Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence

Work.

The word evokes a lot of images for us, doesn’t it? We remember our first job and how it felt to get paid for mowing a lawn or waiting tables. We are better when we work, no doubt. It does something for us to find a place to plug our unique set of gifts and talents into a role that best fits them. When that happens, we see progress and impact. We all need that.

But according to the statistics, most of us are not doing work every day that we are a good fit for. The numbers vary, but it appears that as many as four people in five are doing jobs that do not allow them to do what they do best every day. The Pandemic of 2020 has created a pause that—in spite of the devastation—may turn out to be a great blessing for many. The pause has created time now to assess ourselves, to get to know our strengths and assets, and to do a deep search for a job with meaning. Readers who are entering or re-entering the workforce after military service, child-rearing, or COVID-19 furloughs will find answers and encouragement in this book about how best to approach the marketplace and how to prosper once they get there.

Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence is an encouraging reminder that we all have a calling in this world and that finding that calling is entirely possible. Doing work that matters is a  treasure not to be taken lightly. Sievert’s advice will ensure a long and prosperous work life that  brings delight to employees and those they serve every day. 

Thank you for the wonderful testimonials!

"Of the Hundreds of amazing leaders I had the privilege of meeting over the course of my career, Fred stood out in a number of ways. His calm demeanor. His eagerness to support and encourage others. He listened far better than most leaders I've been around. I could tell any advice he gave me was going to be worth gold, based as it was on the principles he'd learned and refined over decades spent leading major companies."
- From the Foreword by Kevin Palau
President, Luis Palau Association

“A lifetime of stellar leadership in business and nonprofit organizations compressed in readable and easily digestible lessons. A book of savvy coaching and spiritual advice alike!”
—Miroslav Volf
World-renowned Theologian, Author and Professor of Theology, Yale University Divinity School

“Fred Sievert brings a wealth of practical experience and a deeply embedded faith perspective to his advice about charting and pursuing a career path. This book will help those who are just beginning their career trajectory or anyone thinking about how to find a better sense of calling, vocation, and meaning in their work life.”
—Brian Stogner, PhD
President, Rochester University

“Work is one of our greatest blessings, and with this insightful and meaningful work, Fred Sievert unlocks specific ways that your faith in God can lift your career, enrich interactions with others, and transform every aspect of your career journey. A special self-assessment tool helps reveal what you can do to serve others in the spirit of the Gospel’s teachings. A seasoned executive, theologian, and volunteer, Fred Sievert shares insights that help you chart a meaningful work/faith landscape.”
—Larry Barton, PhD
Corporate Consultant CNN and BBC Commentator on Workplace Issues

“Given the plethora of self-help books available today, it’s difficult to effect a separation from all the others, yet that is exactly what the author has done with Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence. This milestone work succeeds in combining a definitive road map for anyone entering the workforce, changing course therein, or re-entering it, with a faith-based approach founded on the very words of Jesus Christ and the Bible. Christ’s teaching served as the underpinning for this work based on the experiences of a former Fortune 100 company president, Fred Sievert. In retirement, he transitioned to an enriching life serving others using a faith-based formula for life and success. Do something wonderful for yourself, and drink often from this book! It is an action plan for living significantly and successfully.”
—Phillip C. Richards, CLU®, RHU®
Executive Chairman and Founder, North Star Resource Group Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees, Temple University

“In his important book Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence, Fred Sievert has paired his considerable insight into the workplace with a compassionate concern for young professionals of faith to produce a book at once practical and encouraging. This is an excellent instance of the mentoring that young professionals are hungry for and need. I only wish Fred’s book had been available when I set off on my own career journey.”
—Scott G. Stephenson
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Verisk Analytics

"I love this book on several fronts: as a former senior business executive, I find Fred’s advice to be on point, practical, and significant. As a Christian, I value that his recommendations are fully bathed in appropriate Scripture. And, as a father and grandfather, the fact that he began this project out of love for his daughter is especially sweet. I’m excited about the impact this book will have and expect that a great number will be bought for gifts."
—J. Cliff Eason
Retired President and CEO, Southwestern Bell Telephone Current Board Chair, Reinsurance Group of America

“This book is a God-inspired gift to anyone looking to enter or re-enter the workforce. Fred offers practical and common-sense tips that even those who have been working for a while can use to integrate Christian principles into their daily work lives. Fred’s blending of Scripture and stories from a highly successful career as a business leader creates the perfect how-to guide for living a fulfilling Christ-centered life in business and at home. I wish I had read this book when I entered the workforce three decades ago.”
—J. Scott Davison
Chairman, President, and CEO, OneAmerica

“Having spent my entire professional life (forty-five years) counseling people on career and life issues, I was intrigued to read what Fred Sievert, a former president of one of the largest companies in the United States, felt were the top tips to achieving success in work and career. The tips are born from his broad work experience and wisdom and his Christian beliefs and values. I can say without hesitation that they are spot-on. I would encourage all who want to make the most of their giftedness and life to listen carefully to what Fred is recommending.”
—Steven Darter
President, People Management SMD Author of Lessons from Life: Four Keys to Living with More Meaning, Purpose, and Success and Managing Yourself, Managing Others: Learn How to Improve Effectiveness, Productivity, and Work Satisfaction

“America’s greatest natural resource is its young people, and this book shows them how to maximize their God-given talents. It’s another home run by Fred Sievert.”
—Jack Krasula
President of Trustinus, LLC Author and WJR radio host of With God, Anything Is Possible

“Fred Sievert has written a book that inspires, while at the same time offering practical and sage career advice in bite-size chunks. It is an excellent, timeless resource for young professionals who want to become thoughtful, successful leaders who positively impact the world around them.”
—Douglas Campbell III
The Success Coach (www.thesuccesscoach.com) Executive & Career Coach; Top 30 Global Guru Coach Author of Two Coaching Books

“As a pastor who first began my working career in the corporate world, I find Fred’s book to be extremely relevant—not only for those beginning their careers, but also for those who may find themselves re-evaluating their path in life and how their work correlates to their faith. This book provides practical guidelines for anyone having vocational questions of how their Christian values apply in a secular work environment. The stories of Fred’s own personal experience validate the advice he offers. His wisdom on how to integrate one’s belief system with a corporate culture will prove enlightening and valuable. I highly recommend this book.”
—Rev. Rebecca Mincieli
Senior Pastor, John Wesley United Methodist Church, Falmouth, Massachusetts