Lauren Berger’s new book, Welcome To The Real World: Finding Your Place, Perfecting Your Work, and Turning Your Job Into Your Dream Career is absolutely perfect.
For your young, clueless co-worker who just doesn’t seem to ‘get’ it.
Do you work with someone just starting their career who can’t figure out why merely meeting minimum expectations doesn’t get rewarded? They need this book.
Do you see young co-workers relying on habits and strategies that worked well in college, but don’t see how ineffective those same methods are in the workplace?
Or maybe they practice poor email etiquette, never take notes at meetings (or even pretend to), and are pretty much useless when they have to figure something out on their own?
Buy them a copy. Maybe even two copies.
Wisdom From The Intern Queen
A career expert and founder of InternQueen, Berger opens with an engaging, self-deprecating story about being a major screw-up in her first “real” job: personal assistant for a talent agent in Los Angeles.
And even though I was hooked on her entertaining writing style and her kind – but firm – honesty, I still couldn’t help but think, “Gosh, this advice is so basic.”
Which is exactly the point.
This book was not written to benefit me, an experienced 44-year old with a variety of jobs and industries behind me, full of confidence, and somewhat savvy about the workplace & its pitfalls.
In Welcome to the Real World, Berger has created a manual that is essential for newbies in the workplace.
She covers topics like the immense value your network can provide if you invest in it, organizing your workplace & creating systems to support you. She addresses professional email practices & email management strategies, and illustrates how your actions today affect your personal brand – even if that’s not your intention.
For every topic covered, Berger explains why you should care about it, and she provides actionable steps – complete with helpful tools & apps – on how to manage it.
My favorite chapter was “Oops, I Did It Again” in which she covers many of the basic pitfalls in a work environment. For each potential disaster she lists the possible mistake, provides a valuable example of it, and instructs you in detail on how to fix it.
It’s definitely the book I wish I’d had back in {ahem} 1992, when I entered the Real World. And even though I don’t expect to refer back to the book, I’m very glad to have a copy of it.
Because I know just who I’m going to give it to….
Welcome To The Real World: Finding Your Place, Perfecting Your Work, and Turning Your Job Into Your Dream Career is scheduled for release on April 22, 2014. It is now available for preorders.
