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Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure Is Good, the Great Ones Play Hurt, and Other Hard Truths
The ultimate playbook for crushing it at work, from the former CEO of Barstool Sports.
She worked hand-in-hand with a founder who was a lightning rod for controversy―OK, for stepping in it. She grew a chaotic company (Vanity Fair called it a “pirate ship”) housed over a dentist’s office outside of Boston that published giveaway papers into a juggernaut with more than 5 billion monthly video views and 225 million followers valued at 550 million dollars. Erika Ayers Badan calls herself a “token CEO”, the rare female employee in the highest rank of a bro-roar sports and new media culture.
She’s also a massive student of work: how to do it, how to be effective at it, how to get noticed, how to crush it, how to figure out what you love and do it as a job. She’s figured it out, after big marketing jobs in large traditional corporations like Microsoft and AOL, for herself; she’s figured it out for friends; she figured it out for the thousands of people who listened to her Barstool podcast, “Token CEO” every week. And in this book, she’s figuring it out for everybody else.
With the verve and motivation of books like YOU ARE A BADASS and the smart, specific ideas of titles like ATOMIC HABITS, NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR CAREER is a real playbook. It’s about how work really works and how you can get work to work for you. It’s about thank you notes and thankless tasks, the energy in meetings and energy vampires, how to pick a boss and how to get a boss to pick you. It’s about being all in (but not bringing your whole self to work―some of you is better left at home) and becoming valuable to your workplace. It’s about participating―with your brain, your skills, your experience, and your willingness to pitch in and offer yourself up for something you may not even know how to do yet. It’s about making your own luck at work.
NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR CAREER is for first-time job seekers who think no company will ever want them, people stuck in second or third jobs who don’t know how to move on to the next thing, people who have the job they thought was their brass ring but who discovered it’s not all that.
Her chapter titles include:
- Do Whatever Makes You Happy and F*ck Anyone Who Says Otherwise
- Know What Your Company is Paying You to Do
- Don’t Be an Asshole at Work
- The Messy Stuff: Being Human, Getting Drunk, Sex, and Other Disaster Scenarios at Work
- Feedback is a Gift. Feedforward is for wimps
She worked hand-in-hand with a founder who was a lightning rod for controversy―OK, for stepping in it. She grew a chaotic company (Vanity Fair called it a “pirate ship”) housed over a dentist’s office outside of Boston that published giveaway papers into a juggernaut with more than 5 billion monthly video views and 225 million followers valued at 550 million dollars. Erika Ayers Badan calls herself a “token CEO”, the rare female employee in the highest rank of a bro-roar sports and new media culture.
She’s also a massive student of work: how to do it, how to be effective at it, how to get noticed, how to crush it, how to figure out what you love and do it as a job. She’s figured it out, after big marketing jobs in large traditional corporations like Microsoft and AOL, for herself; she’s figured it out for friends; she figured it out for the thousands of people who listened to her Barstool podcast, “Token CEO” every week. And in this book, she’s figuring it out for everybody else.
With the verve and motivation of books like YOU ARE A BADASS and the smart, specific ideas of titles like ATOMIC HABITS, NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR CAREER is a real playbook. It’s about how work really works and how you can get work to work for you. It’s about thank you notes and thankless tasks, the energy in meetings and energy vampires, how to pick a boss and how to get a boss to pick you. It’s about being all in (but not bringing your whole self to work―some of you is better left at home) and becoming valuable to your workplace. It’s about participating―with your brain, your skills, your experience, and your willingness to pitch in and offer yourself up for something you may not even know how to do yet. It’s about making your own luck at work.
NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR CAREER is for first-time job seekers who think no company will ever want them, people stuck in second or third jobs who don’t know how to move on to the next thing, people who have the job they thought was their brass ring but who discovered it’s not all that.
Her chapter titles include:
- Do Whatever Makes You Happy and F*ck Anyone Who Says Otherwise
- Know What Your Company is Paying You to Do
- Don’t Be an Asshole at Work
- The Messy Stuff: Being Human, Getting Drunk, Sex, and Other Disaster Scenarios at Work
- Feedback is a Gift. Feedforward is for wimps
336 pages, Hardcover
Published June 11, 2024
199 people are currently reading
3569 people want to read
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July 19, 2024
Nobody Cares About Your Career is first-time author Erika Ayers Badan (b. 1975)'s memoiristic career advice guide. Badan's had early career success in marketing, rising up to Chief Marketing Officer at AOL in the mid-2010s, before spending 7 years as the CEO of digital media company Barstool Sports; she is currently the CEO of Food52.
I would say the advice in this book is generally good and very directly-presented, though sometimes a bit too specific to Badan's own career path and how she could have handled tricky situations in her own career better, versus a general advice book suitable to all people in all careers at all career stages. Although not stated in these terms, Badan would decidedly fit into the #girlboss (though this book is not heavily directed toward women) mold of Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, as she advocates heavily for leaning into your career under almost all circumstances and climbing the corporate ladder vs. quiet quitting (a concept that seems to trigger her). For instance, she advises looking for new jobs where a prospective employee knows how to do 60-70% of the role already, and needs to challenge themselves to learn new skills to do the other 30-40% well (that's presuming landing such a job is possible in the current market depending on your industry).
Overall, a solid career advice book, with occasional misses and probably somewhat too long (336 pages/12 hour audiobook). Badan mentions that she has neither written a book before, nor has read other career advice books, and that she's writing this book anyway. I think generally it's good to *not* be genre naïve when publishing in a market that boasts thousands of career advice books, but surprisingly this book doesn't come across as a carbon copy of any of the others I've read (see below).
Further reading - career advice (ranked in order of descending helpfulness):
Strategize to Win: The New Way to Start Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career by Carla Harris
So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport
No Fears, No Excuses: What You Need to Do to Have a Great Career by Larry Smith
The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels by Michael Watkins
The Career Manifesto: Discover Your Calling and Create an Extraordinary Life by Mike Stieb
Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
7 Rules of Power: Surprising--but True--Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career by Jeffrey Pfeffer (for all my machiavellian Robert Greene fans)
The Startup of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha
The Algebra of Wealth: A Simple Formula for Financial Security by Scott Galloway
My statistics:
Book 157 for 2024
Book 1760 cumulatively
I would say the advice in this book is generally good and very directly-presented, though sometimes a bit too specific to Badan's own career path and how she could have handled tricky situations in her own career better, versus a general advice book suitable to all people in all careers at all career stages. Although not stated in these terms, Badan would decidedly fit into the #girlboss (though this book is not heavily directed toward women) mold of Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, as she advocates heavily for leaning into your career under almost all circumstances and climbing the corporate ladder vs. quiet quitting (a concept that seems to trigger her). For instance, she advises looking for new jobs where a prospective employee knows how to do 60-70% of the role already, and needs to challenge themselves to learn new skills to do the other 30-40% well (that's presuming landing such a job is possible in the current market depending on your industry).
Overall, a solid career advice book, with occasional misses and probably somewhat too long (336 pages/12 hour audiobook). Badan mentions that she has neither written a book before, nor has read other career advice books, and that she's writing this book anyway. I think generally it's good to *not* be genre naïve when publishing in a market that boasts thousands of career advice books, but surprisingly this book doesn't come across as a carbon copy of any of the others I've read (see below).
Further reading - career advice (ranked in order of descending helpfulness):
Strategize to Win: The New Way to Start Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career by Carla Harris
So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport
No Fears, No Excuses: What You Need to Do to Have a Great Career by Larry Smith
The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels by Michael Watkins
The Career Manifesto: Discover Your Calling and Create an Extraordinary Life by Mike Stieb
Designing Your Life: Build a Life that Works for You by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
7 Rules of Power: Surprising--but True--Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career by Jeffrey Pfeffer (for all my machiavellian Robert Greene fans)
The Startup of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha
The Algebra of Wealth: A Simple Formula for Financial Security by Scott Galloway
My statistics:
Book 157 for 2024
Book 1760 cumulatively
November 2, 2024
Currently reading but already docking points for the writing style and how the author already sounds pretentious… ironically about excluding seemingly pretentious, wealthy, or lazy people.
To include a section where you state that the reader should already know how to set goals and has the motivation to grow is both redundant and excluding certain social groups.
If someone is reading this book, we can already assume they want to improve themselves.
But if they are reading this book, they aren’t sure how yet, so why call out people who are seemingly wealthy, lazy, etc. and not give them the chance to be inspired to change? They’ll self-select out of the book and put it down after they’ve read enough of it. There’s no reason to make someone feel bad if their work ethic needs polishing.
If it’s some kind of marketing ploy, it comes off as unforgiving and unfair.
To be wealthy and to be hardworking aren’t mutually exclusive.
Someone with a learning disability or who is neurodivergent might read the section “This Book is Not for You If…” and feel discouraged.
To include a section where you state that the reader should already know how to set goals and has the motivation to grow is both redundant and excluding certain social groups.
If someone is reading this book, we can already assume they want to improve themselves.
But if they are reading this book, they aren’t sure how yet, so why call out people who are seemingly wealthy, lazy, etc. and not give them the chance to be inspired to change? They’ll self-select out of the book and put it down after they’ve read enough of it. There’s no reason to make someone feel bad if their work ethic needs polishing.
If it’s some kind of marketing ploy, it comes off as unforgiving and unfair.
To be wealthy and to be hardworking aren’t mutually exclusive.
Someone with a learning disability or who is neurodivergent might read the section “This Book is Not for You If…” and feel discouraged.
July 31, 2024
I was provided an audio arc of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
The author narrates the audiobook. Her narration was very professional. What I mean by that is that as passionate as she is about this subject, that didn't come through in her narration. It was fine, but it was missing the emotion and passion I was expecting. I've read other career development and self-help books narrated by the authors, but they are also coaches and present the material regularly and that shows up in the narration because they present professionally as well. As a debut this is a good first take, but I would have appreciated more emotion in the narration.
I enjoyed this no nonsense, direct, common sense approach to taking charge of your own career. The author states in the beginning of the book that much of what she is about to tell you is common sense, but sometimes you need to hear it anyway. As someone who has been with my current company for over 10 years, much of her advice rings true. I've switched roles within the same company every few years because of burnout or it was time to learn something new. I do think some of her advice is going to be take it or leave it based on the industry you are in or the culture of your company or even the type of person you are.
The author wrote this exactly as if she were speaking to you. She doesn't hold back any punches and she swears alot. I actually found it to be refreshing and genuine. I don't mind the language, but I know others clutch pearls when people curse and get offended. They are just words and they don't bother me, so take that with a grain of salt. If you didn't mind the language in The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life you will enjoy this.
I feel like this is perfect for someone newer in establishing their career, however the advice rings true for someone well established in their career as well. There are some great pearls of wisdom in here. The title is accurate, no one is more invested in your career progression than you are. The author gives examples of situations she's been in both good and bad that have led her to the success in her career. She also gives some checklists and pointers throughout. While I found alot of her advice to be common sense, I found I needed to hear some of it anyway and plan to put some of it to use in the near future.
The author narrates the audiobook. Her narration was very professional. What I mean by that is that as passionate as she is about this subject, that didn't come through in her narration. It was fine, but it was missing the emotion and passion I was expecting. I've read other career development and self-help books narrated by the authors, but they are also coaches and present the material regularly and that shows up in the narration because they present professionally as well. As a debut this is a good first take, but I would have appreciated more emotion in the narration.
I enjoyed this no nonsense, direct, common sense approach to taking charge of your own career. The author states in the beginning of the book that much of what she is about to tell you is common sense, but sometimes you need to hear it anyway. As someone who has been with my current company for over 10 years, much of her advice rings true. I've switched roles within the same company every few years because of burnout or it was time to learn something new. I do think some of her advice is going to be take it or leave it based on the industry you are in or the culture of your company or even the type of person you are.
The author wrote this exactly as if she were speaking to you. She doesn't hold back any punches and she swears alot. I actually found it to be refreshing and genuine. I don't mind the language, but I know others clutch pearls when people curse and get offended. They are just words and they don't bother me, so take that with a grain of salt. If you didn't mind the language in The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life you will enjoy this.
I feel like this is perfect for someone newer in establishing their career, however the advice rings true for someone well established in their career as well. There are some great pearls of wisdom in here. The title is accurate, no one is more invested in your career progression than you are. The author gives examples of situations she's been in both good and bad that have led her to the success in her career. She also gives some checklists and pointers throughout. While I found alot of her advice to be common sense, I found I needed to hear some of it anyway and plan to put some of it to use in the near future.
October 12, 2025
WIP - really love the title of this as a former corporate workaholic slave people pleaser perfectionist
By focusing on creating value rather than waiting to receive it, you become indispensable. Your worth isn’t determined by your job title or the approval of others, but by the impact you make.
Notes:
- nobody cares about your career as much as you do (It shifts the focus from expecting others to advance your career to taking charge of your own professional journey)
- Instead of waiting for others to create opportunities, you actively start looking for ways to add value to your organisation. (i would argue to add value to yourself or your life but sure)
- This shift from self-focus to value creation is transformative. It’s no longer about what others can do for you, but what you can contribute. You become the driving force of your own career, taking charge of your growth and development.
- Nobody else knows your strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations as well as you do. Embrace this knowledge and use it to your advantage. If you’re not satisfied with your current role, don’t wait for someone else to fix it.
- Of course, embracing disruption doesn't mean you have to join a startup. Instead, it means being open to change and seeking out challenges, regardless of your environment. If you’re in a large company, look for ways to innovate within your role. Propose new projects, volunteer for cross-functional teams, or find inefficiencies you can improve.
- Your vision doesn’t need to be grandiose. It could be as simple as becoming the go-to expert in your field or creating a product that solves a specific problem. The key is that it’s meaningful to you and gives you a sense of purpose.
- failing equals learning
- being great at work often comes down to applying common sense and not being difficult to work with
By focusing on creating value rather than waiting to receive it, you become indispensable. Your worth isn’t determined by your job title or the approval of others, but by the impact you make.
Notes:
- nobody cares about your career as much as you do (It shifts the focus from expecting others to advance your career to taking charge of your own professional journey)
- Instead of waiting for others to create opportunities, you actively start looking for ways to add value to your organisation. (i would argue to add value to yourself or your life but sure)
- This shift from self-focus to value creation is transformative. It’s no longer about what others can do for you, but what you can contribute. You become the driving force of your own career, taking charge of your growth and development.
- Nobody else knows your strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations as well as you do. Embrace this knowledge and use it to your advantage. If you’re not satisfied with your current role, don’t wait for someone else to fix it.
- Of course, embracing disruption doesn't mean you have to join a startup. Instead, it means being open to change and seeking out challenges, regardless of your environment. If you’re in a large company, look for ways to innovate within your role. Propose new projects, volunteer for cross-functional teams, or find inefficiencies you can improve.
- Your vision doesn’t need to be grandiose. It could be as simple as becoming the go-to expert in your field or creating a product that solves a specific problem. The key is that it’s meaningful to you and gives you a sense of purpose.
- failing equals learning
- being great at work often comes down to applying common sense and not being difficult to work with
August 9, 2024
I am taking away a new mantra for embracing FAILURE On my career journey!
IF I CAN LOSE, I can win.
I learned “nobody cares about your career as much as you do – so take charge of your career trajectory and don’t wait for someone else to do it for you.
By shifting your focus from self to value creation, you’ll become indispensable in any workplace. Embrace disruption, craft a personal vision, and view failures as learning opportunities to continuously grow and adapt. Develop key habits like applying common sense, responding thoughtfully to challenges, and owning your mistakes for you and your team to thrive. Finally, stay flexible, learn continuously, and turn your challenges into opportunities for growth in order to optimize your career trajectory.”
IF I CAN LOSE, I can win.
I learned “nobody cares about your career as much as you do – so take charge of your career trajectory and don’t wait for someone else to do it for you.
By shifting your focus from self to value creation, you’ll become indispensable in any workplace. Embrace disruption, craft a personal vision, and view failures as learning opportunities to continuously grow and adapt. Develop key habits like applying common sense, responding thoughtfully to challenges, and owning your mistakes for you and your team to thrive. Finally, stay flexible, learn continuously, and turn your challenges into opportunities for growth in order to optimize your career trajectory.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2024
This is an incredible book. I am truly sad it’s over and will be reflecting on it for awhile. This book is one to lean on in a tough time at work OR when you’re due to learn. You don’t need to reach for it as a life line but it certainly is one when you do need it. Going to pool my thoughts into a LinkedIn post - if you have interest find me over there!
October 9, 2024
She’s a corporate baddie for sure. Basically the whole book is about how you’re only going to get out what you put in. So stop complaining & just do the work, do it well and good things will come. Slay. You’ve read the book. Also, stop drinking with your coworkers. That’s one I still need to learn.
January 8, 2025
I really loved Erika’s perspective as a female with a successful career and will apply some of this advice to my own career growth.
July 3, 2024
Slow start but super valuable info towards the end. Direct! I wish everyone could read it.
January 9, 2025
Largely fluff - she is a more interesting person than the duh moment banal riffs that pervade. I want the real story - a memoir, she can save what was in here no one cares.
October 7, 2024
I won this book in the good reads giveaways, so I would like to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your book.
This book is for boss babes; it’s about how to work harder in the workplace, & to gain experience and value raking up in the work force.
This book is from a feminist perspective, so although I see things differently now; I do see why a younger me would’ve liked this book. I was strong minded and loved working hard and trying new things in the workplace; accelerating quickly and running laps around ppl older than me. However the new older 29 year old me just wants to stay at home to raise kids and relax with the less stress as possible, working only around the house when I need the extra money. Even reading this book exhausted me, I only wish i would’ve not worked as hard when I was younger. This way of thinking worked out well for the author though, I read on Google she has a net worth of 12 million! That’s awesome! However I don’t see this happening for most ppl who don’t live in the larger cities to have these high CEO positions. If anything, get in there to learn as much as you can and get out to start your own company/business. It’s always better to be the boss than to be an employee if you play the game right.
This book is written well, no complaints on that. I also found the notes and highlights helpful although I did find that the book its self was a bit repetitive. This book is worth reading for women that like to hustle & make that bread outside of the house. One thing for sure the title is 100% true! NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR CAREER.
3 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is for boss babes; it’s about how to work harder in the workplace, & to gain experience and value raking up in the work force.
This book is from a feminist perspective, so although I see things differently now; I do see why a younger me would’ve liked this book. I was strong minded and loved working hard and trying new things in the workplace; accelerating quickly and running laps around ppl older than me. However the new older 29 year old me just wants to stay at home to raise kids and relax with the less stress as possible, working only around the house when I need the extra money. Even reading this book exhausted me, I only wish i would’ve not worked as hard when I was younger. This way of thinking worked out well for the author though, I read on Google she has a net worth of 12 million! That’s awesome! However I don’t see this happening for most ppl who don’t live in the larger cities to have these high CEO positions. If anything, get in there to learn as much as you can and get out to start your own company/business. It’s always better to be the boss than to be an employee if you play the game right.
This book is written well, no complaints on that. I also found the notes and highlights helpful although I did find that the book its self was a bit repetitive. This book is worth reading for women that like to hustle & make that bread outside of the house. One thing for sure the title is 100% true! NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR CAREER.
3 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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July 26, 2024Disclaimer: Erika is my boss's boss! That said, this book is full of the career advice I generally give to my mentees and younger colleagues (aka get your shit done, be nice to people) so I definitely agree with the principles. I also got some good thinking points for how to think more broadly about career and success (I can be a little too focused on the here and now vs the VISION). A great book for a college graduation gift, if you are just starting out in your career or if you are feeling stuck where you are.
August 6, 2025
This came highly recommended by someone I look up to but this book fell flat to me. I think it was also intended for a younger audience, perhaps new to work people? It felt belittling at times. I also felt like I was being lectured at for 11 hours (fortunately the real speed was shorter since I listed at 2x speed). There were some good nuggets of information but ultimately I don’t resonate with this authors view of work.
January 19, 2025
Not what I thought it was going to be, but an interesting perspective and probably more applicable when you want to seriously reconsider your career.
October 10, 2025
Yup… nobody cares
July 30, 2024
I’m new to this whole office thing. And career self help books. That being said, I thought this book was direct, insightful, and engaging. She says it was written for people right out of college and THANK GOODNESS bc I needed something like this.
June 18, 2024
Listened on audio and LOVED it. Erika is a badass. I randomly stumbled upon her instagram and loved her advice she freely gave. She is genuine and authentic and that shows through the writing of this book. I felt the tips were digestible and she had something literally anyone and everyone can benefit from. Can’t wait to buy the hardcover and mark it all up.
June 17, 2025
Worst book I've ever read. First of all the title is extremely misleading. Apart from that, I didn't learn anything new! It's very cliché and the author mentions many random and irrational things (in my opinion), such as "Don't cry and don't throw up in public." Exactly! What does she even mean?". It was truly a waste of my time!
June 1, 2024
Full disclosure I was sent an advance copy from Erika (super fucking cool btw) so I am biased but loved the book!
March 31, 2024
I do not typically read self help books like Nobody Cares About Your Career, but this was one of those books where the title caught me and the fact that the author was a female CEO at what one would assume would have been a male- run organization.
I am glad I picked it up. This book was great. The author sounded like me. There was no fancy language and I felt like it made me think more about what I wanted from a job and what I wanted my contributions to be based on what was important to ME. As a woman I found this book and her words so meaningful. I loved it and will read it again. I will also make sure it is. Book I share with my kids as they enter the “real world” after college
I am glad I picked it up. This book was great. The author sounded like me. There was no fancy language and I felt like it made me think more about what I wanted from a job and what I wanted my contributions to be based on what was important to ME. As a woman I found this book and her words so meaningful. I loved it and will read it again. I will also make sure it is. Book I share with my kids as they enter the “real world” after college
April 14, 2024
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am not a huge non-fiction/self help reader, but this book seemed interesting to me as a college student approaching graduation. Badan uses stories of her career to propel the narrative forward as she gives advice on how to navigate the professional world. Her story is incredible and I greatly admire her work ethic and tenacity throughout her career journey.
It’s a bit long for a self-help book, but the tidbits of advice throughout are valuable
It’s a bit long for a self-help book, but the tidbits of advice throughout are valuable
May 15, 2025
The title is very misleading. The entire book is about how we should care about her career and the importance of a career. I thought this would be a work to live direction but she wants people to work to work to work to work, no living. I didn’t look into this ahead of time. I wouldn’t have read it had I known she was the CEO of barstool :(. The author considers her personal “success” in a space full of men, in a company built for men, in media that is actively adversarial towards women, feminism - this type of individualism is so creative.
2.5
2.5
August 8, 2024
Nothing much to say. Maybe I've read a lot of this genre so I felt the book was pretty repetitive and boring. For a book titled like this, I expected something more gritty and out of the box. But apart from the nudge I got that my work is mine and nobody knows any better, it just doesn't move me much.
May 14, 2025
Was very excited to hear about how Erika stepped into Barstool and turned it into a mega media company. Unfortunately, this felt like a lecture from an adult (albeit a cool and very successful one). Not many anecdotes used to teach lessons but more long strings of advice.
May be more useful to someone feeling stuck at a job or not knowing what to expect in working world.
May be more useful to someone feeling stuck at a job or not knowing what to expect in working world.
March 11, 2025
Audio Book.
Meh. This was more of a book full of advice rather than stories and examples of how events unfolded after using this approach, and that approach lead us here once etc. Not to say the advice was bad per se, but to have it be an entire book about advice just didn’t do it for me.
Meh. This was more of a book full of advice rather than stories and examples of how events unfolded after using this approach, and that approach lead us here once etc. Not to say the advice was bad per se, but to have it be an entire book about advice just didn’t do it for me.
May 28, 2024
DNF @ 32%
July 1, 2024
I wanted to love this more than I did! Maybe not the best audiobook narration? I’m a fan of Erika’s but maybe I’m not the target audience as much as I thought.
November 28, 2024
Nobody Cares About Your Career by Erica Ayers Badan (Book Review #26 of 2024)
Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure Is Good, the Great Ones Play Hurt, and Other Hard Truths by Erica Ayers Badan
If only this had been a series of books rather than an attempt to lump everything into one. As much as she said she struggled to carve out time on weekends and force herself to write this, it could have been a better book if she had broken it down into 1-2 topics or experiences and left room for sequels for the others. I guess there is a push from her publisher or editor to cram it all into one book and hope for a bestseller to then publish a sequel. I thought the editing should have been much stronger, way too many parenthetical comments that added little to the text and repetition (accompanied with more parenthetical asides).
Disclosure. I received a copy from St. Martins Press via Netgalley with the hope but not requirement of writing a review. There is a lot to glean from the book and I made a lot of highlights. But the amount of lessons, along with all the snide parentheticals and gen-z writing style, was a put-off for me and I did not finish this book before its publishing.
Badan has a lot of self-awareness and an interesting albeit brief career (she’s still in her 40s). She’s not afraid to share her mistakes, her weaknesses, and regrets while also being very confident about her strengths and her advice to the reader. This memoir is sort of an A-Z of working from how to get a job, how to succeed and grow in that job, and how and when to leave that job. It would be too much information for someone just starting his/her career to remember on the first read, but very applicable for someone who may be a few years in and looking to navigate a challenge, seek other challenges, or find some other ways to improve their situation at the margin.
One particular practice stood out to me, and I adopted it: Badan lays out a set of career questions to ask yourself every 4-6 months, both big-picture and about your current role. Why am I here? What am I trying to learn? What does my boss want me to achieve here? What does success and failure look like here? Where do I want to go next and how far am I from that point? I created a document with the specific questions and a calendar reminder.
A frustrating aspect was the lack of personal connection. Through most of the book, it sounds like she’s married to her career, indeed she indicates that was her choice since college. How she navigates a personal life while apparently being on-call 24/7 is absent from the book. You only find out towards the end of the book that she navigated pregnancy and juggling a job with childcare, that she felt rather reluctant to share the obvious with her boss and gives advice on what she learned from that experience to others in the same space (I shared sections with my wife who was navigating pregnancy in a new job and she found it helpful). There’s also not a lot of book recommendations, it’s clear she gets wisdom from places but doesn’t cite many. (Also, who includes a playlist at the end of a book but doesn’t create that list on Spotify so that everyone can quickly subscribe to it?)
Her experience at Barstool was unique because Barstool itself is different from most any company and pushed a lot of boundaries, good and bad. Being a CEO was her first real management role and she learned plenty of small but seemingly obvious lessons like don’t accept everyone’s meeting invitation and then chair their meetings just because you’re the senior person in the room but also larger lessons about navigating different personalities and fighting to stay on-brand when Penn National Gaming buys you out. I think what’s left unsaid is that when you’re CEO of a company that’s riding a cultural and technological wave of new ways of consuming media combined with growing sports popularity you get more leeway than a CEO who is tasked with turning a struggling company around. I kind of hope that’s her challenge one day soon and she writes a book about that. (Seeing her answer career questions on Instagram, I've noticed she doesn't seem to exactly understand some of the questions-- which seem largely to come from young people in the consulting world, which she may be thankfully unfamiliar with.)
Would I work for her? Yes, I think she’d be a great boss. Anyone as self-aware as she is, willing to listen to feedback and admit that she doesn’t know everything is most likely a very good boss. She has high expectations and wants others to have the same (she writes that quiet quitting is quitting on yourself rather than the company) but will always expect more from herself than she does of others.
Would I like to edit her book? Yes, I think I could have trimmed it down about 50%, keeping just enough of her voice to make it hers but more of the lessons themselves.
In all, I give it 3 stars out of 5.
Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure Is Good, the Great Ones Play Hurt, and Other Hard Truths by Erica Ayers Badan
If only this had been a series of books rather than an attempt to lump everything into one. As much as she said she struggled to carve out time on weekends and force herself to write this, it could have been a better book if she had broken it down into 1-2 topics or experiences and left room for sequels for the others. I guess there is a push from her publisher or editor to cram it all into one book and hope for a bestseller to then publish a sequel. I thought the editing should have been much stronger, way too many parenthetical comments that added little to the text and repetition (accompanied with more parenthetical asides).
Disclosure. I received a copy from St. Martins Press via Netgalley with the hope but not requirement of writing a review. There is a lot to glean from the book and I made a lot of highlights. But the amount of lessons, along with all the snide parentheticals and gen-z writing style, was a put-off for me and I did not finish this book before its publishing.
Badan has a lot of self-awareness and an interesting albeit brief career (she’s still in her 40s). She’s not afraid to share her mistakes, her weaknesses, and regrets while also being very confident about her strengths and her advice to the reader. This memoir is sort of an A-Z of working from how to get a job, how to succeed and grow in that job, and how and when to leave that job. It would be too much information for someone just starting his/her career to remember on the first read, but very applicable for someone who may be a few years in and looking to navigate a challenge, seek other challenges, or find some other ways to improve their situation at the margin.
One particular practice stood out to me, and I adopted it: Badan lays out a set of career questions to ask yourself every 4-6 months, both big-picture and about your current role. Why am I here? What am I trying to learn? What does my boss want me to achieve here? What does success and failure look like here? Where do I want to go next and how far am I from that point? I created a document with the specific questions and a calendar reminder.
A frustrating aspect was the lack of personal connection. Through most of the book, it sounds like she’s married to her career, indeed she indicates that was her choice since college. How she navigates a personal life while apparently being on-call 24/7 is absent from the book. You only find out towards the end of the book that she navigated pregnancy and juggling a job with childcare, that she felt rather reluctant to share the obvious with her boss and gives advice on what she learned from that experience to others in the same space (I shared sections with my wife who was navigating pregnancy in a new job and she found it helpful). There’s also not a lot of book recommendations, it’s clear she gets wisdom from places but doesn’t cite many. (Also, who includes a playlist at the end of a book but doesn’t create that list on Spotify so that everyone can quickly subscribe to it?)
Her experience at Barstool was unique because Barstool itself is different from most any company and pushed a lot of boundaries, good and bad. Being a CEO was her first real management role and she learned plenty of small but seemingly obvious lessons like don’t accept everyone’s meeting invitation and then chair their meetings just because you’re the senior person in the room but also larger lessons about navigating different personalities and fighting to stay on-brand when Penn National Gaming buys you out. I think what’s left unsaid is that when you’re CEO of a company that’s riding a cultural and technological wave of new ways of consuming media combined with growing sports popularity you get more leeway than a CEO who is tasked with turning a struggling company around. I kind of hope that’s her challenge one day soon and she writes a book about that. (Seeing her answer career questions on Instagram, I've noticed she doesn't seem to exactly understand some of the questions-- which seem largely to come from young people in the consulting world, which she may be thankfully unfamiliar with.)
Would I work for her? Yes, I think she’d be a great boss. Anyone as self-aware as she is, willing to listen to feedback and admit that she doesn’t know everything is most likely a very good boss. She has high expectations and wants others to have the same (she writes that quiet quitting is quitting on yourself rather than the company) but will always expect more from herself than she does of others.
Would I like to edit her book? Yes, I think I could have trimmed it down about 50%, keeping just enough of her voice to make it hers but more of the lessons themselves.
In all, I give it 3 stars out of 5.
August 10, 2024
In Erika Ayers Badan's book "Nobody Cares About Your Career: Why Failure Is Good and Other Hard Truths", the central message is that in today’s highly competitive job market, no one will care about your career as much as you do. This realization may feel unsettling at first, but it ultimately empowers you to take full ownership of your professional journey. Rather than waiting for others to propel your career forward, you must shift your mindset to focus on creating value, building a personal brand, and cultivating meaningful connections. By doing so, you can unlock your true professional potential and thrive in the modern workplace.
The author emphasizes the importance of moving from a mindset of self-focus to one centered on value creation. Many people often feel stuck in their careers, hoping that someone else will have the answers or solutions they need. This reliance on external factors can lead to frustration and stagnation. Instead, Badan encourages readers to take the initiative and seek out opportunities to add value within their organizations. By proactively identifying inefficiencies and proposing solutions, you can drive your own success and become indispensable to your workplace. The shift from waiting for opportunities to actively creating them is transformative, as it positions you as the architect of your own career.
The book also underscores the significance of embracing disruption and crafting a personal vision. In a world that often rewards conformity, your uniqueness is your greatest asset. Instead of following traditional career paths that may seem safe but uninspiring, Badan advocates for pursuing what genuinely excites and fulfills you. Embracing disruption doesn’t necessarily mean joining a startup; it means being open to change, seeking out challenges, and pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone. Having a clear personal vision—whether it's becoming an expert in your field or creating something innovative—provides direction and motivation, especially when faced with obstacles. This vision will evolve over time, but its purpose is to keep you focused on what truly matters to you.
Failure is another key theme in the book, with Badan framing it as an essential part of personal and professional growth. Instead of viewing failure as a setback, she encourages readers to see it as a learning opportunity. When you experience setbacks or mistakes, the key is to reflect on what went wrong, seek feedback, and use those insights to improve. Failure, according to Badan, is not something to fear but something to embrace as part of the journey toward success. By letting go of the myth of perfection and being open about your failures, you demonstrate maturity and a willingness to learn, which ultimately makes you more resilient and adaptable.
In the quest to be great at work, Badan advises focusing on habits that promote continuous improvement and effective collaboration. Being great at work isn’t about having all the answers or never making mistakes; it’s about how you navigate challenges and interactions with others. Simple actions like clear communication, meeting deadlines, and supporting colleagues can significantly impact your reputation and success within an organization. Additionally, when faced with ambiguous situations or high-stress environments, responding thoughtfully rather than reacting impulsively is crucial. Owning your mistakes and learning from them further solidifies your integrity and problem-solving abilities, setting you apart in any professional setting.
The book concludes by stressing the importance of taking charge in a constantly changing work environment. Change is inevitable, whether it’s a new boss, industry shifts, or company restructuring. Instead of resisting change, Badan encourages embracing it as an opportunity for growth. By staying adaptable, continuously learning, and maintaining a positive attitude, you can turn challenges into opportunities that propel your career forward. This proactive approach ensures that you remain in control of your career trajectory, making the most of every situation.
Overall, "Nobody Cares About Your Career" delivers a powerful message: your career is your responsibility, and taking charge of it is the key to long-term success. By shifting your focus to value creation, embracing disruption, learning from failure, and developing key habits, you can navigate the complexities of the modern workplace and achieve your professional goals. The book serves as a guide to not just surviving but thriving in your career by understanding that the power to shape your future lies in your hands.
The author emphasizes the importance of moving from a mindset of self-focus to one centered on value creation. Many people often feel stuck in their careers, hoping that someone else will have the answers or solutions they need. This reliance on external factors can lead to frustration and stagnation. Instead, Badan encourages readers to take the initiative and seek out opportunities to add value within their organizations. By proactively identifying inefficiencies and proposing solutions, you can drive your own success and become indispensable to your workplace. The shift from waiting for opportunities to actively creating them is transformative, as it positions you as the architect of your own career.
The book also underscores the significance of embracing disruption and crafting a personal vision. In a world that often rewards conformity, your uniqueness is your greatest asset. Instead of following traditional career paths that may seem safe but uninspiring, Badan advocates for pursuing what genuinely excites and fulfills you. Embracing disruption doesn’t necessarily mean joining a startup; it means being open to change, seeking out challenges, and pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone. Having a clear personal vision—whether it's becoming an expert in your field or creating something innovative—provides direction and motivation, especially when faced with obstacles. This vision will evolve over time, but its purpose is to keep you focused on what truly matters to you.
Failure is another key theme in the book, with Badan framing it as an essential part of personal and professional growth. Instead of viewing failure as a setback, she encourages readers to see it as a learning opportunity. When you experience setbacks or mistakes, the key is to reflect on what went wrong, seek feedback, and use those insights to improve. Failure, according to Badan, is not something to fear but something to embrace as part of the journey toward success. By letting go of the myth of perfection and being open about your failures, you demonstrate maturity and a willingness to learn, which ultimately makes you more resilient and adaptable.
In the quest to be great at work, Badan advises focusing on habits that promote continuous improvement and effective collaboration. Being great at work isn’t about having all the answers or never making mistakes; it’s about how you navigate challenges and interactions with others. Simple actions like clear communication, meeting deadlines, and supporting colleagues can significantly impact your reputation and success within an organization. Additionally, when faced with ambiguous situations or high-stress environments, responding thoughtfully rather than reacting impulsively is crucial. Owning your mistakes and learning from them further solidifies your integrity and problem-solving abilities, setting you apart in any professional setting.
The book concludes by stressing the importance of taking charge in a constantly changing work environment. Change is inevitable, whether it’s a new boss, industry shifts, or company restructuring. Instead of resisting change, Badan encourages embracing it as an opportunity for growth. By staying adaptable, continuously learning, and maintaining a positive attitude, you can turn challenges into opportunities that propel your career forward. This proactive approach ensures that you remain in control of your career trajectory, making the most of every situation.
Overall, "Nobody Cares About Your Career" delivers a powerful message: your career is your responsibility, and taking charge of it is the key to long-term success. By shifting your focus to value creation, embracing disruption, learning from failure, and developing key habits, you can navigate the complexities of the modern workplace and achieve your professional goals. The book serves as a guide to not just surviving but thriving in your career by understanding that the power to shape your future lies in your hands.
August 19, 2025
I’m obsessed with this book. I got this book on a whim and didn’t have any expectations for it. Typically, books like this are just full of nonsense, hustle culture topics to “help” you with your career. The author, Erika, is the former CEO of Barstool Sports, which also kind of turned me off because I’m not a sports guy and know very little about Barstool Sports. But hot damn, this book is so good.
I’m a firm believer in the idea that if you write a book for everyone, you write it for no one. This book targets young people, people established in their careers, people looking for a job, people who are thinking about leaving their job, and many other demographics. I don’t know how, but Erika managed to pull it off with this book.
Erika provides great motivation to work hard, achieve goals, and not hate going to work every day. I’m a pretty progressive guy, and most of the time, I would think this is just a bunch of pro-capitalist nonsense, but the author does such a phenomenal job motivating you to reach your potential and become a better person overall.
I read a ton of these types of books, and most of the time I just roll my eyes. This is the first book I’ve read in years that’s actually motivated and inspired me. Maybe it just hit at the right time in my life, but Erika is also just an awesome writer and motivator.
I could talk about this book all day long, but to just go over some great topics in this book, she discusses how to not be an asshole, how to have difficult conversations at work, the nuances of dating in the work place, when it’s time to look for a new job, what to do when applying for new jobs, and so much more. I absolutely loved this book and kind of want to read it again immediately.
I’m a firm believer in the idea that if you write a book for everyone, you write it for no one. This book targets young people, people established in their careers, people looking for a job, people who are thinking about leaving their job, and many other demographics. I don’t know how, but Erika managed to pull it off with this book.
Erika provides great motivation to work hard, achieve goals, and not hate going to work every day. I’m a pretty progressive guy, and most of the time, I would think this is just a bunch of pro-capitalist nonsense, but the author does such a phenomenal job motivating you to reach your potential and become a better person overall.
I read a ton of these types of books, and most of the time I just roll my eyes. This is the first book I’ve read in years that’s actually motivated and inspired me. Maybe it just hit at the right time in my life, but Erika is also just an awesome writer and motivator.
I could talk about this book all day long, but to just go over some great topics in this book, she discusses how to not be an asshole, how to have difficult conversations at work, the nuances of dating in the work place, when it’s time to look for a new job, what to do when applying for new jobs, and so much more. I absolutely loved this book and kind of want to read it again immediately.
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