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The Tech Career Starter Pack: Cloud, Wealth & People Skills
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items This isn't just another list of coding textbooks. This is the full toolkit I wish I had when I started in tech. It covers the three pillars of a successful career: the technical skills to get hired, the soft skills to build a network, and the financi...
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Beginner-Friendly, Hands-On Cloud Learning
Investing & Money Management for Beginners
Building Relationships & Networking
Beginner-Friendly, Hands-On Cloud Learning
These are the cloud books I’d give to anyone starting out: practical, beginner-friendly and focused on real projects. If you want to actually build things and see your skills grow with each chapter, start here.
What I really like about this book is that it doesn’t just talk about AWS in theory – it makes you actually build things. You start with simple projects like hosting your own CV website, then move into real-world apps like a recipe-sharing site, serv...
AWS Cloud Projects: Strengthen your AWS skills through practical ...
Honestly, this reads more like a thriller novel than an IT book. It was the first time I truly understood what 'DevOps' meant without getting bored to tears. If you’ve ever felt like your IT team is chaotic, this book explains why—and how to fix it. ...
The Phoenix Project: IT, DevOps & Business
I used this specific guide when I was prepping for my first cert. What I appreciate is that Ben Piper doesn't try to sound smart; he just explains the concepts clearly. Even if you aren't taking the exam next week, this is the best 'map' of the AWS e...
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Study Guide
Does exactly what it says on the cover. When I first started, I was embarrassed to ask what an 'instance' or 'bucket' actually was. This book broke it down with simple pictures and zero jargon. I still recommend this to non-tech friends who ask what ...
Explain the Cloud Like I'm 10: AWS, Azure, GCP, K8s
Don't let the 'Hacker' title scare you. This is hands-down the most practical way to learn the Linux command line, which you will need for cloud roles. I loved that it forces you to actually type commands and see what happens, rather than just readin...
Linux Basics For Hackers
Investing & Money Management for Beginners
Tech careers often come with great salaries, but a high income doesn't automatically equal wealth. I learned the hard way that if you don't have a plan, lifestyle creep will eat your raises alive. These books helped me move from just 'earning good mo...
This completely changed how I view wealth. It’s not about complex math or picking stocks; it’s about your behavior and ego. I read this in one weekend and realized that staying wealthy is actually harder than getting wealthy. It's a super easy, humbl...
The Psychology of Money: Timeless Wealth Lessons
The tech world is complicated; your money shouldn't be. This book saved me from paralysis analysis. It pushes a simple index fund strategy that takes 15 minutes a year to manage. This is the book I gift to friends when they land their first big paych...
The Simple Path to Wealth: Financial Independence
Ignore the clickbaity title. Ramit is actually super practical. I used his scripts to negotiate my salary and his automation system to handle my bills. I love that he doesn't tell you to stop buying coffee—he just tells you to prioritize what you act...
I Will Teach You To Be Rich » by Ramit Sethi
This is an oldie, but it shattered my image of what 'rich' looks like. It helped me avoid lifestyle creep when my income started going up. It teaches you that most millionaires don't drive Ferraris—they drive Toyotas and invest the difference.
The Millionaire Next Door: Secrets of Wealth
Building Relationships & Networking
Most of us in tech would rather code in a dark room than go to a networking event. I used to think networking was 'fake,' but I was wrong. It’s actually just about being helpful and human. These resources taught me how to build a powerful circle of f...
I used to hate the idea of 'networking' because it felt slimy. This book flipped my mindset completely. It taught me that real networking isn't about using people; it's about generosity and helping others get what they want first. The tips on follow-...
Never Eat Alone, Expanded and Updated
There’s a reason this has been a bestseller for 80 years. I re-read this every January. It sounds basic, but the chapters on being a good listener and remembering names are superpowers in the tech industry, where soft skills are often lacking. If you...
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Short, visual, and inspiring. This isn't strictly a 'networking' book, but it gave me the confidence to share my work publicly online. 'Showing your work' is the modern way to network without leaving your house. Sharing my learning journey is how I c...
Steal Like An Artist - a book by Austin Kleon
Tech projects usually fail because of people problems, not code problems. This book gave me the actual scripts to handle high-stakes conversations with bosses and stakeholders without losing my cool. It is absolutely essential for moving from Junior ...
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking, 3rd Ed