The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right
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- Create Date：2021-04-23 16:31:01
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Gorick Ng
- ISBN：1647820448
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Reviews
Nathan Mackenzie
，
I was given an advance review copy of this book and I could not put it down。 All throughout， I found myself nodding in agreement as it brought me back to lessons I had learned the hard way during my time as a junior officer in the Coast Guard， staffer on Capitol Hill， a law student， a lawyer， and a management consultant。 This book hits on so many important and hard-to-intuit rules in such a short space that I cannot think of a more effective way to prepare young adults who are entering the workf I was given an advance review copy of this book and I could not put it down。 All throughout， I found myself nodding in agreement as it brought me back to lessons I had learned the hard way during my time as a junior officer in the Coast Guard， staffer on Capitol Hill， a law student， a lawyer， and a management consultant。 This book hits on so many important and hard-to-intuit rules in such a short space that I cannot think of a more effective way to prepare young adults who are entering the workforce for the first time。 I found three elements of The Unspoken Rules very compelling。 First， the rules themselves – there have been multiple times in my career where I have looked back at some selection process or tough experience and wished that someone had explained the expectations upfront。 Like the author， I didn’t know that people spent their summers studying for the SATs， or their first year of law school trying to get a clerkship that would not start for another three years， or their evenings practicing what they were going to say in the next day’s team meeting。 I eventually figured these things out， but a book like this could have saved me a lot of grief （and helped friends and colleagues who never did figure it out¬）。 Second， I like the checklist approach to applying the rules。 Have a meeting with your boss tomorrow？ Here’s what you do… The paths the author highlights seem so simple once they are illuminated， and that illumination has the potential to save readers from wasting their time wandering aimlessly in the dark in the hopes that they happen to end up in the right place。 Third， the focus on effective communications throughout is something that is so important， but so often neglected in the advice given to people starting out in their careers。 The author does a great job in both explaining how others perceive certain types of communication and explaining how to communicate in a way that will convey the proper message and inspire confidence。 In focusing on these three areas and doing so in a way that targets young adults who are just entering the workforce， the author has hit on both a winning combination and a unique angle on how to prepare people for their careers。 Whereas most training， books， and formal resources use the coded language of the rules， this book is the first I have read that presents the nitty gritty explanations and advice that most of us only receive when someone takes pity on us and pulls us aside to explain “how things really work around here。” Anyone about to start their career， or a new chapter in their career， would benefit from reading this book。 I will be pushing my organization to gift it to all new hires， and I would recommend it to college students who are starting to think about their search for a summer internship， to military cadets and junior officers headed to their first units， and to anyone hoping to work in any of the professional services （consulting， law， accounting， banking， etc。）。 。。。more
Marci Arnold
，
I was given an advance copy to read of "The Unspoken Rules" as we are using Gorick Ng's book at the nonprofit where I work as the foundation of a leadership development program for first generation， low income college students， many of whom are starting their first summer internships。 This book is incredibly helpful to give students the tools to navigate everything from interviews， to their first day on the job， to working with difficult people， learning to "manage up"， and learning how to accep I was given an advance copy to read of "The Unspoken Rules" as we are using Gorick Ng's book at the nonprofit where I work as the foundation of a leadership development program for first generation， low income college students， many of whom are starting their first summer internships。 This book is incredibly helpful to give students the tools to navigate everything from interviews， to their first day on the job， to working with difficult people， learning to "manage up"， and learning how to accept feedback。 Right from the beginning， he discusses the 3 C's of Competence， Compatibility and Commitment， and how to learn to balance all of these throughout the job experience in order to be successful in dealing with all sorts of people。 One of the best chapters was about learning how to tell your story， and we plan to use this to help our first generation students to leverage their identity in the workplace as a positive attribute。 I know our students will find his writing style easy to read as he intersperses personal stories about himself and others he has met to give examples in each chapter。 I have already ordered several copies of the book for when it launches to be given as college graduation gifts， as I think his advice is applicable to anyone starting their first internship or job， and is especially applicable to first generation students。 。。。more
Selena
，
As an executive and career coach who was also a first-gen college and MBA grad now in my 50s， I can recommend this book to managers who are looking for a starter resource to support their junior hires， in addition to those new in their careers themselves。 While not everyone will pursue corporate jobs （I certainly didn’t at the beginning）， much of the advice and perspectives are sound for the non-corporate environment too—Gorick did an excellent job of capturing the key elements of a successful o As an executive and career coach who was also a first-gen college and MBA grad now in my 50s， I can recommend this book to managers who are looking for a starter resource to support their junior hires， in addition to those new in their careers themselves。 While not everyone will pursue corporate jobs （I certainly didn’t at the beginning）， much of the advice and perspectives are sound for the non-corporate environment too—Gorick did an excellent job of capturing the key elements of a successful onboarding to one’s career—which will reduce the instances of stumbling around in the dark on one’s own。 。。。more
Jenny Yao
，
This is the book I wish I had when I plunged into my consulting career。Coming from an engineering background， I was always focused on the work itself and did not give much thought to the human aspects of work， such as optics， management， networking， and relationships。 It was not until I started working in consulting that I started to realize the importance of the human aspects。 The behaviours， languages， and mindsets discussed in this book were traits I observed from high performers in my organi This is the book I wish I had when I plunged into my consulting career。Coming from an engineering background， I was always focused on the work itself and did not give much thought to the human aspects of work， such as optics， management， networking， and relationships。 It was not until I started working in consulting that I started to realize the importance of the human aspects。 The behaviours， languages， and mindsets discussed in this book were traits I observed from high performers in my organization over the past few years， all condensed into clear， easy-to-understand concepts that anyone can consume within hours or days - now that's efficient。I especially enjoyed the anecdotes shared by real people in this book; they are both relatable and helpful in terms of contextualizing the complexity of applying these frameworks in different situations。 I also really liked the many wording/phrasing examples shared in each chapter because they help to demonstrate the communication norms in a professional setting - something not usually taught in school。I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is starting to transition into the professional world and would like to start their careers strong。 I also recommend this to those who have been working for a few years （such as myself）， whose work habits may have started to slip and would like a refresher on how to keep their performance high。 。。。more
Johan Bjurman
，
I'm an international development professional in my early 30s just making a career switch from the private to the multilateral sector through graduate school， and I was given an advance copy of the book。Since I graduated college in Sweden seven years ago， I have worked in both managerial and analytical roles， in 45k employee organizations as well as in startups， across 30+ countries， and I believe the lessons this book offers truly transcends both global borders， corporate cultures， and role typ I'm an international development professional in my early 30s just making a career switch from the private to the multilateral sector through graduate school， and I was given an advance copy of the book。Since I graduated college in Sweden seven years ago， I have worked in both managerial and analytical roles， in 45k employee organizations as well as in startups， across 30+ countries， and I believe the lessons this book offers truly transcends both global borders， corporate cultures， and role types。I wish I had been given a copy of this book already in my first or second year of college， as I was preparing for my summer internships， as I believe it would have helped me better understand how to work smarter， instead of just harder， and realize that the way my managers saw my work was different than the way I did。 Even now in graduate school， I am benefiting from the crowdsourced and beautifully articulated insights that The Unspoken Rules provides。I would strongly recommend Gorick's book to college students and career switchers alike。 There is ALWAYS something to learn， and when you're going for the big jobs， what matters are getting the small details right。 I believe The Unspoken Rules is particularly useful in combination with exercises and assessments that help people better understand their natural predispositions and their behaviors。 。。。more
Krista
，
I wish I'd had this book when I was first entering the working world！ It offers such practical advice on every aspect of being a successful employee。 I learned so much I didn't know even after working at a large company for two years。 This is a book everyone should read， regardless of where they are in their career or what industry they're in。 The advice on building relationships and managing expectations is invaluable in so many situations， not only in your first job。 I wish I'd had this book when I was first entering the working world！ It offers such practical advice on every aspect of being a successful employee。 I learned so much I didn't know even after working at a large company for two years。 This is a book everyone should read， regardless of where they are in their career or what industry they're in。 The advice on building relationships and managing expectations is invaluable in so many situations， not only in your first job。 。。。more
Shawna
，
I found this book to be full of helpful information for really anyone in the working world。 I think about the information on the 3 C's frequently。。。 I found this book to be full of helpful information for really anyone in the working world。 I think about the information on the 3 C's frequently。。。 。。。more
Nils
，
A great reference for anyone hoping to succeed in the workplace， whether just starting out， or at a transition - in work or leadership。 Gorick plays out common scenarios and judgements that are pivotal in not only achieving your best work， but also building relationships that will drive your success further。 Im entering the mid part of my own career， with a very technical math degree in my background and having worked on a factory floor， a Fortune 100 company， and now at a charity expanding into A great reference for anyone hoping to succeed in the workplace， whether just starting out， or at a transition - in work or leadership。 Gorick plays out common scenarios and judgements that are pivotal in not only achieving your best work， but also building relationships that will drive your success further。 Im entering the mid part of my own career， with a very technical math degree in my background and having worked on a factory floor， a Fortune 100 company， and now at a charity expanding into leadership。 Vastly different experiences at each， having at times muddled my way through to success discovering a lot of the suggestions Gorick so succinctly outlines in this book。 Notably around managing interactions with your manager， and taking risks on opportunities that fall outside your role or comfort zone。 Only some of the ideas laid out will likely apply and make an impact in your own career。 But as my own mentor often reminds me - its about incremental improvements， reminding yourself that attitude and aptitude play such outsized roles。 I can recommend this to my team and those I mentor。 I echo the disclaimer that Gorick himself makes - this probably isn't meant to be read in a straight shot。 Use it as a reference guide， referring to different sections and scenarios with the ebb and flows of your own work。 My only criticism is that there's not enough emphasis on work/life balance and how to manage your work with your mental health。 Its something that took me a long time to realize， and wish was addressed more。 Success at the cost of overworking yourself， being unhappy， and putting off personal experiences is often not success at all。This review is based on an advanced review copy。 Found it a valuable enough resource that I have ordered my own personal copy。 。。。more
Kayla Evans
，
I'm a recent college graduate who just started my first ~real~ job （in management consulting， at MBB）。 I was given an advance review copy of the book。I loved this book and will regularly return to it for three reasons: （1） Unspoken Rules teaches you how to fish *and* gives you fish: Throughout the book， Ng provides readers frameworks for thinking about your work （e。g。 he explains difference between our 'internal' and 'external' narrative at work）。 He supplements these with very practical tools， I'm a recent college graduate who just started my first ~real~ job （in management consulting， at MBB）。 I was given an advance review copy of the book。I loved this book and will regularly return to it for three reasons: （1） Unspoken Rules teaches you how to fish *and* gives you fish: Throughout the book， Ng provides readers frameworks for thinking about your work （e。g。 he explains difference between our 'internal' and 'external' narrative at work）。 He supplements these with very practical tools， such as 'what to keep in mind during work meetings'， and written examples of emails other young professionals have written to reach powerful people at work。 On that note。。。（2） Unspoken Rules is filled with stories of young professionals like me， making it very different from other self-help and career books I've read。 I laughed， I cringed （usually at my own past internship blunders that popped to mind）， and took many notes。（3） Unspoken Rules isn't prescriptive。 Ng begins the book by reminding readers to "reject， embrace， or bend the rules"。 Ng's tone throughout the book strikes a delicate balance between gifting us best practices and encouraging readers to be curious and self-aware at work。Highly recommend。 。。。more
Weiting and Vishal Bollu
，
I had an advanced copy of Gorick Ng's book。What I loved about it the most was the actionable components laid out from cover to cover。 For example: I took Ng's concept of the 3 C's （compatibility， commitment， and competence） into assessing potential team members during their interviews。 It was a fantastic read with great takeaways， and can be picked up at any time。 Flip to any chapter， and you can start your reading there。 That's what I did！ I had an advanced copy of Gorick Ng's book。What I loved about it the most was the actionable components laid out from cover to cover。 For example: I took Ng's concept of the 3 C's （compatibility， commitment， and competence） into assessing potential team members during their interviews。 It was a fantastic read with great takeaways， and can be picked up at any time。 Flip to any chapter， and you can start your reading there。 That's what I did！ 。。。more
Arsa Syed
，
I was lucky enough to be offered an advanced copy of this book and I am truly amazed！I am a medical doctor residing and practicing in the UK。 I grew up in an immigrant family in Canada just like the author and many of the values instilled in him resonated with my upbringing， hardworking being one of them。 Although I went to school and grew up in Canada， I moved to the UK for university and work-life。 I work in multidisciplinary teams。 I can see how this book would have put me at such an advantag I was lucky enough to be offered an advanced copy of this book and I am truly amazed！I am a medical doctor residing and practicing in the UK。 I grew up in an immigrant family in Canada just like the author and many of the values instilled in him resonated with my upbringing， hardworking being one of them。 Although I went to school and grew up in Canada， I moved to the UK for university and work-life。 I work in multidisciplinary teams。 I can see how this book would have put me at such an advantage had I come across it earlier in my career but I also realise what a gem it would be if my current trainees could learn these rules （and make my life as their mentor easier！）。 Although many people don't view doctors having a traditional 'desk-job' there is definitely a lot of 'answering to seniors' and 'delegating to juniors' involved and most， if not all， of the rules in this book can be applied directly at some point or the other of the job。 Also， don't get me wrong， this book would benefit those new to the workplace the most but being someone who has been a working doctor for over 4 years， even I found useful pointers for myself in it。 I recently had a baby and as a parent， you want nothing but the best for your kids; a lot like how you want the trainees you've taken under your wing to succeed and even excel beyond you have。 The lessons in this book are definitely getting passed down to all those I'm mentoring。 This is a great way to prepare and set new trainees up for future success。Love this book and not only would I recommend it， but I would urge you to grab yourself a copy！ 。。。more
Danny Zhang
，
Like Gorick， I grew up in an immigrant family that instilled in me the values of hard work and perseverance。 But it wasn't until college that I began to appreciate the power that "the unspoken rules" have on one's professional and life success。 Once you begin to notice them， these "rules" are everywhere and can seem to govern every interaction and experience you have in the working world。 Over the past decade or so （I'm 28！）， as I navigated organizations， institutions， and even social settings w Like Gorick， I grew up in an immigrant family that instilled in me the values of hard work and perseverance。 But it wasn't until college that I began to appreciate the power that "the unspoken rules" have on one's professional and life success。 Once you begin to notice them， these "rules" are everywhere and can seem to govern every interaction and experience you have in the working world。 Over the past decade or so （I'm 28！）， as I navigated organizations， institutions， and even social settings where I was often an outsider， I wish I had Gorick's book to guide me along。 The title of Gorick's book might make you think it's just yet another self-help manual， one among dozens now often found near the entrance of bookstores all across the world。 But reading through it， I found the book to be so much more than that。 It's a comprehensive， concise， and practical summation of the dynamics of the modern workplace。 Gorick covers everything from making a great first impression to writing professional emails to managing up the chain to prioritization of your work to navigating happy hour dynamics。 Gorick also has a knack for storytelling that is on full display throughout the book。 Each chapter begins with an anecdote that hooks you into a specific challenge that a young worker has had to confront。 These stories and Gorick's takeaways are resonant across job types and industries。 The tone of voice is accessible and clear。 Having worked in a rarified and relationship-based arena of the commercial art world for 6 years， I was still picking up new tidbits of advice and helpful hints in this book。 And for the skills and observations I have intuited over the years， Gorick articulates them in a highly organized and accessible manner that would have saved me a lot of time and grief during my own entry into the workplace。 I will soon be going back to school and transitioning careers。 While I do so， I'll surely be keeping my copy in an easy to reach place on my bookshelf！*I was given an advanced copy of this book。 。。。more
Jabril
，
I am a late 20s professional working in career education and DEI （diversity， equity， and inclusion） initiatives， and was provided an advanced early review copy of this book。First， this book certainly fits under the "where was this when I was growing up？" label。 While Ng communicates an array of individual points that are profoundly imperative （I’ve included a few favorites below）， it’s his exceptional blend of personal and secondhand stories （some refreshingly humorous！）， “unspoken rule” framewo I am a late 20s professional working in career education and DEI （diversity， equity， and inclusion） initiatives， and was provided an advanced early review copy of this book。First， this book certainly fits under the "where was this when I was growing up？" label。 While Ng communicates an array of individual points that are profoundly imperative （I’ve included a few favorites below）， it’s his exceptional blend of personal and secondhand stories （some refreshingly humorous！）， “unspoken rule” frameworks， along with periodic empirical research findings， that allow this read to shine as a truly unique contribution， not just another academic read。 A few highlights I took away from of this book， among others:--The three C’s （competence， commitment， and compatibility）--Far more than skill demonstration （i。e。， can you do the job）， It’s difficult to advance in the workplace and secure valuable relationships without a quality understanding and demonstration of engagement and agreeableness。--Storytelling: From being introspective and asking yourself the right kinds of questions in conjunction with your goals， doing your research to know your audience， and framing it in a concise， yet compelling manner--an incredibly crucial topic。--Managing Your Workload: Whether in a WFH or in-person context， determining how to set and execute priorities is as important a skill now as ever。 --Pay it Forward: This isn’t just a book on ignoring others until you “make it” yourself， but rather applies the “lift as you climb” concept--so important to walk the line of self advancement and positive community impact， as career development is not a solo journey but a collaborative one。 While the target audience is primarily aimed towards young adults， graduating college students， and early career professionals， I believe professionals of all organizational settings （e。g。， nonprofit， startup， corporate）， years of experience （early， mid， senior level） and cultural backgrounds can take something compelling away from this book。 It surely has helped me refocus not just my “what”， but more importantly， my “why” in my line of work。 In sum， I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to navigate the complex world of work and interpersonal relationships in a professional setting， discern their “SWOT” （strengths， weaknesses， opportunities， and threats）， and thrive， not just survive in a meaningful work setting， starting even before day one。 After all， I wholeheartedly agree with Ng’s message that it’s really up to each of us to play our part in building a more fair and just workplace--and world。 。。。more
Erica
，
Just won a giveaway for this book， am super excited to read and dive into tips on the professional world！ I will update this review once I receive my copy。
Nelson Lee
，
As someone who has just started university and is dipping my toes in the workplace， this book offered numerous key insights， tips， and wisdom from people who have been in my position before。 I found this book to correct many of my preconceived notions about the workplace。 However， I believe the most important aspect of the book， for me， was its ability to teach me how to use simple， yet effective ways to communicate things such as asking for help， seeking relationships from senior employees， or As someone who has just started university and is dipping my toes in the workplace， this book offered numerous key insights， tips， and wisdom from people who have been in my position before。 I found this book to correct many of my preconceived notions about the workplace。 However， I believe the most important aspect of the book， for me， was its ability to teach me how to use simple， yet effective ways to communicate things such as asking for help， seeking relationships from senior employees， or how to contribute to a meeting as a junior staffer。 Overall， this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn how to do well in their career！ 。。。more
Andrew
，
Out of all of the self-help and career related books I've read。。。Ng's The Unspoken Rules by far the most comprehensive and practical resource out there。For working professionals in practically ANY field， this is a MUST-READ。 Out of all of the self-help and career related books I've read。。。Ng's The Unspoken Rules by far the most comprehensive and practical resource out there。For working professionals in practically ANY field， this is a MUST-READ。 。。。more
Derrick
，
As a first-generation and low-income college sophomore， I found “The Unspoken Rules” to be incredibly useful in providing the tools to navigate and succeed in professional environments。 This book is a must have for any college student or recent graduate hoping to start their career and excel in the work place。 Gorick’s book truly teaches the lessons and skills that few will teach。 This book discusses the norms and practices in the workplace that will separate those who are average from those who As a first-generation and low-income college sophomore， I found “The Unspoken Rules” to be incredibly useful in providing the tools to navigate and succeed in professional environments。 This book is a must have for any college student or recent graduate hoping to start their career and excel in the work place。 Gorick’s book truly teaches the lessons and skills that few will teach。 This book discusses the norms and practices in the workplace that will separate those who are average from those who are top performers。 After reading Gorick’s book， I was able to look back on my own previous internship experiences and examine how I could have improved。 Going forward， I feel much more prepared to succeed in the workplace。 This has quite honestly been the most applicable and useful book I have read。 。。。more
Peter Blair
，
As a professor， I coach and mentor students as they prepare for the world of work。 Many of the students I work with come from diverse backgrounds and are the first of their families to attend college。 This book is a fantastic tool for them to not only survive in the workplace， but thrive。 The book is filled with concrete ways for readers to take the next step in becoming conscientious employees; for example， by learning how to ask the right questions and solve minor issues before they become lar As a professor， I coach and mentor students as they prepare for the world of work。 Many of the students I work with come from diverse backgrounds and are the first of their families to attend college。 This book is a fantastic tool for them to not only survive in the workplace， but thrive。 The book is filled with concrete ways for readers to take the next step in becoming conscientious employees; for example， by learning how to ask the right questions and solve minor issues before they become larger problems。 I found there to be enormous value in the specificity of his examples and recommendations。 He goes above and beyond to create checklists and summarize the most important points。 I highly recommend this book to students， HR professionals， CEOs， and career centers as essential reading。 。。。more
North Peters
，
For context， I am a sophomore in college， a student-athlete who is interested in finance。 I was given an advance review of the copy， and I jumped on this opportunity because as a first-generation college student， I was looking for ways to learn some 'insider' information as I begin my recruiting process。 This book gave me great advice on the do's and don'ts of the workplace that I otherwise wouldn't have known before reading。 Ng did a great job pulling from many different cases and scenarios tha For context， I am a sophomore in college， a student-athlete who is interested in finance。 I was given an advance review of the copy， and I jumped on this opportunity because as a first-generation college student， I was looking for ways to learn some 'insider' information as I begin my recruiting process。 This book gave me great advice on the do's and don'ts of the workplace that I otherwise wouldn't have known before reading。 Ng did a great job pulling from many different cases and scenarios that may happen in the workplace and giving various ways to respond in those situations。 Simple things such as responding to emails or reaching out to colleagues that I never thought much of， Ng did a great job explaining how to use those opportunities to my advantage。 This was a great read and was never too dense or difficult to understand。 I think all undergrads or anyone about to embark on their recruiting process can greatly benefit from reading this。 。。。more
Olivia
，
A must-have for the modern workplace。 This book is for everyone looking to thrive in the workplace， but will be most pertinent to young graduates and new hires。 As a manager in a high-growth startup of a young team， the clear diagrams and elegant simplicity of crucial concepts put to words things that I have felt， but never known how to articulate。 This book is an essential guide for all employees looking to thrive and succeed in today’s work environment。 It’s the type of guide that I wish I had A must-have for the modern workplace。 This book is for everyone looking to thrive in the workplace， but will be most pertinent to young graduates and new hires。 As a manager in a high-growth startup of a young team， the clear diagrams and elegant simplicity of crucial concepts put to words things that I have felt， but never known how to articulate。 This book is an essential guide for all employees looking to thrive and succeed in today’s work environment。 It’s the type of guide that I wish I had in my first role（s） post-graduation when everything is shiny， new， but oh so unclear。 The book demystifies the keys to establishing competence， credibility and commitment with easy to understand frameworks and real-world examples。 The author does not shy away from tricky situations like diversity and inclusion， but tackles sensitive and often unsaid norms with truth， tact and positivity。 If you want to understand how to make a stellar first impression in your new job， embrace feedback， fit in without compromising your identity and most importantly succeed in new environments where no one is telling you the rules - this book is for you！ 。。。more
Varun Desai
，
As a working professional in my mid-20’s， Gorick’s book succinctly encapsulates all the challenges that I faced when entering the workforce and how to navigate through them。 I only wish this book came out 10 years ago！ Gorick does a wonderful job explaining these unspoken rules， finding the right balance between them， and how to apply them throughout various aspects of your work life。
Adrian E
，
Looking forward to review！
Dennis Porto， MD
，
As a venture investor and physician with many trainees， I work daily with ambitious young men and women aiming to advance in their field。 Some of these trainees really shine; they set themselves apart from their cohort and go on to rewarding， fulfilling careers。 It's hard to distill what makes these young professionals stand out from their peers。 The unfortunate truism here is "you either have it or you don't。" Perhaps that was true at one time， but now you have Gorick Ng's groundbreaking instru As a venture investor and physician with many trainees， I work daily with ambitious young men and women aiming to advance in their field。 Some of these trainees really shine; they set themselves apart from their cohort and go on to rewarding， fulfilling careers。 It's hard to distill what makes these young professionals stand out from their peers。 The unfortunate truism here is "you either have it or you don't。" Perhaps that was true at one time， but now you have Gorick Ng's groundbreaking instructional on launching your career off right。 He distills intangible and unspoken skills into actionable， concrete advice。 And， he does this in a way that is engaging， entertaining， memorable， and with refreshing clarity。 Gorick is able to tackle such a difficult topic because he is uniquely positioned to do so having navigated roles at top firms， counseled countless Harvard students， and interviewed hundreds of managers and executives。 This depth of experience is clear on every page。 I just wish I had this book at the outset of my career （I'm sure my managers would have been much happier with me as well！）。 。。。more
Ali Shan
，
A useful how-to guide that brings welcome structure to the "tacit" rules around career success。 Having worked in investment banking， the United Nations， and now foraying into entrepreneurship， I still learned a great deal from Gorick's writing。 It's practical and encouraging （especially the chapter "Let's Give This a Shot！"）。 I highly recommend it - especially for first-generation college students and immigrants who can't access this wisdom at the dinner table。 A useful how-to guide that brings welcome structure to the "tacit" rules around career success。 Having worked in investment banking， the United Nations， and now foraying into entrepreneurship， I still learned a great deal from Gorick's writing。 It's practical and encouraging （especially the chapter "Let's Give This a Shot！"）。 I highly recommend it - especially for first-generation college students and immigrants who can't access this wisdom at the dinner table。 。。。more
Julia Canick
，
I'm currently a medical student （not considering an office job）， and found this book to be highly useful for cultivating the skills that anyone （ANYONE！） can use to be successful on any career path。 This book is readable and entertaining， while doling out important pearls that are relevant for anyone looking to excel in the workplace。 Highly recommend this read to the twenty-somethings who are hoping to launch their careers and stand out in their cohorts！ I'm currently a medical student （not considering an office job）， and found this book to be highly useful for cultivating the skills that anyone （ANYONE！） can use to be successful on any career path。 This book is readable and entertaining， while doling out important pearls that are relevant for anyone looking to excel in the workplace。 Highly recommend this read to the twenty-somethings who are hoping to launch their careers and stand out in their cohorts！ 。。。more
Karis
，
I entered Management Consulting from a non-professional family background， and this was the first career book to significantly impact my life。 Cannot recommend enough all of Ng’s deep insight， thoughtfully distilled with a clear mission to democratize hidden rules and systems and break down barriers。 For companies desiring to push towards greater equity for firm members across backgrounds， sharing these rules - and this book - is a pivotal first step。 Since reading， I can’t help feeling like thi I entered Management Consulting from a non-professional family background， and this was the first career book to significantly impact my life。 Cannot recommend enough all of Ng’s deep insight， thoughtfully distilled with a clear mission to democratize hidden rules and systems and break down barriers。 For companies desiring to push towards greater equity for firm members across backgrounds， sharing these rules - and this book - is a pivotal first step。 Since reading， I can’t help feeling like this is a book we all have an obligation to share。 Would read anything this author writes in the future！ 。。。more
Vicky
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I'm a new grad out of college currently working in investment management。 I received an advance review copy。 A lot of self-help books are catalysts for self-reflection， but Gorick helps balance reflection with frameworks and actionable steps。 Though we are often given broad advice about careers， Gorick provides a step-by-step guide for how to clearly approach a broad range of work situations。 This book has definitely pushed me to think more critically about how people view me， and how I should b I'm a new grad out of college currently working in investment management。 I received an advance review copy。 A lot of self-help books are catalysts for self-reflection， but Gorick helps balance reflection with frameworks and actionable steps。 Though we are often given broad advice about careers， Gorick provides a step-by-step guide for how to clearly approach a broad range of work situations。 This book has definitely pushed me to think more critically about how people view me， and how I should be communicating with everyone around me （amongst many other things）。 It is evident how much work and thought went into this book to balance the diverse range of careers and experiences people have in the workspace。 The synthesis of wisdom is thought-provoking and motivating （there are clear things we can all do to be better！）。Highly recommend this book for anyone beginning their first jobs， or honestly anyone in the workplace。 Seeing these "unspoken rules" written out so clearly is a gem for anyone currently navigating these rules， and also for people who've played by these rules （and who may now have more power to bend them！）。 。。。more
Alison Lee
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As someone midway in their career， some of the anecdotes in this book were all too real！ I really appreciate the use of real stories to illustrate important lessons。 They're sometimes downright funny， which is a refreshing change from stuffy business books。 I do wish I had read this book as a student， because I cringe to think back to some of my behaviour in my early career。 It puts things in simple practical terms without being preachy or condescending。 This books is FAR more useful than the dr As someone midway in their career， some of the anecdotes in this book were all too real！ I really appreciate the use of real stories to illustrate important lessons。 They're sometimes downright funny， which is a refreshing change from stuffy business books。 I do wish I had read this book as a student， because I cringe to think back to some of my behaviour in my early career。 It puts things in simple practical terms without being preachy or condescending。 This books is FAR more useful than the dry professional development courses I was forced to take in engineering school！ 。。。more
Suepfeff
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As a retired superintendent of education for a large school board， I believe that there are numerous audiences for The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right by Gorick Ng。 This is the book everyone should read at any stage of life， from the first job search to seeking employment。 The advice Ng provides is invaluable; from a step by step job search and onboarding to navigating the complexity of work world dynamics， interpersonal relationships， dealing with difficult situations As a retired superintendent of education for a large school board， I believe that there are numerous audiences for The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right by Gorick Ng。 This is the book everyone should read at any stage of life， from the first job search to seeking employment。 The advice Ng provides is invaluable; from a step by step job search and onboarding to navigating the complexity of work world dynamics， interpersonal relationships， dealing with difficult situations and setting up the conditions for career advancement。What makes this guide so user friendly is the many real life scenarios Ng provides to illustrate his message。 In every 'fail' he revisits the scenario to turn missed opportunities into success。 He candidly discusses social inequities in the workplace and how to address them， by finding allies and mentors along the way， to using personal privilege to lift up others。 What I appreciated most about this book was the emotional intelligence that Ng promotes。 Having mentored many people throughout my career， I remember those who took the time to listen thoughtfully and take notes， then follow up with appreciation and updates on their progress。 Ng promotes sincerity， gratitude and outreach， when seeking assistance and when giving others a boost。 His message is to become the leader you want to work for。 I highly recommend this book to job-seekers， business teachers， entrepreneurs， and mentors alike。 The practical application of Ng's guide is in all aspects of personal and professional life。 。。。more
Chris Royle
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