Warren Buffett: What the World’s Leading Investor Can Teach Us About Our Careers

Warren Buffett’s Last Letter to Shareholders

Warren Buffett’s last letter to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, released on November 10, 2025, coincided with the Thanksgiving period in the US, a time traditionally associated with gratitude and reflecting on values in life and partnerships. This was a landmark letter that many investors had been eagerly awaiting. The reason this letter is considered “last” within the investment community is that it marks the end of an era and signals Buffett’s gradual departure from the spotlight.

Warren Buffett, a legend of the global financial scene, is known not only for his investment success but also for his unwavering principles, belief in self-awareness, and the value of lifelong learning. Consider this: if you had invested $1,000 alongside Buffett decades ago, your fortune today would exceed $32 million¹. This goes far beyond money, it’s about the returns generated when you consistently remain true to certain fundamental values over time.¹

What could the wisdom of one of the world’s wealthiest people have in common with the theories and values that underpin modern career counselling?

As I read through the letter, I found myself returning again and again to three pivotal points that run through its entirety: distilled experience, the meaning of transition, and the spirit of gratitude. These were the very aspects that inspired me to consider how they connect with the values and principles of modern career counselling. Indeed, these are the core of evidence-based career development:

• Self-awareness: Starting with understanding ourselves, our potential, and our values opens the way for meaningful growth, just as Super’s and Holland’s theories suggest.  
• Patience and consistency: Just as investments need time to mature, so too does professional development. Steady effort and continuous learning yield the best long-term results.  
• Adaptability: Buffett repeatedly emphasises the need to read, stay informed, and adapt to change, a key principle in the lifelong guidance theories of Krumboltz and Savickas.  
• Values and environment: Buffett urges us to always choose partners and companies based on shared values, not just numbers or job titles. Career counselling teaches the same: the importance of work culture and value alignment in your professional choices.  

In essence, both Buffett’s philosophy and the principles of modern career counselling remind us that success is never accidental; it’s the result of systematic effort, self-reflection, and adaptability. Buffett himself devotes much of his time to study, data analysis, and constantly developing his skills, encouraging the next generation to see knowledge as an ongoing asset. This approach aligns perfectly with contemporary career models that focus on lifelong learning, self-improvement, and managing uncertainty.

Change is the Only Constant

It is essential to remember that a career is a “marathon,” not a “sprint”, just like investing. Successful professionals never rest on outdated knowledge but invest in continuous development and seek out new opportunities. Inspired by Warren Buffett, we can cultivate a mindset of lifelong growth and lay solid foundations for our professional future in a world where change is the only certainty.

In Greece, where the job market is constantly evolving, these messages carry even greater weight. Career changes, profession transitions, and reorientation require strategy, self-awareness, and resilience. When career counseling is based on these deep scientific and practical foundations – and when Warren Buffett, with his immense experience, confirms them daily – it pays for us to take them seriously.

Shhh…

Warren Buffett’s last letter was not merely a summary of decades of wisdom. It was an open invitation to us all to reflect, to appreciate, and to let our actions precede our words. The future, according to Buffett, is built gradually with prudence, consistency in values, and investment in continuous personal growth.

The letter ends discreetly, almost silently, leaving us with the phrase:

I’m going quiet.

Perhaps this phrase serves as a reminder that it is worth making space for silence, where our most important career decisions so often take shape.

1. The calculation is based on the historical performance of Berkshire Hathaway stock since Warren Buffett took control in 1965. Sources: Business Insider, CNBC, Berkshire Hathaway annual reports. ↩︎