The Ask Your Work Wife newsletter
Twice a month, only whatβs useful, all in your inbox.
Because sliding into your DMs is not the vibe.
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π§ 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. Donβt be fooled by their vacation-like facade β itβs 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 companyβs efforts, and 40% on your own.
Hereβs how:
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
60% Company Time
π Lean on your Manager
This isnβt their first rodeo. Make your 1:1βs 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 companyβs intentions for the event.
π€‘ 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. Youβre the boots on the ground investigative journalist sniffing out the lede.
π©βπ« 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.
π«‘ 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
βοΈ Jot Down a Personal Wishlist
Consider what insights or skills youβd 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.
π Always. Be. Applying.
Even if youβre googoo/gaga for your current role, you need to be scoping out other opportunities and avenues your skills could be useful in.
π€ 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 β none of which comes out of your pocket β so make the most of this paid field trip!
Episodes for Conference-Goers
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π€¨ βWhat would you sayβ¦you do here?β
Companies are revisiting their chopping blocks, with middle management getting nixed in droves. But donβt sweat through your swanky manager blazer! There are steps for making the cut.
Remember the past yearsβ hiring blitz? Yeahβ¦well, companies have begun reckoning with their bloated growth projections and are revisiting their chopping block, with middle management getting nixed in droves.
But donβt sweat through your swanky manager blazer! There's a protocol for preventing HR from ever having to ask your direct reports, βSo, what does your manager do exactly?β (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 calendarβ¦)
ποΈ 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. Letβs 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 Directorβs little helper? π§
Is your work product based solely on managing people?
Are there multiple VPβs or associates within reach?
Answering βyesβ to any of these questions makes you susceptible to difficult redundancy accusations. Letβs pull you out of that red zone and towards the green zone of the P&L.
π«‘ 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 βdoes the thingβ or βowns that budget.β 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
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.
βJohn
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π€ Will AI Take My Job?
Itβs tough to be excited about the revolution of AI when your job may be on the line. Thereβs 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 hasnβt rattled your job prospects yet, most industries will be affected by these innovations in due time.
ποΈ 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, donβt start worshipping robots just yet! Thereβs 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 arenβt 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 companyβs 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.
π€ 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 βprogrammerβ to βproduct developerβ. Product developers are less affected by AI than developers.
Episodes for Outrunning the Robots
HOUSTON, RSVP NOW
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.
βJohn
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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
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π‘ Get Your Q2 House in Order
Q1 is winding down and Q2 is ramping up, so here's a honey-do list to ensure the baton isnβt dropped during the yearβs first quarter handoff.
Itβs that time of the fiscal year: quarter-switching! (We're assuming your Q1 started in January, but double check with your mentor, manager, the shareholderβs press release, or your friends in the finance department if your company isnβt public. Fiscal years are sometimes the worst best-kept secret.)
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Q1 Reflections
The outlook was nothing but hopeful with a fresh budget, new hires, and stretch projects. People are capital βDβ Doing Things with their clean slates like executing, driving, and getting shit done!
To recap, here are the things you did, and documented, and told everyone about:
A win at 30 days
A win at 60 days
A win at 90 days
3 1:1s (monthly) to shine a light on said wins
13 statuses (weekly)
Put out feelers for stretch projects
π Share this article with a few of your corporate pals, then invite them to some networking events in Q2.
Q2 Playbook
Welcome to the exploratory period. Itβs mostly just a sappy rom com montage with the corporate version of ice skating, dessert sharing, and falling asleep on their shoulder. Itβs all cute as hell, with minimal drama, and adhering to the status quo in the healthiest way possible.
Here's your honey-do list to ensure the baton isnβt dropped during the yearβs first quarter handoff:
Meet with champions, mentors, and cross-functionals
Give vendors attention
Attend at least three networking events
Cross-training
Start a new batch of exploratory job applications
Episodes for Seamless Quarter-Switching
HOUSTON, RSVP NOW
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.
βJohn
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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
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π’ Promote Yourself From Up, Down & Around
When your work is perf, but the promotion wonβt stick.
Promotions sometimes elude even the shiniest of office stars with consistently stellar deliverables. Itβs maddening, but companies want to milk as much work for the least amount of hassle (a.k.a. money). If you find yourself in this rut or want to take preventative measures, start managing Up, Down, and Around.
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Sounds Like a Carnival Ride, but What Is It?
Managing UP: Managers, C-Suite, board members β anyone in charge of you.
Managing DOWN: Assistants, new associates, administration β any direct reports, too!
Managing AROUND: Cross-functional peers, team members, and coworkers one or two tiers removed. You all still report to the same people.
π€« Thereβs even a secret fourth direction: inward. How is your communication contributing to your career goals? Who are helpful higher-ups to keep close by, and how are you optimizing your favors towards achieving professional milestones? Keep this in mind as you navigate through these dynamics from all angles.
π« Got an rising-star direct report? Share this article so they know how to prioritize their time when it comes to inbound requests.
The Up, Down & Around Method in Action
If someone who falls in the managing UP category reaches out with a task, do it. Right then. Why are you still reading this? Go get it done and get it done good! Even if itβs not your direct manager, satisfying directives from the top down is always the priority.
For managing DOWN, you are the bottleneck between them and getting a given project across the finish line. Why? Approvals. Which means when something comes to you, itβs urgent, and you need to treat "down" requests like hot potato.
When managing AROUND, itβs generally acceptable to address it in a timely but non-urgent fashion. These are also requests that you should be weighing favors for. It may sound seedy, but consider their pressures and how you could alleviate them in exchange for requests you need to make. Like, βSure, I can help you with this EOD rush job, but only if project Xβs deadline can be pushed to Friday.β
These tactics are within your control, and require the tiniest amount of intention for some major career results.
Episodes for Promoting Yourself from Up, Down & Around
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βΎοΈ Closing the Loop Could Save Your Job
Why over communicating is not over kill.
Layoffs are top of mind, and the job marketβs scale of justice is sadly teetering towards the employerβs favor. For the lucky-duck employed professionals, this is the time to dazzle the hand that feeds you. The easiest way to step up is to prioritize closing every open communication loop. Itβs something totally within your control and will make you stand out.
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Closing the loop is as simple as it is asinine. Hereβs an example:
Manager: Hey, can you make sure our vendor fulfills the latest order?
Associate emails the vendor.
Associate: Yes, Iβve sent the message and will give you an update EOD.
End of day arrives
Associate: The vendor didnβt get back to me. I will call first thing in the morning.
Manager: Thank you for following up! Have a great day clocking out at 5. [This is a perfect world.]
Next day, 9:15am
Associate: Good morning! The vendors returned my call and said they received the order, and it will be at our shops by Thursday. I can inquire Thursday to make sure they were delivered.
Manager: 10/10 communicating, direct report. I can report to the C-Suite because of your diligence. Iβm indebted to you and will hold off on kicking you to the curb.
The end
π€ Is an uncommunicative cross-functional partner coming to mind? They need this info. Share it.
Sound like major corporate hand holding? Or even a bit annoying?
Effective communication can be both and thatβs okay. It lets your manager know you're handling a task even if itβs not solved yet. When the inevitable ball drops, your manager will know it wasnβt you (thereβs your job security π).
And if you donβt keep your manager in the loop?
You might as well drop the loop and close that laptop because things arenβt real if your manager doesnβt know. Pics or it didnβt happen, manager pings or it didnβt happen. Itβs your job to track your job and let the powers at be know youβre doing your job. Advocate the hell out of yourself by keeping receipts for when promotions are teased, or if your merit is questioned.
Episodes for Closers
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β°οΈ When (and How) to Quit
Hereβs when to jump ship and land in professional paradise.
The workplace can be high-drama reality TV with the most personal stakes! (Think of the recent Open AI drama.) There are a million reasons to quit, and you will know in your gut when to grease those quitting wheels.
There are also a million ways to approach resignation, but pretty much one very wrong way: in a blaze of high-horse, bridge-burning glory.
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
π€ Holster that scathing email, partner.
We get how attractive ye olde cut-and-run tactic is, especially on a Sunday night. Choreograph a graceful exit instead to salvage your network. Set yourself up to pass the baton smoothly instead of chucking that thing into the crowd and running for the parking lot β especially if youβre applying in the same industry in the same town.
ποΈ So when can these peace accords take place?
After extensive sleuthing, red string, and connecting the dots on a cork board, weβve deduced the ideal time to quit: post-peak, pre-burnout. A.k.a., wherever and whenever you hit a ceiling of progress. Thresholds will differ, and it takes diligent Yearly Career Audits, Statuses, and 1:1βs to hack that epiphany. Think: no more vertical opportunity, stifled capabilities due to mismanagement, or just boredom.
π₯ Got a work bestie on the verge of quitting in a blaze of glory? This newsletter will help. Send her the link.
β° The true skill is timing it before the burnout.
Check out Episode 37 all about everyoneβs favorite exhausted spiral into madness. Or take this assessment expertly delivered by Angela Duckworth of Freakonomics on identifying burnout symptoms.
π Quitting is for everyone... And so is good quitting practice.
So resist that ever-so-tempting desire to cuss out that piss-poor manager. This valiant high road will protect your peace and network. Face your personal peak, watch out for the coal mine burnout canaries, and start reaching for sunlight.
Episodes for Quitters
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π Bad News: Itβs an Employerβs Market
If the job market has felt off-kilter lately, itβs because it is.
If the job market has felt off-kilter lately, itβs because it is. The Labor Department reported the ratio of open jobs to people looking went from 3:1 to 1.3:1. Meaning, there is *just* about one job for each person applying and weβve slipped into the forsaken employerβs market rather than the coveted job seeker's market.
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Donβt spiral! LinkedIn still has too many job openings to count, but this flipped market demands more efficiency on seekers' parts to find jobs they not only want, but are undeniably qualified for.
ο»Ώ
ο»Ώο»Ώο»ΏYou can do this in one of two ways: apply for EVERYTHING (not recommended) or narrow your focus with these steps...
1. Know exactly what you want.
2. Factor in a radical, honest look at your finances.
(Donβt forget about inflation!)ο»Ώο»Ώο»Ώο»Ώ
π° Got an unemployed pal? This newsletter will help. Share it.
3. Network like itβs your job.
Network like itβs your job, because your job depends on it. Events and conferences are afoot, and those higher-ups wonβt bite. Introduce yourself, chat, make a genuine connection as a human, and the professional benefits will blossom in time. ο»ΏAnd don't forget: everything from networking events NEEDS to be followed up on. Check out Episode 44, Episode 98, and Episode 110.
4. If you have a job, stick to our favorite equation...
70% of your job: doing your job
10%: writing down what you did
10%: telling people what you did
10%: looking for a new job
Network Like It's Your Job
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π From the Desk of Your Work Wives
Itβs been a hell of a year (like most years nowadays), but weβve got a good feeling about 2024. This is the perfect time to double check how Corporate America is working for you.
Itβs been a hell of a year (like most years nowadays), but weβve got a good feeling about 2024. Professionally, weβre off to the races with newly-approved project budgets and headcount increases, which makes this the perfect time to double check how Corporate America is working for you.
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
First and foremost... What do you Want?
Itβs a simple, yet incredibly daunting, question, especially if you (fortunately!) have Maslowβs first tiers covered β food, shelter, community, achievement. But that top most pieceβ¦ itβs self-determination, self-direction, self-actualization β all fancy ways to say: setting your sights on what you Want and actually making it happen.
Now, itβs possible to break down this Goliath, life-long task into manageable chunks. What do you Want out of just 2024? Some answers weβve heard recently: more money, more PTO, more scope of responsibility, more direct reports, more structure in my schedule, more stability in my employerβ¦
π―ββοΈ Need an accountability partner for your "new" job? Share this newsletter with a friend.
Next up... How do we make that Want a reality?
One year breaks cleanly into quarters, but even quarterly goals can seem overwhelming. Can we break it down further? You betcha!
Our secret to getting what you Want out of your shiny new year isβ¦ Treat it like you would treat a new job. Make that capital-W Want your new "job description" and set 30-60-90 goals, get informational interviews on your calendar, and pick out a set of potential Champions and Mentors who can advise on this new βjobβ of yours.
To get into this βnew jobβ mindset, check out Episode 14 and Episode 47.
Hereβs to getting what you Want in 2024!
Vanessa & Holland
Episodes for Starting a "New" Job
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π‘ The Ask Your Work Wife Yearly Career Audit
Before you totally check out for the holiday break, take some time to do some 2024 planning for yourself. We suggest the Ask Your Work Wife Yearly Career Audit. Don't worry, there are steps.
Before you totally check out for the holidays, take some time to do some 2024 planning for yourself. This is a practice the Work Wives have been doing informally for years before we codified it into the Ask Your Work Wife Yearly Career Audit. No other exercise has been able to highlight the blockers that were holding us back from exponential growth and the inspiration that would get us there.
And of course, there are steps:
π« Remove yourself from your routine
Stop the circus for just one day! We know this is a B-I-G ask, but reflection isnβt something to juggle. Create a distraction-free environment β both in time and space. Carve out an afternoon, put everyone on notice youβre not available, or even book yourself a staycation. The Work Wives have been known to hop a flight to Mexico for this!
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
π€ Think about everything youβve done
Do you know what you did last summer? You better for the sake of this exercise. It might be painful or emotional or cringe. Donβt worry; thatβs part of the process. (After all, itβs not an Ask Your Work Wife meeting until someone cries.)
βοΈ Get it out of your brain
As more and more details come to light, write it all down. Get it all out of your brain so you can look at it and take stock. Vanessa & Holland love a journal, a sketchbook, a wall full of postits, or a whiteboard for this exercise.
π Stand back and look at it
Look at everything you pried out of your memory and sit with it. Reflect. You might even sleep on it.
π΅βπ« Got an aimless colleague? Niece? Neighbor kid home from college? Share this newsletter. It'll help.
π§ Let your brain do the work of finding like items
What jumps out at you? Sometimes you need everything laid out in front of you in order toβ¦
π‘ Have an Ah Ha! Moment
An βah ha!β moment is something you want more of. Something you want to move toward. Something that makes you say, βAh ha! I want THAT.β Think: leveling up, financial security, growing your team.
π© β¦or an Oh Shit! Moment
An βoh shit!β moment, on the other hand, is something you want LESS of. Micromanagement. Playing small. Feeling stuck. Anything that makes you say, βOh shit, I DONβT want this.β
Itβs incredibly powerful (and hard) to truly know what you want (and what you donβt). But once you see it, life will seem more at ease as youβre aligned with yourselfβ¦not with a job title, company, or even a salary. Then you can make work work for you.
Happy Auditing/holidays!
Episodes to get your career on track
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π Quitting Is for Everyone
Quitting is for everyoneβ¦ For the pivoting twenty-somethings, tenured professionals, tired managers, and absolutely anyone who needs a change. Hereβs our guide to confidently quitting your job.
!! AHHHH YOU JUST HAD AN INTRUSIVE THOUGHT TO QUIT !!!
Exciting! Change is scary, but usually ends up super cool⦠Plus, you know, there are steps.
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
π΄ Hold Your Horses, (Business) Partner
Donβt make any hasty decisions. Prep a βgo folderβ packed with all the goodies youβd be locked out of after leavingβ¦ This includes things like strategy documents you made, portfolio-worthy projects, and contacts.
π Understand Timing
January is recruitingβs busy season equipped with Q1βs deep pockets. However, expect sloth speed from HR departments as companies muster post-PTO motivation and work through everything they punted to "after the holiday." Donβt hold your breath until about February for the coveted "next step" replies.
π―ββοΈ Got a bestie who's ready to quit? Share this newsletter with them. It'll probably come in handy.
π Book a New Gig
GIVE THIS OPTION YOUR ALL. This is the rainbows and butterflies scenario where a dreamy position is lined up after your 2 weeks is submitted, plus a strategic vacation padding the transition. If the current job is manageable, make job applications your side hustle and exhaust your network for leads.
π£ Know Your Destitution Clock
If you need to GTFO, by all means, GTFO. But understand how much your life really costs and how much you can stretch your savings. Explore alternatives that fit and maintain your lifestyle. Move back home? Pick up part-time work? Sell that car? Raincheck that trip? Make it work for you and donβt listen to the noise.
Episodes for quitters
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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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
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π Corporate Gift Guide 2023
Get your office gifts just right this year and log off earlier than ever to celebrate the holidays.
Get your office gifts just right this year and log off earlier than ever to celebrate the holidays.
In today's email:
Read: The Work Wivesβ Guide to Office Gifts
Listen now: Ghosts of Holidays Past
Join the convo: About last night...
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
READ
The Work Wivesβ Guide to Office Gifts
Gifting around the office can be thoughtfulβ¦ ORβ¦ slightly weird and misguided. Take our hand and letβs get to the new year in one piece.
π§ Gearing up to deal-shop this weekend? Here's our gift guide, for your ears: Episode 112 | Corporate Gift Guide 2023 on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Above You
These are those tailored, Ralph Lauren Purple Label suits in glossy corner offices (a.k.a. the ones who donβt want you working from home).
A sincere, handwritten thank you letter. Sometimes, it is truly the thought that counts.
A fresh gift card to a fancy restaurantβwithin reason. It neednβt cover the whole bill (because, listen. They know they make more than you.)
Anything sweet under the umbrella of seasonal office snacks. Think Seeβs Chocolates (not an ad, but should be!), gourmet hot cocoa, or some fancy AF gingerbread cookies.
Around You
They get you. Cubicle partners, counterparts, all the usual suspects who make the modern βTop 8β MySpace Slack.
Find the nearest tchotchke store (World Market-esque) and pick your $20-40 fighter: candle, calendar, ornament, or inside joke.
The classic $20 Starbucks gift card. Always lands, always used in full.
Give team morale a nudge by organizing a white elephant gift exchange (orβ¦ whatever the cheap gift swapping game du jour is this year). Set a spending limit and let the sweet, βgrammable moments unfurl.
Under You
Leave the mistletoe out of this particular line up⦠but make sure the gifts are legit. These are the people that make you look good!
A well-made branded journal or upscale stationery. Itβs simple, practical, but with a nicer price point.
Gift the gift of knowledge β a book that you found particularly useful to you personally. Make it worthwhile!
A twist on the aforementioned classic Starbucks gift card: make it $50-100. Youβre now the one who makes more than themβ¦ Everybody knows it, so donβt skimp.
All Around You
When youβve gotta give at SCALEβ¦ itβs time to scale DOWN the gift package. If your list gets to be 20+, we recommend a travel-size gift package with an assortment of goodies. Could be skincare, treats, or something they specifically rave about.
LISTEN NOW
Ghosts of Holidays Past
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HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
The Ask Your Work Wife Course
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.
YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
GET ON THE LIST
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π€ Writing Resumes for Robots 101
Resume-scanning AI is the crafty bridge troll standing in the way of that coveted interview, and weβve got the answers to his riddles three.
Resume-scanning AI is the crafty bridge troll standing in the way of that coveted interview, and weβve got the answers to his riddles three.
In today's email:
Read: Writing Resumes for Robots 101
Listen now: Network Your Tuchus Off
Bona fide: We've got merch.
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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Writing Resumes for Robots 101
Human resources all across Corporate America have annoyingly optimized their workflow with resume-scanning robots. These nerdy bastards select the qualified crΓ¨me de la crΓ¨me applicants to be seen by human eyes. And if this makes you want to delete your LinkedIn, thatβs totally normal, but unnecessary. Hereβs how to outwit the robots:
π€ Network Your Tuchus Off
THIS is the only sure-fire way to get a hiring managerβs attention. Human connection beats robots every time. Lean on your past mentors, professionals who championed you internally, happy clients, professors with rapport, sorority sistersβreach out to all corners of your village! Getting a personal referral or introduction speaks volumes to new employers.
π ββοΈ Avoid 200+ Applicant Pools
LinkedIn is kind enough to taunt us with this info on the job listing. You could literally be born for that gig, but if a million girls would kill for this job, put the weapon down. Itβs just a job.
π Focus on Roles Youβre Qualified For
AI is mostly scanning for relevant experience and trying to find the exact best fit. So if youβre applying to a VP position when your last leadership position was student government, dial it back. Focus that ambition on the next career step instead of the tenth.
π Double Check the File Type
Pick your fighter: .docx or .pdf. Follow what the application specifies, and if it doesnβt, we recommend the .docx format because itβs most compatible with automated resume screeners.
π Use Keywords and Phrases
Tailor your resume for each job. Yeah, this might be a pain and youβll be tempted to drag and drop the same oleβ file each time. But taking just 5-10 minutes to update the wording could get you in the robotβs good graces.
π§ ...and in case your momβs resume is more up to date than yours, listen to Episode 15 | Not Your Mother's Resume on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
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Network Your Tuchus Off
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The Ask Your Work Wife Course
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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Got a question for Ask Your Work Wife?
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πΈ Manage Inflation (Better Than the Fed)
Life is more expensive lately and everyone is feeling it, but there are ways to relieve the pressure.
Inflation is spooky seasonβs scariest hatchet-wielding menace, and weβre here to rip that cheap expensive Halloween mask off with 4 ways to manage the hell-raising prices.
In today's email:
Read: 4 Ways to Cope with Inflation
Listen now: Stretch your dollar, not yourself.
Join the conversation: Coming soon to a podcast near you...
Take the course: How to get what you want
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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4 Ways to Cope with Inflation
Youβve clocked those unbelievable price tags on everything from groceries to, well, everything! Wages canβt keep up; your income would have to jump 55% to make the housing market affordable. Life is more expensive lately and everyone is feeling it, but there are ways to relieve the pressure.
π£οΈ Open Up Raise Discussions
Itβs time to schedule that momentous 1:1 with your manager to boast about your recent wins and what your scope demands in dollars. Donβt rely too much on inflation as a reason for the raise; highlight your niche skill set and value-add to your company instead. Check out our guide to securing a well-deserved raise to help cushion the higher cost of living.
π§Ύ Revisit Your Budget
Most Americans donβt have $400 for an emergency (including some of the highest-paid people in America). So youβre in good company if thatβs you, but we want you to make new, thriftier friends. Itβs time to revisit your βbare bones budgetβ and take stock in how much your life now costs month to month. Once you establish your new baseline, ask yourself the tough questions: What can you NOT live without? Can you cut back somewhere else to avoid losing that non-negotiable thing?
π Rethink that Resignation
Pervasive toxic work environments can be detrimental to personal wellbeing, so by all means get outta there if you must! But, if youβre ready to jump ship, maybe skip this shark-infested inflation waters and wait for another job to cruise by. You never know how long youβll have to hunt for a job, so make job hunting the side hustle while you sit on your comfy, consistent income.
π Explore Side Hustles
Got a hobby that can make you some petty cash? Letβs cashflow some of those regular expenses. Take stock of your free time and decide what level of commitment elsewhere is manageable. We are by no means advocating a run-yourself-ragged approach to inflation. Find an endeavor that fits your bandwidth.
π§ Rising prices got you down? Listen to Episode 80 | Personal Finance Lite on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
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π° Get that Bag: A Tactical Guide to Getting a Raise
Advocating for yourself shouldnβt feel slimy or greedy. If asking for more money makes you want to chuck your laptop into the sea, weβve laid out a game plan.
Asking for a raise stokes awkward fear in even the most confident, blazered business women. Overcoming this knee-jerk, anxious reaction to salary negotiations could literally change your life.
In today's email:
Read: A Tactical Guide to Getting a Raise
Listen now: A very particular set of...negotiation skills
Join the conversation: What's the best holiday gift you've received?
Get what you want: The Ask Your Work Wife course
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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A Tactical Guide to Getting a Raise
Advocating for yourself shouldnβt feel slimy or greedy. If asking for more money makes you want to chuck your laptop into the sea, weβve laid out a game plan.
Do Your Vertical Research
Sift through Glassdoor, LinkedIn, or Payscale for how your skills are being compensated elsewhere. Know what your job responsibilities are worth, not necessarily your title.
Know Your X Factor
Highlight your professional βje ne sais quoiβ that makes you indispensable and solves your companyβs needs like fluency in a second language (Spanish or C++).
Show the Receipts
Keep track of major wins as discussed and meticulously tracked in your Status meeting agendas. Consider scheduling a salary conversation after a positive performance review or notable milestone.
Time It Right
This is not βpingβ territory. Schedule a 1:1 with your manager at least two weeks in advance, and send an agenda at least 24 hours before. In-person is preferred, but you know your work dynamic best.
Keep Q4 in Mind
Plant the salary seeds before budgets are finalized in your industryβs fiscal calendar.
π§ On your way to a negotiation conversation right now? Listen to Episode 3 | What Women Want: More Money (aka The Negotiation Episode) on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
WORKING TITLE: HOW TO ASK FOR A RAISE
TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE MEETING
YOU
Iβd like to schedule a 1:1 to discuss my performance and compensation.
(Be specific that this is going to be about salary. Suits react poorly when cornered!)
AT THE MEETING
YOU
I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me! Iβd like to discuss my responsibilities in this role, how Iβve contributed thus far, and how my compensation could reflect that.
(She is polite and straightforward.)
YOU (CONT'D)
Iβm really enjoying my work. The launch exceeded target by 90 percent, bringing in a million new customers, and my next campaign is projected to make this company a bajillion dollars.
Taking into consideration my experience and the scope of this position, Iβm requesting a salary lift of X percent, bringing my annual salary expectation to X dollars.
(She takes a big breath because that was really brave.)
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I have a very particular set of... negotiation skills.
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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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
The Ask Your Work Wife Course
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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πββοΈ How to Handle the Hiring Surge
The chatter about a September hiring surge is deafening, but donβt tune it out. Get ahead of it.
The chatter about a September hiring surge is deafening, but donβt tune it out. Get ahead of it.
In today's email:
Read: βIf youβre not 10 minutes early, youβre late.β
Episodes to Handle the Hiring Surge: Listen now
Never Stop Learning: Ask Your Work Wife at HBMA's Interactive Strategies Conference
You Ask. We Answer: Send us a question.
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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βIf youβre not 10 minutes early, youβre late.β
Itβs September β or, as we like to call it, Q4βs bonus month. Everyone is back from family vacations and the kids are all back in school. The whole of Corporate America is settled back into a routine and humming along. C-suites are gearing up for the next yearβs planning and budget meetings.
You also have enough information about the year to know exactly where you stand financially β how likely is it that we make a profit this year?
If itβs highly likely, your department knows it needs to spend its remaining budget in order to keep it for next year (and maybe even add to it!). The reverse is also true.
Which is why you end up with a hiring surge orβ¦we hate to say itβ¦a layoff purge in September.
What can you do about it?
In August, review your Status and 1:1 documents, clock those big (quantifiable) wins, and update your resume.
Set job alerts on LinkedIn for your title, the title right above you, and that wild, ridiculous fantasy title you really want.
Apply. Follow up. Interview.
βοΈ NOTE: Even if youβre not looking for a job, your company is hiring. That means the new hires are coming in $10-20k above what your current salary is. If you donβt want to be left behind, you need to make a strong case for an off-cycle raise. The best way to do that is with a competing offer in hand.
By October, the calendar has ticked into Q4 and itβs all closed-door C-suite planning and holiday plans. The window is closed and if you werenβt prepping in August, you missed the September window.
But next year, your only goal needs to be: get your department to spend that excess budget on you.
π§ Winter is coming β listen to Episode 69 | Turn! Turn! Turn! To Every Quarter There Is a Season on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
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Episodes to Help You Handle the Hiring Surge
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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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
The Ask Your Work Wife Course
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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π€ Where do I find B2B marketers in Houston?
Hey Work Wives! Hereβs a questionβ¦. Whatβs the best way to break into B2B Marketing as a career? I know I should be networkingβ¦. But I donβt know where to find B2B marketers in Houston. Help!
Hey Work Wives! Hereβs a questionβ¦
Whatβs the best way to break into B2B marketing as a career? I know I should be networkingβ¦ But I donβt know where to find B2B marketers in Houston. Help!
In today's email:
Read: Where do I find B2B marketers in Houston?
Catch up: Most recent episodes of Ask Your Work Wife
Got a C-suite interview coming up? Here's what you need to know.
How to get what you want: The Ask Your Work Wife course
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
READ
Where do I find B2B marketers in Houston?
Join us at Houston Business Marketing Alliance's Interactive Strategies Conference on Wednesday, August 30.
You'll hear from the top B2B marketing minds in the city and have plenty of time to mingle with like-minded professionals.
Ask Your Work Wife has sponsored the attendance of three early-career marketers and worked with HBMA to provide a 10% off code to our followers (thatβs you!).
CATCH UP
Most recent episodes
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HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
The Ask Your Work Wife Course
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.
YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
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πΈ How to Drink with Your Coworkers
We collectively took a two-year hiatus from drinking around our coworkersβ¦and it shows. Whether youβre a sommelier or stone-cold sober, we could all use a refresher.
Itβs 5 o'clock somewhere, which means itβs happy hour somewhere and itβs not always the happiest. In Corporate America and beyond, your interaction with alcohol says something about you β letβs make it say something good! Or at least neutral.
So sit back, relax, pour yourself a drink (or donβt), and study up on happy hour etiquette.
In today's email:
Read: How to Drink with Your Coworkers
Listen: Business or Pleasure?
Got a recruiter screening call coming up? Here's what NOT to mention.
How to get what you want: The Ask Your Work Wife course
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Apple Podcasts.
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Look at the Time, Itβs Happy Hour
We collectively took a two-year hiatus from drinking around our coworkersβ¦and it shows.
Thereβs a unique culture, language and even lore around alcohol that bubbles up when you network. Your relationship with alcohol is very revealing, can lead to sensitive conversations, and spark social testing.
Whether youβre a sommelier or stone-cold sober, we could all use a refresher.
π§ Team happy hour coming up? Listen to Episode 60 | Pass the Work Happy Hour Vibe Check on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
A Two Second Vibe Check
Itβs the quick moment when the bartender asks βWhat can I get you?β If youβre going off script, all eyes will be on you β so hereβs the script:
Check out this list of cocktails, beer and wine that are socially acceptable. Doesnβt matter what specifically, just stick to the status quo. Donβt let your alcohol snobbery or bashfulness shine through.
Alcohol? Iβve Never Met Her
There are plenty of sober people playing it cool at happy hours and the reason doesnβt matter as much as you think. Whether youβre in recovery, religious, pregnant, or just not into it, we donβt want you to miss out on the potential connections. Check out the menu beforehand to scope out the non-alcoholic options. Sobriety is trendy now and so are mocktails, so if youβre comfortable in your sobriety, order that fun fruity sparkly drink.
Hacking the Vibe Check
If youβre shy about your sobriety, thereβs an almost sure-fire way to avoid the questioning: miss the first round of drink orders. Here's how:
Be a little late. (Have "trouble" parking the car!)
Go straight to the bar instead of the table or gaggle of suits. Nobody will bother you if thereβs a drink in hand. Bonus points if you get something sparkly with a lime, because it looks like a G&T (gin and tonic).
A few drinks in, offer to grab water for the table. At least a handful will bite and you can sip on water the rest of the night. We condone closinβ deals and staying hydrated.
Cheers!
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Business or Pleasure?
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HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
The Ask Your Work Wife Course
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.
YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
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π€ An Introvertβs Guide to Networking
That networking event you RSVPβd to has finally rolled around and youβre feeling much less sparkly than you did on sign-up day. Go anyway! We promise itβs a sure-fire way to progress in any career and get what you want way faster.
That networking event you RSVPβd to has finally rolled around and youβre feeling much less sparkly than you did on sign-up day. We especially salute introverts (Holland) who brave professional speed datingβhopefully with their extroverted friends (Vanessa).
We promise itβs a sure-fire way to progress in any career and get what you want way faster. You might even have some fun (youβll definitely have some fun).
In today's email:
Read: An Introvertβs Guide to Networking
Episodes for Networking Newbies: Listen now
You don't have to be a people manager to get ahead: Join the convo
How to get what you want: The Ask Your Work Wife course
ποΈ Ask Your Work Wife is a new podcast for ambitious professionals in Corporate America. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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An Introvertβs Guide to Networking
π§ On your way to a networking event right now? Listen to Episode 54 | Networking for Newbies on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
We, the Work Wives, have something wild to say:
Networking moves your career further and faster than anything else.
βVanessa
You read that right. Knowing lots of people and knowing them well is going to help your career more than anything else. Not certifications, fancy degrees or even your bank account.
There are just two key buzz words to remember: strengthening and growing. Growing your network refers to meeting more people, whereas strengthening is fostering genuine connections by following up.
People assume extroverts are all networking savants, but you know what they say about assuming? It annoys the Work Wives.
Anyone, including textbook introverts, can create a meaningful and expansive network. Here's how:
Do Your Homework
Youβre committed to an event, and every event has a coordinator. Find that person! Ask them any and all of your questions! They want and need you to show up. They will be forthcoming and helpful with easing your anxieties, and you may inadvertently make your first connection well before the event.
Lean Into the Anarchy
Some of us (cough Holland cough) love the rules that govern corporate society. We yearn for hierarchies. Networking events tend to scramble those labels and leave the type-Aβs and Virgos floundering. Rewrite that narrative! No structure means youβre not obliged to stay the whole time or talk to every single person. Talk to five people and leave after 30 minutes. Do your thang.
Business Cards Babyyy
If thereβs a name badge situation, only use your first name. Write it big to avoid the awkward lean in and avoid the phone or pen fumble by bringing business cards. Seems old school, but it still totally works. Bonus points if you print them at Moo (not sponsored) for an extra cool look.
If You Bring a Friendβ¦
...the temptation is to cling to their side like a crutch, so set clear intentions around networking. Prioritize the new people over the familiar hangout.
Be Cool.
Let people come to you. Find a corner thatβs on the edge of the chaos and just stand there with inviting, open body language. When chatting, turn on that charm, but in a chill way. It sounds so dumb but ask a question and then let them ask a question. People donβt know who you are if youβre always asking them questions.
Never Forget the Follow-Up
The real game starts when the event is over: the much anticipated follow-up. Remember their name. If you promise something, follow through. Reach out on Instagram or via email, but donβt overthink. Move heaven and earth to go to something youβre invited to.
And thatβs it! No biggie, right? Itβs like business casual friendship and youβre already a great friend. You got this :)
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Episodes for Networking Newbies
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HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
The Ask Your Work Wife Course
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.
YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
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π° Piece of cake performance review recipe
Hey overthinker, we have a request for you: donβt overthink your performance reviews.
Hey overthinker, we have a request for you: donβt overthink your performance reviews. No need to rehearse a whole song and dance. Just go over the quarterβs greatest hits and skip the minutia.
Ask Your Work Wife is here to help you present your manager with bullet points that prove you're contributing to the bottom line. New episodes drop Wednesdays on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
In today's email:
Read: Donβt Overthink Your Performance Review
Listen: Just be chill.
Got a question for Ask Your Work Wife? You ask, we answer.
Join the convo: Not us becoming β¨unhingedβ¨...
π§ On the go? Listen to Episode 47 | Donβt Overthink Your Performance Review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
READ
Donβt Overthink Your Performance Review
A performance review is nothing but a form. Just a bunch of silly little text boxes on a piece of paper that is filed away in HR where it canβt hurt you. Replace the scary with pragmatism.
Managers want to assess if their employees are adding to the bottom line. If youβre reading this newsletter and trying to rehearse your performance review, youβre already doing the most.
Itβs not about whether or not youβre eligible for a raise, itβs about whether youβre ineligible for one.
βHolland
Piece of cake performance review recipe
Ingredients
A heavy pour of clearly set quarterly goals to point back to.
Pretty much the whole container of a detailed report of your top and bottom performing outcomes.
Set aside a batch of fresh, yet achievable goals.
Directions
1. No Studying Allowed
Resist every urge to study for the meeting. Itβs a professional pulse check. Youβre a warm body whoβs in the building delivering top line items as prescribed in the job description. Thatβs a gold star right there.
2. It's an Open-Book Test
You give them the information they need to write a glowing review in those text boxes. Give them the language for you to win. This is a reporting meeting to report on your past performance.
3. Don't Ask for a Raise
I know we say this every other sentence, but this is probably the one time you gotta sit on that raise request. This meeting is all about the brass tacks of your day-to-day job function. Instead, nudge a raise request during 1:1βs.
LISTEN
Just be chill.
YOU ASK, WE ANSWER
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 donβt forget to start with βHey, Work Wives!β
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THE COURSE
Make Your Move
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.
AMBITIOUS, CAREER-ORIENTED, AND TOTALLY ON INSTAGRAM
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