--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My overall recommendation: for decades…" description: "\"My overall recommendation: for decades corporate policy manuals and HR departments have told people they are responsible for their own careers. It's ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/jeffrey-pfeffer-8575_careers_my-overall-recommendation-for-decades-co_2670370.jpg" --- # My overall recommendation: for decades corporate policy… ![“My overall recommendation: for decades corporate policy manuals and HR departments have told people they are responsible for their own careers. It's about time people really heeded those warnings.” quote by Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/jeffrey-pfeffer-8575_careers_my-overall-recommendation-for-decades-co_2670370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/jeffrey-pfeffer-8575_careers_my-overall-recommendation-for-decades-co_2670370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ab/jeffrey-pfeffer-8575_careers_my-overall-recommendation-for-decades-co_2670370.jpg) > “My overall recommendation: for decades corporate policy manuals and HR departments have told people they are responsible for their own careers. It's about time people really heeded those warnings.” [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Career responsibility is a myth; individuals must actively shape their own professional paths despite institutional narratives. **In simple terms:** You must own your career, not rely on policies. Key Takeaway Take proactive control of your career. Themes career autonomy self‑direction organizational behavior Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - job search - networking - skill development - personal branding Key Concepts agency empowerment systemic critique Questions to Reflect On - How can you create opportunities when structures resist? - What personal habits support career ownership? A Different Perspective Policies may limit resources, making self‑direction harder. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Corporate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporate/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Department](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/department/) [Departments Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departments-told-2498897/) [Heeded Warnings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heeded-warnings-1906421/) [Hr Departments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hr-departments-2498898/) [Manuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manuals/) [Old people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-responsible/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Recommendations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recommendations/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Responsible Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible-careers-2498896/) [Warning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warning/) ## Related quotes > [“Beware, William of Mercia, you heeded not our warnings and you can no longer turn back, but the path ahead is strewn with danger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-wignall/beware-william-of-mercia-you-heeded-not-our-warnings-and-you-can-no/) [K.J. Wignall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-wignall/) > [We, as individuals, must be responsible for our careers with the goal of reaching our highest potential. The job of a manager is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/we-as-individuals-must-be-responsible-for-our-careers-with-the-goal/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [“It’s Time to Split HR 500 words HBR article by Ram Charan, July–August Many CEOs are disappointed with their HR departments. Charan proposes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-time-to-split-hr-500-words-hbr-article-by-ram-charan-july-august/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Managers have to demand more of their HR departments, and they have to demand more of themselves. And we all have to be open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-coles/managers-have-to-demand-more-of-their-hr-departments-and-they-have-to/) [Joanna Coles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-coles/) > [The Government's enthusiasm for 24 hour drinking puzzles me... We want people to be responsible, yet we urge them to drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dobson/the-government-s-enthusiasm-for-24-hour-drinking-puzzles-me-we-want/) [Frank Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dobson/) > [You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-will-launch-many-projects-but-have-time-to-finish-only-a-few-so/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Never accept the blame for what evil people do. We are all responsible for our own actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/never-accept-the-blame-for-what-evil-people-do-we-are-all-responsible/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Irony: While we increasingly hold people more responsible if they drink and drive, we hold women less responsible if they drink and have sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/irony-while-we-increasingly-hold-people-more-responsible-if-they/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [Don't depend on other people to be responsible for you. Don't make yourself stressed out over nonsensical things like material things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/don-t-depend-on-other-people-to-be-responsible-for-you-don-t-make/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) > [People are responsible for their own joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/people-are-responsible-for-their-own-joy/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [The people responsible for the dollars that will buy the sex and violence so many deplore, don't even know what's going - well, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/the-people-responsible-for-the-dollars-that-will-buy-the-sex-and/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [Everybody who stands against Donald Trump are the people who have been running the country into the ground, who have been controlling the levers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-miller/everybody-who-stands-against-donald-trump-are-the-people-who-have/) [Stephen Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-miller/) > [“In life there isn’t always such an easy resolution. One has to treat people as responsible for their actions, and yet also recognize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-derman/in-life-there-isn-t-always-such-an-easy-resolution-one-has-to-treat/) [Emanuel Derman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-derman/) > [It is important to me to give all the people responsible for helping me the credit they are due.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-zarin/it-is-important-to-me-to-give-all-the-people-responsible-for-helping/) [Jill Zarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-zarin/) > [There can be so many people responsible for your success, but only you are responsible for your failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/there-can-be-so-many-people-responsible-for-your-success-but-only-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) ## More by Jeffrey Pfeffer > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/business-school-graduates-from-the-best-schools-earn-large-salaries/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The individual attributes of warmth and competence are often perceived to be negatively correlated. That doesn't mean they actually are, but that's how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-individual-attributes-of-warmth-and-competence-are-often/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Today, if the CEO thinks it's a good idea, it's done everywhere; if the CEO thinks it's a bad idea, it's done nowhere. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/today-if-the-ceo-thinks-it-s-a-good-idea-it-s-done-everywhere-if-the/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Almost no one as I think most leadership books are a joke. They are, as I note in Leadership BS, frequently based on wishes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/almost-no-one-as-i-think-most-leadership-books-are-a-joke-they-are-as/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Authenticity seems like sort of a joke. Actually I believe it was the late comedian George Burns who said, "if you can fake sincerity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/authenticity-seems-like-sort-of-a-joke-actually-i-believe-it-was-the/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Everyone faces defeats, setbacks, reversals of fortune. But just like water wearing away rock, persistence triumphs. Resilience is one of the most important qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/everyone-faces-defeats-setbacks-reversals-of-fortune-but-just-like/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Many companies believe incentives, financial incentives, are the answer to every problem or issue. But people are motivated by much more than money. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/many-companies-believe-incentives-financial-incentives-are-the-answer/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Leaders are not modest, and more importantly, the extensive social science research on narcissism, self-promotion, and similar constructs shows that these qualities and behaviors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/leaders-are-not-modest-and-more-importantly-the-extensive-social/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“When two people always agree, one of them is unnecessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/when-two-people-always-agree-one-of-them-is-unnecessary/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [I completely reject the idea that working adults need to be treated like infants or worse and not told the realities, harsh or not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/i-completely-reject-the-idea-that-working-adults-need-to-be-treated/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [The stories leaders and others tell, few of which are true, are a lousy foundation on which to base any sort of science, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/the-stories-leaders-and-others-tell-few-of-which-are-true-are-a-lousy/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Being memorable equals getting picked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/being-memorable-equals-getting-picked/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“(like the BMW mechanic who handed Robert Sutton a survey and pleaded for a five on a five-point scale, because otherwise he would get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/like-the-bmw-mechanic-who-handed-robert-sutton-a-survey-and-pleaded/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Typical pay increases are not enough to motivate employees, but they are enough to irritate them. … Even when companies create seemingly significant pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/typical-pay-increases-are-not-enough-to-motivate-employees-but-they/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) [Explore all 78 Jeffrey Pfeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) ## More Careers quotes > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [The only thing I try to watch carefully is that I never lose the love for the instrument. That's also why I decided against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-frahm/the-only-thing-i-try-to-watch-carefully-is-that-i-never-lose-the-love/) [Nils Frahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-frahm/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) [Robbin Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbin-crosby/) > [There is so much temptation to hold on to my career even more now. To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/there-is-so-much-temptation-to-hold-on-to-my-career-even-more-now-to/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [Everything I've been through, everything I'm about to go through in my career and my life, if my family wasn't with me and didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-malone/everything-i-ve-been-through-everything-i-m-about-to-go-through-in-my/) [Karl Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-malone/) > [An image has stuck for most of my career and it isn't flattering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-fowler/an-image-has-stuck-for-most-of-my-career-and-it-isn-t-flattering/) [Robbie Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-fowler/) [Browse all 6,154 Careers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My overall recommendation: for decades corporate policy manuals and HR departments have told people they are responsible for their own careers. 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