The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success Reviews

• The Pathfinder . . . A Rare Find.

  
  By A1J1WUS42ONVKN on 2000-09-25
  The Pathfinder is light-years ahead; Nick Lore has literally reinvented career counseling. If you want more than a job, this book is loaded with tools that really work . . .

  As a career columnist and coach I've spent the last decade researching to find innovative career development tools. Most of what has been around for the last 25 years is job finding focused. If you need help with choosing your career direction, traditional tools will fail you miserably. All my mid-career clients who've been through the high school and college systems say, "There really isn't much "life direction" counseling going on!" The more recent career books on the shelf have made attempts to fill this gap, but most of them make only small improvements to traditional tools that never really worked. Nick Lore has upped the ante . . . raising the bar of the career counseling profession to a whole new level.

  The Pathfinder is brilliant. Nick Lore's insights into human nature had me bursting into laughter, laughing at myself, and completely rethinking what a "career" is. Much like how transformational movies stick with you; Lore tugs on your heart and soul; you'll never see your career in the same way. Despite your fears, he inspires you and gives you powerful tools to do something with your life. Nick Lore is a witty storyteller and social scientist who has invented a way to get you moving in the right direction. Intuitively, you get that the depth of Lore's tools and inquiries can only come from someone who has committed himself to a life's work. Rockport Institute's approach to measuring innate talent and aptitudes is pure genius. Lore exudes a genuine-ness rarely seen, and you can tell the he has lived and breathed this stuff. On top of all that, The Pathfinder is wonderfully written and even has cool illustrations.

  I've been using this program in my private practice, my clients all say they wished they had this before they went off to college and majored in the wrong field. They are getting results, and changing their lives . . . simply amazing. Once you've "done" this book you'll wonder why it hasn't yet become a key component of our educational system. In this regard, I highly recommend The Pathfinder to successful, but unhappy professionals, hard to please dreamers, and anyone who knows something is missing in their work but can't put their finger on it.

  To better guide future high school grads from the frustrations of spending lots of time and money on a degree that doesn't fit, I also recommend this book to the US Secretary of Education, high school counselors, college career centers, and parents. Dear fellow career professionals, you are going to love this book. As a writer I quote from this book constantly, recommended it to my mother at 59, and use it exclusively with my career change clients. If you're between the ages of 16 and 102, The Pathfinder just may well become your pocket guide for living an extraordinary life, or just keep hoping the answer will come someday . . .
  
  

• I'M A TOUGH CRITIC... REALLY TOUGH CRITIC

  
  By A1YCXGHGTLMDYT on 2000-07-26
  I've read a lot of personal development books & used a lot of personal development tools. More than most people-- make that MUCH more than most people. I guess I figure that the way to continually become a smarter person is to find a REALLY smart person & listen to what they have to say. I don't typically rave about books, I've never posted a review on Amazon.com before but with this one I just HAD to.

  Nicholas Lore is brilliant. His book spoke right to me. It could not have been a better training session if he had been sitting with me in my living room. His advice is right on, so painful at times it hurts...so true to life at times that you'll laugh out loud. An excellent resource to help you take a good hard look at your life, your goals and your ability to have a career that leads to a lifetime of satisfaction & success. He helps you discover all of the right questions to be asking yourself... and he does it in a FUN way. I read it cover-to-cover in one weekend. And I did most of the exercises twice.

  This book is not over anyone's head. Nor is it written below anyone's comprehension level. It's straight forward, from the hip, talk about how to want it, plan it and get it. I'd recommend it for anyone who is committed to investing the time & effort to help yourself grow.

  At $14 this book is a steal (oops, I hope Nicholas isn't reading this). Invest in yourself!
  
  

• This is the very best career decision making book

  
  By on 1999-10-25
  I'm a career counselor in private practice, working with mid-career changers and young people making these decisions for the first time. This is one of only two books I recommend to my clients. "The Pathfinder" is the only book capable of completely guiding an intelligent person through the process of choosing a career direction. The author is probably the best career coach on the planet. He is a sort of humorous, down-to-earth Zen master, who understands you completely, and knows how to get you to look into all the areas of your life that are important to consider in making a great career choice. These days, many of the best career coaches/counselors/guides base their way of working with their clients on his methods. The book is both profound and practical. It will work for you if you are seeking a life of meaning and purpose and also if you simply want your career to fit you "like a custom-made suit".
  
  

• THIS BOOK DESERVES TEN STARS

  
  By on 2000-08-01
  I am a career coach with eight years of experience working with people wanting a new career - a better fit with their talents, more meaningful, a better work environment. I have to admit that, at times, I have felt that there was something important I didn't learn in my master's program in counseling. I have used books such as Parachute, Zen and the art of... and many others. They are o.k. but not great. I read a review here where a career counselor highly recommended The Pathfinder. I got it and it has changed my life completely. This is by far the best book for you if you are deciding on a career or thinking of changing, if you want a very fulfilling life and are willing to go for it. This book is about having not just a great job. It is much more than that, a book about having a great life. The author is a genius. Besides that, he has the wisdom of a real Zen master, but unlike most wise men, he has no pretensions about it. He is just a regular person, and very cool at the same time. Most importantly, The Pathfinder is the only book I have ever found that can actually take you through to the point where you have actually decided what you will do with your life. Get it. You won't regret it. I now use it with all of my clients. Not only is this THE book for people making their own choices, it is also the best book for people who want to be more skillful at helping their clients do so - coaches, therapists and so forth.
  
  

• Lengthy, yet oversimplified

  
  By A1LKSZ9CYJ6829 on 2001-10-25
  Career counseling books always dangle the "perfect" career in front of readers knowing full well that at least 99 percent of Americans do not have and probably will never have a perfect job. According to this author the benefits of a perfect job seem to be unlimited: a longer, better, and more vital life; an elevated self-esteem and sense of humor; a life that counts; etc. Of course most of us by that standard are leading substantially diminished lives. But all is not lost because it is only your lack of courage or cynicism that prevents you from reaching the rarified air of the perfect career. The author's key question is, "Are You Up For It?" Can you give yourself up totally in your perfect job quest to coaching either via this book or a professional, which dovetails nicely with the author's career counseling business.

  The path that the perfect job seeker must follow is daunting to say the least. Three primary lists of "wants, requirements and commitments, and questions" are to be maintained in a large notebook and filled via a rather vaguely specified manner with any number of self-assessments in such areas as your innate capabilities, personality, traits, decision-making technique, etc as well as assessments about the external world.

  The biggest problem with the entire approach is that the author attributes far more expertise to people in assessing themselves and in knowing and controlling their environments than they have or even could have. Personalities, traits, and other personal characteristic often do not fall clearly on one side of the fence. In using the Myers-Briggs Indicator one may be both intuitive and sensory oriented or use both perception and judgment. Or it is quite conceivable that one is comfortable using both spatial and non-spatial or concrete and abstract tendencies. The distinctions between tribal vs. maestro and introversion vs. extroversion seem better drawn, but mapping personality assessments into jobs is far more complex than the author indicates.

  A huge shortcoming of the book is the clear implication by the author that employees or potential employees can assess and control workplaces sufficiently to find perpetual job happiness. Workplaces in the U.S. have never worked that way. Your true happiness is not of much concern to employers. Few, if any, workplaces have formal structures in place with legal-like rights that permit employees to modify both the broader work environment as well the specific nature of their jobs. As it is now, most, if not all, of the adaptation must be made by the employee which runs counter to the main argument that the employee should not be doing what he or she is not wired for. Most jobs upon entry probably cannot be a perfect fit unless one is just lucky. The key is the flexibility to change the job and the environment to suit the person and still be an asset to the company.

  The book has areas that could be applied more broadly than just in finding the perfect job. The author's model that depicts human behavior as going through cognitive filters and being subsequently modified via feedback from the comparison of actual versus intended consequences of the original behavior is interesting. The idea of executing a cycle of accomplishment of creation, action, and completion by creating goals and implementing projects has a very practical ring to it. The author also has an interesting chapter on the life-games that people play including the notion of one or more "master" games.

  In lieu of suggesting that the lack of job happiness is due to poor personal assessment capabilities or strategies the author could have described the situation in European countries where high school age kids are permitted to sample apprentice programs and select one if so inclined. In addition some European countries have regional employment centers that perform some of the functions of assessing skills, paying for new or additional training, and placing workers. There is the recognition that requiring the unemployed to fend for their own has its limitations.

  The author acknowledges "Given sufficient intelligence, the average human can do just about anything with reasonable competence." But what he did not say is that given adequate institutional support from an educational system, employment centers, and from a formal system of employee empowerment, most people would probably be able to find or create pleasing work. Dangling the "perfect job" concept in front of people without realistic tools or power to get there is not particularly helpful.
  
  

• Read this book & change your life
  By on 2000-04-11
  A simple five-star rating does not fully capture the quality of this book. I recommend The Pathfinder as the sole resource for anybody who is chosing a first career, career change, or any life event that requires a deep understanding of one's core interests and goals in life.

  I have always felt that people who offer the best advice are those who are able to frame the right questions. Nicholas Lore has mastered this art. The Pathfinder enables the reader to discover his/her most hidden desires and provides a guide to identify a career that incorporates each of these desires.

  Reading the Pathfinder (and completing ALL of the Inquiries) I was able to isolate the core elements of all my childhood dreams and identify a career that incorporated each of these elements. Within four months I was able to secure a my dream job. As a bonus, the career I chose provided me with a 40% pay raise (not to mention equity in the company).

  I highly recommend this book to anybody who is tired of being controlled by their circumstances and truly seeks fulfillment from their work.
  
  

• THIS IS ONE POWERFUL BOOK
  By A3VHAQYDCGM2FV on 2000-03-07
  This is one of the best books I have ever read. It came highly recommended but I expected nothing more than a good guide to designing a new career. It is that and more. In the midst of working through it I discovered my assumption that I just needed to know more about what careers might fit me was scratching the surface. Under the surface was reality. I was living my entire life at a comfortable "equilibrium", not going for having an extraordinary life. This book not only helped me get off my duff in terms of deciding on a new career but also on fulfilling goals in nearly every other area of my life. Whereas before I felt like I was just going with the flow and taking what life gave me, now I feel like the man on the cover of "The Pathfinder" steering my own ship in directions of my own choosing. The author mixes just the right amount of practical career design steps with deep wisdom about human nature. This is a good book for you if you want to have a life you love and the part you want to deal with now is having a career you love. It is also funny, very well written and fun to read, except when you are working on the hard parts of figuring out what you will do. It might not be for you if want to take the easiest road to picking a career or just want to read anecdotes and theories. If you want to dig into deciding what to do with your life, this is one powerful book!
  
  
• VERY disappointed with this book
  By A2TEF6Q7LX4V88 on 2003-06-05
  I ordered this book as well as a couple of others based on positive reviews. Simply put, the book is a disorganized jumble of exercises, projects, lists, quotations and observations. I sensed that the book might not live up to its hype right from the beginning, when the author began telling us all about himself. I have an open mind, but my time is valuable and I really don't give a hoot about how deep and meaningful his life has become. Intentionally or not, his exercises consistently seek to remind reminds us what a deep, introspective thinker he is. In a subtle way, it's all about him, NOT you.

  The author, despite his philosophical leanings, can't seem to coherently and cogently express his own philosophy. Instead, he repeatedly nags us to take various inventories of ourselves and make decisions. We are also treated to a jumble of personality tests, but he doesn't put it all together, and there are way too may examples and sidebars for any of it to be useful. Furthermore, the section on games that people play reflects a view of human nature that I found bizarre and even disturbing. Ultimately, it was a dull, dreary and distracting tour rarely visited with any real insight or humor.

  The book is full of rhetorical questions, exhortations, quotations and supposedly deep observations that lead us on a cosmological path to nowhere. Perhaps he is a better counselor than a writer, I don't know. What I do know is that somehwere between planning and execution, this book has gone horribly wrong. I wish that I didn't feel that way, because my impression is that Lore did work very hard on his manuscript. Unfotunately, the finished product is wordy, unwieldy, scatterbrained, boring and unhelpful. This could have ben a bigger a waste of time, but fortunately I realized it was going nowhere and decided to focus instead on doing some good by writing this review to warn others!

  I will say that one of the books I ordered was everything that this book is not. That book is: I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It -- by Barbara Sher with Barbara Smith. That one is consise, practical, honest, straightforward and fun to read. I saw myself in several of the examples that were presented and gained real insight. Unlike The Pathfinder, Sher doesn't claim that her work will revolutionize your life, but in a quiet way, her book does far more good. Most importantly, it is a more compelling read and ultimately it is the author(s)' writing ability that should justify a strong review. Yes, I will need to learn and read more in order to facilitate my career search, but at this point I just wanted to say that I am literally dumbfounded how anyone could recommend The Pathfinder. It's beyond useless.
  
  

• I was at work
  By A3C2ED485O47L on 2004-04-21
  And I was telling myself that there must be something better than this. I was looking for a book that would act a personal coach, help me to identify both the mental and physical obstacles that keep me from finding work that engages more of who I am. I was looking at Amazon and clicking through the career counseling books when I came across "The Pathfinder." The description of the book and the customer comments made it sound like it would provide the interactive approach I was looking for.
  
  Now that I've read it I can tell you that I found it useful but not transformational. The author would say that I wasn't ready for the transformation. That may be true but I still think the book could have been better. My biggest complaint is that the exercises consisted of making lists. This can be useful for some things but when its applied to everything, it feels redundant and simplistic. I also found the tone condescending and overly positive. I finished the book feeling like I'm not enough of a go-getter to have the career I want. I think that the right audience for the book is sales and marketing people who love networking and making lists! The sections on figuring out your personality type and networking seemed very superficial and cobbled together from other career advice books.
  
  On the plus side, it deals with some of the mental and emotional obstacles that make change difficult. In particular, it identified the the fears that masquerade as "being realistic" as "yeah buts." These are all the negative responses to attempts to do something new. "I could go back to school, Yeah but, it would be too expensive." For me, these are the most powerful stumbling blocks and the book doesn't try to minimize their power or their role as keeping one from committing career suicide or going into massive debt. However, the book does give some useful suggestions for how to cope with them.
  
  Ultimately, the book was helpful in making me realize that I'm engage in a lengthy process that can't be shortened by reading one book no matter how good it is. My advise to you and myself is that if you want to change your life, take a big risk. Its not enough to just read about doing it.
  
  
• 5 Stars? - You've got to be kidding me.
  By A3QJ7ZQCPH1LXN on 2002-01-08
  I get the feeling that many of the 5-star ratings handed this book are suspect. I bought this book when it first came out and worked diligently through it for several weeks at which point I realized it was a monumental waste of time. Some of this stuff may be OK for a high school or college student looking for a little direction, but for a mid-career person, it is way too idealistic....very little practical application. This book is filled with time wasting fluff. If you are a big reader, OK, buy this book for fun and/or entertainment. I was however seeking a tangible tool for making career decisions. This book was not it.
  
  
• Tedious, long- winded, and hippie-dippy
  By A1WR7921GECBWL on 2006-02-10
  Could commendations of excellence from two U.S. Presidents be wrong? Well, I just couldn't wade through the muck. Heavy metaphor rotation and dewy-eyed spiritual platitudes are to be expected- after all, it's a self-help book- but the book could easily be 100 pages thinner without such reliance on them. The writing style is condescending and overly soothing, with such gems as "Now let's take a look at how creating a clear commitment separates your voice from that of Jiminy Lizard", and "Wait a minute now, I'm not going to let these Yeahbuts shoot down my dream". And I know they are hardly the point, but the illustrations are so bizarre they reminded me of religious tracts. I still can't shake the drawing of the Eskimo, and found the comparison of an "Inuit (Eskimo)" building an igloo to my building a satisfying career not only decidedly un-PC (odd for the generation the book is probably meant to appeal to- I get a heavy Boomer vibe), but a stretch, too. Preening quotes are sprinkled throughout the book, from Joseph Campbell, Ghandi, Kierkegaard, and Yoda. Sub-sections of chapters, called "Inquiries", have titles such as "Designing Your Workplace Ecosystem" and "What Game Will I Play?". But worst of all, the book consistently gave me the sense that the motherlode of critical information was just about to be revealed, but, wait, not yet; please read some more star-shine and cloud-glow first, and your dedication will be rewarded, we promise! This book left me itchy and bored. Filling a notebook with my innate talents and figuring out the difference between a mission and a purpose?... honestly, I didn't feel the love.
  
  
• The Emperor's New Clothes?
  By on 2000-09-09
  I bought this book on the basis that it was appreciated by people who valued the "Do what you are" Careers Book by Tieger/Barron-Tieger, which I found to be one of the most interesting books I have ever read, and which has had a profound effect on my view of this subject.

  I can accept that this book (Dwya) may be unoriginal (I haven't read many books on this subject) - all I know is it that it suits me.

  I tackled the Pathfinder, exercise book in hand, and was very disappointed.

  Firstly, it is verbiose and pompous in tone. Get to the point!

  Secondly, it is unsuitable for someone like myself (I'm an ISTJ for all you personality analysts out there). And we don't have goals - so telling me to follow my dreams is worse than useless. It merely makes me feel bad that I don't aspire to anything very significant.

  I would almost say - if I knew what my dreams/aspirations were, I probably wouldn't even need a book

  I'm going to dip into this in the future to see if it gets better later on, but I spent a fair amount of time getting nowhere. And, if you say, he didn't give it a chance - I would say, Why should I? It's up to the author to draw me in. It just is not very well written and I find the other reviews surprising. To all of you - I'm glad you were helped by the book. But it isn't for everyone.
  
  

• Fantastic career coaching -- if you put in the effort!
  By on 1999-12-11
  I am very sparing with praise like this, but this book helped me to change my life. I changed careers approximately 1 year ago, with the Pathfinder as one of my key decision making aids. One of the things the book urges you to do is to make a list of commitments that you will fulfill in your new career. I recently looked at my list and I doing well on all of them. The Pathfinder tools helped me to make my career change with the required confidence to make it successful.
  
  
• Read the book and MAKE LIFE HAPPEN.
  By on 1999-01-29
  I worked with Nick to find my perfect career before the book was published, and now it's like having him in my living room whenever I want. His Career Choice Program has been developed over years of committed work and in the book he distills much of this hard-fought wisdom. His secret weapon? Nothing less than forcing you to work hard to ask and answer the right questions that will lead you to a clearer understanding of yourself and the right career for you.

  More than just finding a career though, Nick helps you find a better way to look at your life's work than you had before. His probing questions and clear focus on the questions of "meaning, mission and purpose" can give you an entirely new perspective on the important things in your life. I would rank Nick Lore head and shoulders above the rest of the career guidance field.
  
  

• Passion, fulfillment, joy, contribution - it's yours!
  By A33FGHZPM0OT78 on 2000-07-25
  Do you want to wake up each day and do your passion in life? That can be your job. It's up to you. Don't know how? I didn't either until I met "The Pathfinder."

  Recently, I retired from 30 years of public education. Too young to really retire, I decided to look into other "work," a truly daunting task. Then I met Nick and his book, "The Pathfinder."

  "The Pathfinder" takes your on a journey which gets you to really determine what you're committed to in life. Not wants, but real bedrock passion and commitment. You can get your life! It's a great trip.

  I wrote curriculum for over 15 years. I know well what works when it comes to a step by step guide. This may well be the best I've ever read. I give it as a gift to friends all the time.

  One friend recently discovered that his true passion was writing. He gets up early each day to write. He just changed jobs. I've never seen him smile so much. He's loving life. It started with "The Pathfinder."

  You can even use it to contact Nick and get personal coaching along with the book. Not essential, but clearly a great bonus.

  So stop reading, and order it today.

  Oh yes. I found my passion. I start working next week with an incredible program, an internship year for high school graduates.
  
  

• Want career help that benefits you, not the author?
  By A2WRIAETTK8ME4 on 2004-07-06
  If you're looking for help in finding what will make you successful and happy in the workplace, this is it.

  Whether you just want to find what you are best at (and what you'll get paid most for!) or whether you're seeking ways to add greater meaning to the largest part of your life, this is what you need.

  I've spent the last 10 years (and that's a lot of books on the shelves, guys!!) trying to figure my career out. Reading Nick Lore's book - and using the Rockport Institute's analysis tools -told me what I needed to know to make real, meaningful changes. I can't believe I am writing this, but now I really am doing what I love - and making money doing it!

  I have never met Nick Lore, but I know he's put more work into this book and more sincerity into this work - than any author who has taken money from me in the name of self-help.

  If only I had read this 10 years ago!!

  Thanks Nick!
  
  

• THIS IS THE BEST CAREER BOOK BY FAR
  By A2JH944JDVNLOA on 2000-09-24
  I was, until two years ago, a very successful lawyer. But, from the first day of law school, to the day I walked out the door for the last time, I hated every minute of it. What could be worse than spending every day dealing with lawyers? I spent years wrestling with the big question: WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE? I knew I wanted to wake up with excitement rather than dread. I had no idea what that might be. I spent thousands on career counselors and read the better career books. Finally a friend gave me THE PATHFINDER, which had just been published. It was like a breath of fresh air. From the first chapter I knew I was finally in the hands of experts. The wisdom of this book is stunning, and best of all it works. I was finally able to make a decision, building it step by step. The book helped me design my new career from the ground up, custom tailored by me, for me. Now I wake up feeling like it is Christmas every day. What could be better? - John Fletcher
  
  
• = so-so. Hmm ...
  By A3JULKQLVLWZV on 2000-09-19
  During a few years of much vocational confusion from high school through college (also working full time in a technical field), I had read several career books. Silly enough, I even began feeling like something of an "expert" on the resources available simply because I had milked so many! In time, I finally answered and solved all that one could with the few passing counselors and dozens of books, working through my unique situation. But in light of all my previous reading and hearing the hype about the "latest" career book wonder, I wanted to see what was so special and different about The Pathfinder. Although I was certain that I had probably seen every practical approach to this topic, reading the introduction's grand claim sold me. It boasts being a solution for everyone regardless of their amount of exposure to such a search. So, I gave it a read. I even believed I might learn something new. Note: as best as I could, I approached this book as though I had just embarked on the quest for this first time so that any new help and info could be properly credited to the book's ability to dig it out.

  Of all the career books I've read, The Pathfinder by far caters to the most limited type of audience. The author clearly tackles the subject as best as he can from his business-oriented personality, reducing life down to a short-sighted "let's win" approach with no perspective or goal beyond the material rewards of effectively being employed. I couldn't overlook the corporate, rah-rah feel of this text. Many like myself reading this would find swiss cheese: big gaps of information and substance.

  In his writing style, the author has overcompensated the surplus of empty new-age gimmick books to the point of disrespecting the potentiality of any spiritual guidance or insight to an alarming degree. Regardless of career focus, being bombarded with these capricious comments continually left a sour taste in my mouth which did not make the Pathfinder an enjoyable read. Even worse, by the tone in his work he also ridiculously seems to think the bulk of his audience are basing their every move superstitiously on any chance circumstance to guide their lives rather than rational, conscious decision-making. At first I laughed, but as it continued, I was even further irked by this man's personality. While I can innocently enjoy SOME degree of satire in response to the few gullibly charmed among us, this brings me to my next point:

  At a supposedly-pivotal point in the book the reader encounters the BOLD chapter in which he asks you to *choose* something and then proceeds to only explain the obvious: that it isn't a path carved in stone, falling into yet another full-fledged lecture*. No kidding! Is this the big difference of The Pathfinder? Common sense? I was expecting a well-organized book designed to help the reader develop an effectively plan for choosing and pursuing career goals, not a climactic lecture on the importance of making a decision.

  But perhaps Pathfinder IS different somehow: *unlike other career guides, the author's writing primarily is a collection of lectures as a way of TRYing to meet the needs of all different people rather than simply presenting the information from a higher level of understanding in a productive fashion.

  Lectures aside, I didn't see any originality in the techniques given in The Pathfinder despite the bold assertion. This was a let-down because I thought the outright claim was in fact dishonest sales ploy. While there are many, every technique and inventory splattered in the Pathfinder I have already seen multiple times in older books and resources.

  Granted, if the book wasn't half-filled with self-boasting about how marvellously efficacious THE PATHFINDER is, I'd probably give a kinder review. If I could overlook the continual insults to my belief in God's guidance and purpose as well as my own intelligence and common sense, maybe I'd even shift the two stars up to three for the sake of the collection of some time-worn exercises. But in the end, I surprisingly found The Pathfinder to be not only fruitless but somewhat offensive. (And -eh heh- I've never experienced that with a reference book before!)

  Personally, I recommend: "How to Find the Work You Love" by Laurence Boldt and "How to Find Your Mission in Life" by Richard Nelson Bolles. These have helped me more than any other book or counselor on this topic ever have. If you've searched a bunch, the usual inventories are old news to you, and you want to explore a truly different approach - maybe give "Test Your Job Aptitude" by James Barrett a whirl. -- Cheers, an "INF/TP"
  
  

• TURNING WORDS INTO DREAMS
  By A60QMQ2XYUOH6 on 2004-06-28
  I have never sent in a review before. I bought this book in 1999. I slowly worked my way through it and systematically took back control of my life. Part of that control meant I moved back to my home country England a few years ago. Recently my overseas belongings were finally shipped over including my "personal workbook" and The Pathfinder. To my amazment, I read through my notes and thoughts and realized I was now LIVING everything I wrote down! I am now running my own business doing something I love and it's growing and growing and I am HAPPY! I do wake up excited about my day and not only that, whereas once upon a time the biggest I could dream was where I am now, now obviously I am dreaming bigger! So, I am someone who can write to say that this book has had a PROFOUND effect on my life and changed it fantastically! There is no higher recommendation. If you are serious about having it all - this book will help you get there with love.
  
  
• Is there Something I'm not Getting?
  By A1KEIWYH8085EZ on 2006-07-03
  Basically what you are asked to do in this book is generate dozens of lists on your own and that this process will somehow create an epiphany of your ideal career. In the beginning, I forced myself to be open-minded about this process, but found that writing interminable lists, which did nothing to clarify what was already floating in my head, did not lead to a career decision. I suppose that this process is supposed to spark ideas and new insights - it didn't. All the stuff that I wrote down was information I already knew quite intuitively and seemed obvious (e.g., I want a job where I get along with co-workers). What I needed was something structured and concrete that would point me to certain careers, which this book really doesn't do.
  
  
• Get on with it
  By A1B1CJHFCX5DXI on 2001-08-24
  I read nearly 100 pages before deciding that it is more likely that my next career will come to me in a dream than through this book. At the point I stopped reading the author was still telling me about how The Pathfinder was going to help me define my next career. Most of what I read sounded like a commercial for how great The Pathfinder is. I kept thinking to myself, "Geez, I've already bought the book! Quit selling me!" If you're looking for a book that will help you decide what you want to be when you grow up when you're already grown up (like me) this isn't it. Unless it's after the 100 page commercial, and I just didn't have the patience to get to it.
  
  
• A Coach-In-A-Book to help find your true path Great Gift!
  By on 1998-11-26
  This book is different than all the other "career guidance" books out there today, and I have definitely read or browsed through most of them. It is like a mentor you can carry under your arm as you step toward the future you really want. It is a book everyone should read, and every young person, every middle age person and every tired of the so-so routine any age person should get as a Christmas present this year - it is fun to read in iteslf, as well as wise, interactive and genuinely useful in helping anyone pin down what is important to them in how they choose to spend the majority of their waking hours - I loved it and have sold copies to virtually eveyone I know. If you are thinking about reading any book about finding the job of your dreams, THIS IS THE ONE TO READ! YOu've got to read it!
  
  
• Not particularly impressed
  By AUIVL5IET2VY4 on 2005-08-29
  I don't know why some people think this book is so different from others of its kind. I've read quite a few such books over the years, and this one follows the same general procedure. Get to know yourself and what you really want, then figure out which careers are the best fit. The only real difference I see is that the author has a background in Eastern philosophy, and some of his writing comes from that perspective.
  
  The first two sections present general ideas about life, the work world, job hunting, and human behavior, in a rather long-winded way. The author probably should have pruned them down and combined them into one section. They might be more useful to someone who hasn't read this type of book before. I mostly just skimmed them.
  
  The "meat" of the book is Part 3, where you get into the nitty-gritty of figuring out who you are and what suits you. He has some good stuff here, including some I haven't seen before, such as the idea of Tribal vs. Maestro orientation. However, there isn't much in the way of objective testing. If you want to really use his tests, you have to buy one of his packages, and they cost a lot. I think the book would have been much more useful if this section had been beefed up, with a lot more questionnaires to help you place yourself in the various areas he discusses. As it is, a lot of the exercises consist of simply making lists. That may suit some people, but for others it's not precise or objective enough.
  
  
• The Very Best Career Book There Is
  By A1R00WF5KWTDEU on 2006-04-24
  Two years ago I had a great job. My boss loved me, my volunteers loved me, I was making the world a better place, I made decent money, when I told people what I did for a living their consistent response "That's so cool"....and I was miserable.
  
  Logically, the gnawing discontent I felt made no sense. I looked at lots of different career books to try and figure out what was wrong. When I found this book, I stopped looking and started finding the answers I was looking for. Now, I look forward to my alarm going off in the morning so I can go to "work" and it's largely because of this book. (And its not because I have become a workaholic. In fact, I make it a priority to leave work at a reasonable hour.)
  
  The Pathfinder is simply the best career book there is. Most career books focus on transferable skils, the importance of networking, and maybe ask you some questions about what interests you. The Pathfinder addresses all of these things too, but what makes it different is that it pushes you to think about what you want your life as a whole to look like and how you want your job to fit into that. The exercises help you to really think about who you are, what your goals and dreams are, and why the things that matter to you matter to you. Then the book helps you to explore careers that are an expression of those things. It also asesses your special skills and talents in a more complex and multifaceted way than most career books. It considers things like how many new ideas you have a day and whether you are a concrete or abstract thinker. The end result is that you can begin to see for the first time the things that are so easy for you that you didn't think they could possibly be talents...only to realize that they are and people will pay you to use them.
  
  If the best thing about your job is a paycheck, if you use the commute home to decompress so you don't take your misery out on your partner, if you dread Mondays or even if you just know you could be happier than you are at work buy this book today. My goal when I book was to get paid to play instead of getting paid to work. The things I learned about myself from this book made it possible for my to achieve that goal. I now have a job I absolutely love. If you honestly and thoughtfully complete the excersizes you can too.
  
  
• A Process Where One Is Deeply In Need
  By A3GHFYE9KWZ0R on 2003-06-18
  When I think about how people today in corporate america decide upon their careers, there seems to be a great deal of chance and luck that always plays in. Very few people have taken the time to think about what they want, what they are good at, when they are most content, or how they can translate these into a successfull career.

  In The Pathfinder, the author provides a process to follow -- one which I believe many of us would benefit from. In this process, the author helps you look not just within yourself but also to the outside world, to better organize your thoughts with regard to how you make decision. He provides you with exercises that help you "name" skills or abilities or requirements you might never have realized you had. The end goal being that when you make your decision or decisions, you do it in a way that is aware and informed, and that propels you with further momentum and less self doubt.

  I would recommend this book to all college students and any and all professionals who are still trying to find the career which is both a better fit with their personality and innate skills, while still trying to balance the "other demands" placed on them.

  If you believe that life is a journey, I would suggest that you read this book early in your travels.
  
  

• Helped me see that my natural abilities were being wasted!
  By on 2000-04-01
  First of all, the book is excellent in that it is very thorough -- something that put me off initially. I was unrealistically expecting a more quick remedy type of book. However, after all the self-probing was done with, I realized that I was totally deluding myself about my current career selection -- forcing myself to become a different person to fit my chosen profession. Although the author points out that it is useful to stretch yourself, he is against defying your nature. Another point emphasized in the book is that of making a commitment to your own wants. I was never really sure what wants I had until taking the time to write them down as part of this process. Overall, I really enjoyed Pathfinder because it focused on me genuinely facing my own nature and wants and was not vague in the process.
  
  
• Overcome personal obstacles to career change
  By A19JEZQIUE00EH on 2001-06-29
  What distinguishes this career planning book from other books of the same genre is the author's care in dealing with the psychological obstacles that stand in the way of making career or job changes.

  You may have all the goals and projects charted out on paper, but without COMMITMENT they will just remain there. I have come across this emphasis on commitment in many other books. But in those books it just stood as another word and I didn't know how to get myself to do things just by reading the word and telling myself I should be more committed. Whereas Lore shows HOW to make the word work for you. Lore's approach is simple and at the same time absolutely powerful. The reason why you have no commitment is you don't know clearly enough what you are committed to. So make your internal voices about what you want to do louder and stronger. That way you increase your chances of listening to them instead of being distracted by the negative thoughts which Lore calls "Yeahbuts". That is how you get committed to what you want to do. I have tried this out and have been able to do things which I earlier kept putting off. So, I believe in it.

  The prose is very easy to read and at the same time fresh and entertaining. All along you feel Lore is talking to you and his trick is to induce you to think for yourself and eventually arrive at conclusions which more or less coinicide with his own. Nowhere does he say that what he says is the one and only truth.

  This book has some excellent chapters on behaviour change and the philosophy of living in the present. I thought I had got some true enlightenment after reading Chapter 17 titled "Seven Keys". There are some simple but powerful insights here that will hit you straight. Couple of ideas are worth mentioning - 1. We do not lack commitment, but commitment to bigger goals. If we are committed, then what is it we are committed to? The startling but true answer is you are committed to the life you are leading right now. 2. By thinking in terms of options you are only attempting to rearrange your life. But by thinking in terms of possibities you are trying to expand and grow.

  After I read these chapters, I started shooting off mails to my friends about how I have finally understood life. You can imagine how life-changing this book can be. Many of my friends do not have the patience to read books. But this time, I am going to gift them copies and get them to read at least this one book. Your mind will be cleared of lots and lots of confusion.

  This type of material is usually what you expect in a book on cognitive therapy. The fact that the author has devoted whole chapters to these subjects shows that he has good first-hand experience in dealing with many candidates for career change. Self confidence and the courage to make changes are pre-requisites for switching careers.

  I am giving the book 4 stars and not 5 because the portions on getting to the nuts and bolts of career change - identifying your skill sets, researching the market, thinking strategically about career change etc. - these portions could have been more deep. "What Colour is Your Parachute" comes out as the best book in the market in this regard.

  But to put yourself to the test whether you really mean to change careers (and whether you'll be happy after doing that), first read Pathfinder.
  
  

• I did not finish this book.
  By on 2001-07-12
  Just over halfway through, I decided that I'd had it with the stupid little exercises that made me feel like I was in a touchy-feely nightmare.

  One good thing came of reading this book, though. I realized that my complaints with my job were very common. I also realized that there is a real reason I am what I am, and that every job has it's crappy aspects. It also pressed me to look at alternate careers more closely, making me realize that I was not well suited for them at all.

  Thanks to this book, I GREW UP, stopped whining and crying, and started to appreciate where I was in life and all that I had accomplished.

  My job is not perfect but it's mine, and to a large extent it suits me. Thanks for making me see that, Mr. Lore.
  
  

• The ultimate career decision-making tool
  By A2B2VGAKETA9EV on 2003-06-13
  In my opinion, The Pathfinder is simply the best career change resource out there. I have read an untold number of career-related books, and have been trying to change careers myself for over 10 years, without success. That is, until I discovered this book.

  Nicholas Lore has created the most comprehensive career change decision-making tools available today. His approach breaks down the process of choosing a career that fits you like a glove into small, manageable steps, thereby reducing the likelihood that overwhelm will take over and cause you to quit. There is also the question of commitment: Lore constantly challenges you to ask yourself whether or not you are truly committed to choosing the career of your dreams. For me, this was both an eye-opening and deeply transformational concept.

  The career testing offered by Lore's company, Rockport Institute, is brilliant. Again, I had done lots of testing for aptitudes, preferences and interests before, but none of those methods really hit the nail on the head as the Rockport approach did. It took me a while to see what the difference really was, but as I got deeper into the career exploration process, it all started to make sense. Now I know that what I learned from the testing results alone will make a huge difference as I navigate my way through my newly chosen career path.

  I also highly recommend Rockport Institute's career choice program, which gives you access to a personal career coach to guide you through the research and decision-making process. I can't count the number of times that I wanted to quit, or hit a wall in my thinking, and my career coach was there to give me constructive feedback or reassure me that I was on the right track. Having that support and guidance made all the difference to finally making a decision on my new career path.

  I believe that the Pathfinder approach to career exploration should be embedded into the curriculum of every high school, college and university, incorporated into the career development process of corporations and businesses, and utilized by career counsellors worldwide. If that were the case, I think that the high levels of career dissatisfaction so prevalent amongst today's workers would be fundamentally reversed, and the productivity and employee satisfaction inside our organizations would soar.

  If you're serious about creating the career of your dreams, the Pathfinder approach is for you.
  
  

• The Pathfinder - It Works!
  By on 2003-06-17
  The Pathfinder worked for me 4 years ago and is still working for me today. I recently re-read this book, after first discovering the book about 4 years ago. Ready for a new challenge in my life and in my career, with The Pathfinder's help I moved from a career in education (I taught high school Physics) to IT and strategy consulting. I now work for one of the largest and well-respected consulting firms in the world and am really enjoying this new challenge. Nicholas Lore's book had a lot to do with me getting here. Thanks!
  
  

• Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type
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• I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work
• What Color Is Your Parachute? 2008: A Practical Manual for Job-hunters and Career-Changers