The Brian Lehrer Show

Advice for Finding Your Life's Work

Apr 22, 2026
Jodi Kantor, New York Times investigative reporter and author, shares insights from her Columbia commencement and new book on finding life’s work. She discusses fears graduates face, why craft matters, how to assess real societal need, navigating a precarious job market, and practical steps like networking to start meaningful careers.
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ANECDOTE

Commencement Origin Story With Columbia Students

  • Jodi Kantor accepted Columbia's commencement despite campus turmoil to speak directly to students' anxieties about work.
  • She spent time on Zoom with students who asked her how to find their life's work in a chaotic environment.
ADVICE

Invest In A Durable Craft

  • Do cultivate a durable craft that accumulates expertise over years to make yourself valuable and irreplaceable.
  • Jodi Kantor urges investing in long-term skill development rather than chasing social-media-friendly shortcuts or fads.
INSIGHT

Offer Practical Responses Not Pollyannaism

  • Don't just spin optimism; frame a productive response to bad labor-market news that gives people agency.
  • Kantor wrote beyond a 15-minute speech because graduates needed actionable ways to proceed, not platitudes.
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