The Career Chronicles

June 2, 2008
Former attorney Gregory launches his writing career with the book he wish he'd had as a college student, a comprehensive guide to some of America's most popular jobs, including notes from the professionals themselves. In 23 profiles, Gregory introduces a double-handful of careers-from landscaping to accounting to veterinary medicine-with background info, "by the numbers" data (employment and salary levels) and quotes from a list of practitioners on topics like "College vs. Reality," "The Biggest Surprise," and "Would you do it all over again?" Going for depth over breadth, Gregory's selection of careers is rather narrow, but includes representative careers from 10 fields-including health care, architecture, the law, education, social sciences, sales and marketing-providing enough coverage for most job-seeking college grads. Without sugarcoating the grueling details, this guide still accentuates the positive, and hundreds of personal voices add to the encouraging tone.

June 1, 2008
Adult/High School-An introduction to 23 jobs in health care, architecture, the law, financial services, education, the social sciences, information technology, sales, media, and more. Gregory dedicates a separate chapter to each one, opening with its history and background and describing the current status of the field (including statistics on employment levels, education required, and average salaries). The most revealing portions of each chapter are the direct quotes from surveys. Workers are asked to compare the reality of the profession to expectations developed in school, describe the biggest surprise, say whether they would choose that position again, and answer practical questions about hours and advancement, as well as best and worst aspects of and changes in the profession. The honest, insightful answers given by the survey responders, combined with the wide-ranging fields and professions covered, offer teens an opportunity to learn about "the real world" before committing to a specific career path. The concluding chapter features a table of data comparing current careers and dream professions from 50 survey responders and encourages readers to consider factors beyond salary and status when choosing a profession. This book belongs in every high school library and guidance office."Sondra VanderPloeg, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 15, 2008
Former attorney Gregory sent questionnaires to more than 750 individuals in his quest to provide "real-world insight" on a wide variety of careers in health care, engineering, law, education, sales, and more. The result is an extremely readable guide, with chapters detailing the history, educational requirements, and salaries for specific jobs. The real genius of the book is the verbatim inclusion of survey responses to questions such as "Would you do it all over again?" The respondents' words help paint a vivid picture of each profession, and, as several responses to each question are provided, the bigger picture emerges as it seldom does in career guides. Although the list of careers covered seems random (doctors are not included because the author found doctors so busy "they rarely had time to participate"), the 24 job titles that are listed are fully explored. Gregory has compiled an invaluable resource combining tangible and intangible information about the wider work world. Highly recommended for all public libraries and secondary school libraries.Sarah Statz Cords, Madison P.L., WI

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.