Who You Are Is What You Do: Making Choices about Life after School (Heather McAllister, Wilkins Farago)

This innovative approach to careers counselling functions as a personal workbook for young people who are getting ready to start out in the working world. Aimed at students who are just about to finish secondary school, it’s not focused on the myriad careers on offer (although there are some interesting case studies) but rather looks at defining the individual in order to unpack their strengths and weaknesses and offer some form of direction. Having a career today can mean something very different from past generations. The job market has changed remarkably, with more personal choice and control than in previous eras. While choice is a good thing, having so many options can also be scary. By drawing on the great thinkers such as Nietzsche, Heidegger and Sartre, this book sets out to explore several key aspects of the individual—their passion, creativity, strengths, values, dreams, skills and choices. While this book is a worthwhile tool for selfreflection, it offers few solutions for stressed-out teens who are unsure of their future path.

Fiona Edwards is a Canberra-based writer and academic and a former teacher and editor

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Category: Reviews