From Secretary Track to Fast Track: The Get Ahead Guide for Administrative Assistants, Secretaries, Office Managers, Receptionists, and Everyone Who Wants More

From Library Journal Both these prodigiously titled career guides begin with the same premise: despite fancy job titles, clerical work is low-paying and mind-, career-, and ego-numbing. Worse, many clerical workers feel trapped, stigmatized, and powerless to shift to nonclerical jobs. There the similarity ends. Lizotte and Litwak (Balancing Work and Family, AMACOM, 1995) give solid advice: assess the barriers to your career move (external forces and internal attitudes), identify transferable skills, and position yourself for new roles and new identities. Interviews with those who have escaped the "pink-collar ghetto" illustrate each recommendation. The authors briefly discuss resumes and cover letters, along with prescriptions for positive thinking, dealing with fear of success, and developing mentor and network relationships. ~ Fungaroli, who bankrolled her Ph.D. studies with years of secretarial work, doesn't want "more." She's had enough: "They lied. You can't get to your boss's desk by working harder. You can only do it by being smarter and knowing where they hid the promotional path." With her "Slam and Scream" approach, Fungaroli offers "in your face" career advice from an experienced, knowledgeable survivor. For those committed to the clerical path by necessity or choice, Fungaroli offers no-nonsense (and often high-drama) methods for dealing with screamers, blamers, and the often exceptionally aggressive work style of attorneys. The writing is funny, outraged, savvy, and totally engaging. There is nothing like this in your career section. Cover the bases and buy both titles, one for the conventional advice and the other for the insider's point of view.?Mary-Ellen Mort, Univ. of California-Berkeley Ext. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.