License to Thrive

Advice from the Trenches

“Interviewing such a wide range of women—from those who have ‘been there’ —to those who are ‘there’ in the trenches right now, figuring it out as they go along—gave me the perspective I wish I had during my short tenure at my first job. Perspective I want to pass on...,” says journalist Hannah Seligson in her new book, NEW GIRL ON THE JOB: Advice from the Trenches a comprehensive and entertaining guidebook that lays out the fundamentals for young women in the early stages of their careers.

Seligson knows whereof she speaks. Nine months into her first job, she was unceremoniously fired and found herself back on the job market.  Reeling from this unexpected turn of events and overwhelmed with questions, Seligson soon realized that she wasn’t the only young woman in search of advice about  how to navigate the workforce. So, she decided to interview numerous women aged twenty-two to thirty, as well as several very experienced professionals, and find out about some of the situations they faced as they embarked on their career paths. NEW GIRL ON THE JOB shares all of the tips and advice that Seligson amassed during her two years of research.

NEW GIRL ON THE JOB provides detailed advice for twentysomething women on how they can strategically maneuver through the workplace.  Following are just some of the chapters that deliver practical advice in a humorous and accessible tone:

•Becoming a Professional: There are No “Do-Overs” When It Comes to Making a First Impression—Seligson emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between acting professionally and remaining true to your authentic self (after all, that’s why you were hired), developing a thick skin, deciphering appropriate office attire, establishing  boundaries for personal correspondence, being confident in your abilities, and  accepting the fact that it takes more time than you would like to move up the ladder. 

•Even Serena and Venus Williams Have a Coach: Where, Why, and How to Find a Mentor— When it comes to mentors, the key is to build team. Seligson recommends seeking out relationships with a broad range of people, both within and outside of your office, so you can strengthen different skill sets. It’s also important to come prepared for a meeting with a mentor—bring a list of questions or topics, and make sure to establish a real give and take so it’s not all about what a mentor can do for you. Also, never ask a would-be mentor, “Will you be my mentor?” It’s the office equivalent of “Will you be my boyfriend?”

•Bad Bosses: What to Do When Your Direct Report Treats You like an Enemy, a Lover, or Anything in Between—It can be very intimidating standing up to your boss when you feel that they have crossed the line, but Seligson says that it is essential to assert yourself to avoid the common problem of festering issues—and so you don’t become a doormat! Seligson stresses the universal bad boss rule: always bring it back to how his/her treatment of you is impacting your ability to do your job as well as you could be. 

•Mistakes Happen: Dealing with Failures and Feedback—Across the board Seligson found that employers value employees who can not only take some constructive criticism, but also solicit feedback. Seligson also says that it’s critical to own up quickly to any mistake and then move on. Additionally, when you see that things are not going in the right direction, notify your boss— it will certainly help avert disasters.

In addition to personal testimonials from women who have “been there” such as Bobbi Brown, Founder and CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and Gail Evans, New York Times best-selling author of Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman, NEW GIRL ON THE JOB offers an abundance of resources including a recap of the key takeaways at the end of each chapter, dos and don’ts, a glossary filled with terms that Seligson has coined as “New Girlisms,” as well as a list of work-related organizations and websites.

Whether fresh out of school or transitioning into a new field, NEW GIRL ON THE JOB leaves no stone unturned when it comes to providing young women with the essentials they need to develop their careers. As Seligson says, “It’s time to give the next generation of women moving through the workforce the potent combination of knowledge and tools to make their first steps on a career path positives ones, setting a precedent of success in these formative years.”