Penelope Trunk is a Boston Globe and Yahoo! Finance columnist who’s been giving out tips and advice as the Brazen Careerist. The basic idea is she tells you what it’s really like in today’s workplace, and that you can hack the system by following her tips—which no longer involve such old-fashioned concepts as “climbing the ladder” and “paying your dues.” Which is fine—even hearing those phrases puts me in a bit of a 1950s American Dream mindset anyways.
Some of her recent columns have put people in a tizzy. A couple of weeks ago she doled out her tips on office etiquette, which included adding your CEO to Facebook, keeping your headphones on all the time, and always always be available on the weekends for work calls. Whether adding your boss to your Facebook is really a way to get ahead careerwise, I couldn’t say, but I’m skeptical.
And speaking of the 1950s: the next week, she came out with another doozy: The New Girl’s Guide to Workplace Success. The whole column is good for some laughs, but I’ll leave you with this one tidbit:
3. Expect harassment, and stay cool.A recent segment on New England Cable News reported that 46 percent of summer interns will be harassed. And most professional women will experience some form of sexual harassment in their career — some studies even say as many as 80 percent of them.
It’s clear, then, that most women don’t report harassment. But it isn’t because they’re scared — it’s because they’re smart. The laws are very clear on what companies should do to respond to harassment claims, but they aren’t very clear on how to define when a woman has been illegally fired for reporting harassment.
The careers of most women who report harassment suffer, even if the company works hard to do the right thing. The law is too far behind the times, so don’t report harassment.
So you shouldn’t report harassment because it’ll ruin your career and the corporations always win. Trunk elaborates further on her blog. The essential argument is that you shouldn’t fight these sorts of battles directly, but rather “find those men [who don’t agree with harassment] and work with them. Then get a lot of power in your career and create a workplace culture you believe in.” I’m not even sure this works as pragmatic personal career advice, let alone a way to fix the system that supposedly gives harassment reports token importance. And what if you work nights at a fast-food joint or retail store, wait tables during the summer, or take an entry-level office job while in college? How do you “create a workplace culture you believe in” under those circumstances?
Oh, but I could go on. With handy tips like “Show some flesh—but just enough” and “Tone down your work ethic,” there’s plenty of grist for the mill.
P.S. I didn’t realize playing video games was better preparation for the workplace than booklearnin’. Someone please inform my boss the next time he catches me playing Half-Life 2 on company time.
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four comments
Hi, Wesley. I think you ask a really good quetion about what people should do who are in entry level jobs, waitressing jobs, service jobs -- the kind of positions in the workforce that are magnets for sexaul harrassment.
The truth is that you can't stop it. I think most waitresses see harrassment as an unfortunate part of their job. I mean, I've never talked with a waitress who has not been harrassed.
But if you report harrassment at these jobs, you are probably going to risk your ability to feed yourself, because you'll be fired. And people in these jobs don't make enough money to lose their job unexpectedly and not have another lined up.
So the best thing women can do is use entry-level work as a stepping stone to other work. The way to change the workforce is to have power in the workforce. The way to be able to avoid harrassment is to get past the entry level jobs so that you have enough of a specialty in the workforce to be very employable -- and financially well-off enough to leave if the harrassment doens't stop.
Penelope
Posted by Penelope Trunk
August 19, 2007, 11:51 PM
This kind of logic is problematic for a variety of reasons. First of all, it relies on a traditional, corporate ladder-type work structure, which is very limited. Not everyone wants to work their way up in a business environment, nor is every environment that of the "for-profit" structure.
Also, it assumes that women in managerial positions are immediately respected and given the power to change things, which is bullsh*t. As someone who has been in a "managerial position of power," I can certainly tell you that sexual harrassment is not limited to underlings. In fact I experienced MORE sexual harrassment when I was in a managment position than in any other position - perhaps because my authority was constantly being challenged by means of comments that centred on my gender and sexuality.
Also, the "waitresses always get sexually harrassed" is an interesting observation, because I would assume that most people who have experienced this kind of harrassment have seen it directed to them by patrons, not staff - and anyone who is a manager has a responsibility to protect their staff from outside harrassment. It's not enough to say "you're young and you don't have enough work experience or money to protest." That lets managers off the hook, and managers are PAID TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
This "suck it up and wait until you're important" logic infuriates me. You're important now, girls! The way to change the workforce is to make companies and managers responsible for their employees well-being, health and happiness. LEGALLY.
It also reminds me of this AWFUL advice that was given via Marie Claire's "Cubicle Coach" advice columnist:
http://feministing.com/archives/00748...
Oh, and this awful advice as well:
http://www.marieclaire.com/life/caree...
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Is it just me, or are we going backwards?
Posted by Stacey May
August 20, 2007, 9:45 AM
I used to work as the only female in a high-tech environment. This was really confusing for the dudes, because I was great with computers and had ovaries.
The guys channelled their anxiety into serious flirting that quickly turned into overwhelming and degrading harassment. I sucked it up for a while, I guess to "be cool" or something ridiculous. But then I picked an ally from the bunch, and expressed that I felt really beaten down and they needed to collectively shut up with the sexy jokes. He said they had just meant to be flattering, but I said it was really hurtful, that I felt small, dirty and anxious. They were shocked. I dished it out a little to show them how exhausting it was, and they got the point. They made an effort to stop - with me constantly laying out the limit of what I'd take in terms of friendly flirting (which is not cool for everyone) and where I drew the line. My self esteem went way up. It was amazing how bruised I felt when I was constantly put down as the sex object. There was no respect in that climate, but things improved 100%.
I've always appreciated that I was lucky enough to have great guys like these in my life. They acted like jerks, but they were good people. They cared about me and women in general, and were willing to listen to my experience and work to change their behaviour. Probably won't get another chance like that.
Posted by erin
August 23, 2007, 7:05 AM
Erin, i think it would be such an interesting story to interview those guys. i often hope that what you wrote is true, that within men lies the potential to be respectful and equitable. it would be interesting to hear what shifted within them, what allowed them to hear you when so many other guys seem unable to listen to this feedback.
having said that, it is still terrible that you were put in a position where you had to defend yourself in order to be treated with respect.
thanks for the hopeful example.
Posted by tuval
August 23, 2007, 8:15 AM
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