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The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead to a Career You Love
Right now, 70% of Americans aren't passionate about their work and are desperately longing for meaning and purpose. They're sick of "average" and know there's something better out there, but they just don't know how to reach it.
One basic principle--The Proximity Principle--can change everything you thought you knew about pursuing a career you love.
In his latest book, The Proximity Principle, national radio host and career expert Ken Coleman provides a simple plan of how positioning yourself near the right people and places can help you land the job you love.
Forget the traditional career advice you've heard! Networking, handing out business cards, and updating your online profile do nothing to set you apart from other candidates. Ken will show you how to be intentional and genuine about the connections you make with a fresh, unexpected take on resumes and the job interview process. You'll discover the five people you should look for and the four best places to grow, learn, practice, and perform so you can step into the role you were created to fill.
After reading The Proximity Principle, you'll know how to connect with the right people and put yourself in the right places, so opportunities will come--and you'll be prepared to take them.
One basic principle--The Proximity Principle--can change everything you thought you knew about pursuing a career you love.
In his latest book, The Proximity Principle, national radio host and career expert Ken Coleman provides a simple plan of how positioning yourself near the right people and places can help you land the job you love.
Forget the traditional career advice you've heard! Networking, handing out business cards, and updating your online profile do nothing to set you apart from other candidates. Ken will show you how to be intentional and genuine about the connections you make with a fresh, unexpected take on resumes and the job interview process. You'll discover the five people you should look for and the four best places to grow, learn, practice, and perform so you can step into the role you were created to fill.
After reading The Proximity Principle, you'll know how to connect with the right people and put yourself in the right places, so opportunities will come--and you'll be prepared to take them.
Audible Audio
Published May 16, 2019
620 people are currently reading
3349 people want to read
About the author
Ken Coleman
3 books75 followersKen Coleman is a career expert, author of The Proximity Principle and national radio host of The Ken Coleman Show. Pulling from his own personal struggles, missed opportunities and career successes, Coleman helps people discover what they were born to do and provides practical steps to make their dream job a reality. The Ken Coleman Show is a caller-driven career show that helps listeners who are stuck in a job they hate or searching for something more out of their career.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
June 1, 2019
Wish his examples would relate to ordinary working people not to celebrities.
December 23, 2019
Easily the most boring Star Wars book to date. Or so I thought. Turns out my girlfriend put the dust cover of a star wars book on this book to get me to do something with my life. "But didn't you see the title page?" is what you're asking. No. Who's got time to read 200 normal pages PLUS the title page? I suppose I'm supposed to read the blank pages at the end, too, now, am I? It's not like I work at the reading store and get paid time-and-a-half for extra reading...
Anyway, about 6 chapters in I discovered it wasn't a Star War, but I pressed on.
By chapter 8, I realized it wasn't about the principal of a school (turns out there are two kinds of princi(pal/ple)s. Okay, okay. Pull one over on ol' Jase. Well, I have the last laugh since my gf is now in buckets. Must remember to unfriend her mom from my Goodreads account before posting this...
Ken Coleman's "The Proximity Principle" starts with a very basic premise; that each of us has a job that we were born to do (he uses the term "created" but I think that's stupid and reaks of Christian undertones) and most of us - 70%, in fact - aren't doing it. We may be just chugging along, not living our best life out of fear, pride, or even just ignorance. Ken's book is all about helping the reader find a job at the intersection of what they love to do most and what they're best at. For me, it's PornHub and Taco Bell. Now that they have those touch-screen ordering kiosks, we're one step closer. Just today, I asked the general manager where the 'incognito' tab was. He promptly asked me to put my pants back on and said they don't have private/VPN/proxy browsers on their ordering screens. He also made it clear that this wasn't Thailand and the 'ladyboy' I had ordered on my soft taco was not going to happen.
Where was I? Oh! The book. So, here's the thing. I found the book inspiring and interesting and I genuinely felt like I learned something, but it's written in such a dumbed-down way that it felt more or less like a long blog post than a substantial book. I mean, if I, of all people, could read the book in just about 2 days, it's obviously just a sequel to a coloring book or Clifford: The Big Red Dog AT BEST. Every chapter begins more or less, "There are three key components to blasting rope to Waluigi Hentai: 1. Enjoy Hentai. 2. Be able to blast rope. 3. Have internet access" and then the next 3 paragraphs will cover the 3 points mentioned. While well-organized, it feels too cloying and 'cutesie' to hold much gravity. If you want to make all of your points in neat little 3-pronged approaches, you're bound to be more into finding a way to not have more than 3 key components. Maybe there're actually 13 key components? I dunno. It felt too cursory.
In the end, it's worth a read. There are lots of great little quotes and one-liners (non of which were memorable enough for me to recall here, though I just finished the book an hour ago), but you're not gonna get anything out of this $25 hardcover book that you won't get by just listening to his podcast. Dave Ramsey and his personalities (Ken Coleman, Anthony Oneal, Rachel Cruz, Chris Hogan) all have this 'larger-than-life' personality that rubs me the wrong way. They all speak WAY too clearly, use far too many buzzwords and saccharine catch-phrases, sound super fake when they "laugh" at a joke... Just overall feel very plastic-y and overly produced. But that's what Ramsey Solutions is - it's a 100+ million dollar machine that cranks out content non-stop. In my ever-so-humble opinion, Dave Ramsey is the ONLY one in his entire team that isn't sickeningly fake on the radio/podcasts.
All that being said, they still have great advice to help you get out of debt, plan for your future, go to college debt-free, start & run a business, and, in this case, find the job where you can excel because you love what you do. I'm confident that the Proximity Principle will work for me, I'm just not crazy about the particular way this book took shape.
Anyway, about 6 chapters in I discovered it wasn't a Star War, but I pressed on.
By chapter 8, I realized it wasn't about the principal of a school (turns out there are two kinds of princi(pal/ple)s. Okay, okay. Pull one over on ol' Jase. Well, I have the last laugh since my gf is now in buckets. Must remember to unfriend her mom from my Goodreads account before posting this...
Ken Coleman's "The Proximity Principle" starts with a very basic premise; that each of us has a job that we were born to do (he uses the term "created" but I think that's stupid and reaks of Christian undertones) and most of us - 70%, in fact - aren't doing it. We may be just chugging along, not living our best life out of fear, pride, or even just ignorance. Ken's book is all about helping the reader find a job at the intersection of what they love to do most and what they're best at. For me, it's PornHub and Taco Bell. Now that they have those touch-screen ordering kiosks, we're one step closer. Just today, I asked the general manager where the 'incognito' tab was. He promptly asked me to put my pants back on and said they don't have private/VPN/proxy browsers on their ordering screens. He also made it clear that this wasn't Thailand and the 'ladyboy' I had ordered on my soft taco was not going to happen.
Where was I? Oh! The book. So, here's the thing. I found the book inspiring and interesting and I genuinely felt like I learned something, but it's written in such a dumbed-down way that it felt more or less like a long blog post than a substantial book. I mean, if I, of all people, could read the book in just about 2 days, it's obviously just a sequel to a coloring book or Clifford: The Big Red Dog AT BEST. Every chapter begins more or less, "There are three key components to blasting rope to Waluigi Hentai: 1. Enjoy Hentai. 2. Be able to blast rope. 3. Have internet access" and then the next 3 paragraphs will cover the 3 points mentioned. While well-organized, it feels too cloying and 'cutesie' to hold much gravity. If you want to make all of your points in neat little 3-pronged approaches, you're bound to be more into finding a way to not have more than 3 key components. Maybe there're actually 13 key components? I dunno. It felt too cursory.
In the end, it's worth a read. There are lots of great little quotes and one-liners (non of which were memorable enough for me to recall here, though I just finished the book an hour ago), but you're not gonna get anything out of this $25 hardcover book that you won't get by just listening to his podcast. Dave Ramsey and his personalities (Ken Coleman, Anthony Oneal, Rachel Cruz, Chris Hogan) all have this 'larger-than-life' personality that rubs me the wrong way. They all speak WAY too clearly, use far too many buzzwords and saccharine catch-phrases, sound super fake when they "laugh" at a joke... Just overall feel very plastic-y and overly produced. But that's what Ramsey Solutions is - it's a 100+ million dollar machine that cranks out content non-stop. In my ever-so-humble opinion, Dave Ramsey is the ONLY one in his entire team that isn't sickeningly fake on the radio/podcasts.
All that being said, they still have great advice to help you get out of debt, plan for your future, go to college debt-free, start & run a business, and, in this case, find the job where you can excel because you love what you do. I'm confident that the Proximity Principle will work for me, I'm just not crazy about the particular way this book took shape.
May 14, 2019
I’ve come to notice a couple of things to expect of books written by Ramsey Solutions talent, first, each person has a distinctive voice and the voice shines through in their writing. Second, podcast, YouTube, and radio show each person espouses the same proclamations, statements, a dogma throughout.
Neither of these things is in itself a negative or a positive.
As to Ken Colman’s voice being heard throughout Proximity Principle, it’s definitely there. It isn’t as over the top as I expected though. Very subtle and somewhat understated which allows me as a fan to become engrossed in the stories. These stories highlight the import behind his words and vision while serving as individual motivators and cheerleaders to get each one of us out there and doing instead of just thinking of doing.
On a near daily basis I listen to the Ken Colman show podcast. Thematically and dogmatically the information rarely changes. The process typically remains the same. I expected to be deluged with process throughout The Proximity Principle and I was not. While the process is there and ordered in sections and chapters the stories serve as the driving force within this book. They contextualize each part of the process that allows Ken Colman’s voice to be heard but not in a preachy repetitive way but in a genuine caring way. His voice and his process is merely an echo and a ‘you can do it’ aside to each one of his champions legacies.
I cannot see anything wrong with this book. I shy from a full 5 star review only because I wish Colman realized his D.R.E.A.M. process in text first as I feel that most people he coaches are seeking this kind of context first. That being said, I enjoyed The Proximity Principle and will be sharing my copy with family and friends.
Neither of these things is in itself a negative or a positive.
As to Ken Colman’s voice being heard throughout Proximity Principle, it’s definitely there. It isn’t as over the top as I expected though. Very subtle and somewhat understated which allows me as a fan to become engrossed in the stories. These stories highlight the import behind his words and vision while serving as individual motivators and cheerleaders to get each one of us out there and doing instead of just thinking of doing.
On a near daily basis I listen to the Ken Colman show podcast. Thematically and dogmatically the information rarely changes. The process typically remains the same. I expected to be deluged with process throughout The Proximity Principle and I was not. While the process is there and ordered in sections and chapters the stories serve as the driving force within this book. They contextualize each part of the process that allows Ken Colman’s voice to be heard but not in a preachy repetitive way but in a genuine caring way. His voice and his process is merely an echo and a ‘you can do it’ aside to each one of his champions legacies.
I cannot see anything wrong with this book. I shy from a full 5 star review only because I wish Colman realized his D.R.E.A.M. process in text first as I feel that most people he coaches are seeking this kind of context first. That being said, I enjoyed The Proximity Principle and will be sharing my copy with family and friends.
March 23, 2020
The book is simple and straightforward, probably suited for people who like lists. After each main topic, the author enumerated the steps to accomplish the goal. The proximity principle is about surrounding yourself with the right people to help you advance in your dream career:
* Professors: Teach you the basics.
* Professionals: Model the way.
* Mentors: Provide wisdom and accountability.
* Peers: Push you towards excellence.
* Producers: Give you opportunities.
Limiting beliefs that hold us back from seeking our dream job:
Pride: We like to think we are self-sufficient. We don't need to ask others for help and guidance.
Fear: Fear of rejection and failure
There are many examples and suggestions on meeting people, getting experience, and doing what it takes to prove yourself for that dream job.
* Professors: Teach you the basics.
* Professionals: Model the way.
* Mentors: Provide wisdom and accountability.
* Peers: Push you towards excellence.
* Producers: Give you opportunities.
Limiting beliefs that hold us back from seeking our dream job:
Pride: We like to think we are self-sufficient. We don't need to ask others for help and guidance.
Fear: Fear of rejection and failure
There are many examples and suggestions on meeting people, getting experience, and doing what it takes to prove yourself for that dream job.
July 29, 2019
A short read that is about intentional networking with the intent of learning, working, and relationship building that leads to more of the same. It's generally about the who and the where, and how to get certain people and into certain places through your network.
Lots of good take aways, the author's work ethic is impressive but he's weak on the writing of work ethic, it's more or less "work your ass off and know your place", and although serving people is a great cornerstone in building successful relationships it ignores effectiveness by telling you "others are working harder than you are in your industry".
His method of learning is also weak and lacks substance. You're better off reading something like the Talent Code, Peak, or Mastery.
Short Notes:
Proximity Principle = People x Places
People = PPM-PP (Learning-Performing)
Learning/
Professors - Traditional teachers in your industry
Professionals - People that are successful in your industry and you want to imitate
Mentors - Effectively a coach that also trains you in your industry and can give good criticism
Performing/
Peers - Colleagues and friends with values and attributes you want and will help push you to achieve
Producers - Bosses, Business Owners, People you want to work for
Places
1. Start where you are and work it to the best of your ability
2. Go somewhere to learn (doesn't have to be college)
3. Go somewhere to practice, ideally in a low stress / no risk enviroment
4. Go somewhere to "perform", aka get a job
5. Go somewhere to grow - okay this is just fluff, with the caveat takeaway that you're likely going to have to move somewhere else for your dream job.
Proximity Principle Method
This last section of the book was an extremely mixed bag, although the information regarding how to leverage your current network and touched on the concept of the informal job market by telling people not to rely on resumes to get job interviews, there's honestly blog posts out there that are shorter and more actionable than this section of the book is.
Lots of good take aways, the author's work ethic is impressive but he's weak on the writing of work ethic, it's more or less "work your ass off and know your place", and although serving people is a great cornerstone in building successful relationships it ignores effectiveness by telling you "others are working harder than you are in your industry".
His method of learning is also weak and lacks substance. You're better off reading something like the Talent Code, Peak, or Mastery.
Short Notes:
Proximity Principle = People x Places
People = PPM-PP (Learning-Performing)
Learning/
Professors - Traditional teachers in your industry
Professionals - People that are successful in your industry and you want to imitate
Mentors - Effectively a coach that also trains you in your industry and can give good criticism
Performing/
Peers - Colleagues and friends with values and attributes you want and will help push you to achieve
Producers - Bosses, Business Owners, People you want to work for
Places
1. Start where you are and work it to the best of your ability
2. Go somewhere to learn (doesn't have to be college)
3. Go somewhere to practice, ideally in a low stress / no risk enviroment
4. Go somewhere to "perform", aka get a job
5. Go somewhere to grow - okay this is just fluff, with the caveat takeaway that you're likely going to have to move somewhere else for your dream job.
Proximity Principle Method
This last section of the book was an extremely mixed bag, although the information regarding how to leverage your current network and touched on the concept of the informal job market by telling people not to rely on resumes to get job interviews, there's honestly blog posts out there that are shorter and more actionable than this section of the book is.
May 24, 2019
I have heard Ken Coleman guest visit on the Dave Ramsey Show; however, I do not listen to his Ken Coleman Show daily. I think he holds a lot of value, but in my opinion this book repeated itself too often and left me feeling like the book itself was rushed to put together and it felt lofty with the repetition and generalizations. I hate when books quote Hollywood celebrity rise to fame stories and background of their success. Most are not credible models that I would want to emulate.The freebies -lead magnets with the resume templates and interview instructions- to sign up for his newsletter hold more value than the book. I know Ken holds a ton of experience to learn from, I just did not see it conveyed in this book. I am still glad I signed up for his newsletter.
February 2, 2020
Solid information, though I wish this book went more in-depth. The most useful aspect was the shift in perspective that yes, it is possible to shift careers, and yes, it will take a lot of work. But a lot of his advice is to put yourself out there and approach people.
While I acknowledge that this is good advice, as an introvert who deals with shyness and social anxiety, I would have liked more useful information on HOW to actually do that. While he repeats that connecting with people is about building relationships, I can't help but feel that it's still transactional if your goal in reaching out to someone is mainly to advance your own agenda, and not just form a friendship. I know that's the way the world works, but I struggle with it and wish he had provided more concrete tools for this process.
He does address the issues of pride and fear of rejection or failure, but he doesn't give too much detail. And as a writer, I'm very used to rejection and failure. Perhaps there's another book that provides better tools for introverts trying to succeed in an extrovert's world, but this book seemed geared toward extroverts.
Overall, the book was well-organized and had some good points, I just wished it had gone deeper, and with less celebrity examples.
While I acknowledge that this is good advice, as an introvert who deals with shyness and social anxiety, I would have liked more useful information on HOW to actually do that. While he repeats that connecting with people is about building relationships, I can't help but feel that it's still transactional if your goal in reaching out to someone is mainly to advance your own agenda, and not just form a friendship. I know that's the way the world works, but I struggle with it and wish he had provided more concrete tools for this process.
He does address the issues of pride and fear of rejection or failure, but he doesn't give too much detail. And as a writer, I'm very used to rejection and failure. Perhaps there's another book that provides better tools for introverts trying to succeed in an extrovert's world, but this book seemed geared toward extroverts.
Overall, the book was well-organized and had some good points, I just wished it had gone deeper, and with less celebrity examples.
August 11, 2019
Could have gotten all the information in 10 pages rather than 200. Good principle, not enough here for a book.
May 26, 2019
For anyone pursuing a career/dream job that seems very abstract right now or you’re not sure of a good starting block/how to start making connections/etc. you HAVE to read this!!! It gives you concrete steps to get to that job, as long as you’re willing to put your fear and doubts aside. It’s both scary and liberating to realize that you 100% can do it. You just have to put the work in and believe in yourself.
May 24, 2019
This is the ultimate motivation book. If you get nothing from this book except to go out and do vetter you have gotten the key element. It covers areas that for years I thought I was doing right, only to find it may have been the reason for not landing the job.
June 5, 2025
This was interesting to listen to. I originally started it because I listened to Ken pretty regularly on the Dave Ramsey show, but as the book continued, I found myself relating some of his advice to motherhood. This is mostly a book for "careers", but my job as a mom can also use some of these principles, especially as it relates to the people who help you get ahead in your profession (mentors, peers, teachers, etc).
Alot of his advice in this book seemed like common sense, but as our society has become less social, we have lost proximity as a result. I think his advice was solid and practical to pursuing your career dreams.
Alot of his advice in this book seemed like common sense, but as our society has become less social, we have lost proximity as a result. I think his advice was solid and practical to pursuing your career dreams.
January 7, 2021
This book is written for an 18-23 year old, and really maybe more for 16-20 year olds. It provides helpful information for young people about how to place themselves in the right places, around the right people in order to see their career dreams come to fruition. Myself being middle aged, most of the content is common sense.
I would agree with other reviews that the writing is fairly bland, repetitive, and involves a lot of name-dropping. But if I were 17 and reading this just before heading off to college, I think Coleman’s suggestions would stick with me and guide me toward a successful and intentional college experience.
Thankfully it’s perfect for the purpose for which I bought it: I have 5 kids ages 16-23. So, ✔️.
I would agree with other reviews that the writing is fairly bland, repetitive, and involves a lot of name-dropping. But if I were 17 and reading this just before heading off to college, I think Coleman’s suggestions would stick with me and guide me toward a successful and intentional college experience.
Thankfully it’s perfect for the purpose for which I bought it: I have 5 kids ages 16-23. So, ✔️.
June 15, 2019
Amazing Book by an Amazing Show Host
I typically don't buy books and just borrow from the library or download free public domain ebooks, but this book was different. I bought the kindle version very close to the release day, and read as much of it as i could at a time. Being a Dave Ramsey Baby Stepper, I've been looking into finding a new job. I'll keep applying the proximity principle to my job searching and I know I'll yield better results. Thank you, Ken Coleman for writing this book.
I typically don't buy books and just borrow from the library or download free public domain ebooks, but this book was different. I bought the kindle version very close to the release day, and read as much of it as i could at a time. Being a Dave Ramsey Baby Stepper, I've been looking into finding a new job. I'll keep applying the proximity principle to my job searching and I know I'll yield better results. Thank you, Ken Coleman for writing this book.
August 26, 2019
Good easy read with a lot of valuable advice. Probably more for someone at the onset of a career but still some valuable insights for someone who spent 31 years at one company and looking for a new company and new career. I do disagree with the authors' section on surrounding yourself with peers with similar interests and ambitions. Diversity of thought and diversity of interests is a good thing leading to different points of view and a more inclusive environment.
June 2, 2019
One Big Thought: Ken Coleman will walk you through his outline to do meaningful work in a field you love. The concepts are simple and straight to the point. Like most good advice, it's common sense, but not everyone is doing it. If you follow what Ken Coleman suggests, I have no doubt you will end up much closer to your dream than you were when you started. Recommended.
August 30, 2020
Nothing about this book is groundbreaking. But reading it and the stories inside provide motivation to get a job you love. If you are already determined you can probably skip this book. If you have no idea how to get started this is a great read! It did encourage me to reach out to those around me and let them know I am looking for a job. You never know who they know!
January 20, 2022
Practical? Challenging? Action-oriented? If these are things you’re looking for to help guide you into the passion you’re pursuing, look no further. THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. I am so empowered to move forward, connect with the right people, orient myself into the places I need to be, and learn and grow exponentially.
July 5, 2023
I didn’t think I’d like this book and at first I didn’t. After listening to about half of it, something clicked and started resonating with me. This is all common sense stuff but it’s important to be reminded of it and have it laid out so clearly. I may not know exactly what I want to do, been surviving too long, but I know where to start. That’s something
December 30, 2020
Hands down, favorite motivational book to clear the mind and re-evaluate your previously made dreams and desires. This book realistically puts into perspective the path to achieving your dreams. A book everyone should read at least once a year.
August 5, 2020
This book inspired me a lot! Wasn't exactly what I expected, but it was motivating and interesting. Pretty repetitive, but it got the point across well by the end.
August 28, 2024
Amazing book! When I I started the book I was searching for my dream job. My the time I finished I had my dream job! Totally a God thing!
April 24, 2025
I’m currently making my way through the Ramsey Group’s offerings. This isn’t a bad book, but I’m not convinced it would have had the same success if not advertised through that show all the time. There’s nothing in this book I would consider harmful, in fact Ken Coleman’s desire to help people I think comes through clearly.
But I’m not entirely sure Coleman understands what he wants to convey to people and what exactly is his niche. This book is called The Proximity Principle, but it provides rather generic career advice: show genuine interest when connecting with others, polish your resume, practise your skills etc. Making use of soft networks only forms a brief part of the book and doesn’t say more than you’d expect — people with a personal connection to you are more likely to help you out.
It’s a staple of self-help books to use illustrative examples. These were pretty weak in this book. Either Coleman focused on big name stars (professional athletes like Serena Williams and Michael Jordan practice for sporting competitions — no shit) or used his “friends” as bare sketches. What I mean by the latter: ironically Coleman name drops Malcolm Gladwell, who is a phenomenal writer. While Gladwell really delves into the motivations and backgrounds of his subjects — making us care about these people as more than just examples — Coleman gives examples like, “My friend Sarah changed her mindset at work. Then she got a promotion.” Okay. Why did she have a mindset shift? What triggered the change? How did she change her attitude? What does she even do? Coleman’s writing just isn’t very compelling.
Also, I laughed, early on, when he held Sir Edmund Hillary up as a solo visionary — in a book about connecting with others to achieve your goals! — and completely blanked Tenzing Norgay from the Everest climb. This early example made me really question just how much research Coleman actually put into this book? And made me doubt his credibility.
Ultimately, I think self-help books are still books. It’s important to me that I can enjoy the writing.
But I’m not entirely sure Coleman understands what he wants to convey to people and what exactly is his niche. This book is called The Proximity Principle, but it provides rather generic career advice: show genuine interest when connecting with others, polish your resume, practise your skills etc. Making use of soft networks only forms a brief part of the book and doesn’t say more than you’d expect — people with a personal connection to you are more likely to help you out.
It’s a staple of self-help books to use illustrative examples. These were pretty weak in this book. Either Coleman focused on big name stars (professional athletes like Serena Williams and Michael Jordan practice for sporting competitions — no shit) or used his “friends” as bare sketches. What I mean by the latter: ironically Coleman name drops Malcolm Gladwell, who is a phenomenal writer. While Gladwell really delves into the motivations and backgrounds of his subjects — making us care about these people as more than just examples — Coleman gives examples like, “My friend Sarah changed her mindset at work. Then she got a promotion.” Okay. Why did she have a mindset shift? What triggered the change? How did she change her attitude? What does she even do? Coleman’s writing just isn’t very compelling.
Also, I laughed, early on, when he held Sir Edmund Hillary up as a solo visionary — in a book about connecting with others to achieve your goals! — and completely blanked Tenzing Norgay from the Everest climb. This early example made me really question just how much research Coleman actually put into this book? And made me doubt his credibility.
Ultimately, I think self-help books are still books. It’s important to me that I can enjoy the writing.
June 15, 2025
It’s a good quick read. It has very good fundamentals laid out for networking and job searching. This would be perfect for anyone rethinking how they want to approach their career with intent for the first time or young people thinking about that first search. It’s not super in-depth, but has very good fundamental principles needed for successful networking and basics to job searching.
I did not find anything groundbreaking personally, but it had some good ideas that I have not thought about before and found it super encouraging in my current career change. I’d recommend to give it a listen on audiobook, especially if you aspiring young person or need some encouragement and ideas for a career change.
I did not find anything groundbreaking personally, but it had some good ideas that I have not thought about before and found it super encouraging in my current career change. I’d recommend to give it a listen on audiobook, especially if you aspiring young person or need some encouragement and ideas for a career change.
August 14, 2024
So disappointed, not even worth being a book cuz it’s just common sense? Essentially: 1. Learn from everything even your mistakes, 2. Work for free, 3. Have a mentor/make connections. Like duh? Kept saying “this strategy is proven to work” because he himself knew someone whose brother was a ceo like that’s just being lucky imo, and considering it was released in 2019 includes nothing significant about modern times and how to navigate that beyond just saying to not post incriminating photos
July 6, 2023
I like Mr. Barbie, but I found the early book a frustrating ramble about ways to categorize people you should connect with. Don't care. The later book did go into the actual how's of connecting to people, which is what i needed. Still intimidated, but I will review this book again to give me the courage to connect with my list of people.
July 5, 2025
Not entirely too much new information for me, as someone that’s gone through a job search before — the basics are who you know and where you position yourself will help you to get that next, hopefully better job. It is a quick read, however, and Coleman is relentlessly positive in his writing in it, so I would recommend this book to anyone looking for work.
August 15, 2025
I'll save you the trouble of having to read this. It's extremely repetitive. It boils down to find a way to do the work you want even if you are taking small steps towards that goal. Put yourself out there. It takes practice. Use your network. There, all done. I've gotta stop reading books related to Dave Ramsey...
April 24, 2023
Somewhat insightful and somewhat cookie-cutter. Lots of illustrations and examples, but not much in the way of profound strategies. Basics which can be very helpful.
February 6, 2025
This was a decent read for the topic.
February 2, 2022
Who do I need to know? Where do I need to be? Those are the key questions to get you started on a fulfilling career, lifestyle, etc. No one else is looking out for you, so you need to take the first step yourself. People + Places = Opportunities. Good professors are knowledgeable, passionate, and push you to grow. Research what you need to learn to achieve your dream. Figure out resources that can bring you up to speed on the knowledge gaps you have. Study the best, imitate, make it your own, and remember that wisdom comes from experience. Look for professionals 10 years ahead of you in your desired path for mentorship and seek multiple mentors to help you overcome a variety of challenges. Good mentors have experienced tough challenges and can help you navigate it, they’re empathetic because they’ve been through rough stuff, they will tell you harsh truths, and they understand the value of the relationship likely due to their own mentor experience in the beginning of their journey. Who am I spending the most time with? Who is championing for me? Peers who sharpen you have similar values - write down the values that you admire. You need the place where you are, a place to learn, a place to practice, a place to perform, and a place to grow. Make a list of companies you’d like to work for, figure out if there are internships or other ways to gain experience for free. Entry-level work may not be what you had in mind, but keep in mind that all the little moments add up. Companies should align with your values, push you to grow, and have a clear path for your development. Listen and learn, be humble, and add value when networking and forming connections. When interviewing, focus on your attitude and appearance.
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