Careerists looking for any inside edge need not look farther than the business section of the local Barnes & Noble. The best of the lot offer women practical how-to's on navigating the Byzantine office politics that often dictates whether you'll nab the next promotion or raise. We've scoured the shelves for the best career guides, required reading for the woman eyeing the executive suite.
1. Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office, by Lois P. Frankel
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're the gal who brings donuts to meetings or apologizes before pitching ideas, run to the nearest bookstore for your copy. This is the alpha-female bible, enumerating all the classic office sins women commit-asking permission, babysitting, slouching. Grab a highlighter and start taking notes.
2. The Power of Nice, by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you've been called the dreaded 'B' word, or your staff cowers when you walk by, consider this book a refresher course in the basics. It pays to
Blog Posts by Marie Claire
Read More »from What Makes Liv Tyler Rock?
M. Thomas/Getty ImagesThe sultry-and newly single-star chats about dreaming of donuts and her struggle to stay slim.
It's a flashbulb frenzy for the lush-lipped beauty, now 31, who is publicly weathering a split from her husband, British rocker Royston Langdon, father of their 3-year-old son, Milo. But Tyler has kept her cool throughout - a trait that clearly serves her well as ambassador for Givenchy beauty, a role that takes her around the world.
MC: How did it feel growing up in the spotlight?
LT: For the most part, living in New York meant I was pretty anonymous; I took the subway to school. I was just talking about this with Gwyneth [Paltrow, also a native New Yorker]. She remembers sitting outside on the stoop of her Manhattan brownstone after she'd won the Oscar [10 years ago], and then when she was breaking up with Brad - just hanging out. I didn't feel the same media pressures that teen stars must feel today.
MC: How has the recent scrutiny affected your confidence?
LT: If I'm feeling insecure,Olympic Athletes Share Their Workout Secrets
By Marie Claire | Healthy Living – Tue, Jul 15, 2008 2:19 AM EDTWhether you want to tone up or slim down, we'll show you how with tips from these Beijing-bound athletes.
- LINDSAY DAVENPORT, TENNIS
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS:
Every week, Davenport, 32, does 10 to 15 hours of hitting and stroke drills at a neighborhood court in her hometown of Laguna Beach, CA, plus three hours of free weights, the occasional Pilates class ("depending on how stiff I am"), and two sessions of footwork and plyometrics (high-impact drills). The real challenge? Working around Jagger's schedule. "I try to always be home for his feedings," she says.
SECRET WEAPON:
Three-way lunges (stepping forward, laterally, then back) tone the quads and mimic the motion of Read More »from Olympic Athletes Share Their Workout SecretsMaggie Gyllenhaal on Jake, Motherhood and Missing Heath Ledger
By Marie Claire | Author Blog Posts – Tue, Jul 15, 2008 2:07 AM EDT
Read More »from Maggie Gyllenhaal on Jake, Motherhood and Missing Heath Ledger
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.comOnce the queen of quirky indie movies, The Dark Knight star Maggie Gyllenhaal braces for the highs - and surprising lows - of blockbuster-size fame.
For her breakthrough role as a kinky office assistant in 2002's Secretary, Maggie Gyllenhaal earned $65,000 for a performance that required her to be spanked and deliver mail on all fours. The budget was so low for her star turn as a troubled ex-convict in Sherrybaby (2006) that she didn't have a trailer; the crew carried around a hospital cot so she could take catnaps between scenes. Now, the onetime indie queen finds herself squarely in Hollywood blockbuster territory, playing Batman's girlfriend in The Dark Knight - budget $180 million - where there are as many pitfalls as perks. Consider: Suddenly, she's a target for the fashion police.
"Oh, my God, all the time," says Gyllenhaal, her voice rising. After she wore a sweeping purple Peter Som gown to the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute gala last May, her photo appeared on aSkip the salon for your monthly wax and save some cash for a new bikini with an at-home wax kit. We asked VEET Esthetician Anna Stankiewicz for her insider tips on baring all:
Read More »from 8 Do's and Dont's of At-Home Waxing
1. DO start with legs if you've never given yourself a wax before-you'll have a good view of what your doing, and the skin is a little tougher, decreasing the odds that you fall off the edge of the bathtub in pain after pulling off the first wax strip.
2. DON'T attempt a Brazilian wax by yourself-you won't be able to see what you're doing as well as a professional, and an obstructed view and hot wax are not a good combination.
3. DO apply tooth numbing cream in the area you plan to wax about half an hour prior to your session. It will temporarily numb the skin, making the experience a little less painful.
4. DON'T moisturize right before the wax.
5. DO soak up moisture with baby powder, which will allow the wax to adhere to your hair better.
6. DON'T pull at the hair every which way. Make sure you're pulling theYou may not know your Lucian from your Sigmund, but you can still hold your own at the art museum with this conversation guide.
Portrait, Landscape or Still Life?
Read More »from How to Talk About Art
Are you looking at a person (portrait), place (landscape), or thing (still life)? Get off to a good start by using the correct term instead of calling the piece, "a picture."
Form and Line
Shading and texture give an object form, and generally make a piece look realistic. Talking about line is another way to discuss the shaping of the objects in the piece. Are facial features well defined and detailed (if you're discussing a portrait), or more subtle? Form and line also give an object movement or a sense of being static. Use your intuition. It's unlikely that a bowl of fruit will have much movement.
Negative Space
When you've said everything you can say about what's in the painting or sketch, talk about what's not there - the negative space in the piece.
Natural or Surreal?
Take a look at theMovies for Women Who Like to Kick Ass at Work
By Marie Claire | Work + Money – Sun, Jul 13, 2008 8:48 PM EDTTraffic was brutal. You spilled coffee on your button-down. Now your boss is asking for that report you thought was due next week. It's not yet noon and your head already feels heavier than the Poland Spring refills stacked near the watercooler. Days like this call for some Rocky Balboa-size motivation. As soon as that clock strikes quittin' time, make a beeline for your sofa, order some takeout, and pop in one of these cinematic classics starring kick-ass career gals who broke the rules and succeeded. Use that for motivation.
1. His Girl Friday, 1940
For anyone contemplating giving up the career to get hitched and have kids, catch this flick starring Rosalind Russell as Hildy Johnson and dreamy Cary Grant as her fast-talking, conniving, and charming editor (and ex-husband). Hildy yearns to marry her fiancé Bruce (Ralph Bellamy), settle down in the 'burbs, and have some kids. But try as hard as she may, Hildy hates to miss a scoop.2. Norma Rae, 1979
Read More »from Movies for Women Who Like to Kick Ass at Work
What do you do
Read More »from Are You a Big Fat Liar? Take The Quiz
"I love your new leopard-print gauchos, boss." "I can't make it to work today - plumbing emergency." "I was a member of the Crips." We've all told the odd tall tale, but how much fibbing is normal? and what happens when it backfires? Take the quiz and see if you're part of the lying game.
1. The last time I called in sick was:
a. My first year out of college, when I came down with acute pancreatitis.
b. When I had flu-like fatigue and vomiting - after the office Christmas party.
c. When I was on vacation with my boyfriend in San Juan. (Didn't want to waste a personal day.)
2. On LinkedIn and Facebook, I list my job title:
a. Exactly as it appears on my business card.
b. As it appears on my business card, minus extraneous terms like "assistant" or "junior."
c. As it appears on my business card, plus descriptors like "director" or "head of development for."
3. The biggest omission on my résumé is:
a. My middle initial.
b. That nightmare gig six years ago that I was technically "let go"5 work expenses you can expense (and 2 you can't)
By Marie Claire | Work + Money – Fri, Jul 11, 2008 8:48 PM EDT
Read More »from 5 work expenses you can expense (and 2 you can't)
Whether you're on the job or looking for one, it's easy to rack up a hefty tab of related expenses. (Toner isn't cheap!) If your company won't reimburse you, don't just swallow the costs. Some expenses can be written off come tax time next year. According to the IRS, you can deduct certain expenses to the extent that they exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income. So whether you're cabbing it to an after-hours work function or schmoozing a potential client over drinks, be sure to save those receipts. You'll need them come April.
1. You Wear a Uniform to Work
If the dress code at your workplace calls for business casual, you can't get away with writing off the Theory pantsuit you just snapped up from Saks. But, if your office demands that you only wear a specific item that's not suitable to be worn outside of work, then you can comp the costs. If you are required to wear a uniform to work-you're an an airline attendant or Best Buy salesperson-this rule may save you some seriousHow to score a job that pays over $100K
By Marie Claire | Work + Money – Fri, Jul 11, 2008 8:37 PM EDT
Read More »from How to score a job that pays over $100K
Unless you live in one of the country's major cities, odds are you're making roughly $32,000 a year, the average American's income, according to the Census Bureau. Only 5% or so of the nation pulls in over $100,000 a year. Clearly earning a six-figure salary is tough. We asked Sanjay Sathe, chief executive of RiseSmart, the Texas-based executive job placement firm, how to make the leap to a six-figure salary. Here are his suggestions.
1. Be Assertive - Ask for the job
It's a sad fact that many women have been socialized against being assertive, particularly when dealing with authority figures. If you have a difficult time asking for what you want, you must overcome this tendency. Do you want the job? Then ask for it directly. You are expected to demonstrate strong negotiation skills-that comes part and parcel with being a seasoned professional. Find out what they're willing to offer before you tell them how much you wish to be paid. And don't feel compelled to accept on the spot; you
