Below are lists of two types of books - first those that talk about various career paths in the sciences, both traditional and nontraditional, and what types of jobs are out there. The second list includes more general career development books that discuss the details of how to manage your career - skills, networking, references, mentors, etc.
Of course, I am completely prejudiced and believe the best book out there is Nontraditional Careers For Chemists: New Formulas for Chemistry Careers, by Lisa M. Balbes (yours truly) and published by Oxford University Press. Other people like it too!
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, Cynthia Robbins-Roth, 2nd Edition, Academic Press, 2006.
Aimed at graduate students students, includes detailed personal narratives from people who have switched careers.
Career Development in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Madhavan, Oakley and Kun, Editors, 2008.
Career Opportunities in Science, Susan Echaoe-McDavid, Checkmark books, 2003.
Mainly covers traditional careers.
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, Toby Freedman, 2008, Cold Spring Harbor Press, $59.
Breaks the drug discovery enterprise down into its various stages, describes the role of each step in the process, and details positions available at each stage.
Career Renewal, Stephen Rosen and Celia Paul, Academic Press, 1998. Case studies, worksheets, not specific to scientists.
Career Transitions for Chemists, Rodmann, Bly, Owens, Anderson, ACS Press, 1995.
Careers for Chemists: A World Outside the Lab, Owens, Uhler, Marasco, ACS Press, 1997. Great start, but content is dated now.
Careers with the Pharmaceutical Industry by Peter D. Stonier (Editor), John Wiley & Sons; 2nd edition, 2003.
UK focused.
Great Jobs for Chemistry Majors, Rowh, McGraw-Hill, 1999.
Mainly traditional careers (reasearch, teaching, management and support), aimed at undergraduate students.
Guide to Non-Traditional Careers in Science, Karen Young Kreeger, Taylor & Francis, 1999.
Science education, illustration and imaging, writing/editing/publishing, informatics, tech transfer, business, law, science policy. intros, short interviews, and resource lists.
Jobs in the Drug Industry - a Career Guide for Chemists, Richard Friary, Academic Press, 2000. Descriptions of jobs in pharmaceutical industry, list of pharma companies, some general career advice.
Jump Start your Career in BioScience, Chandra Louise, Peer Productions, 1998.
Aimed at undergraduate students.
Opprotunities in Biotechnology Careers. Sheldon S. Brown, VGM Publisher, 2000.
Opportunities in Chemistry Careers. John H. Woodburn, VGM Publisher, 2002.
Opportunities in Forensic Science Careers, Blythe Camenson, VGM Publisher, 2001.
Brief descriptions, background, educational requirements. Suggested class listings, aimed at HS or undergraduate students.
A Ph.D. is Not Enough, Peter Feibelman, Addison Wesley, 1993.
Chosing an advisor, oral presentations, paper writing, industry vs. academia, interviews, getting funding.
Put Your Science to Work: The Take-Charge Career Guide for Scientists, Peter Fiske, American Geophysical Union, 2001.
Resources, general job searching skills, resume vs. CV. Lots of examples, some ideas for non-traditional careers.
The Scientist as Consultant, Carl Sindermann and Thomas Sawyer, Plenum Press, 1997.
Most appropriate for scientists who are considering consulting, and want to know what it’s really like.
So What Are You Going to Do With That?: A Guide for M.A.'s and Ph.D's Seeking Careers Outside the Academy, Basalla and Debelius, Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2001. This volume is very general, and does not address the special needs of scientists.
Career Management for Scientists and Engineers, John Borchardt, Oxford University Press, 2000. A personal career mentor and roadmap in printed form - excellent book. An updated version is in progress.
What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers, Richard Bolles, Ten Speed Press, 2007.
Know yourself, figure out what you want to do, then find that job. Not specific for scientists, but useful for those who really have no idea where to start in defining their career.
Working Wounded: Advice that Adds Insight to Injury, by Bob Rosner.
A great overview of a number of work-related topics - co-workers, managers, getting ahead, advancement, selling, benefits, technology, surviving a layoff, and entrepreneurs. Each chapter had great advice, culled from the best books, and provides references to each of those books for further reading. A great place to start!
Danger Quicksand, Have a Nice Day, David St. Lawrence, 2005. Summaries of some very dysfunctional work environments, with suggestions for change. Mildly interesting reading, but nothing specific for scientists.
Career Management for Chemists, John Fetzer, Springer Verlag, 2004. Not recommended.
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