The Ask Your Work Wife newsletter
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Recent editions 👇
🤮 “Where do you want to be in 5 years?”
Make this question your bitch.
Spooky season is technically over, but beware of any variation of the question: “What’s next?”, "Where do you want to be in 5 years?”, or "Where do you want to be in 10 years?”. Yuck, right?
Luckily, we’ve designed a framework to make that question your bitch. It’s called The Three Moves Framework.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Put your calendar away! There’s no time constraint on these moves. Let’s instead encourage elasticity that can respond to unforeseen variables accordingly. Who knows what the world will be like next week, let alone in five years. “30 Under 30” is for the birds.
☝️ Move 1 | Foundation
This stage is all about exploration and figuring out what you really want. Everyone here (and in the other stages, frankly) are either in a new job, or looking for a new job. Watch out for those “oh shit” or "aha!" moments of realization, as dramatic and subtle as they may be, for inspiration for what you want to be moving towards.
Channel those epiphanies into vertical research, and reflect on if your career can fit within 25% of your life. For the office newbies, just focus on rocking your job for the first three months. Don’t get discouraged if your expectations don’t align with 9-to-5 reality! It takes about a year to get super duper comfortable, and then you can focus on strategic, relational, organization moves. All precursors to…
🐀 Move 2 | Iteration (a.k.a. the Rat Race)
Buckle up for a cluster fuck. Things are spinning, and it can be overwhelming especially if you don’t move through it with intentionality. Focus on these three spheres of control:
YOURSELF: maintain a separate identity outside of your job and find your groove. How do I get my job done? What tools do I need to study? People I need to enlist?
OTHERS: manage relationships up, down and around. How do I drive urgency in others? How do I not step on toes? How do I present yourself interpersonally?
CORPORATE AMERICA: dedicate time to learning the unspoken high-rise rules and faux pas, how to maximize benefits, and becoming fluent in the jargon. Talk the talk.
Everyone here wants to move up or out, making it a nuanced “ombre moment”. Take on aspects of the role you want to prove your capabilities, but not too well that you’re siloed as a 2-for-1 special. Keep your head down, until that tap on the shoulder for…
🎯 Move 3 | Arrival
Mastery…of sorts. You’re stretching but not breaking in a new promotion. Still fumbling around a bit, but you know you’re the shit and are being rewarded accordingly. Lean on everything you’ve learned both from books and on the streets to make calculated, confident risks. True leaders see potential in others, and that next shoulder tap might not be the “dream” job — but something even greater: a job that supports your dream life.
Meet the Three Moves Framework
🙋♀️ Visual learner? Check the framework on Instagram
🎧 On the go? Listen to Episode 67 | The Three Moves Framework
🤓 Dive deeper
In the Work Wives' first-ever course, Vanessa & Holland introduce an entirely new way to think about Corporate America and give you step-by-step instructions on how to focus your energy to get what you actually want.
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🎯 Keep or Kill (Corporate America's Version)
All I want for Christmas is a little booklet that comes with each Game of Corporate America sold, with all the rules explained and the odd-ball scenarios clearly outlined. Wouldn’t that be so nice?!
All I want for Christmas is a little booklet that comes with each Game of Corporate America sold, with all the rules explained and the odd-ball scenarios clearly outlined. Wouldn’t that be so nice?!
Until Santa hears my pleas…. We’ve started making a naughty/nice list of our own: Keep or Kill (Corporate America’s Version).
These are episodes where the answer called into question a popular and widely accepted “rule” of Corporate America and we wonder if it’s worth sticking to in every situation.
Find these episodes anytime by searching “keep or kill” in Spotify or save this email for our current list:
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👩💼 What Is Corporate America? (And Why Is It Useful?)
Don’t know what Corporate America is and at this point you’re too afraid to ask? Ask your work wife!
Don’t know what Corporate America is and at this point you’re too afraid to ask?
Ask your work wife!
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Here’s Your Need-to-Know Checklist
🤓 A Definition
Corporate America is a catch-all phrase for profit-based businesses. This typically doesn't include education, law, medicine, military, law enforcement, other government jobs, or nonprofits.
💰 Follow the Money
Corporate America houses all our freshly-minted money (theoretically) and anyone is welcome to come join us. However, there are defined — and sometimes not-so-defined — rules on how to get a piece of the pie.
📖 Study the Playbook
This mystical place where the money lives isn’t a free-for-all; there are rules for rerouting the money to your bank account. But is your inner free spirit squirming at the “r” word? Rules are actually a good thing! They mean there are teachable, concrete paths toward winning in this seemingly lawless landscape.
🏆 Win by the Rules
Once you know the rules, follow them! Break the dumb ones we point out! Start flexing that corporate muscle to slowly but surely build a career — and more importantly — a life you love.
💼 Got a bestie who's considering Corporate America? She needs this newsletter. Share it.
Personalize the Process
There are two types of people in Corporate America: those who make the company work for them and those who simply work for the company. I bet you can guess which type we want you to be.
☀️ Today
Begin a Yearly Career Audit and focus on one skill that will carry you from job to job. This exercise helps you dive deep into what you’re doing and assess how well it aligns with your goals. Check out Episode 66 | The Yearly Career Audit for a step-by-step guide.
😎 When You're Comfortable in a Job
Work with your manager to tailor your workload (as much as possible) toward what you want to achieve. A good manager will support this, and a great one will even help you land your next job.
Play to Win
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💬 Common Interview Questions & Answers
Close all the tabs that have ChatGPT open where you’ve asked: “what are common interview questions and their answers?” Do it. Now. Trust me.
Psych!
Close all the tabs that have ChatGPT open where you’ve asked: “what are common interview questions and their answers?” Do it. Now. Trust me.
Because for as many times as you’re using AI, the companies you’re applying to are using it more. And when all the AI cancels each other out… what’s left? Two humans who have to have a conversation with each other.
So, let’s just start there. Yeah? Seems like a good plan.
But, Work Wives…. Interviews are hard! Shouldn’t I be preparing for them?
…what if I told you the answer is actually no? Or, at least not like you’ve been taught.
Episode 8 | The No-Prep Interview
We have one rule for interviews: know what you want.
Instead, know yourself and what you want so deeply that no one intimidates you.
Remember, you’re interviewing the company as much as (if not more!) they are interviewing you. Anyone — literally — can do the job you’re applying for.
But can you talk about that job in terms of what special thing you bring to the table? Can you talk about it in terms of what YOU want? And how you getting what you want is actually good for the company, too?
Yeah, you can 💪
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🕸️ When’s the Last Time You Saw Your Job Description?
Lemme guess… when you signed your offer letter.
Lemme guess… when you signed your offer letter 🫠
Here’s the deal… when the quarters run shorter, the tempers run hotter, and people are screaming at you to just “do your job” it gets really easy to walk away from the dumpster fire, Beyoncé-style.
But if you have your job description on hand, you get to ask Vanessa’s favorite question:
“What would you like me to deprioritize in order to get that done by EOY?”
When work feels like an emergency...
...find common ground with your manager. Get the TLDR on LinkedIn.
Anatomy of a Job Description...
...but it's a hamburger. Get a taste on Instagram.
🤫 Pssst... Finding that common ground is going to make Vertical Research much easier when setting your career and personal goals for 2025: see Demystifying Your Career Trajectory in Holland's LinkedIn newsletter.
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😵💫 Are Job Descriptions Getting More Confusing?
Job descriptions are becoming creative writing assignments for managers who want to hype up their company and reel in the cheapest hire. We’ve sifted through all the flashy buzzwords to help you focus on what really counts when deciding which opportunities are worth your whole-hearted effort.
The B.S. added to job descriptions is at an all-time high (according to us), which makes it annoyingly more difficult to determine if you’re truly qualified for a role, even if you’ve had that title before. Luckily, we’ve sifted through the fluff.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
🤓 Skim the Intro, Study the Requirements
Most companies tend to wax poetic throughout the intro about how they’re “family” and probably “disrupting the paradigm” — barf.
Skip this catchy marketing language and run straight to the requirements or the expectations section. This is the meaty, hefty bit! If 60% of these bullets match your background, apply. We actually rarely read the full job description before applying as long as the majority appears aligned with our CV’s.
📋 Qualifications
This is the bacon of the sandwich — nice to have, but ultimately non-essential. This varies more and more as big players like Google don’t even require a college degree. The technical requirements will tell you lots about the role — even more than the job title. Definitely come prepared with highly-technical, hard skills explicitly requested, but most certifications can be earned later, a.k.a, after the job interview or offer letter.
🕺 That Special Sauce
We love love love to see expectations laid out transparently in 30-, 60-, and 90-day increments. This is a team with their shit together that knows exactly what they need — which is not always guaranteed. Some companies hire in haste to fill a vacancy, so be wary of seemingly-confused hiring managers. Focus on the outlined expectations and qualifications, and take the rest with a grain of salt.
🔍 Got a pal looking for a job in Q4? They need this newsletter. Share it.
Secure the Bag
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🔍 Job Hunting in Q4: Should You Even Try?
Q4 is…a vibe.
Q4 is… a vibe.
Well, it’s one of two vibes. It’s either office Halloween shenanigans, the only time you see Susan in Accounts Payable (because her pumpkin pie is better than your mom’s), and Christmas cocktail hour right before the CEO sends everyone home to “check their email every once in a while” for the remainder of the year.
OR
It’s balls-to-the-wall, nail-biting, everyone’s-getting-fired-next-week bedlam.
There’s no in-between.
To every thing there is a season...
Even Corporate America. Here's the Work Wife break down on Instagram.
Months are Out, Quarters are In
Hack Your Goals with Fiscal Quarters in Holland's LinkedIn Newsletter.
Neither of these bode well for your job search; your cute little application either got lost on the way to the bar or is sitting at the bottom of a dumpster fire.
“Do I just not bother looking for a job in Q4?”
Radio silence is never good (unless…. It’s that one ex… you know) but you can’t just keep sending resumes and expecting to get a response before January of next year.
🗓️ If Q4 wasn't bad enough, it's also shorter than the other quarters... Don't believe it? Listen to Episode 105 | Four Is the Shortest Quarter.
Instead, get to networking.
Every company known to the State Comptroller is having some kind of holiday thing. Get yourself on the invite list. Every professional organization is having one too. Buy your ticket, get fresh business cards, and be exactly where your resume can’t get to: in front of the hiring manager’s face.
That way, when the hangover fades and the dumpster fire spits out its last puff of sad sad smoke, that hiring manager knows they’ve already met you. They liked you. Somehow, you seemed to already fit in with the company. Hmmm wonder how they got that idea? 😉
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🗓️ Job Hunting in Q4 Is Not for the Faint of Heart
Are you experiencing any of the following side effects from job hunting: unanswered emails, shifty recruiters and rescheduled interviews? You’re not alone! These are common issues when looking for a job in Q4. Step into our office — Dr. Work Wives are ready to see you now.
The Q4 Brouhaha
We (almost) survived another year! Let’s band together to brace for the coveted and feared Q4. Things feel even crazier because it’s the shortest quarter due to all the holiday time off. Tempers are hotter, deadlines are approaching fast, and your email is at high risk of being buried in the hiring manager’s inbox. What a magical time of year.
This context is important for understanding why your calendar isn’t packed with interviews. Everyone in positions of power is just as stressed and spread thin, trying to keep their team on track before everyone flies away for the holidays. It’s the opposite of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Q2. It’s Q4, soldiers, and winter is coming.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The Bright Side
Some companies also realize they have money to burn, and descend into a hiring blitz. The old adage “use it or lose it” reverberates through finance departments, as they may not get such a generous budget next year if they leave money on the table.
Stay proactive with these select companies, as delays in communication might have nothing to do with you and everything to do with their internal chaos. Be mindful of holiday breaks like Thanksgiving, Day of the Dead, Black Friday (especially hectic for retailers), Christmas, Hanukkah, and the week between Christmas and New Year’s, when hardly anyone is online.
This can be the ideal time to accept an offer and join the team during Q1, allowing you to onboard alongside projects as fresh as you are. Focus on booming companies to find the most motivated recruiters in the game, and keep those glowing follow-up emails consistent!
Cheers to having a shiny job update to share with in-laws and distant relatives this holiday season.
❄️ Share this newsletter with your job-hunting friends, colleagues, and LinkedIn connections.
Winter Is Coming
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
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🤓 Your Work Wives Will Know
It’s Vanessa and Holland — your Work Wives — here to shake things up and make Corporate America work for you, and not the other way around.
We're your Work Wives, standing by to help you play the game of Corporate America and get what you want in your career — and by extension — your life! Got a burning professional question? Just ask!
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
It’s Vanessa and Holland — your Work Wives — here to shake things up and make Corporate America work for you, and not the other way around. We’re not your colleagues, or your business-savvy relative, or your work bestie, or even your mentors; we’re your partners in success, your go-to for all things career-related. And guess what? We’re absolutely invested in your success! Lucky duck.
Believe us, we know Corporate America can be an intimidating game designed to confuse you and keep people out. We did all the fuck-around so you can find out (i.e. get a bigger paycheck). Turns out, Corporate America is a game. It has rules and plays to learn and practice. We’ll tell you which ones to follow to the letter and which ones to flip on their head.
Your Work Wives are always here to answer specific on-the-clock conundrums. Got questions? Need advice? Ask Your Work Wife. And share this newsletter with your friends, siblings, work besties. Let’s all start getting what we really want out of Corporate America.
⏰ It's time to get what you want out of Corporate America. Email your burning questions to Ask Your Work Wife and share this newsletter with your friends, siblings, and work besties.
Ask Your Work Wife
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
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🖤 Why “Ask Your Work Wife”?
Hey Work Wives, what’s with the name “Ask Your Work Wife”? I thought 'work wife' was a bad term? Aren’t y’all feminists?
Hey Work Wives, what’s with the name “Ask Your Work Wife”? I thought 'work wife' was a bad term? Aren’t y’all feminists?
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Hi! We’re Vanessa & Holland, your Work Wives.
This is a totally different and incredibly underrated relationship, separate from your manager, mentor, champion, or even work bestie. We scour the ends of the earth to find actionable information and tactics that you need to get what you want out of Corporate America.
Let’s break it down even further:
Ask
Our episodes always lead with questions sent in by listeners/readers like you. We only focus on topics pertinent to the current corporate minefield and challenge outdated attitudes and advice. This isn’t your grandma’s playbook (even though she’s probably still a badass).
Your
We’re here for YOU, fully invested in your career growth and helping you navigate Corporate America to achieve your goals. While your manager or coworkers may support you, you aren't their top priority — they're watching from the sidelines. But we're in your corner, with no other agenda than ensuring you succeed and make the most of what Corporate America has to offer.
Work
...is just 25% of your life so you can spend the other 75% absolutely flourishing and doing whatever you want. We love thinking, talking, and scheming about how to optimize work and make it work for your lifestyle.
Wife
"Wife" is what we are to each other, essentially a partner! It’s an intimate dynamic where we lean on each other for support, so we can be your unconditional Work Wives.
Traditionally, work wife is a woman in a man’s work who’s his trusted confidante, but is not a colleague or an equal. She would be the one to gather information about competitors, to deploy soft skills to overcome obstacles for man’s progression, and generally make his work life seamless. Think Joan in Mad Men or Donna in Suits.
We’re that resource for you today! You get to be the man until that preconceived notion is irrelevant. We’re here to unlock the car and let you step into the driver’s seat of your life.
🖤 Vanessa & Holland are your Work Wives. Share this newsletter with anyone you know who needs one.
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
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🍂 Make September Work for YOU
Why we love Virgo season in Corporate America...
As we approach the craziest (and final) quarter of the year, it’s time to gear up to avoid any pesky “fires” around the holidays that aren’t on a yule log. Nobody wants to be fully clocked-in when flights need booking, presents need wrapping, and families and reunion-ing. People are tapped out, and we don’t want your work product to reflect that.
This is a perfect, wintry, Q4 storm for elevated tension via passive aggressive pings. Don’t worry! The solution is under your nose, or rather on your calendar: September.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
September: Q4's Little Bonus Month
Why we love Virgo season in Corporate America:
🕗 Business As Usual
After the de facto end of summer — Labor Day — most people are home from vacation, slathered in aloe, and back online. You can get meetings on the schedule and you have everyone’s attention.
📊 Preparation Period
September is an introduction to Q4, offering a preview of the months ahead. Understand your P&L (Profit & Loss) to either buckle down or if you can coast through the end of the year.
💗 Be Kind to Your Future Self
Get as far ahead on upcoming projects before the holidays set in. Once November 1 hits, there’s little hope to inspire the foot soldiers to do anything too productive.
🎧 Get this concept in your ears — listen to Episode 105 | Four Is the Shortest Quarter on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Even if August slipped away, September is your secret weapon. Enjoy those late summer days organizing, strategizing, and finalizing projects. The power of a productive September with your EOY goals in mind is unmatched, so don’t let October jump scare you!
🍂 Before you request your Q4 PTO... Share this newsletter with your coworkers, teammates, and cross-functionals!
Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife: College Edition, where Vanessa & Holland go back to school to answer top questions from college students who are headed into Corporate America.
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
Get the newsletter
Because sliding into your DMs is not the vibe.
🍎 CORP 101: College Survival Guide
We’re sliding into the big sister role to help you declare a major, land a job after graduation, and decide if a degree is even right for your desired career.
Congratulations! You’ve been accepted into AYWW University. Although we normally deal with corporate matters, we know that success in the classroom leads to success in the boardroom. So every back-to-school season, we’re back to answer your top five questions about college.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
🎓 Lesson 1: Do I need a 4-year degree?
Not really… Lol… Well… Okay, it depends. Education is different from a degree. Those four years cost real money that you have to work a real job in order to pay for. If it’s a fairly straight line from Underwater Basket Weaving 101 to Marketing Manager at Basket Weaving, Inc… go for it. If you can’t quite connect those dots, there is another way — learning on the job with a salary is our favorite!
🧪 Lesson 2: How do I pick a major?
Balance passions with your desired lifestyle. Don’t go pre-med for the money if your eyes cross at chemistry, and don’t pursue music if you want a stable 9 to 5 routine. People get really tripped up over this decision, because it requires major self-reflection, honesty, and a reality check on the future lifestyle that might await you. The answer may change over time and that is a-okay. Understand what your investment is leading towards.
👩💼 Lesson 3: How do I get 3-5 years of experience before I graduate college?
The answer is right under your nose: college is 3-5 years of experience! Tailor your studies and part-time jobs towards the industry of interest. Sure, you’ll probably start out doing grunt work, but you’re learning. No matter how it shakes out, prioritize a lucrative internship over the summer that’s likely to turn into a job offer. The pool doesn’t need more lifeguards.
💼 Lesson 4: How do I find my first job after graduating?
Condense Lesson 3’s timeline. Mine whatever experience you have for a quality impact. Clubs, sports teams, part-time jobs — especially anything client-facing or handling money — quantify it! Apply to roles you’re overqualified for in smaller markets to land substantial roles.
👩🎓 Lesson 5: Do I need a second degree?
Not really… It depends. Question your assumptions. You’ll need it if your profession requires a license like law or medicine. Go if your company pays for it. In some industries, they need to see that MBA to give you more responsibility with that meatier paycheck. Go if your career switch requires more training. It’s all about closing the gap between your current know-how and a desired profession.
🎓 Got a sister gradating from college? A niece starting her senior year? Forward this newsletter!
Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife: College Edition, where Vanessa & Holland go back to school to answer top questions from college students who are headed into Corporate America.
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
Get the newsletter
Because sliding into your DMs is not the vibe.
😤 5 Rules to Fuck Up
Here’s a list of Corporate America “rules” you’ll hear a lot, but are actually useless as shit.
This week, we put together a list of rules you’ll hear a lot, but are actually useless as shit. They’re often based on a bygone era of Corporate America truth and we’re here to set the record straight. Let’s give these standards the finger and rewrite the rulebook together.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
❌ “Work is Priority #1”
Work should only take up 25% of your life. Yeah, we said it. Revolutionary? A little, but balancing your obligations with family/friends/hobbies will slash your chances of burnout in half and lead to a consistently positive work output.
❌ “Do Your Job 100% of the Time”
No matter how much you try to ignore the laws of time and space, your time is indeed finite. Your to-do list doesn’t just cover your work product.
Try splitting your day with the 70-10-10-10 Rule:
70% doing your job (ask your manager to help prioritize)
10% writing down what you did (show your receipts!)
10% telling people what you did (advocate for yourself)
10% looking for a new job (prepare an exit strategy)
💡 Note: If you just started a job (congrats!), we recommend allocating the “looking for a job” 10% back to the “doing your job” fraction. The first three months are instead focused on solidifying your new role.
❌ “Sicks Days Are Only for Sickos”
Don’t wait to be on your deathbed to take a sick day! They’re built into your agreement whether you use them or not, so take a sick day for yourself. Get your hair done, run those fun errands, or just chill offline in perfect health. That’s your prerogative.
❌ “You NEED a Certain Degree or Certification”
We don't have degrees directly related to our jobs. You might already possess all the necessary skills for a particular role but let insecurity stand in your way. Relevant experience or a strong professional network may be more valuable than a random master’s degree. Evaluate the time and price tag involved and how they align with your goals.
❌ “Companies Deserve Loyalty”
No they don’t. A business has a bottom line that rarely factors in your “proven passion” when cutting costs. There’s a natural friction: they want the most amount of work for the least amount of money, and you’re aiming for the opposite. It’s up to you to advocate for yourself even if your team feels like a family.
🖤 Your Work Wives know which Corporate America rules to follow, and which ones to fuck up. Share this newsletter with to anyone you know who needs help knowing the difference.
Rules to Fuck Up
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
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🖐️ 5 Rules to Follow 9 to 5
Feeling lost in a sea of blazers and unspoken faux pas? Start with our top five rules for mastering corporate dynamics, creating a fruitful network, and crushing your work product, no matter the level.
Corporate America is a club like any other: designed to exclude with jargon and unwritten rules. You could breeze through academia, and those booksmarts won’t necessarily translate to certain professional roles. We’ve synthesized five rules to remember as you acclimate to 9 to 5 politics.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
✅ You’re Always on Interview Footing
Don’t be fooled by your cool boss in your cool office with a ping pong table and on-tap kombucha — you’re always on interview footing. Remember to bring your A-game etiquette on company property… yes, that includes the parking lot.. Corporate America can be precarious and unpredictable, and your continued professionalism will help avoid slip-ups, like bad mouthing your manager to a client who happens to be their friend.
✅ Do the Homework Assignment
Don’t shy away from take-home assignments when interviewing. Companies are investing tens, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars in your potential, and you’ve gotta make the ROI worth it. Gorgeous portfolios only tell half the story. Take-home assignments demonstrate your abilities applied to their product and under a deadline.
✅ Reconsider Remote Work
No amount of Slack channels and email chains will ever replicate face-to-face interactions. Relationships are built through repeated (usually innocuous) interactions in the hallway, the elevator, and yes, the boardroom. Think about shows like “Veep” or “Succession” or even “Hamilton” where tycoons mingle with their direct reports, and move the plot along through passing conversation. Get yourself in the room where it happens!
🖤 Your Work Wives know the rules. Share this newsletter with everyone you know who's just graduated or is entering Corporate America for the first time.
✅ Close That Loop
Don’t take your chances when it comes to internal communication. Air on the side of annoying when liaising with your manager—especially under quick deadlines. Let them know what you’re working on, third party roadblocks, and how they can help. If your manager doesn’t know it happened, it may well not have happened at all. To be clear is to be kind.
✅ It’s Not Personal, It’s Business
Studies show that Americans' first question is usually, “What do you do?” However, you are not just what you do. Develop a sense of self outside of your job title because companies evolve, economies crash, interests change, and so will you. Lay the concept of a “dream” job to rest. People certainly love their careers, but dream bigger!
Rules to Follow
Got a question? Ask Your Work Wife!
Email your question to help@askyourworkwife.com. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
Get the newsletter
Because sliding into your DMs is not the vibe.
🔮 Demystifying Your Career Trajectory
No need for a running start or a scarily accurate horoscope — huge salary jumps are instead made through vertical research. Understanding the worth of your skillset and how titles within your vertical relate to one another is your ticket to a minted future.
In the often mystical landscape of career progression, understanding the hierarchical ladder within your industry is like piecing together a conspiracy theory with red string pinned to a cork board.
Vertical research helps decode titles by describing how entry-level cherubs slowly rise to the C-Suite, and what you need to do to close your own gap between your title and the dream.
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1. Set the Stage 📈
Tap into your studious side and dive into vertical research. Understand the titles above and below you and how they relate to each other. Think, associate, manager, director, then VP. Here’s our favorite tools that do all the heavy lifting:
2. Show Me the Money 💰
Find the salary or salary range of the titles in your vertical within different companies. Glassdoor is a great place to start, as it requires you to divulge your proprietary salary information to cultivate an accurate database. Salary transparency is slowly shedding its taboo, so this info shouldn’t be too hard to track down.
3. Recon 🕵️
Welcome to corporate espionage except it’s just a spreadsheet. Look at your research, compare the salaries with the titles’ actual expectations in your vertical to holistically understand the scope. Ignore job description dribble ( 🚩) like “able to work in a fast-paced environment.”
4. Personal Application 🤓
According to the Harvard Business Review, women tend to only apply for jobs they’re 100% qualified for, and men only need a cool 60% to apply. That sucks.
Assign a percentage to each title and give yourself grace to apply to some jobs you’re not completely prepared for. These are your “stretch” titles. This is a clear way to analyze the gaps in your resume and where you can start to qualify yourself for those bigger titles.
💌 Share this newsletter with everyone you know who's started a new job or is looking for a new one.
After essentially compiling a small thesis on your vertical, you've acquired an expert-level understanding of titles within your scope. It’s time for one of two approaches: plan forward or work backwards.
Forward planning involves leveraging your existing skills to target roles you can excel in immediately.
Working backwards entails selecting the dream title, then filling in the resume gaps over time to work towards those top verticals.
Either way, you’ll have cold-hard data to prove your worth, and, more importantly, your price tag.
Because You’re Worth It
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💸 Personal Finance Lite
Get back to the basics of budgeting so you can make money moves and take career risks with a foundation of confidence.
Inflation has officially overstayed its welcome — even the experts agree — and we know budgeting continues to feel like a chore.
Luckily, it doesn't have to be about restricting, per se. Personal finance requires a bit of introspection to discover what’s actually valuable to you to allow your spending to reflect that! Turn money into a resource rather than a stressor with these three jumping-off points:
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
1. How Much Does Life Cost? 🤔
It’s an elusive number that we (honestly) try to avoid. With the advent of auto-pay on recurring bills and subscriptions, this exact number is even slipperier to pin down. But knowing exactly how much you spend each month to live comfortably will pay dividends when considering a career move or pay cut.
2. Know Your Numbers 🧮
Outline an absolute bare-bones budget you can deploy in times of scarcity. We’re talking the MAX frugality you can muster. Ask, what do I need need to get by? Set aside big trips or dream renovations, but still include items from Maslow’s base tier and things to stay upbeat. This will require you to get real with yourself. Can I afford every new streaming service? Or do I stick with my two favorites? These are factors for you to decide on and for your budget to reflect.
3. Broaden Your Skill Set 🎓
Becoming a “lifetime learner” was an annoying thing to hear as a young student, but is annoyingly true. More skills means more opportunity and value to employers, and this doesn’t just mean a whole-ass master’s degree. Look for ways to reach cross-functionally in areas of interest. Maybe brand partnerships seem cool, or the content strategists seem to have it made. Finding online certifications can help further your expertise while working full-time.
⚖️ Got a pal whose expenses eclipse her income? She definitely needs this newsletter. Share it!
Overall, don’t run from your reality! We’ve grown up in a polite society where money talk is often awkward and uncomfortable, but there have been major strides recently with income transparency. There’s even a “loud budgeting” trend among Gen Z. The more you know about your finances, the better your decisions will be.
Know Your Numbers
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🎭 To #opentowork or Not to #opentowork
LinkedIn's #OpentoWork feature is a wolf in sheep’s (business professional) clothing. Let’s consider the nuances before slapping on this corporate scarlet letter.
LinkedIn's #OpentoWork feature is a wolf in sheep’s (business professional) clothing. It’s marketed as an unemployed flare gun for job seekers lost in a sea of “easy apply” applications with hundreds of applicants. It’s a tempting solution, but let’s consider the nuances before slapping on this corporate scarlet letter.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
A recent poll reveals a telling story: "Did the LinkedIn #OpentoWork work?" A resounding 60% replied with a firm "no," while only 20% were in favor, and the remaining 20% said it neither helped nor hurt. The overwhelming majority of participants found jobs through referrals.
Less Green = More Green 🤑
Have we mentioned networking? The thru-line of virtually all our content. A strong network can mean professors, college, and work acquaintances you collaborated with as a jumping point. See what fields they’re working in and if it’s connected to your goals. It’s absolutely not as scary as it seems, and totally within your wheelhouse. You can also check out these episodes to level up your networking skills:
🟢 Got a friend who's #opentowork? She definitely needs this newsletter — share it!
Bottom Line
Don’t let that hazy banner cover your profile pic or get in your head! Treat your professional network with the respect it deserves; reach out personally. Own what’s in your control, embrace your strengths, and let your achievements speak louder than any shade of green ever could.
Have We Mentioned Networking?
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🧇 Continental Breakfasts & Business Cards
Jump into a pool of opportunity teaming with name tags and possibility, for both the company and your own career goals. Approach the mayhem with our game plan and get WAY more out of the event than just loose business cards and shitty continental breakfast.
Business conferences can be a beast for new hires to navigate. Don’t be fooled by their vacation-like facade — it’s an on-the-clock bender designed to test your limits of small talk.
Bust through those event center doors with a fool-proof strategy to satisfy your team initiatives, and also personal goals. Spend about 60% of energy on your company’s efforts, and 40% on your own.
Here’s how:
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
60% Company Time
👭 Lean on your Manager
This isn’t their first rodeo. Make your 1:1’s all about what sessions or demos they think would be most beneficial, or what other booths require introductions. They might even have the inside C-Suite scoop on the company’s intentions for the event.
🤡 Buy Into the Circus
Skip the margin doodling and actually take some juicy notes. Be the zealot in the front seat with eyes wide open, notebook out, locked in. You’re the boots on the ground investigative journalist sniffing out the lede.
👩🏫 Homecoming Presentation
Sharing is caring and also the end goal of conferences. Present your key learnings back to HQ, how they solve X problems, and even your suggested applications. Consider sprinkling in a colorful conference anecdote.
🫡 Assistant to the manager? Hang in there. Work on making yourself indispensable and share this newsletter with everyone you know who's a Junior Something, a Senior Something, an Associate Something, or an Assistant Something.
40% Just For You
✍️ Jot Down a Personal Wishlist
Consider what insights or skills you’d like to develop at the conference. This is a fantastic resource for sussing out industry trends and getting face time with big players, so decide beforehand how this event could help catapult your own career.
👀 Always. Be. Applying.
Even if you’re googoo/gaga for your current role, you need to be scoping out other opportunities and avenues your skills could be useful in.
😤 Network to the Max
Some of the most fruitful connections happen in unsuspecting places, like the line for the bathroom. Be open, stay curious, and be ready to network your ass off.
Follow this guide to make conferences less of a cumbersome chore and more of a symbiotic relationship. These badges often cost lots of money — none of which comes out of your pocket — so make the most of this paid field trip!
Episodes for Conference-Goers
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🤨 “What would you say…you do here?”
Companies are revisiting their chopping blocks, with middle management getting nixed in droves. But don’t sweat through your swanky manager blazer! There are steps for making the cut.
Remember the past years’ hiring blitz? Yeah…well, companies have begun reckoning with their bloated growth projections and are revisiting their chopping block, with middle management getting nixed in droves.
But don’t sweat through your swanky manager blazer! There's a protocol for preventing HR from ever having to ask your direct reports, “So, what does your manager do exactly?” (That's the bloody mary of Corporate America; have it said about you three times fast and a surprise meeting with HR will pop up on your calendar…)
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Step 1: Check Your Redundancy Privilege
Lots of company resources go to paying middle manager salaries, which puts them at high risk when cutbacks roll in. Let’s pause for a moment of self-reflection:
The Redundancy Test:
Do qualifiers like Junior, Senior, or Associate dominate your title? Are you THE Director? Or are you the Director’s little helper? 🧐
Is your work product based solely on managing people?
Are there multiple VP’s or associates within reach?
Answering “yes” to any of these questions makes you susceptible to difficult redundancy accusations. Let’s pull you out of that red zone and towards the green zone of the P&L.
🫡 Assistant to the manager? Hang in there. Work on making yourself indispensable and share this newsletter with everyone you know who's a Junior Something, a Senior Something, an Associate Something, or an Assistant Something.
Step 2: Cling to P&L
Strive to become the person who “does the thing” or “owns that budget.” Your mastery of a diverse skill set should directly impact the bottom line, thus directly impacting your employment outlook.
Step 3: Consider Lateral Moves
Set career goals while sticking close to the product. Strategically fall back when offered inflated titles that may be more dispensable than your junior title. Being truly exceptional at the junior job is a much comfier position than a mid mid-level manager.
Episodes for Mid Mid-level Managers
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🤖 Will AI Take My Job?
It’s tough to be excited about the revolution of AI when your job may be on the line. There’s big talk about making things easier for everyone, but what does AI actually mean for you and your gig?
AI is the absolute talk of the town by seemingly threatening to take over the town. The vision of a robot-powered future is grand, but the application has proved fuzzy. So even if AI hasn’t rattled your job prospects yet, most industries will be affected by these innovations in due time.
🎙️ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
So will AI take your job? If the job is iterative, yes. At the very least, your day-to-day life will change. Many industries, like healthcare, will incorporate AI as a tool rather than replacing the whole doctor. But here are a few roles that will look totally different in the years to come:
Data Entry
Customer Service
Market Research Analyst
Car & Truck Drivers
Paralegal
Content Creators (graphic design, writers)
If your job made the list, don’t start worshipping robots just yet! There’s still plenty of need and demand for human thinkers in many fields, even AI development. Start focusing on these next steps:
Expand Your Skill Set
This could mean taking on fresh stretch projects or even continuing your education. Find ways to beef up your resume with tangible skills. Maybe pivot towards roles that aren’t imminently threatened by AI like teaching, social work, nursing, human resources, trade jobs, and more!
Inch Closer to the P&L
Find ways to make yourself indispensable to your company’s bottom line. Track how your efforts are directly impacting sales for the better and situate yourself as a decision maker. This could look like taking on stretch projects or working cross-functionally with departments closer to the product.
🤖 AI comin' for ya? It's gonna be okay. Forward this email to a few fellow data entry specialists, customer service reps, or content creators, then sign up for a skill-expanding course together.
Incorporate AI Now
Learn how these new developments could increase your efficiency and output. For example, writers can use AI to brainstorm tag lines, phrases or related idioms, all within seconds. Demonstrate to your employer how AI is a useful tool, but not a complete solution.
Revamp The Exit Strategy
Revisit your exit strategy in case your exact job title goes the way of the dodo. Discover adjacent positions that are relevant to your past experience. You can retroactively adapt your resume to your desired path, like updating “programmer” to “product developer”. Product developers are less affected by AI than developers.
Episodes for Outrunning the Robots
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Change the world for people affected by MS
I'm cycling toward a world free of MS. I'm going the distance with my training and commitment and I hope I can count on your support.
—John
Got a question for Ask Your Work Wife?
Record your question and email us the recording. Include your name, your city if you want, and whatever context might be helpful for us to know. And don’t forget to start with “Hey, Work Wives!”
Get the newsletter
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