Customer Reviews

The Woman's Workplace Survival Guide

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"On the most basic level, you give your employers 40 hours a week, and the employer gives you a paycheck. But on a deeper level, you give them your personality, character, skills, knowledge, ideas, trust, and loyalty. In return, employers and coworkers give you a sense of belonging, security, personal and professional development, opportunities, and support." When I read that I thought, "WOW! Is that ever right on!"

Author Sarah Kaip certainly knew what she was talking about when she put this book together. Her humor and witty style make reading this guide a pleasure. I have been in the workforce for over thirty years and have seen most of the issues first hand. I have been on both sides of some of the issues, and I sure wish this book had been around sooner.

The information and advice in The Woman's Workplace Survival Guide doesn't just apply to women, or office jobs, but to anyone in the workforce in any position. I have worked in plywood mills, retail stores, television stations, and corporate offices, and the insights and solutions contained in this book cover most of the situations I have found myself in.

I highly recommend this book, it should be required reading curriculum for high school and college students looking to enter the workforce. An excellent book for use in job councils and in rehabilitating displaced workers.

Even your mother doesn't give advice like this. I wish someone had told me what this author writes when I first started my career. I identified with many of the problems presented in this book. The examples given seemed like scenarios I lived through myself. Her no-nonsense approach to dealing with coworkers cuts through a lot of the office politics and just plain silliness workers endure each day. She also offers several tips on how to get what you want from your boss without making him or her feel threatened.

Perhaps the best parts of the book are the last two sections on "Surviving Yourself" and "Your Ladder to Success." Many women are their own worst enemies. Fear, doubt, self-esteem problems, and lack of know-how keep women at the bottom of the corporate ladder. The ladder part tells women how to get started in their climb to the top. I highly recommend this book.

Most career advice books just tell you what to do and not do in the workplace. This book also addresses the internal conflicts women struggle with. This book really helped me make connections between who I am as a person and how that affects what I do in the workplace.

The book teaches two things--one, how to be politically savvy and two, how to be a better person so you can have a better career. I already know how to be politically savvy but my own worries, frustrations, high expectations, and self-esteem are the problems I deal with.

Her chapter on being a perfectionist hit the nail on the head. She helped me realize that love at home is supposed to be unconditional, while love at work is conditional. At work, it's based on our productivity, skills, experience, and education. The author says that admiration and acceptance at work are not necessarily approval of ME, they are approval only of what I DO. If I insist on being perfect, I'm basically teaching people to pay attention to what I do, not who I am.

The book is packed with lots of insight just like this. It's nice to read career advice that delves into how women feel about their careers and about themselves.

For any woman (or man) who is new to the workforce, one of the major things to consider is getting along with co-workers. This book looks at the sort of people one will meet in the workplace, and what to do about it.

Are your co-workers arrogant, cynical, passive-aggressive, bullies or complainers? Publicly praise them for their help when appropriate, and don't be afraid to stand up to them. If they created a problem, don't make it personal; make them come up with a solution. If someone tries to dump their work on you, set clear boundaries as to what you will, and won't, do. In meetings, do not, for any reason, lead with, "This may be a stupid question, but..."

What if you are the one with the "problem"? This book looks at negative self talk, people who are impatient or perfectionists, overcoming social anxiety, and dealing with criticism (not all criticism is a personal attack).

The author also looks at when to work from home, when to change jobs, and when your employer makes that decision for you (being fired is not the end of the world). More serious issues are covered, like pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, equal pay for equal work, and asking for a raise (something which is never easy, no matter who you are).

This book may be intended for women, but it is also highly recommended for men entering the workforce, too. It is very easy to read, and the author does a fine job presenting solutions for the situations that may be encountered in the workplace.

This is an excellent, easy-to-read manual for any woman navigating through the workplace. Ms. Kaip writes in a succinct fashion on a variety of topics, infusing humor and personal anecdotes throughout. This would make a great graduation gift for those entering the workforce for the first time.

Clearly, the author has experienced many of the problems mentioned in this book, first-hand. Her down-to-earth, sensible, and humorous advice will revive any deadbeat career. She offers advice on how to deal with troublesome coworkers, how to get what you want from your boss, how to overcome your own career baggage, and how to get your career going in the direction you want.

I particularly liked her descriptions of the various personalities we all work with at some time in our careers. Who hasn't worked with a prima donna? Or the even more infuriating passive aggressive coworker? The author shows you how to get what you need from them without losing your cool and needing to pop an aspirin.

What I found most useful though is the section on "Surviving Yourself." Many women don't realize how certain behaviors hold them back in the workplace. For example, letting other people take advantage of them, taking criticism personally, becoming envious of coworkers, failing to be assertive, and failing to set limits or take risks. What I liked the most about this book is that the author deals with not just problems and solutions, but the feelings women wrestle with each day, such as fear, a lack of self-esteem, problems with self-respect, a need to be perfect, or just plain laziness. Every working woman who is dissatisfied with her job should read this book.

It takes all types of people to make the world go round, or so they say. Have you ever had to deal with a co-worker who had the innate ability to dance on the very last nerve that you had left? What about that big crybaby who sits across from you and would get a lot more work done if she would just stop her dang whining and get to work? Well, if you ever had to endure the working world and its inhabitants, then you may want to acquire Sarah Kaip's THE WORKING WOMAN'S WORKPLACE SURVIVAL GUIDE.

In this guide, Ms. Kaip analyzes relationships amongst co-workers based on personality types. For instance, we have the Prima Donna group who believe that they are God's "gift to the corporate world" and that the Earth rotates around them. Basically, Prima Donnas are the ones who love all the glory - they can talk the talk but they can't walk the walk and, oftentimes, they pass the buck when it comes to getting work done. As with all of her personality descriptions, Ms. Kaip offers a solution to dealing with the Prima Donnas. She advises that if we have to deal with a Prima Donna type in our workplace, then it would be up to us to create a boundary as to what type of behaviors we're willing to accept. Kaip addresses six personality characteristics and offers up good, sound advice for dealing with them. When I read the very first sentence of the "Complainers and Whiners" section, I found myself saying "Damn!" because Ms. Kaip states that the "very problem that they (whiners and complainers) exist is the problem."

The other major sections of the book are "Surviving Bosses" and "Surviving Yourself." Each section is as enlightening as the first. By her writing style, it is evident that Ms. Kaip has done her homework. As a human resources professional, the concepts presented to me in this book were not anything new, however, Ms. Kaip's presentation framed them in a new, entertaining manner. She laces the book with pearls of advice such as "influence others to be positive" and "don't be afraid to apologize". The one caveat to this book is that I would have liked for the author to reference her sources when citing statistical data. For instance, the "Asking for a Raise" chapter utilized a great deal of statistical information and I would have liked to have had the opportunity to reference her sources. All in all, Ms. Kaip has penned an informative read that could apply to anyone in the workplace, whether male or female. (RAW Rating: 3.5)

Reviewed by Nedine
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers