Forget the ladder.
Find your river.

Careers today aren’t simply about climbing. They’re about navigating the ever-changing world of work. Discover how the Career River can inform your next move.

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Get started: Map Your Career River Guide

Redefine professional success on your terms.

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  • Look beyond the corporate ladder by using four key career categories to define success.

  • Discover the hidden logic in your entire career journey so you can see past "setbacks" as essential lessons.

  • Prepare to chart your course by applying your new understanding of progress to your next career move.

  • Instant access to the online Map Your Career River guide, with step-by-step instructions to build your own visualization and surface key insights.

  • By focusing on how you have navigated shifting circumstances in your career, the Career River reduces anxiety and uncertainty for professionals seeking to make their next career move.

    "This framework has been incredibly clarifying for me as I reflect on my own career transitions."
    — Ariam A.

  • The guide is just the beginning: as a subscriber you’ll receive weekly insights and support for navigating career transitions, delivered right to your inbox.

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As Featured By

  • Fast Company
  • Zapier
  • Career Contessa
  • well + good
  • SRCCON
  • Knight Center
  • Idealist
  • The Fix

What subcribers are saying:

  • "It’s a genius practice for helping understand and navigate next steps in your career."

    Nina Joss

  • "Becoming a subscriber to the Career River has been a game-changer for me. It’s more than just career advice — it’s a guide to aligning my personal and professional life with clarity and positivity."

    Laura Lund

  • "If you're looking for a new way to visualize your career journey, and open to discovering some surprises, I highly recommend Bridget's work."

    Dustin Block

Driven by curiosity

Hi, I’m Bridget Thoreson, a journalist, mother of three and the creator of the Career River. For the past several years, I’ve been reporting on the gap between the story of predictable career progress we’ve been sold and the reality of what it means to be a professional in today’s working world. The truth is, the only guarantee today is change.

I built the Career River framework to help professionals struggling with their next move. As I’ve trained hundreds of people on how to apply this approach, I’ve seen the power of reframing our career stories to embrace exploration.

This is a life-changing approach — I know, because it changed mine.

Learn more