Career Errors: Straight Talk about the Steps and Missteps of Career Development

Career Errors: Straight Talk about the Steps and Missteps of Career Development by Frank Burtnett, a career counselor who has specialized in student services, is a comprehensive tool that professionals can utilize to explore the development process through the life of one’s career. This book outlines eight phases that the professional must recognize in order to achieve success and satisfaction in their career. Following this, the author explains 25 common errors that professionals make while pursuing careers. The topics covered include job searches, terminations, coping with the workplace environment, ineffective resumes, interview failures, and missed growth opportunities. In addition, the author provides charts and simple guidelines for the process of career development, therefore the reader is given a tangible work plan to act upon. The concept of balance is also covered so the reader can understand holistic career and life satisfaction.

Strengths: This book functions well as a tool in place of a live career counselor. It can also be very useful as a training guide for those wishing to become career counselors, or for parents seeking advice for a child conducting career research and preparing to enter the workforce.

Weaknesses: The author writes in a somewhat stern tone, therefore younger readers may be put off. 

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Burtnett, Frank. Career Errors: Straight Talk about the Steps and Missteps of Career Development. Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.