Customer Reviews

What's Next? Follow Your Passion and Find Your Dream Job

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book to be quite frustrating and tone-deaf in this economy. Judging from the subjects of most of the case studies, this book is written for the recent retiree who has a steady retirement income coming their way. For those of us who are in the generations that won't get a retirement, the book is almost offensive. It will also probably offend Baby Boomers who have lost their jobs to read about one hard-charging executive after another who decides they want to make wine or birth calves. Heck, the lawyer-turned-farmer featured in the book has NO expectation to make any money. To have that kind of security must be nice, but for 99.9% of the American population, we want or need to change careers to MAKE money. Hard-charging executives will always do fine - what about the rest of us who are left with dwindling fortunes to match our dwindling 401(k)s and home values?

The format of the book itself is very good, although I was initially skeptical. The book lays out case studies and then has a Q&A and a summary of tips in-between. The questions can use some work; the question "would you do anything differently" was answered the same each time - "nothing" - so it was useless. Using stories teaches the concepts and makes it much less text-booky. I would want to combine this book with a companion title that would be more methodical in walking you through an approach. Perhaps the famous "Parachute" book would do well. This book is more about teaching old dogs new tricks. I see this targeted to the generation where a one-company career was the norm, but with my generation we have no illusion of that; I have no problem believing I could make wine someday if I wanted to. If you don't believe that for yourself, than this book would be great.

In the end this wasn't the book I was hoping for. I was hoping for something that was more oriented on the challenges of the Second Depression and instead I got stories about retired Fannie Mae bankers, mortgage bankers, patent lawyers, and MBNA executives. The writer could have chosen more sympathetic subjects. Even the retired deputy police chief from California gets little sympathy from me after hearing about outsized retirement packages for public workers in California ($240k/year for one 50 year-old fire chief). How about writing about the young couple in Mint Hill, NC who left their teaching careers to start "Aloha Snow" in order to support their 8 children? (Best Hawaiian shaved ice in the 48 states, by the way.) They're doing it despite huge risks and no retirement checks reliably rolling in. Write about people like them, Ms. Hanson, if you can find them somewhere other than your local country club.

I picked this up as a 29 year old thinking about what it would be like to completely change my career. I didn't realize, however, that I'd need to be:

- A retired military Captain with a pension
- A Microsoft millionaire
- A 60 something retiree with a pension
- A retired professor who goes into chocolate making with her physician husband

Basically, everyone in the book either has a pension, a wealthy spouse, or a huge nest egg already. It's not the most sympathetic group, and certainly not really applicable for the vast majority of people.

That said, there are some good parts - like questions and answers on how people did it, what worked well, what they wish they had done different. Still, for someone expecting grand stories of changes in career, this isn't the book.

I got What's Next because that is what i've been saying to myself for a few months now. I took early retirement from my state job and now am trying to figure out what I want to do now. The book is a series of short stories about people who knew they needed a change and went for it. It includes quite a lot of information about career changes. Websites, books, and organizations that can help entrepreneurs get a leg up. I think those will be helpful to me in my search. The stories, maybe not so much because these people all were making great money and had a nice cushion to fall back on when they decided to make the change. They also knew what they wanted and had the confidence to take the leap. Not a lot of people I know have the luxury of a fat bank account to start a new business or move across the country. And also, many people, including me, don't have the sort of "I can do anything you can do better" attitude about themselves. Both of those things would be very nice indeed. If they make a poor person's version of this, I would be even more relevant to so many people who are struggling to move on and move ahead.
That said, it is well worth the time to read.

This is one of the latest books on finding a new or second (or third) career. The book is organized into chapters that profile how various people have turned their dreams and passions into careers. Each chapter starts with an overview of each individual, including who they are, what they were doing, why they were dissatisfied, what made them decide to make the change, and how they went about doing it. There is then an interview with the person, followed by resources and suggestions for readers that may wish to pursue a similar career path.

The emphasis is on pursuing jobs and careers that are meaningful. The focus is not on money. Some of the individuals needed moderate amounts of income, while others were retired and having an income was not critical. I felt the stories were inspiring because they show others that it is possible to have an enjoyable and satisfying career. At the same time, the book clearly explains the struggles these people faced while pursuing their dream jobs. And while it wasn't an easy road, almost all the individuals stated that they didn't have any regrets - except that some wished they'd taken this step earlier.

My only complaint, and why I gave this book 4 instead of 5 stars, is that there were a large portion of cases devoted to those who had retired. And therefore, some of the resources were specifically for those over a certain age. I am glad these stories were included, because they clearly show that anyone can make a career transition at any time in their lives - regardless of how drastic the change may be. However, I just wish there had been a few more directed at individuals that still had numerous years left before they could even consider retirement.

Overall, the information is practical and the advice is helpful. I found lots of helpful resources. And even though some stories were not applicable to my situation, they spurred other ideas and possibilities in my mind. The processes and steps used can be applicable in many situations. It doesn't gloss over the difficulties people may encounter, which is something I really appreciated. I think it's important because it forces people to consider these potential hurdles in advance. We can also learn from some of the missteps taken by others so we avoid them,. The book really showed by example that none of us need to settle for an unsatisfactory career. We all have options - provided we are ready to invest the time and effort.

You need not be considering a career change to find this book fascinating and useful. The wonderfully-written profiles and straight-forward interviews in What's Next? will intrigue anyone interested in how people effect change in their lives and turn dreams into reality. In addition to the inspiring profiles, readers who are indeed thinking of building a new career will find a wealth of practical information in the tips and resources that the author includes throughout the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading What's Next?, and I suspect that just about anyone would as well.

"What's Next?" is an interesting book if you usually gain perspective on your own situation from reading about other people's experiences. The stories are well-written and there's a good variety of careers covered. Each section begins with a description of the person's situation and their experiences as they made the change. Next there is a Q&A in which the career changer shares answers to questions such as:
- Anything you would have done differently?
- What do you tell other people who ask for your advice?
- Were you confident you were doing the right thing?
- How do you measure your success?
- What books or resources did you use or recommend others to use?
Most sections also include "Tips," "Resources," and "Advice." Probably the best advice in the whole book is to build a support system. It's really hard to make a change without the support of friends and family, not to mention a coach, counselor, or mentor.

I liked the book but thought that the title was a bit misleading. It implies that reading this book would help people decide on a new career when it just reports the experiences of others who for the most part had a good idea of the change they wanted to make. Knowing what you want next is usually the most difficult part of the process. You can read all the books on the shelf but ultimately, finding your passion is much more of an emotional process than a cognitive one.

This is a fantastic book. There are so many books of this type, but this one gets right down to the heart of why you would want this book in the first place... lots of stories of people who found their jobs were not right for them, who made the transition to doing what they loved, and advice they have for others who want to do the same. Each chapter starts with a short, yet interesting and well-crafted story of the unfulfilled person discovering what they want to do. A lengthy Q&A follows, where the author asks the same sort of questions you would ask: How did you do it? Were you scared? What about finances? The chapter closes with Tips and Resources, both of which relate directly to the story. (How to get involved with Volunteerism, for example.) If you are trying to find the inspiration to leave your current job and follow/find your true calling, I highly recommend this book!

What's Next is yet another timely and poignant work from the pen of Kerry Hannon. I am left inspired to reinvent myself. Mission accomplished!

Over the past two years, I helped several executives navigate the scary world of unemployment, social media and the new ways of working in our (almost) post-recession world. They were very unprepared for the "What next?" question, believing hard work and past success would carry them to retirement. I wish I had Kerry's book to give to them at the time. Now that it's finally here, I will share it with clients and recommend it to friends. Baby boomers need to spend time recalibrating their expectations about work and retirement now, not when it's too late to make meaningful decisions. Kerry's new book will help you answer the question "What's Next" for yourself so you can take action today. Make sure you get the book today!

Nancy Dailey, Ph.D.
author of When Baby Boom Women Retire
[...]

I have been a big fan of Kerry Hannon's second act column for years. I am so glad to see these great and inspiring stories in this book.

I was at a very dark place in my life. I hated my career, I was newly divorced and I just needed a change. And that is what the book is all about change. Makeing a sustainable change in your life.

Now I am doing what I love and I never looked back.