The workplace of today is not as hospitable to the young professional woman as we are sometimes led to believe. Power, pay, and opportunity still favor men. In addition, generational differences between baby boomers, who hold many of the managerial positions, and the entry level millennials can result in misunderstandings and conflict. What young women need to know to successfully begin their careers and advance up the career ladder is not often taught in the classroom. Instead, it is handed down from one woman to another, usually in the form of mentoring. 100 Ways to Start Smart and Get Ahead in Your Career fills a knowledge gap for millennial women. It is a collection of 100 real-world career tips for young professionals, especially those working in the nonprofit sector (although the information can be applied in any professional setting). Written in clear, straight-forward terms, the guidance found within these pages addresses everything from minor daily irritations to major career dilemmas and choices. It covers a diverse range of topics from personal branding, power differentials, and public speaking to office politics, sexism, work-life balance, and everything in between. 100 Ways to Start Smart is the result of a collaboration between an experienced CEO of a national nonprofit organization and a young professional who began working with the CEO right out of graduate school. After several years as co-workers, the authors realized how invaluable their relationship had become for both of them, and, unfortunately, how unique it was as well. They believe that one of the most important factors that contributes to a woman's career success is having other strong women for guidance, critique, and support. Many young professional women do not have a mentor that they can turn to, rely on, and trust as they begin their careers and face challenges in the workplace. This book will not completely take the place of a mentor. It will, however, make young women aware of possible employment pitfalls so that they are better prepared to address troubling issues in a professional and successful way.
About the Author: Elizabeth (Betsy) Clark, PhD, is the President and Co-Founder of Start Smart Career Center. She is an experienced CEO and national leader who has held executive positions in health care, nonprofit organizations, and academia. A lifelong advocate for women's rights and economic equality, she serves on numerous boards of directors of cause-related or professional associations, and is a champion for increasing the number of women in board leadership positions. Her current emphasis is on mentoring young women for workplace success and career advancement. With degrees in social work, public health, and medical sociology, Betsy is a recognized expert, author, and speaker on the topics of cancer, hope, loss and grief. She has traveled extensively and has a particular interest in hospice and palliative care in underserved countries. She and her husband love the mountains and live in the Catskill Mountain region of New York. They have three children and four grandchildren. Elizabeth F. Hoffler is Executive Director and Co-Founder of Start Smart Career Center. She is a social worker, public policy, and advocacy professional who has advanced quickly from entry level jobs to positions of leadership and management in national nonprofit organizations. She attributes much of her success to having strong women mentors who pushed her to take advantage of every opportunity and accomplish her professional goals no matter the obstacles. In addition to her work in nonprofits, Elizabeth is also a PhD student and is focusing her studies on underserved and vulnerable populations, and finding innovative, policy-oriented solutions to some of society's most pressing problems. Elizabeth lives outside of Washington, DC with her husband and two pugs, Bubbles and Bonkers.