The 16 Amazing Books Every Modern Recruiter Should Read

Two years ago, we worked with The Sourcing Insitute's Shally Steckerl to publish the first list of books every sourcer and recruiter needs to read. This year, to celebrate the launch of the 2017 World's Greatest Sourcer competition, we've worked with Shally again to assemble an updated version with some of our favorite recent reads. 

You'll notice a few themes. Most of the books are focused on mastering and understanding communication skills, modern technology (like AI and automation), the fundamentals of human behavior, teamwork, and how to keep learning throughout your life. To different degrees, sourcing and recruiting at a high level requires each of these skills. Keeping them sharp will let you stay ahead of the curve in the always-evolving world of talent. 

In today's always plugged in digital world, you'll be amazed at how a good book can empower you to think creatively and pursue new avenues that will help you find every possible needle in the proverbial haystack. By the way, if you have not already done so, be sure to sign up for the 2017 World's Greatest Sourcer competition! We just kicked things off and this year promises to be one of our most competitive and fun competitions yet. 

Without further ado, here's our list of 16 amazing books to help you take your recruiting and sourcing to the next level. 

1. How to Create a Mind: The Secret of Human Thought Revealed by Ray Kurzweil
   

2. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina
   

3. Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths
   

4. SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance by Steven J. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
   

5. Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by Stanley McChrystal

6. The Book of Five Rings: A Classic Text on the Japanese Way of the Sword by Miyamoto Musashi

7. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverence by Angela Duckworth

8. Effective Virtual Conversations: Engaging Digital Dialogue for Better Learning, Relationships, and Result by Jennifer Britton

9. Talent Sourcing and Recruiting Handbook by Shally Steckerl

10. Manipulation: Emotional Manipulation Techniques to Influence People by Lewis Fischer

11. The Future Workplace Experience: 10 Rules for Mastering Disruption in Recruiting and Engaging Employees by Jeanne C. Meister and Kevin Mulcahy

12. Open Source Intelligence Techniques by Michael Bazzell

13. The Second Machine Age by Erik Brynjolfsson, Andrew McAfee

14. The Industries of the Future by Alec Ross

15. Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion by George B. Thompson and Jerry B. Jenkins

16. Learn Better: Mastering the Skills for Success in Life, Business, and School, or, How to Become an Expert in Just About Anything by Ulrich Boser

Are we missing anything? Let us know in the comments.  

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