Career and Corporate Cool
- ISBN13: 9780470120347
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Praise for Career and Corporate Cool “Weingarten provides entertaining and intelligent insights as well as a valuable, and very cool,? read.”
—Gerry Byrne, Chairman and founder, The Quill Awards/The Quills Literacy Foundation and Senior Advisor, Parade Publications and Nielsen Business Media “You no longer have to be part of the Old Boy’s Club to succeed in business-you just have to know how to navigate the terrain. With a sense of humo… More >>
I recently purchased a business that will require a lot of socializing and networking in my community. Since I haven’t been in the corporate world since the late eighties when I had my first child, I was looking for something that could bring me up-to-date on how to “Look, Dress and Act the Part” just like it says on the front cover of Ms. Weingarten’s book. Unfortunately, she never actually tells you anything. The book is almost cagey in its advice like she is afraid to say anything that might date the book or be construed as actual advice. There is a lot of talk about how everyone is different and no style works well for everyone or every situation. Duh! She cautions you not to be too sexy or too boring or too avant-garde or too conservative. Again, duh!
Here is an example, “There is no such thing as one definition of beauty….My best advice then? As with your wardrobe, figure out what works for you…” Double and triple duh! There is also a lot of vague business advice that is just about as helpful (including a tip not to trade sex for advancement at work in case you were thinking that was a clever career move). If you don’t already know everything in this book, you probably shouldn’t be out in the workforce.
Rating: 2 / 5
Weingarten says she wrote this book as a hybrid between a business how-to book and a style book. Unfortunately, it does not really succeed as either.
The author too often adopts a cutesy, overly familiar tone with her readers that detracts from the book’s impact and seriousness. For example, she writes on page 179, “I’m about to tell you a little secret. I know that I can trust you with it, because I feel we’ve gotten to know each other quite well over the past few chapters.” This can be off-putting to many readers.
Secondly, Weingarten is quite star-struck, often tossing off references to Caroline Kennedy, Cher, David Beckham, and other celebrities in contexts where they really aren’t necessary.
Thirdly, the book is quite New York-centric. Most of Weingarten’s examples are taken from New York’s fashion and other industries, and some of her style advice would not apply well in the American heartland.
Fourthly, the book contains several misspellings and factual errors. Well-known names such as Parris Island and Rahm Emanuel are misspelled, and the invention of the telephone is placed nearly three decades too early.
Rating: 2 / 5
I loved Career and Corporate Cool. My roommates and I in college had one copy that we would all pass around–such a gem of a book–perfect to read before your first job begins. I incorporated many of Rachel’s ideas into my blog [...] especially the How to be (less) Awkward posting.
Rating: 5 / 5
I saw this book and four others recommended by Entrepreneur magazine as the best books for women entrepreneurs. I normally don’t like books that are geared only to women because I like to think that the rules are the same for women and men in business, but after working the corporate world for the last six years I see that I’m sadly very, very wrong.
This book charts out so many issues that come out at work, and it made it sound like it was mostly about fashion style, but it’s about all of the things that make up your work style. I thought I knew a lot about how to make my personal brand, but this is the first time that I started paying attention to things that my co-workers take for granted and realized that it makes me a valuable team player and at work entreprenuer. I’ve been thinking about setting up a consulting business and I have to say this gives me tremendous confidence.
Great resource for college grads or people looking for a career change or just to pep up their personal business style.
Here’s the article http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23521168/
the other book I bought from that review is The Girls’ Guide to Building a Million-Dollar Business
Rating: 4 / 5
I heard Ms. Weingarten speak at an industry event and was impressed with her warmth and enthusiasm. I was not disappointed when I read her book at all. Some people claim to want to help you but leave out critical details in their works, Weingarten included personal anecdotes and more, but also tips on how not to make mistakes that she did. I was amazed at how honest and helpful she is in person and in print. My only criticism is that I would have loved actual photographs in the styles tips,it would have helped to give me more of an idea of what to avoid. Then again even the books by INSTYLE look dated right away, so maybe it was a good decision not to put in pictures.
Read this book if you want help at any stage of your career. It won’t tell you what to do, but it will help you understand why you are the only person who can define your personal brand in your career.
I can’t wait to read the next in the Career and Corporate Cool series!
Rating: 4 / 5