PREP, PUSH, PIVOT: Essential Career Strategies for Underrepresented Women (Wiley, January 12, 2022) by career coach Octavia Goredema is an action-oriented career coaching guide specifically for women of color in the workplace. However, so many of the tips are universal and will help you get whatever you want out of your career, whether that be more balance, money, or a fresh start.
“Women of color are the most underrepresented group in the corporate pipeline,” says Goredema. “We are hired, promoted, and retained at lower rates. When I was growing up, my mother told me that I would have to work twice as hard as everyone else to get ahead. I tried my best to follow it, but it was not healthy or sustainable. Waiting for your boss to notice is not enough. Your health and well-being should be your top priority. Women of color are doing the work and achieving results but are not always seen. It’s time for a change.And that begins with women of color knowing their worth, their core values, and paying it forward.”
Part One focuses on preparation, encouraging you to know your worth and cement your career values. Part Two is focused on pushing forward, coaching you on how to position yourself for promotion, navigate career breaks, and align your goals as a working parent or caregiver. Finally, Part Three addresses how to change careers and empower others around you to succeed, and offers a variety of resources to help you achieve your next career milestone.
An acclaimed career expert, Goredema’s insights have been featured in leading media outlets including Forbes, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, and Black Enterprise. She co-hosted HBR Now, Harvard Business Review’s weekly show about leadership. A dual U.S. and U.K. citizen, Goredema was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire by the Queen (MBE) in recognition of her work. Octavia is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, where she leads the Gender Equity Network in the United States.
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