situations Paperback – Illustrated, October 1, 2009

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  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Weiser; First Edition (October 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1601630840
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Katharine Hansen

Katharine (Kathy) Hansen, Ph.D., is a online educator, author, and writer, as well as a 5-star SuperHost on Airbnb. Kathy, who earned her PhD from Union Institute & University authored You Are More Accomplished Than You Think, Tell Me About Yourself, Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates, A Foot in the Door, Top Notch Executive Interviews, Top Notch Executive Resumes; and with Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters, Write Your Way to a Higher GPA, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Study Skills.

Kathy teaches online classes for several universities in organizational leadership, organizational behavior, management, social media, business/managerial/organizational communication and more. She also serves as a dissertation-committee member for several PhD students in organizational leadership.

In 2010, after living her entire life on the East Coast, Kathy moved to Kettle Falls, WA, where she runs a 40-acre woodland farm with dogs, goats, chickens, and a pony. In 2016, Kathy turned the main house on this property into an Airbnb venue and has been far more successful than she ever imagined she would be. She contributed a chapter to Short-Term-Rental Success Stories from the Edge, Volume 1.

Kathy is extremely active in the Toastmasters organization, a worldwide nonprofit educational program that enables people to sharpen their communication and leadership skills. Kathy has held many offices and roles in the organization and recently led a district comprising 800 members as District Director. She holds the highest distinction offered by Toastmasters, the Distinguished Toastmaster award.

Kathy’s favorite activities include creative pursuits, such as repurposing furniture and creating unique wall hangings. She also loves to bicycle through beautiful Eastern Washington, identifying wildflowers and snapping nature photographs. She also thrives on constantly improving her Airbnb rental business and finding new ways to delight guests.

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When is forgetting normal — and when is it worrisome? A neuroscientist weighs in

Terry Gross square 2017

Terry Gross

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Cognitive neuroscientist Charan Ranganath says the human brain isn't programmed to remember everything. Rather, it's designed to "carry what we need and to deploy it rapidly when we need it." Bulat Silvia/iStock / Getty Images Plus hide caption

Cognitive neuroscientist Charan Ranganath says the human brain isn't programmed to remember everything. Rather, it's designed to "carry what we need and to deploy it rapidly when we need it."

When cognitive neuroscientist Charan Ranganath meets someone for the first time, he's often asked, "Why am I so forgetful?" But Ranganath says he's more interested in what we remember, rather than the things we forget.

"We're not designed to carry tons and tons of junk with us. I don't know that anyone would want to remember every temporary password that they've ever had," he says. "I think what [the human brain is] designed for is to carry what we need and to deploy it rapidly when we need it."

Ranganath directs the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California, Davis, where he's a professor of psychology and neuroscience. In the new book, Why We Remember, he writes about the fundamental mechanisms of memory — and why memories often change over time.

Ranganath recently wrote an op-ed for The New York Times in which he reflected on President Biden's memory gaffes — and the role that memory plays in the current election cycle.

Recent gaffes by Biden and Trump may be signs of normal aging — or may be nothing

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Recent gaffes by biden and trump may be signs of normal aging — or may be nothing.

"I'm just not in the position to say anything about the specifics of [either Biden or Trump's] memory problems," he says. "This is really more of an issue of people understanding what happens with aging. And, one of the nice things about writing this editorial is I got a lot of feedback from people who felt personally relieved by this because they're worried about their own memories."

Interview highlights

On instituting a cognitive test for candidates running for president

Why We Remember, by Charan Ranganath

I think it would be a good idea to have a comprehensive physical and mental health evaluation that's fairly transparent. We certainly have transparency or seek transparency about other things like a candidate's finances, for instance. And obviously health is a very important factor. And I think at the end of the day, we'll still be in a position of saying, "OK, what's enough? What's the line between healthy and unhealthy?" But I think it's important to do because yes, as we get older we do have memory problems. ...

On why you can sometimes only remember the first letter of something, like a name

You get what's called partial retrieval, where you get a piece of the information but not the whole thing. ... Memories compete with each other. And this is true for a name. ... And so if you have learned multiple names that start with the letter K, now what happens is you have this competition where essentially they're fighting with each other.

On the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon

For 'time cells' in the brain, what matters is what happens in the moment

For 'time cells' in the brain, what matters is what happens in the moment

They call it the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon ... where you know the information is there, you're aware of something, but it just doesn't. You don't have proof of its existence. You're just working on this complete faith that it exists. There's many reasons why this happened. One of the big ones is you pull out the wrong information. When you pull out the wrong information, what happens is it makes it much harder to find the right information. So in other words, if you're looking for someone named "Fred" and you accidentally pull out "Frank" and you know that's not the name. Now, Frank is very big in your consciousness, and it's fighting against the other memory that you have. And so as a result, you're going to have some trouble. Now, later on, what happens is your mindset changes and you're no longer stuck in that previous mistake. And that's why it can pop up. So what can sometimes happen is that we're looking for something, but then we get the wrong thing. And that leads us so far in the wrong direction that the competition in memory works against us.

On how interruption hurts our ability to remember

This is the reality of modern life, is that we're constantly being interrupted. Now, sometimes those interruptions are in our world and not of our own making. So any person with a newborn child, for instance, can relate to this idea of you're trying to do something and all of a sudden your child starts crying and your brain is telling you, "Forget everything else. Let's focus on this." Then there's things that we do to ourselves, like, we just have other thoughts that come into our head or we start daydreaming about things. But then I think the most insidious of all are the alerts and the distractions that we put upon ourselves with smartphones and smartwatches where there's things constantly buzzing and grabbing our attention, and then people start to get bad habits like checking texts and emails. For instance, I'll sit in academic talks and I see people checking email during a talk, and I can guarantee you they're not remembering either the email or the talk after they've left the place.

On how stress interferes with memory

Stress has a bunch of complex effects on memory. So if you have a severely stressful experience, sometimes you can remember that experience better than if it was not stressful. And so this happens a lot in cases of traumatic memories. But the other part of it is that stress makes it harder to pull out the information you need when you need it. ... It shuts down the prefrontal cortex. And under those states of stress, you're prioritizing things that are more immediate, your knee-jerk responses to things. And so that makes it harder to remember stuff that happened before you were under stress.

Scientists zap sleeping humans' brains with electricity to improve their memory

Scientists zap sleeping humans' brains with electricity to improve their memory

Then there's the issue of chronic stress, where we know that chronic stress can be actually neurotoxic for areas of the brain that are important for memory, like the prefrontal cortex and another area called the hippocampus. And that is really, I think, part of the problem that you see in people with PTSD, for instance. If you're under chronic stress for a long period of time, there's a whole series of stress-related hormones that are bathing your brain in these stress-related hormones. And what can happen is, this can be causing damage to areas like the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex so that they're no longer functioning as efficiently as you would hope they would. And you can see this in many different animal models of stress.

On why sleep is so important to memory

One of the fascinating things about sleep is we tend to think, oh, nothing's happening. I'm not getting anything done. But your brain is hugely at work. There are all these different stages of sleep where you can see these symphony of waves, where different parts of the brain are talking to each other, essentially. And so, we know for a fact that some of these stages of sleep, what happens is the brain will flush out toxins, like the amyloid protein that can build up over the course of a day. So just by virtue of that function, sleep is very important. But then on top of it, what we can see is that the neurons that were active during a particular experience, have come back alive during sleep. And so there seems to be some processing of memories that happen during sleep, and that the processing of memories can sometimes lead to some parts of the memory being strengthened, or sometimes you're better able to integrate what happened recently with things that happened in the past. And so, sleep scientist Matt Walker likes to say that sleep converts memory into wisdom, for instance.

Sam Briger and Thea Chaloner produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Carmel Wroth adapted it for the web.

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