For young people who find academia, the perfect job and social status elusive, there’s Faking It: How to Seem Like a Better Person Without Actually Improving Yourself from CollegeHumor.com contributors Amir Blumenfeld, Ethan Trex and Neel Shah. Whether it’s wearing a sweatshirt from an Ivy League school you never attended or carrying a dog-eared copy of a classic you never actually read, The important thing isn’t who you are; it’s who people think you are. Irreverent humor that mocks both the slacker lifestyle and the Uber professional suggests how to skimp on group projects, talk like you have an MBA, fake an injury to get out of playing sports, and appear to be well-cultured. Faking It is a must for the college grad who needs a good laugh while transitioning into the real world.

Landing that first job can seem as intangible as a medieval knight’s quest, especially when 85 percent of entry-level job candidates are poorly prepared for the job search process. In Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World, Lindsey Pollak gives obtainable action-oriented tips versus a step-by-step plan to hone the job-search process. While some tips stick to traditional advice (#80 Buy a Dark Suit), others ask career-seekers to consider what they want from a first job, examine current business trends and think outside of the box (#59 Perform Five Minutes of Stand-Up). With exercise boxes to customize these thought-provoking tips, real-life stories from young people who survived their job searches and an appended list of associations, websites and organizations for young professionals, Getting from College to Career gives college students and recent grads the edge on entering the work force.

The title of Larry Winget’s new book is a clue that he isn’t your ordinary touchy-feely motivational speaker. It’s Called Work for a Reason! Your Success Is Your Own Damn Fault is a follow-up to the bestseller Shut Up, Stop Whining &andamp; Get a Life. Starting to get the picture? Winget, the self-described pit bull of personal development, starts off by warning readers that parts of his book will make them mad, and sure enough, it’s not a lot of fun to be called a slacker. But it’s hard to argue with the logic that working hard and achieving great results will lead to greater success. His simple, no-holds-barred take on business is refreshing no sacred cow is left standing and his clear sense of personal integrity and ethics are a much needed refresher in today’s business climate. Stephanie Gerber is a marketing executive in Louisville.

Even those of us who don’t stand a chance of getting up at 5 a.m. can still increase our productivity by picking up Cut to the Chase. Stuart R. Levine, author of the bestseller The Six Fundamentals of Success, has compiled 100 immensely practical ways to speed up, be more direct, meet smarter and find the elusive work/life balance. Fortunately you won’t have to spend much time digesting the tips; you can read each one in less than 120 seconds, which is the amount of time Levine suggests for most daily interactions. Instead of hanging out in doorways engaging in time-consuming chatter, you can get in and get out without rehashing last night’s episode of Lost. Then teach others to do the same, by hanging a no loitering sign if necessary. Start reclaiming your time by getting clear about your purpose, whether in work projects or life, and quit multitasking so you can focus. The advice for work centers are creating and maintaining structure. Don’t have a meeting without an agenda walk out if there’s not one. Get to work on time, spend the first 20 minutes organizing your day and reclaim your weekend by tying up all loose ends before leaving on Friday.

You’ll feel the weight lift when you quit worrying about consensus and start teaching others how to use your time. The last page includes a Cut to the Chase Calendar with sample tips that will get your 2007 off to a fast, productive start.

Stephanie Gerber is a marketing executive in Louisville.

Robin Sharma lives by the philosophy that the person who experiences the most wins. The modest author (don’t call him a guru), who is cool enough to list Bono and Diddy as role models, explains how to get the most out of life in The Greatness Guide: Powerful Secrets for Getting to World Class. The 101 mini two-page chapters are written more like diary entries with personal advice that often comes from his everyday interactions. His coaching on staying positive and seizing life might seem simple, especially when he touts the wisdom of SpongeBob SquarePants, but it requires daily discipline. Sharma’s approach makes time for a holy hour of reflection to stay on course by getting up at 5 a.m. each day. Other to do’s on Sharma’s best practice list are a bit easier: weekly massages and conversations with interesting people.

The best-selling author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is a master at pumping up the energy and motivation with his easy-to-read meditations on greatness in both the professional and personal realms. And while some chapters leave you wishing for more depth, The Greatness Guide feels like you’re having a conversation with the author, leaving you inspired to live every day to the fullest.

Stephanie Gerber is a marketing executive in Louisville.

Is it possible to be too successful? Yes, says popular executive coach Marshall Goldsmith. It’s all too common for a company’s brightest stars to fade or even implode because the behaviors that helped them climb the mountain keep them from reaching the top. Companies pay Goldsmith big bucks to teach their best and brightest how to get rid of the everyday behaviors that drive their officemates nuts and sabotage their success. It’s an investment that often costs $250,000. Fortunately, he captures his thoughtful advice in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful.

Instead of requiring a personality overhaul or listing new skills to learn, Goldsmith identifies 20 simple day-to-day behavioral habits including playing favorites, not listening and displaying too much negativity that damage relationships. He advocates using the 360-degree feedback technique that gathers input from bosses, peers and direct reports to find the blind spots of behavior that others see and you don’t.

Once you’re aware of the issues, Goldsmith explains a three-step process to fix the problem, starting with apologizing. His advice is straightforward and easy to follow with concrete suggestions like fining yourself for every sentence you start with but. Losing a few bucks might hurt, but you’ll see results whether you’re a CEO or just getting started.

Stephanie Gerber is a marketing executive in Louisville.

For the disillusioned 20-somethings who are dissatisfied with work, life and love, Jason Ryan Dorsey has a wake-up call. More than a career guide, My Reality Check Bounced: The Twentysomething’s Guide to Cashing In on Your Real-World Dreams tackles the ennui that many college grads feel after hitting the real-world rut of overtime and credit card bills. Dorsey’s message is one of empowerment: Stand up and create your own life. NOW. That’s what Dorsey did when he dropped out of college to self-publish his first book, Graduate to Your Perfect Job, now required reading at 1,500 schools. That experience lets Dorsey connect and empathize with his audience without sounding cynical. None of his concepts are groundbreaking, but Dorsey puts old ideas into today’s language. He gets readers motivated to wake up every morning by creating a future picture. Networking becomes plugging in and chapters end with instant messages that detail specific actions to start immediately. Included throughout are examples of self-defeating thoughts that bounce ( My happiness is out of my hands. ) and motivational ideas you can take to the bank ( How I feel about my life is determined by how I choose to live my life. ) For boomerangers, the restless grads who have moved back home with their parents and are awaiting pointers toward a new life, Dorsey’s message should serve as an emphatic kick in the butt.

and What kind of job do I want? are perhaps some of the toughest decisions high school and college students will face. Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the bestseller What Color Is Your Parachute? and former director of the National Career Development Project, teams with career strategist Carol Christen to adapt Bolles’ revolutionary career guide into What Color Is Your Parachute? For Teens.

This approachable, inspirational guide first asks young adults to ponder their interests, skills, favorite types of people and ideal work environment through guided questions and discovery exercises. Once teens have identified their potential dream jobs, the authors suggest ways, such as extracurricular activities and job shadowing, to gain information about these career paths. For teens with little work experience, the final section on job-search basics, interviewing and the top 10 mistakes job hunters make and how you can avoid them is invaluable.

Bolles and Christen hold readers’ interest with quick tip and reality check boxes, profiles of successful 20-somethings, and websites to seek out further information. While they certainly want to see young adults find a successful job, the authors also hope that teenagers will see this guide as a tool for defining their futures. Angela Leeper is an educational consultant and freelance writer in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

If your goal is to make sure the graduate in your life eventually finds gainful employment, the book to give is The Intern Files: How to Get, Keep, and Make the Most of Your Internship. Author Jamie Fedorko wrote the book after completing his own internship, and it’s filled with been-there, made-that-mistake advice. From the practical (preparing your resume) to the personal (hooking up with another intern), The Intern Files covers it all, and explains how important internships can be in securing that dream job and in discovering what you want to do with your life. After all, isn’t that what college is all about?

It’s not only who you know and it’s not only what you know. How you interact with people is a key component to success, both personal and professional. For some, it is innate; others can learn it. It is the ability to be charming, to be regarded as interesting, likeable and most importantly, interested in others. Business consultant and author Brian Tracy, along with Ron Arden, a coach of professional speakers, share stories and techniques in The Power of Charm: How to Win Anyone Over in Any Situation. Reminiscent in aspects to the classic How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, the book delves into the details of becoming and being charming, including eye contact, body language, vocal and verbal reassurances, and guiding the conversation. Ellen R. Marsden writes from Mason, Ohio.

If you are thinking of quitting work once you have a baby, or have already quit to have a baby and wonder how to get back in the workforce, attorney Monica Samuels and journalist J.C. Conklin have you in mind. In Comeback Moms: How to Leave Work, Raise Children, and Jumpstart Your Career Even if You Haven’t Had a Job in Years they dispense good advice for making a graceful exit from work when you’re taking time off to be a full-time mom, and sound strategies for a smooth re-entry into the workforce. Although the authors devote much of the book to helping you manage workplace changes, including boss and co-worker expectations, they also discuss the impact on your personal life. They deal squarely with uncomfortable issues such as possible spousal resentment when you’re not working, dealing with friends and relatives who might question your decisions and sorting out your self-definition, desires and goals as you make the transitions. Delivered in a friendly style, the book draws on experiences of working mothers from many professions, and provides insights from career counselors, economists and employers. The authors discuss the range of options for going back to work: full- or part-time, changing careers and becoming an entrepreneur. Ellen R. Marsden writes from Mason, Ohio.

If it’s time to be moving on to a new career, yet you can’t seem to get going, advice from career consultant Andrea Kay may be what you need. Enter Life’s a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: Nine Steps to Get You Out of Your Funk and on to Your Future. This workbook will help you find work that’s more fitting for the person you are. Guiding you through systematic self-reflection, exercises and checklists, Life’s a Bitch will enable you to find challenging and meaningful work that will use your strengths and fit your values, personality, life and future.

Kay shares insights on thinking about and overcoming some of the factors that can inhibit you as you seek your new career, be they fear of change, the nagging inner voice asking what if I fail? and what will others think? or financial issues. If you’re looking for the energy infusion to get going, this book may be it.

Ellen R. Marsden writes from Mason, Ohio.

Whether you’re just starting out, re-entering the workforce or simply wanting to make some changes in your work life, these four new books will show you how to succeed in getting where you want to go.

New on the job? As they say, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. One in four employees won’t make it through their first year. In Sink or Swim! New Job. New Boss. 12 Weeks to Get It Right, authors Milo Sindell and Thuy Sindell, Ph.D., business and leadership consultants, assert that you lay the groundwork for success or failure in the first three months on the job. Their book helps the new employee make the most of the opportunity by applying the five sink or swim skills they’ve identified: setting goals; learning time management skills; developing a network of knowledge resources; learning how to be a team player and crafting the appropriate professional image through your appearance and actions.

Day by day, week by week, the authors show you what to think and do to ensure you’re at your professional best. With their help, your new job won’t be just a blur of new people and new responsibilities: you’ll be strategically reviewing, planning, reacting and revising. Whether you’re an entry-level employee, middle manager or head honcho, this book offers sound techniques for making you a stand-out in those critical first 12 weeks and beyond. Ellen R. Marsden writes from Mason, Ohio.