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Review – Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success by Penelope Trunk

You may remember that Penelope sent me a copy of Brazen Careerist in March. No, it doesn’t take 7 months to read. In fact, it’s a really easy read. I just procrastinated.

Penelope, I’m sorry that I let you down here. I’m going to plow ahead and say that it’s better late than never. Hopefully I didn’t get stricken from the review list for your next killer work! 🙂

Buy this book!

Is that a clear enough opinion? You really need to read Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success.

If you can’t afford to buy it (it’s only $15 at Amazon!), wander to the local library and check out a copy. If they don’t have it, use inter-library loan. You’ll be glad you read it!

Something for everyone

Penelope wrote Brazen Careerist for a target audience of young people. Whether you’re in college or climbing into your 30’s I think you’ll fit into this group.

Even if you’re older, you can still get some great information from Brazen Careerist. You can learn what us young folk are up to. You’ll understand how we approach work, careers, and office interaction. Heck, maybe you’ll decide to change your ways a bit!

Portions I loved

As I read the book, I flagged great passages with a post-it note. When I finished, I realized there were about 25 little flags hanging out! Since I want to leave something for you to read on your own, I’ll mention a couple of my top favorites here.

Since I’m not the best interviewee, this passage really spoke to me:

It’s not true that everyone else is lying. The people that get the most job offers are those who know how to package themselves. Figuring out how to do this is a lot harder than just spewing facts onto a piece of paper. If you are not packaging yourself, it’s not because you are more honest than the next person, it’s because you are more lazy.

Ouch! But that’s one thing I love about Brazen Careerist. It’s frank, honest, and spot-on. It’s a solid kick in your career pants!

Penelope also has a great view of office politics:

In a large company, office politics is mostly office networking, and the people who are doing it best are doing it in person. In person, you get nonverbal information about someone you can’t get through e-mail. And that person gets information about you, too. The connection is more informative just because it’s in person.

I work in a small organization (about 40 employees on site). It amazes me how some people almost refuse to leave their office or even pick up the phone. I love going to talk to a person about a problem or ask a question. I couldn’t agree more that the personal (and in-person) connection is vital.

A great format

Brazen Careerist isn’t a treatise. It’s a handy book of guidelines to help you navigate the world of work.

The entire book is written as numbered “rules.” They are grouped together in categories with a short introduction. Even if you’re short on time, you can plow through a few “rules” before going to sleep each night. You’ll be done in no time!

Did you buy it yet?

In case my opinion hasn’t been clear, you should read Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success. Think of it as a low-cost investment in your future.

If you’re still not convinced, you can read a meaty excerpt at Penelope’s site. Or you could read some of Penelope’s writing on her popular blog.

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