Navigating Your Career

Presenting a novel approach to career progression, that transcends the conventional ladder-climbing model, encouraging a broader view of professional success. Finding the right career path has never been more challenging for young professionals. With an overwhelming number of options, they must navigate the expectations of family, friends and society – all while trying to figure out what truly excites them. This book addresses these challenges. It critically examines generational characteristics and questions the often-repeated advice to ‘follow your passion’, offering a more practical, grounded approach to building a career. The authors’ multi-generational perspectives shed light on how the job market has evolved, helping readers understand the landscape and how to navigate it to their advantage. The authors aim to redefine what professional success looks like, encouraging readers to look beyond the traditional career ladder. In addition to addressing career dilemmas, the book poses a fundamental but often overlooked question: Why do you want to work? The authors’ perspectives shed light on how the job market has evolved, helping readers identify both how and where they want to work. Finally, it offers a roadmap of the three key phases of working life, showing how to unlock personal potential throughout a career. While primarily written for graduates and early-career professionals, this book is also a valuable resource for employers looking to better understand and attract talent from new generations, as well as for parents seeking to grasp their children’s career aspirations and challenges – along with insights into how their own careers have evolved. A unique three-generation author collaboration offering diverse insights Sikko Onnes draws from his extensive experience at the executive search firm Egon Zehnder; Ron Soonieus shares his multifaceted expertise as a senior advisor with global consulting firm, Boston Consulting Group, and Director in Residence at leading international business school, INSEAD; and Rémon Jasperse, a recent graduate equipped with dual master’s degrees and experience at KPMG Canada, is living proof that the approach set out in this book works!