I’ve always been a fan of business books, but the reality is 99% of them are written by men who work in male-dominated industries. I’m not crying gender-bias, but the workplace experience is oftentimes very different for a male in suit compared to a woman in either a pantsuit or skirt/top combo. The New Rules of Work by Alexandra Cavoulacos and Kathryn Minshew brings a fresh perspective to women (and men alike) about how to approach building a career in today’s Insta-tweet-a-book of a world.
When my parents applied for their first jobs, they kept them for years (and in some cases, decades) at a time. Today, it’s normal practice for impatient millennials like myself to only work a summer and then “onto the next one.” What’s even more unusual is that we’re more susceptible to changing careers, not just employers.
The book itself is broken down into three parts: 1) What Do I Actually Want?, 2) Making Your Move, and 3) Charting Your Course Through the Modern Workplace. Each “chapter,” if you will, gives the reader an opportunity for self-reflection and self-evaluation.
The opening line of the book is that the authors believe “you should love your job.” I’d whole-heartedly agree with this, but sometimes you have to work shitty jobs before finding (or creating) a job that makes the work feel effortless (maybe even enjoyable). Beyond merely loving your job, the authors really emphasize the need for you to find a career that is fulfilling. Not only does that satisfy so many other aspects of your life-relationships and self-worth to name a few, but studies have shown loving what you do can cut down on killers like heart-disease and dementia (pretty cool, right?).
A really cool feature in this book are various grayed-out boxes with charts, templates, and other helpful suggestions to outlining the best possible you. There are so many great topics covered throughout the book, so for the sake of saving space (and intriguing you further to read this book yourself), these are some of my favorites:
-In the middle of an ocean of possibility, how do you know which way to swim (a great question for millennials/anyone who is filled with motivation but lacking in direction or occupation)
-unwritten (new rules of running a meeting)…my favorite of which was “make sure you really need a meeting before scheduling it.” We’ve all been to meetings (in fact I had one today), where it’s completely unnecessary and could’ve been summarized in a two-sentence email.
-how to be a straight shooter without being perceived as aggressive (hello, boss bitch in the room)
-understanding the who’s who of your network (so many great LinkedIn and professional social networking tips)
Over the years I’ve read so many business books that have bored the shit out of me. I’m talking about those densely-worded books that are loaded with industry-specific examples that likely are outdated and well, if I’m being frank, dry as hell. This book is the next best thing to a nice glass of prosecco with the girls. It’s crisp, refreshing, and goes down smoothly.
If you’re a boss babe (or dude) looking for a little direction in your career, this is a must-read. The formatting is so nicely spaced-out and did I mention there are TONS of helpful guides, worksheets, and resources throughout the book? Yep, it’s basically a business advisor, financial planner, networking extraordinaire all wrapped into one!
Don’t believe me? You should probably pick up a copy now and thank me later.
I received this book complimentary on behalf of the publisher, but all thoughts and opinions in this post are my own.
Score Card: Cover Art 4/5 | Content 5/5 | Ease of Read 5/5
