Bill Park recommends the following books for consultants and small-business entrepreneurs. (They should also be good for job seekers, as that's when you have to sell yourself. Sending cold resumes is like selling French pastries by mailing a nutritional analysis. In other words, don't do it.)

John A. Kuecken, "Starting and Managing Your Own Engineering Practice," (Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., NY, ISBN 0-442-24513-0, 1978).

Harvey Kaye, "Inside the Technical Consulting Business: Launching and Building Your Independent Practice," (John Wiley & Sons, NY, ISBN 0-471-83121-2, 1986).

Edna Sheedy, "Start and Run a Profitable Home-Based Business: Your Step-by-Step, First-Year Guide," (Self-Counsel Press, Bellingham, WA, ISBN 0-88908-877-2, 1990).

Stanley R. Rich and Stanley E. Gumpert, "Business Plans that Win $$$," (Harper & Row, NY, ISBN 0-06-091391-6, 1987).

Janet Ruhl, "Computer Consultant's Guide: Real-Life Strategies for Building a Successful Consulting Career," (John Wiley & Sons, NY, ISBN 0-471-59662-0, 0-471-59661-2 paperback, $19.95, 1994).

Robert W. Bly, "Selling Your Services: Proven Strategies for Getting Clients to Hire You (or Your Firm)," (Henry Holt & Co., NY, ISBN 0-8050-1487-X, 1991).

Sandra L. Kurtzig, "CEO," (W. W. Norton & Co., NY, ISBN 0-393-02963-8, 1991).

Robert J. Kunze, "Nothing Ventured: The Perils and Payoffs of the Great American Venture Capital Game," (HarperBusiness, NY, ISBN 0-88730-461-3, 1990).