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The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success
For the millions of people who are looking for the perfect job for them, "The Pathfinder" guides them through uncertainty and confusion, straight to the goal of selecting a final career direction. Through more than 100 self-tests, exercises, and other diagnostic tools, this guide helps readers uncover their natural aptitudes, major interests and values, and ultimate goals. Illustrations.
385 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 1998
322 people are currently reading
2413 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 74 reviews
May 30, 2009
I can't believe I haven't posted this book on my list yet since, given current events, it happens to be the one I seem to be recommending the most to my friends these days. For all those who are unemployed, hate their current jobs, and/or are looking for deeper meaning in their career paths, pick up this book (as well as a blank notebook) and start reading.
I skimmed through other career books, including that dumb parachute one, and this is like no other career book I've seen. There are certainly the cheesy "you can do anything you set your mind to" platitudes that are requisite in any kind of self-help session, but more importantly Lore sets the book up more as a workbook where your success in self-improvement is based on the rigor with which you approach the exercises, as well as how honest you are with yourself. There's no you-should-do-this or that formula, but rather a series of questions and exercises that start off pretty basic and build on each other to eventually formulate what you, the reader, are about and what you might want to look for in a career. This includes not only obvious things like pay scale and benefits, but things you might not otherwise think about like rolling into work late, dress code, everything!
I think I started reading this while I was still at my last job, but I didn't really concentrate on it until I was unemployed, and after going through much of the book I realized what was making me unhappy. The generalized "I hate my job" phrase got parsed into the actual components that were making me unhappy, and separated from those were aspects of my career that I did enjoy (and still do).
Fast forward several months, and I'm still not in an ideal position, but I'm getting paid for work that I actually think is fun. (Gawd forbid!) So far I don't think anyone I've recommended this to has actually picked it up, but I'd like to think that it's more because my they're afraid of what they might find out about themselves. I can't stress enough that more than anything this is an exercise in honesty with one's self, not just with a job but with life in general. You get out of it what you put in.
I skimmed through other career books, including that dumb parachute one, and this is like no other career book I've seen. There are certainly the cheesy "you can do anything you set your mind to" platitudes that are requisite in any kind of self-help session, but more importantly Lore sets the book up more as a workbook where your success in self-improvement is based on the rigor with which you approach the exercises, as well as how honest you are with yourself. There's no you-should-do-this or that formula, but rather a series of questions and exercises that start off pretty basic and build on each other to eventually formulate what you, the reader, are about and what you might want to look for in a career. This includes not only obvious things like pay scale and benefits, but things you might not otherwise think about like rolling into work late, dress code, everything!
I think I started reading this while I was still at my last job, but I didn't really concentrate on it until I was unemployed, and after going through much of the book I realized what was making me unhappy. The generalized "I hate my job" phrase got parsed into the actual components that were making me unhappy, and separated from those were aspects of my career that I did enjoy (and still do).
Fast forward several months, and I'm still not in an ideal position, but I'm getting paid for work that I actually think is fun. (Gawd forbid!) So far I don't think anyone I've recommended this to has actually picked it up, but I'd like to think that it's more because my they're afraid of what they might find out about themselves. I can't stress enough that more than anything this is an exercise in honesty with one's self, not just with a job but with life in general. You get out of it what you put in.
February 22, 2018
Useful self-evaluation exercises to discover talents and preferences. It's long-winded; I skimmed everything except the exercises (inquiries). Written by the founder of Rockport Institute, a career coach.
I paid the least attention to Part 2 (chapters on commitment, decision-making, setting goals).
I found this interesting:
You Are What You Do
Career Fantasies
1. What perfect careers did you imagine as you were growing up?
2. What dreams of the future lure you away from tedious times today? What do you imagine doing?
3. In childhood and current career fantasies, what qualities make them most compelling? Is the work more meaningful, or do you have a special talent, or have you achieved something?
4. Which of these important qualities do you want in future work?
How Well Does Your Present Career Fit?
1. Items I'm missing and want:
2. What work have you done in the past that was fulfilling in ways that are missing in your present career? What made it so satisfying?
How to Decide
Lifeline
1. Starting at birth, write significant events (significant growth, personal transformation, major life event, achieved important goal, etc.).
2. What significant milestones do you want to reach in future? Consider career, relationships, personal goals, financial issues, etc. Write milestones into future timeline.
Your Primary Lists
Wants
1. List all career-related wants, realistic or not.
2. Highlight 5-10 you want most.
3. Prioritize highlights.
4. On original list, cross off those you will never commit to achieving. Put others you're not willing to deal with now on "on hold" list.
5. Which items can you promise you'll make happen?
6. If you can't commit to many or any, why not?
Commitments and Requirements
1. Write preexisting requirements (work-related elements that you're already sure of).
2. Write created commitments (elements you definitely want in future).
3. Review Wants list and add items to this list as necessary.
Questions
Define your wants in following areas:
Physical environment
Organizational environment
Human environment
Work definition
Pace
Decision-making
Predictability
Variety
Time management
Security
Retirement
Portability
Competition, cooperation
Future demand
Difficulty in entering field
Rewards
Social impact
At This Point in Time
1. What do you do most days?
2. Make a pie chart showing how you spend time in average month.
3. What do you like?
4. What do you least like?
5. In what ways does present occupation fall short?
6. Why are you considering a new direction now?
7. What are your strongest talents?
8. What would people say are your most positive or special attributes, characteristics?
9. What do you not do well?
10. What would people say are attributes that cause you most trouble?
11. Are there issues other than career that contribute to present situation?
12. How much of desire for change is related to financial condition?
13. What are key criteria for ideal career/occupation?
14. If you had no limits, what would you do?
15. If you had only 5 years to live, what would you do?
16. What are your fondest interests and passions?
17. What do you love but didn't previously mention?
Passions and Interests
1. List all major life passions, career-related or no.
2. List all minor passions.
3. List all interests or preferences that aren't passions.
4. Make prioritized list, most to least passionate.
5. Draw line where items above line meet necessary level of interest to fit your career, and those below line don't.
6. Cross off items above line that you'll never do as part of your career.
7. Consider remaining passions above line.
Natural Talents
What Are My Natural Talents?
1. List everything that comes naturally to you, for which you have a knack, work-related or not.
2. List things you're not naturally good at.
3. Write a talent profile.
4. Rate yourself as extraordinary, above average, below average in areas.
5. Decide which talents could be part of career choice.
Meaning, Mission, Purpose
"When life is about caring for the orchard, rather than picking the apples, you get more apples to eat. It is quite paradoxical, but as soon as you give up trying to make yourself happy, you are!"
They Pay You to Perform Specific Functions
Primary Job Functions
1. Go through list of functions and note those you naturally do well and enjoy.
2. Note top 10, then narrow to 5.
3. Look for themes, such as people, info, things.
4. Explore combinations of your top functions to see how they fit together.
5. Brainstorm careers that fit your combination of functions.
6. Make pie chart showing functions you want in future career, with slices sized appropriately.
I paid the least attention to Part 2 (chapters on commitment, decision-making, setting goals).
I found this interesting:
"People often make the mistake of choosing a career with subject matter they love, but performing functions that are not the most natural for them." The trick is "to perform a set of functions you really enjoy, combined with subject matter that you are passionate about."Notes
You Are What You Do
Career Fantasies
1. What perfect careers did you imagine as you were growing up?
2. What dreams of the future lure you away from tedious times today? What do you imagine doing?
3. In childhood and current career fantasies, what qualities make them most compelling? Is the work more meaningful, or do you have a special talent, or have you achieved something?
4. Which of these important qualities do you want in future work?
How Well Does Your Present Career Fit?
1. Items I'm missing and want:
2. What work have you done in the past that was fulfilling in ways that are missing in your present career? What made it so satisfying?
How to Decide
Lifeline
1. Starting at birth, write significant events (significant growth, personal transformation, major life event, achieved important goal, etc.).
2. What significant milestones do you want to reach in future? Consider career, relationships, personal goals, financial issues, etc. Write milestones into future timeline.
Your Primary Lists
Wants
1. List all career-related wants, realistic or not.
2. Highlight 5-10 you want most.
3. Prioritize highlights.
4. On original list, cross off those you will never commit to achieving. Put others you're not willing to deal with now on "on hold" list.
5. Which items can you promise you'll make happen?
6. If you can't commit to many or any, why not?
Commitments and Requirements
1. Write preexisting requirements (work-related elements that you're already sure of).
2. Write created commitments (elements you definitely want in future).
3. Review Wants list and add items to this list as necessary.
Questions
Define your wants in following areas:
Physical environment
Organizational environment
Human environment
Work definition
Pace
Decision-making
Predictability
Variety
Time management
Security
Retirement
Portability
Competition, cooperation
Future demand
Difficulty in entering field
Rewards
Social impact
At This Point in Time
1. What do you do most days?
2. Make a pie chart showing how you spend time in average month.
3. What do you like?
4. What do you least like?
5. In what ways does present occupation fall short?
6. Why are you considering a new direction now?
7. What are your strongest talents?
8. What would people say are your most positive or special attributes, characteristics?
9. What do you not do well?
10. What would people say are attributes that cause you most trouble?
11. Are there issues other than career that contribute to present situation?
12. How much of desire for change is related to financial condition?
13. What are key criteria for ideal career/occupation?
14. If you had no limits, what would you do?
15. If you had only 5 years to live, what would you do?
16. What are your fondest interests and passions?
17. What do you love but didn't previously mention?
Passions and Interests
1. List all major life passions, career-related or no.
2. List all minor passions.
3. List all interests or preferences that aren't passions.
4. Make prioritized list, most to least passionate.
5. Draw line where items above line meet necessary level of interest to fit your career, and those below line don't.
6. Cross off items above line that you'll never do as part of your career.
7. Consider remaining passions above line.
Natural Talents
What Are My Natural Talents?
1. List everything that comes naturally to you, for which you have a knack, work-related or not.
2. List things you're not naturally good at.
3. Write a talent profile.
4. Rate yourself as extraordinary, above average, below average in areas.
5. Decide which talents could be part of career choice.
Meaning, Mission, Purpose
"When life is about caring for the orchard, rather than picking the apples, you get more apples to eat. It is quite paradoxical, but as soon as you give up trying to make yourself happy, you are!"
They Pay You to Perform Specific Functions
Primary Job Functions
1. Go through list of functions and note those you naturally do well and enjoy.
2. Note top 10, then narrow to 5.
3. Look for themes, such as people, info, things.
4. Explore combinations of your top functions to see how they fit together.
5. Brainstorm careers that fit your combination of functions.
6. Make pie chart showing functions you want in future career, with slices sized appropriately.
January 1, 2021
When life is about caring for the orchard, rather than picking the apples, you get more apples to eat.
When I was tutoring an adult student in reading, I found this book in the bargain bin at the local library bookshop. Perfect for the next stage in the learning process, as the student wanted to find a job and this seemed a good book to help him understand the process. But then work took over and this book sat by itself for a while until I decided to try it for myself. Such are the forged paths we take.
This is an intensive interactive read for anyone curious about changing their life, their career, their anything. The author has created a journey, so to speak, to get the reader focused on a goal. That target, however, may not be regarding a job. For instance, if someone wants to start learning how to windsurf but always comes up with excuses, this book creates a pathway to get to that target. It is very detailed, which is what elevates it above other self-help coaching.
Fuzziness is the enemy of productively moving your goals along to completion.
The reader is expected to keep a detailed journal with specific targets and milestones. The idea is not to climb the Everest of lifechange all at once, but to establish S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals, as a way to set up one base camp after the other in search of your mountain. This book is also an excellent read for basic on-the-job project management. There is a section on goal-mapping (quite useful) and a constant reminder to not sit on your butt while reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially toward the middle when the writing turned more specific and a sense of attainability became clear. He even includes an entire chapter on CV/resume writing with several pages of action words to use. There were several ideas I walked away with, including:
A. No matter what you do to earn a living, you will probably always have some really bad days while working. Instead of focusing on the bad, institute a philosophy of determining the number of days each week you will enjoy your job. I will enjoy my job on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and accept that Tuesday and Thursday will be difficult. This may sound silly, but it does change your morning approach.
B. It does not make you a better person to have bigger goals than someone else. If you're quite happy being in your comfort zone, don't feel pressured to create some extraordinary future which you may not really like. Instead, create goals to be a better parent or neighbour or when you really want to retire.
C. As soon as you give up trying to make yourself happy, chances are you will be happy. You're not curing cancer here.
I would recommend this book for anyone who really does want to do something different but isn't sure how to go about approaching it. Much less expensive than paying a career-coach...and it pairs well with a good Sangria.
Book Season = Year Round (willpower)
When I was tutoring an adult student in reading, I found this book in the bargain bin at the local library bookshop. Perfect for the next stage in the learning process, as the student wanted to find a job and this seemed a good book to help him understand the process. But then work took over and this book sat by itself for a while until I decided to try it for myself. Such are the forged paths we take.
This is an intensive interactive read for anyone curious about changing their life, their career, their anything. The author has created a journey, so to speak, to get the reader focused on a goal. That target, however, may not be regarding a job. For instance, if someone wants to start learning how to windsurf but always comes up with excuses, this book creates a pathway to get to that target. It is very detailed, which is what elevates it above other self-help coaching.
Fuzziness is the enemy of productively moving your goals along to completion.
The reader is expected to keep a detailed journal with specific targets and milestones. The idea is not to climb the Everest of lifechange all at once, but to establish S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals, as a way to set up one base camp after the other in search of your mountain. This book is also an excellent read for basic on-the-job project management. There is a section on goal-mapping (quite useful) and a constant reminder to not sit on your butt while reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially toward the middle when the writing turned more specific and a sense of attainability became clear. He even includes an entire chapter on CV/resume writing with several pages of action words to use. There were several ideas I walked away with, including:
A. No matter what you do to earn a living, you will probably always have some really bad days while working. Instead of focusing on the bad, institute a philosophy of determining the number of days each week you will enjoy your job. I will enjoy my job on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and accept that Tuesday and Thursday will be difficult. This may sound silly, but it does change your morning approach.
B. It does not make you a better person to have bigger goals than someone else. If you're quite happy being in your comfort zone, don't feel pressured to create some extraordinary future which you may not really like. Instead, create goals to be a better parent or neighbour or when you really want to retire.
C. As soon as you give up trying to make yourself happy, chances are you will be happy. You're not curing cancer here.
I would recommend this book for anyone who really does want to do something different but isn't sure how to go about approaching it. Much less expensive than paying a career-coach...and it pairs well with a good Sangria.
Book Season = Year Round (willpower)
December 19, 2012
I think this book is great for people who are looking to change their current jobs and who've been around for a while. It's especially great for building your career. But it's not so great for people like me who have no idea what the hell career they want. The book doesn't really give you any new suggestions based upon your personality. I made all the lists, but it was all stuff I mostly already knew. It didn't help me figure out what career is best suited for me, it just helped me figure out what kind of office life is best for me. Like I said, it's good if you want to really build your career or you have an idea of what kind of job you'd like to switch to. But if you really have no idea... it's not going to help at all. Then again, I don't know if ANY book can help with that.
January 1, 2020
This guy likes to talk. He makes terrible dad jokes. I imagine he is unbearable in person. Lots of eye rolling. A lot of proselytizing and not a lot of practical advice. Doesn’t necessarily mean he’s wrong, but definitely a large annoying pill to swallow.
Best chapter is the “right livelihood”, finding a job that suits your natural abilities and personality and living in congruence makes for the best work.
I also enjoyed defining my personality and career needs/wants. Natural talents is very helpful too.
“What is best for you is what you decide is best for you.”
Best chapter is the “right livelihood”, finding a job that suits your natural abilities and personality and living in congruence makes for the best work.
I also enjoyed defining my personality and career needs/wants. Natural talents is very helpful too.
“What is best for you is what you decide is best for you.”
October 15, 2008
I think this is a great book for people not only looking to change careers, but looking to enhance the careers they've got. It takes you through a number of terrific exercises to shape your true needs vs. wants when it comes to a job. It has been incredibly helpful to me to evaluate what I do and do not like about various jobs I've held and what kinds of research and tools I should use to find my way into career fulfillment.
July 22, 2016
Like many self-help books, this is essentially a novel-length promotional for the author's company, but it is overall very good. There is great advice regarding motivation, and practical concerns when looking for the right career. I especially love the sound advice that a career is more rewarding when sought for vitality rather than comfort. While I also like the unofficial personality quizzes, I do question the author's understanding of introversion and extroversion. He actually calls the understood definition of distinguishing the two by how one draws their energy (internal vs external) as being incorrect. Unfortunately, he doesn't offer one single source to back this claim up. And this unfortunately taints the suggested jobs by personality. Because of this author's understanding of introversion and extroversion, he only suggests being a performing musician or actor to extroverts. I know from personal and close experience that a great many performers have the ability to shine on stage, but are quite uncomfortable at parties and social events. It's apples and oranges. I really want to just call this being nit-picky and rate the book four stars for all its other virtues, but this one questionable fact taints a major section of the book, and calls into question how reliable the rest of it is.
April 8, 2015
This was a FANTASTIC book to read if you want to change careers but don't know what you're meant to do with your life. This is also a good book for students trying to figure out what field to pursue. It was somewhat repetitious, true, but the author warns you about that ahead of time. I found the repetition of certain key concepts more effective than annoying. The exercises throughout the book were well crafted and thought provoking. I really had to dig deeper and deeper as I got further into the book. Some exercises and chapters did not really apply to me but I read them anyway. The author warns about that too. Skipping chapters is not detrimental in reading this book.
Do not expect the book to give you the answer to the question of what you are suited for in a career. That is not the purpose of the book and you'll be disappointed in expecting it. This is a guide to help YOU figure out what YOU are suited for and want to do. YOU have to put in the work and be completely honest in your exercises.
That being said, I WAS successful in figuring out what I want to do and I am currently taking steps to achieving that goal. So I can't recommend this enough to those seriously hungry for a more fulfilling career.
Do not expect the book to give you the answer to the question of what you are suited for in a career. That is not the purpose of the book and you'll be disappointed in expecting it. This is a guide to help YOU figure out what YOU are suited for and want to do. YOU have to put in the work and be completely honest in your exercises.
That being said, I WAS successful in figuring out what I want to do and I am currently taking steps to achieving that goal. So I can't recommend this enough to those seriously hungry for a more fulfilling career.
October 4, 2013
Career books are truly a dime-a-dozen and often propose one-size-fits-all solutions to easily (and quickly) finding the job of your dreams. Lore's Pathfinder, on the other hand, sets as its mission helping the reader to determine his or her own path and ideal career. Lore does this by presenting roughly 30 personal inquiries that the reader is meant to work through, taking the time to brainstorm on some particular topic, following Lore's outlines. The result, if the reader follows through on all the inquiries, is an in-depth and exhaustive self-examination, producing tons of good information that helps illuminate for the reader their personal strengths, wants and desires and, ultimately, their path to finding the perfect career. For anyone contemplating a career switch, this book is absolutely essential to the process.
October 12, 2012
This book is really wonderful. I'm in a place of introspection when it comes to my career and this is a real treasure. It's a lot of work (you're expected to write and ask questions and explore), but worth it. I didn't have time to do everything, but it has helped me feel clearer. I plan to buy it and really work through it soon.
October 13, 2008
This book does help you determine what your innate talents are and has a great section on goal setting. I enjoyed this book and put a LOT of effort into it. I'm still at a job that I hate, but I'm trying to implement what this book has taught me so that is going to change in a hurry.
April 2, 2009
Third times' the charm. When I really devote the time to the "workbook" reflections in this, I'm able to get excited about what the future might hold.
For all of you wondering if now's the time to make a career move, work through this book first!
For all of you wondering if now's the time to make a career move, work through this book first!
October 9, 2019
Some good info here and there, but most of the book seemed more like an advertisement for his consulting/coaching business. I got very little actionable info from this book. I wouldn't tell someone not to read it, but I wouldn't recommend it either.
April 4, 2020
If you take the time to do all the exercises in here, then you will truly know thyself. Will you have found your path, though? Who knows.
April 8, 2025
I still need a job coach. And a therapist.
June 1, 2018
This book had some good information and a lot of other information. It is intended as a guide book to an intensive months-long self-analysis and career-choosing program. It had a really good section about questions you should ask yourself in considering your career choice. I think I found that more helpful than anything else in the book. There were also two good sections on making and keeping commitments and goal setting. I liked the section on resumé writing as well.
The book is not as good as the author thinks it is. But it does have some good stuff.
The book is not as good as the author thinks it is. But it does have some good stuff.
May 5, 2020
This book was a very enjoyable read! While, I didn't agree with all of the author's worldview, there were still ideas and suggestions that were thought-provoking and educational. I enjoyed the introduction to Maestro and Tribal as relates to Myers-Briggs personality system.
As others have expressed Lore does well at addressing a wide age range. As a high school student who already has her career decided, I still found this book very valuable and helpful!
As others have expressed Lore does well at addressing a wide age range. As a high school student who already has her career decided, I still found this book very valuable and helpful!
November 7, 2025
I picked this book up off my shelf where it had been sitting for a couple of decades. The book has not aged well. I give the author a pass for changing society and technology -- it is the overall philosophy and approach that has gotten moldy. The relentless salesmanship, constantly reminding the reader why this book is unlike any others and why other approaches are WRONG or USELESS get tiring really quickly. It's also full of a lot of new-agey pseudo philosophy that was popular back in the 90's that seems completely out of touch today. The "research" presented is mostly self-serving marketing that his "Rockport Institute" produced. There is excessive reliance on the widely-discredited Myers-Briggs typology.
As a practical matter, this author needed much more discipline. The presentation is scattershot almost to the point of incoherency, and only glued over by the new-agey platitudes that provide the motivating force. Did we actually believe this stuff in the 90's? here are long checklists where 2/3 of the entries seem OK, but the other third seem completely arbitrary. I found the section that resurrects the 1960's "Games People Play" pop-psych fad to be, um, quaint, but also very superficial. That really is what this book is -- one weird trick after another.
On the positive side you might want to go through some of the sections and see what motivates you to dive deeper. Given the amount of job/career dissatisfaction these days anything might help. The chapter on how to ask and to group questions about careers seemed pretty useful, though, but also, there is a lack of any intellectual rigor in how concepts are parsed -- lots of overlap and contradictions. I am sure there are better resources out there, but if you find this dirt cheap you might want to see if it helps open your mind to questions you had not asked yourself.
As a practical matter, this author needed much more discipline. The presentation is scattershot almost to the point of incoherency, and only glued over by the new-agey platitudes that provide the motivating force. Did we actually believe this stuff in the 90's? here are long checklists where 2/3 of the entries seem OK, but the other third seem completely arbitrary. I found the section that resurrects the 1960's "Games People Play" pop-psych fad to be, um, quaint, but also very superficial. That really is what this book is -- one weird trick after another.
On the positive side you might want to go through some of the sections and see what motivates you to dive deeper. Given the amount of job/career dissatisfaction these days anything might help. The chapter on how to ask and to group questions about careers seemed pretty useful, though, but also, there is a lack of any intellectual rigor in how concepts are parsed -- lots of overlap and contradictions. I am sure there are better resources out there, but if you find this dirt cheap you might want to see if it helps open your mind to questions you had not asked yourself.
May 23, 2023
I picked up this book wanting to get some advice on how to make a career change. I got that plus a lot more that I wasn’t expecting.
This is a book about career exploration and job hunting, but it is mostly about helping the reader to find a job/career that fits. This means a lot of guided introspection, not just about likes/dislikes, but also personal values.
I appreciated the balance between being motivational and providing “tough love” type of advice.
There are some parts of the book that I didn’t find particularly helpful — like the parts that suggest jobs based on personality types. This is probably a terrible way to find careers that are a good fit.
I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to make a career change but isn’t sure where to start.
This is a book about career exploration and job hunting, but it is mostly about helping the reader to find a job/career that fits. This means a lot of guided introspection, not just about likes/dislikes, but also personal values.
I appreciated the balance between being motivational and providing “tough love” type of advice.
There are some parts of the book that I didn’t find particularly helpful — like the parts that suggest jobs based on personality types. This is probably a terrible way to find careers that are a good fit.
I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to make a career change but isn’t sure where to start.
November 1, 2025
In The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success, Nicholas Lore provides a practical guide to identifying your strengths and aligning them with a career you’ll truly love. Through self-assessments and exercises, readers uncover their unique tendencies and skills, helping them move beyond fantasized dream jobs to find fulfilling and realistic career paths. Lore offers actionable advice on making life-altering choices while enjoying the journey, emphasizing clarity and self-awareness. For those ready to put in the work, this workbook-style guide delivers the tools and insights needed to shape a satisfying and successful professional life.
November 10, 2020
I haven't found a career that I would be passionate about yet and probably need a little bit more time. Overall, this book is a helpful guide to learn about yourself, what you like, dislike, your values, purposes, etc, but you have to put in the work and do the inquiries. The activities are fun to do but some of what he wrote really feel like every other self-help book.
February 24, 2021
This book was helpful.
I appreciated the questions this book caused me to ask. I do think that Mr. Lore could have substantially shortened this work and it still have a lot of value. Maybe more.
In short, I'm very glad to have made it out of this book's pages alive and wish I came out with a bit more.
I appreciated the questions this book caused me to ask. I do think that Mr. Lore could have substantially shortened this work and it still have a lot of value. Maybe more.
In short, I'm very glad to have made it out of this book's pages alive and wish I came out with a bit more.
September 20, 2021
Insightful questions to ask one self, and a guide towards a holistic self-expression in your work taking your character into account.
A bit redundant at times and also a couple of very questionable phrasing steering towards cultural insensitivity, overall: very recommended!
A bit redundant at times and also a couple of very questionable phrasing steering towards cultural insensitivity, overall: very recommended!
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June 16, 2019Note to self: ch16
June 30, 2019
There's quite a bit of good information, it just took a lot of words to get to it.
It's fairly dated (to be expected from a 21 year old book).
The updated version may be worthwhile.
It's fairly dated (to be expected from a 21 year old book).
The updated version may be worthwhile.
September 27, 2020
Might buy a copy! Useful spearheading what career would I enjoy? my kids would benefit from this book going into college as well.
April 1, 2022
I have knowledge of much of the information in this book. I skimmed most of it and did get some takeaways. Recommend for those who are early or mid career.
December 21, 2023
Long winded but helpful if you want to learn more about yourself.
September 5, 2009
The good part about this career advice book is that it helps you ask yourself good questions about what career path will make sense to you. Literally. It's filled with exercises that really help. There's no doubt that if you go through the book actively and do the suggested exercises you'll benefit from it. It's an exploration of the self really and that's always going to help.
The bad part and the reason I give it a minus 2 stars, is that it goes a little too much to the "positive psychology" stuff. And I know that being an optimist, thinking positive, and believing is better than being a pessimist, but these positive mental states aren't really going to help you if the odds are against you. As we have seen, capitalist society isn't always creating jobs that are going to satisfy the most peculiar individuals. What we seen is the opposite.
So my advice about this career advice book is to proceed with caution.
The bad part and the reason I give it a minus 2 stars, is that it goes a little too much to the "positive psychology" stuff. And I know that being an optimist, thinking positive, and believing is better than being a pessimist, but these positive mental states aren't really going to help you if the odds are against you. As we have seen, capitalist society isn't always creating jobs that are going to satisfy the most peculiar individuals. What we seen is the opposite.
So my advice about this career advice book is to proceed with caution.
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