Publications

March 2, 2012
Blog Post

Career Plans Are Dangerous

By: Leonard A. Schlesinger, Charles F. Kiefer and Paul B. Brown

Read Now

29 Nov 2012
News

A Better Way to Plan Your Career

25 Jan 2021
News

Career Planning with Harvard ManageMentor

18 Jan 2023
Blog Post

Career Planning and Development: Interview with Career Coach Wendi Zhang (MBA/MPP 2013)

completely unsure of what to do or they seem to be exactly where they want to be, one thing is certain: the only constant is change when it comes to life/career planning. Life is dynamic, and as a result, preferences and needs naturally change over time as well. View Details

February 2014 (Revised May 2016)
Case

The Rawlinsons: Facing Life and Career Decisions as a Couple

By: Boris Groysberg and Kerry Herman

The Rawlinsons, a young, ambitious, career-minded couple, are considering their life and career goals. They are both successful, have aspirations to serve in public office, and are negotiating important career choices as a couple. View Details

Keywords: Talent Management; Career Management; Career Planning; Organizational Behavior; Work/life Balance; Work/family Balance; Careers; Talent and Talent Management; Human Capital; Work-Life Balance; Personal Development and Career; United States

September 1982
Background Note

Note on Career Planning in Industry

Find at Harvard

December 2012 (Revised January 2015)
Technical Note

Early Career LBOs Using the Search Fund Model

By: Howard Stevenson, Michael Roberts and Jim Sharpe

The funded search model is one alternative for individuals who, at some point in their career, want to run their own companies. This note looks at the funded search, as a means to entrepreneurship through acquisition and describes the path to buy and run a business... View Details

Keywords: Search Funds; Search; Entrepreneurial Finance; Investor Behavior; Career Planning; Entrepreneurial Management; Fundraising; Negotiation; Entrepreneurship; Capital Structure; Borrowing and Debt; Personal Development and Career; Private Ownership; Acquisition; Finance; Leveraged Buyouts

12 PM – 1 PM EDT, 10 Apr 2025
Webinars: Career

Virtual Fireside Chat: Planning for a Successful Career Break and Return

Whether you're actively considering a break or simply want to be prepared for the unexpected, this conversation will provide valuable tools and strategies for navigating your career with confidence. View Details

10 Apr 2025
Video

Virtual Fireside Chat: Planning for a Successful Career Break and Return

January 2014 (Revised June 2014)
Case

Advising Families on Estate Planning

By: Robert C. Pozen and Lucas W. Goodman

Sean Warrick is an estate planning adviser at Hellwig & Macon. He is preparing for meetings with two clients. His first clients are Peggy and David Bartley, a professional married couple of moderate wealth. His second clients are Ray and Michelle Polanski, a couple... View Details

Keywords: Estate Planning; Estate Tax; Gift Tax; Generation Skipping Tax; Tax Accounting; Tax Strategy; Taxes; Taxation; Retirement; United States

February 2014
Teaching Note

Advising Families on Estate Planning

By: Robert C. Pozen

Sean Warrick is an estate planning adviser at Hellwig & Macon. He is preparing for meetings with two clients. His first clients are Peggy and David Bartley, a professional married couple of moderate wealth. His second clients are Ray and Michelle Polanski, a couple... View Details

Keywords: Estate Planning; Estate Tax; Gift Tax; Gift Giving; Generation Skipping Tax; Tax Accounting; Tax Strategy; Taxes; Taxation; Retirement; Financial Services Industry; United States

30 Jun 2008
Research & Ideas

Rethinking Retirement Planning

Many of us are sailing toward retirement with the hope that Social Security, personal savings, and money saved in an employer's 401(k) or 403(b) plan will add up to the magic sum required to enjoy our remaining years in reasonable style.... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Banking; Financial Services

8 AM – 5 PM EDT, 01 Jun 2017
Career Events

Career Reboot Camp in Boston

Career Reboot Camp in Boston! Led by Professor Tim Butler and facilitated by HBS career coaches, participants will work through exercises to reflect on their key career interests, what's important to them in work and life, and create a plan to move forward towards a... View Details

8 AM – 5 PM EDT, 02 Jun 2016

Career Reboot Camp in Boston

Career Reboot Camp is taking place at HBS. Led by Professor Tim Butler and facilitated by HBS career coaches, participants will work through exercises to reflect on their key career interests, what's important to them in work and life, and create a plan to move forward... View Details

September 2012
Case

Getting Back to Your Roots: Rose Carpenter's Story

By: John A. Davis, Janet Kraus and Lisa Strope

Rose Carpenter is a successful entrepreneur who is considering the personal implications of leaving the business she created to pursue her own interests. View Details

Keywords: Career Planning; Entrepreneurs; Life Planning; Work-Life Balance; Entrepreneurship; Decisions

8 AM – 5 PM EST, 02 Mar 2016

Career Reboot Camp in Chicago

Career Reboot Camp is coming to Chicago! Led by Professor Tim Butler and facilitated by HBS career coaches, participants will work through exercises to reflect on their key career interests, what's important to them in work and life, and create a plan to move forward... View Details

May 2024 (Revised February 2025)
Case

Choosing the Course of Passion: Brooke Boyarsky Pratt at knownwell

By: Jon M. Jachimowicz and Alexis Lefort

Brooke Boyarsky Pratt (HBS ’13) enjoyed considerable success in her early career, quickly climbing the ranks to associate partner at McKinsey, and later becoming an executive vice president at Berkadia, a Berkshire Hathaway portfolio company. Throughout these years,... View Details

Keywords: Passion; Career; Career Planning; Purpose; Personal Development and Career; Mission and Purpose; Identity; Business Startups; Health Care and Treatment; Health Disorders; Growth and Development Strategy; Market Entry and Exit; Health Industry; United States

November 2008 (Revised January 2011)
Exercise

Breaking Through Action Plan

By: David A. Thomas and Karen J. Watai

The "Breaking Through Action Plan" is a developmental tool based on the book, Breaking Through: The Making of Minority Executives in Corporate America by David A. Thomas and John J. Gabarro. The Action Plan was originally designed as part of a facilitated session but... View Details

Keywords: Competency and Skills; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Personal Development and Career; Relationships; Power and Influence; Trust