Compassionate Careers: Making a Living by Making a Difference

Many young people today are seeking something more--purpose, meaning, a cause.

Compassionate Careers is filled with examples of people who have meaningful jobs in cause-focused organizations. These stories capture their spirit, intelligence, imagination, and heart. The book is an inspirational guide to finding purpose-driven work and offers advice to anyone who feels that sitting on the sidelines is just not enough. It includes:

Stories from people of all walks of life who have jobs that make a difference, including Bill Clinton, Jane Goodall, and Dave Matthews.

Information on how to get started in a cause-focused career.

An online assessment that identifies the type of organizational culture for which you are best suited.

Exercises and resources for hands-on exploration of compassionate career opportunities.

An old Yaqui Indian proverb reads, "If you have a choice of paths to take in life, take the path with a heart." Compassionate Careers will show you how.

Jeffrey W. Pryor is a thought leader in the field of philanthropy who has received multiple awards for his entrepreneurial efforts. After 20 years as executive director of a family foundation, Jeff now serves as CEO of Pathfinder Solutions, providing research and training on talent development to nonprofits and other organizations. He also teaches at Regis University and the University of Colorado.


Alexandra Mitchell, MPA, has long been an advocate for young people and cause-focused endeavors. She has been a high school
teacher, nonprofit leader, researcher, and organizational coach. Currently, Alex is the president of Pathfinder Solutions and teaches at the University of Colorado. She speaks nationally on talent development. Standford Social Innovations Review and Harvard University have published her work.