Warren Buffett Just Dropped His No. 1 Career Rule for 2026 — You Might Not Like It
Written by
Karen Doyle
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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In 2025, Warren Buffett stepped down from his position as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, which he built from two textile companies into a multinational conglomerate, making himself one of the world’s richest people in the process.
Before he turned over the reins of Berkshire Hathaway, he offered some career advice. Here’s what he had to say.
Warren Buffett’s 2026 Career Advice
At his final Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting, Buffett said, “There are certain jobs you shouldn’t take.” But he was talking more about the people than the job itself.
“Don’t worry too much about starting salaries and be very careful who you work for because you will take on the habits of the people around you,” the legendary investor said. “If you find people who are wonderful to work with, that’s the place to go. Don’t expect that you’ll make every decision right on that, but you are going to have your life progress in the general direction of the people that you work with, that you admire, that become your friends.”
“It’s better to hang out with people better than you,” Buffett noted in last year’s shareholder letter. “Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours, and you’ll drift in that direction.”
Other Successful People Agree
Buffett is not alone in recommending that workers pay attention to who they will be working for rather than how much they may make. Simon Sinek, an author and motivational speaker who gave a widely viewed TED Talk about his “Golden Circle” theory of leadership, agreed with Buffett’s advice on a recent episode of the podcast The Diary of a CEO. Sinek said, “If I got one thing right as a young person, it’s that I always chose jobs based on who I would work for. I didn’t care how much money they’re going to pay.”
Research Backs Up This Advice
MIT Sloan Management Review analyzes workplace culture in leading companies and found that, during the Great Resignation of 2021, a record-high 24 million Americans left their jobs in just six months. The top predictor of employee attrition was a toxic corporate culture, which was 10 times more likely to be the reason people left, compared to compensation. A toxic culture was perpetuated by companies that fail to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, that disrespect workers and that are unethical.
Recognizing a Positive Workplace Culture
To find a job that embodies a positive culture starts with recognizing it. According to the Harvard Division of Continuing Education, a positive work environment includes:
- Psychological safety, so people aren’t afraid to speak up
- A sense of belonging, of being part of a team that they’re contributing to
- Professional development opportunities, so they have a chance to grow in their career without leaving for a different company
- Flexibility, including work-from-home capability and hybrid work arrangements
Identifying Companies That Have the Culture You Want
Now that you know what kind of culture you’re looking for, how do you find it? It can be challenging to assess a company’s culture during he interview process. Here are some tools you can use.
Do your research. In addition to researching what the company does and who their customers and competitors are, research the culture. Look for employee turnover rates — if they’re high, that can be a red flag. Look at social media posts on LinkedIn and other sites, by and about the company and its employees, past and present. Websites for job seekers, like Glassdoor and Indeed, often have reviews by employees.
Ask questions at the interview. Be specific, and ask about professional development, work/life balance and team building activities. Asking the hiring manager what they like about working for the company and what they would change if they could can be illuminating.
Read the room. Interviewers will be trying to impress you, but watch for clues that they may be sugarcoating the facts. Are they actively listening to your answers? Are they excited about their role, as well as the one you will be filling if hired? Are their answers to your questions about culture genuine and enthusiastic, or do they sound rote and practiced?
Warren Buffett and other successful people agree that there’s more to a job than the salary and benefits. Finding the right people to work with is important and can have a big impact on how happy you are at work.
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