Find Your Inner Ugly Betty: 25 Career Lessons for Young Professionals Inspired by TV Shows (Hardcover)

~ Tanner Stransky (Author)
Key Phrases: Find Your Inner Ugly Betty, New York City, To-Do List (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Whether we work in a big box store or in a corporate environment, who among us has not been in such unforgiving territory: a competitive colleague, a boss who calls you at home, bad wardrobe decisions?  On a weekly basis, a slew of TV shows humorously present the challenges of 20- and 30-something professionals—from The Office to Chuck to Ugly Betty.

 

As an editorial assistant for Entertainment Weekly, Tanner Stransky knows the challenges well, not unlike our favorite office heroine, Betty Suarez, otherwise known as “Ugly Betty.” But Tanner, like Betty, always comes up with a solution to any test—and ends up on top.

 

Packed with takeaway tips, real-life anecdotes, and expert advice, Find Your Inner Ugly Betty will give you the low-down on how to get ahead in any career.

About the Author

TANNER STRANSKY works at a national magazine, Entertainment Weekly, where he writes stories and reviews about television, books, and movies, including frequent postings to the publication’s website, EW.com. He previously clocked time at the New York Post, Teen People, and several custom published magazines. He is also on staff with Ed2010, a magazine for career building dedicated to helping young journalists find their first job in magazine publishing and continue their trek up the masthead.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Kaplan Publishing (May 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1427797676
• ISBN-13: 978-1427797674
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,034,639 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not really about Ugly Betty, September 19, 2008

By	Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Find Your Inner Ugly Betty is a new book by Tanner Stransky, a young man who appears to have held a job like the one held by television's Ugly Betty.

It's a clever title, but the book really should be called, "25 Simple Tactics for Entry Level Somethings." Author Stransky does draw analogies to episodes from Ugly Betty, Mary Richards, and a few other shows. But the lessons come from the author's own experience.

As a career consultant, my experience has focused on mid-life professionals. When I read about entry level professionals, I look ahead to ask, "How will this advice impact their future, when they reach the mid-life career stage?"

Some of Stransky's advice will be important at any career stage. I like

* his warnings about socializing and getting too personal
* his advice on keeping a game face
* his emphasis on acting confident and "fake it till you make it"

When your boss asks you to do something, says Stransky, you don't say, "I don't know." You figure it out. In general, that's a good idea. But I suspect some bosses would rather you asked for direction so you wouldn't waste a lot of time.

And that's the main quibble I have with this book. Stransky delivers absolutes in situations that should be defined as "it depends." For instance, let's say you're asked to make 500 copies. Stransky says you're paying dues. I'd say investigate the culture. Do others at your level also pay dues? Do they get rewarded?

I'd be careful about asking for extra challenges or taking initiative. In some cultures, these efforts will backfire. In my own younger days as a certified corporate maverick, I was always hearing, "Maybe we don't need a strong achiever around here." Only my self-appointed guide would substitute various pejoratives for "strong achiever."

I encourage my own clients to keep asking themselves, "Is this job making me more marketable?" In Devil Wears Prada (the book, not the movie) the heroine never makes progress with the magazine. But simply by serving time at this publication, she became a hot property on the job market.

The same principle holds in the book Double Billing. A lawyer discovers that his track record at a top law firm will be an admission ticket to a corporate job. Without slaving away at some dreary tasks, he wouldn't be considered for this opportunity.

Generally, Stransky faces a common challenge among career writers. It's hard to simplify a complex answer into a sound bite. Yet readers today (especially, I suspect, the generation he targets) want the quick fix.

4.0 out of 5 stars Contemporary Career Guide , October 28, 2008

By	Sheri S. (Montreal, Quebec) - See all my reviews

It takes a lot of work to rise to the top of the corporate ladder, or even just to survive your first day on the job! Tanner Stransky, author of "Find Your Inner Ugly Betty", should know. He has gotten himself writing jobs at a number of popular magazines and currently works as an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly in addition to being part of the Ed2010 staff (a network group for young editors).

Taking his lead from popular and successful television series, such as Ugly Betty (hence the title!) and Grey's Anatomy, Stransky outlines 25 career lessons needed to excel in any industry. The book consists of five sections that teach how to polish your image, build relationships, become irreplaceable, go beyond office hours and advance your career. Within each domain there are explanations, realistic pointers, advice from experts and anecdotes to further illustrate each chapter's message.

Being a young professional myself, this book has a lot of relevant and helpful advice that I will certainly put to good use. While some of the tips seemed obvious, the majority of them are contemporary, carefully considered and creative. I especially enjoyed the chapters on embracing your individual style and the importance of knowing the people who really make things happen (such as the office manager and receptionist). What I really like about Stransky's approach is how clearly each lesson is outlined and explained. Each chapter is very succinct and includes a quick list summarizing the key points at the end. Of course, the pop culture references included add an entertainment aspect to the book in addition to its educational value.

I definitely recommend this book for anyone entering the workforce or someone who is returning to work after an extended period of time and needs to educate themselves about the modern workplace. I have a hunch that even seasoned career veterans could learn a thing or two from this book as well!

http://bookopolis.blogspot.com

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pop Cultured Career Advice, June 3, 2008

By	Melissa Walker - See all my reviews

This is the ideal graduation gift for anyone starting out in the world--a guide to navigating the job world that is actually fun to read! With TV references galore and a genuine wit, Tanner Stransky serves up career-related tips (complete with real-life Bettys who share detailed anecdotes) that are well worth your time.