Lisa Arnett's Take On:
The Harvard Guide to Careers in Mass Media
by John Noble

   The "Harvard Guide to Careers in Mass Media" does a great job of categorizing different careers in the communications field with separate chapters on Film & TV, Music, Newspapers, Broadcast, Book Publishing, Magazine Publishing, Advertising and Public Relations. In addition, it has a great bibliography and reference list of books and other resources to consult for more information on any of these careers. Whether you have a specific career field you're interested in or are still exploring, this book gives great advice on what things to do in college to gain experience (even while you're a freshmen or sophomore), as well as career search tips for seniors looking to start "breaking into" the business of their choice.
   This book was published in 1989, which makes it 13 years old and outdated in a few ways. Entry level salaries and general salary estimates of careers mentioned in the book could differ greatly from what the pay is like in current communications fields in 2002. Also, this book has little perspective on the Internet and its growing involvement in the communications market today. Despite those things, on the whole this book is a great guide and a must read for anyone interested in a career in communications.

Olena Drozd's Take On:
Majoring in the Rest of Your Life
by Carol Carter

   This book is a definite must-read. It not only relates to freshman but assists students throughout their entire college careers - from choosing a major to landing a job. The author writes the book on a more personal level by relating everyday situations that college students experience to people in the real world, who have succeeded to become both prosperous in their careers as well as their lives. The book seems to speak from the point-of-view of the students rather than that of a counselor or professor. Often times people fall into the trap of believing that you have to decide on a major as quickly as possible. However, the author states that instead of saying, “I’m undecided” it is more appropriate to say “I’m exploring”. It is not bad to do or be in most situations such as being undecided, but instead the author offers ways to make those situations ideal and to get the most of them by learning from them and moving on to experience new things. This book is very encouraging in the fact that it leaves doors open for students who may fall into the trap of categorizing themselves when undecided. The author invites students to live life to the fullest and enjoy the experiences that they may come upon, such as in their residence halls, finances, dating lives, internships, studying abroad, campus diversity, friendships, volunteering, and so on, and so on… I encourage all residents, regardless of year, major, interests, to pick up this book and give it a once over. It is very helpful, not only for choosing a major, but for guidance through college life!

Lindsay Reinhardt's Take On:
Complete Guide to Environmental Careers
in the 21st Century

   This book would be extremely useful for any individual who is pursuing any type of environmental career.  This book breaks down the reasons why environmental careers are so important today and why their importance will continue to grow as our society progresses into the future.
   Simply loaded with information, this book lists virtually every single career that one could possibly desire in the environmental field and what it might entail to be able to pursue any given career.  The book begins with how to even start looking for a job in the environmental field and what sorts of experiences are useful.  Stressing the importance of internships, the book lists hundreds of agencies that offer internships as well as databases to aid one on their quest.
   In addition to this, each chapter is segregated by the type of career that it describes.  For example:  Planners, Educators, and Communicators; Environmental Protection and Energy; and Natural Resource Management.  From here, each of these chapters is divided even smaller to describe more specific jobs in greater detail.
   I particularly enjoyed how each career was broken down.  For each profession discussed, the book broke down exactly where the jobs are available and whether it is in the private, public, or non-profit sector.  Also discussed was the amount of money that one might possibly earn while working a specific job.  Roughly broken down, the book also describes how further education and long-term dedication augment the amount of money one earns.
   Overall, this book would be a tremendous asset to anyone who is curious or concerned about the potential of their future if they are interested in working for the environment.

Brandon White's Take On:
Careers for Writers and Others Who Have a Way with Words
by Robert Bly

   This book is a lifesaver to those that are going to pursue writing as a career. I loved it; it gave a brutally honest look at the writing world and the future it holds. When people think of writers, they think of struggling artists going for that best seller, but in this book, the reader finds out that there are many more opportunities with writing. For instance the author was an undergraduate that majored in chemistry. In the end he didn’t really have a passion for it, instead he began to write for companies that dealt with chemistry. Since he already had knowledge in the area, the companies hired him to write their manuals and brochures. Needless to say he made a lot of money doing this. He wasn’t a best selling author but he made over a million dollars writing for companies. The author was honest though, he tells the reader from the get go that they should not pursue writing if they are in it for the money. He gives the pros and cons of the field along with more stories of people he knew that wrote. I can honestly say that it helped me out for the future since writing is a big part of my life. It’s my major!!!

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