The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right
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- Create Date：2021-04-11 11:51:13
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Gorick Ng
- ISBN：1647820448
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Summary
You’ve landed a job。 Now what？
No one tells you how to navigate your first day in a new role。 No one tells you how to take ownership， manage expectations， or handle workplace politics。 No one tells you how to get promoted。
The answers to these professional unknowns lie in the unspoken rules—the certain ways of doing things that managers expect but don’t explain and that top performers do but don’t realize。
The problem is， these rules aren’t taught in school。 Instead， they get passed down over the dinner table or from mentor to mentee， making for an unlevel playing field， with the insiders getting ahead and the outsiders stumbling along through trial and error。
Until now。
In this practical guide， Gorick Ng， a first-generation college student and Harvard career adviser， demystifies the unspoken rules of work。 Ng distills the wisdom he’s gathered from over five hundred interviews with professionals across industries and job types about the biggest mistakes people make at work。 Loaded with frameworks， checklists， and talking points， the book provides concrete strategies you can apply immediately to your own situation and will help you navigate inevitable questions， such as:
• How do I manage my time in the face of conflicting priorities？
• How do I build relationships when I’m working remotely？
• How do I ask for help without looking incompetent or lazy？
The Unspoken Rules is the only book you need to perform your best， stand out from your peers， and set yourself up for a fulfilling career。
No one tells you how to navigate your first day in a new role。 No one tells you how to take ownership， manage expectations， or handle workplace politics。 No one tells you how to get promoted。
The answers to these professional unknowns lie in the unspoken rules—the certain ways of doing things that managers expect but don’t explain and that top performers do but don’t realize。
The problem is， these rules aren’t taught in school。 Instead， they get passed down over the dinner table or from mentor to mentee， making for an unlevel playing field， with the insiders getting ahead and the outsiders stumbling along through trial and error。
Until now。
In this practical guide， Gorick Ng， a first-generation college student and Harvard career adviser， demystifies the unspoken rules of work。 Ng distills the wisdom he’s gathered from over five hundred interviews with professionals across industries and job types about the biggest mistakes people make at work。 Loaded with frameworks， checklists， and talking points， the book provides concrete strategies you can apply immediately to your own situation and will help you navigate inevitable questions， such as:
• How do I manage my time in the face of conflicting priorities？
• How do I build relationships when I’m working remotely？
• How do I ask for help without looking incompetent or lazy？
The Unspoken Rules is the only book you need to perform your best， stand out from your peers， and set yourself up for a fulfilling career。
Reviews
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
，
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
，
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
，
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
，
The unknown unknowns of professional life distilled into a few pages to enable those reading them to "fast forward" through the learnings of their first five years on the job。 Having managed teams in Europe， China and the US， I'm confident that the "secret rules" Ng describes are important within all of those contexts。 Whats more， new hires who instinctively follow them advanced more quickly and were able to pivot to areas that both interested them and played to their strengths。 For employers an The unknown unknowns of professional life distilled into a few pages to enable those reading them to "fast forward" through the learnings of their first five years on the job。 Having managed teams in Europe， China and the US， I'm confident that the "secret rules" Ng describes are important within all of those contexts。 Whats more， new hires who instinctively follow them advanced more quickly and were able to pivot to areas that both interested them and played to their strengths。 For employers and managers - this is the toolkit you should be gifting your teams for"productivity hack" of the year。For interns， trainees and new hires - the career coach in a book; learn how to make impact and achieve your goals from day 1。 。。。more
David Gosnay
，
My background is 43 years in manufacturing with responsibility for hiring， onboarding and training new employees。 Over my career I have onboarded literally a thousand new employees。 The transition into a new job is challenging， the transition from school to the workplace is even more difficult。 In my experience， the number one reason people fail is their inability to get along with people。 Attitude， relationships and effort。 Compatibility is the common denominator for failure。 I was given an adv My background is 43 years in manufacturing with responsibility for hiring， onboarding and training new employees。 Over my career I have onboarded literally a thousand new employees。 The transition into a new job is challenging， the transition from school to the workplace is even more difficult。 In my experience， the number one reason people fail is their inability to get along with people。 Attitude， relationships and effort。 Compatibility is the common denominator for failure。 I was given an advance copy of The Unspoken Rules by Gorick Ng。 I was please to see that compatibility was one of the three C's which makes up the foundation of the book。 Competency， Commitment， and Compatibility。 All three C's are important and they make up the whole employee。 Employers are looking for people who are competent and able to learn。 They also want employees who are loyal。 But compatibility seems to be the first barrier that determines success or failure。 If you can't get along with people， you can't be successful。 Gorick's book offers good advice to the first time employee as well as those transitioning into new careers。 The advice in this book gives the reader good and tangible direction to start on， and stay on， the path to success。 。。。more
Shuo Chen
，
This is the book I wish I had back when I was starting my career！ For context， I have worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs， where I represented the firm on the Board of Women in Finance， as well as in consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers， where I worked on Google’s $12。5 billion acquisition of Motorola。 I am now a General Partner of a venture capital fund I co-founded， where I have invested in companies now acquired by Goldman Sachs， Ford， Caterpillar， Binance and Dialpad， as well as a This is the book I wish I had back when I was starting my career！ For context， I have worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs， where I represented the firm on the Board of Women in Finance， as well as in consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers， where I worked on Google’s $12。5 billion acquisition of Motorola。 I am now a General Partner of a venture capital fund I co-founded， where I have invested in companies now acquired by Goldman Sachs， Ford， Caterpillar， Binance and Dialpad， as well as a Lecturer at UC Berkeley。 In all of these roles， I have mentored classes of students， young professionals and entrepreneurs on an ongoing basis。 I co-authored a non-fiction book published by Cambridge University Press in 2019， and I was given an advanced review copy of the book。The Unspoken Rules is truly the go-to guide for success in the workplace。 As someone who has had an interdisciplinary career and as someone who enjoys reading and reflecting on books about professional development， the Unspoken Rules has been the most practical advice I've read to date for early career professionals from navigating a new role through to one's promotion。 Gorick's book not only presented helpful overall frameworks， but also focuses on the how--from suggested scripts for responding in different scenarios to actual email templates， and much more。In my own experiences， the most difficult part of a job has always been not knowing what I should know--precisely the "unspoken rules" which Gorick defines precisely as "certain ways of doing things that managers do but don't explain and that top performers do but don't realize。" Gorick's book is the perfect combination of anecdotes， specific to-do's， checklists， talking points and email templates that he has sourced from extensive interviews with professionals across geographies， industries， and job types on the lessons they wish someone could have told them earlier about how to get ahead once they get hired。 What better way to learn than from people who have been through it themselves？Reading the book has been a great reminder of all the different ways in which I can better approach my professional life， as well as a great framework for how I can be a better mentor for the students and young professionals in my life。 This is the book I wish I could have given to my younger self。 I highly recommend it to everyone， regardless of geography， industry or seniority。For those of you who want to hear more from Gorick， he has also done an amazing job of creating soundbites in easily digestible formats via TikTok and YouTube， and Gorick's content on these channels are great ongoing reminders of the lessons learned in this book。 。。。more
Isaiah Baldissera
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Required reading for your new （and old） employees。It’s no stretch to say that this book could increase your team’s productivity almost immediately。 As an entrepreneur， I’ve managed dozens of direct reports （mostly millennials）。 Training them well is the single， highest-leverage activity I can engage in。 The problem？ Never enough time。 Can a book replace personalized coaching？ No。 But， besides Covey’s 7 Habits， this one comes closer than any I’ve come across。 I received an advanced copy and found Required reading for your new （and old） employees。It’s no stretch to say that this book could increase your team’s productivity almost immediately。 As an entrepreneur， I’ve managed dozens of direct reports （mostly millennials）。 Training them well is the single， highest-leverage activity I can engage in。 The problem？ Never enough time。 Can a book replace personalized coaching？ No。 But， besides Covey’s 7 Habits， this one comes closer than any I’ve come across。 I received an advanced copy and found that it addresses the things I wish my new hires knew with more clarity and detail than any of its peers: •How to show up prepared and stay ahead of incoming work。 •How to decide if something is urgent and/or important， and how to see the big picture of the team’s objectives。 •What makes a good and bad question， plus how and when to ask good questions。 •How to communicate in a clear， concise way in written and verbal exchanges。 I’m not usually drawn to books with the word ’secrets’ in the subtitle， however， this one stands out for a few reasons:•Specificity: Skim most career advice books and you’ll find yourself knee-deep in vague generalities like ’be prepared’， and ‘communicate with confidence’。 This book not only defines things in granular detail， but also identifies the spectrum—what does ’too much enthusiasm’ for your role actually look like？ Also notable was the use of actual interviews conducted with subjects in the book。 •Action-oriented format: I’ve been sold on checklists ever since reading Atul Gawande’s Manifesto， so I was happy to see a number of them in this book。 There are also several ‘fill in the blanks’ sections to help the newbies understand where they fit into the bigger organizational picture。 This was unique and useful。 •Fairness: The author isn’t out to complain about millennials， nor coddle them， as he notes “Curiosity and entitlement are not the same thing… demanding something or being overly disappointed if the answer is ’no’ can be dangerous for your compatibility。" Ng avoids the ‘preachy’ or ‘activist’ tone that some authors in the genre adopt。 In sum， the book is everything you wanted to teach your team， but either ran out of time for， or did too lousy a job of explaining。I’ll be gifting it to future hires。 。。。more
Trang Mai
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Where was this book years ago before I started my first job？！ Each chapter in "The Unspoken Rules" lays out the do's and don'ts， tips and tricks， and even has templates on how to respond to different situations （this would have saved me countless hours of Googling "how to respond to___"）。 I received a copy in advance to review。 Although I'm now a late-20's professional and no longer at my first job， the content is still relevant and extremely helpful。 Ng's tips on taking ownership， managing my w Where was this book years ago before I started my first job？！ Each chapter in "The Unspoken Rules" lays out the do's and don'ts， tips and tricks， and even has templates on how to respond to different situations （this would have saved me countless hours of Googling "how to respond to___"）。 I received a copy in advance to review。 Although I'm now a late-20's professional and no longer at my first job， the content is still relevant and extremely helpful。 Ng's tips on taking ownership， managing my workload， mastering meetings， and managing feedback really helped me re-evaluate the areas I still need to work on regardless of the amount of experience I have。 Unlike other books I've read， "The Unspoken Rules" didn't feel like an endless list of tips。 Instead， Ng gets right into the details while including real life and relatable experiences， diagrams to illustrate his ideas， and summarizes key takeaways at the end of every chapter。。。 AND provides template responses？！ I will be bookmarking those for future reference as learning professional email lingo is something I still struggle with。 I can't emphasize enough how much I've been able to learn even as a late-20's professional。 I would strongly recommend "The Unspoken Rules" to high school juniors and seniors， college students and recent college grads， or anyone who may be starting their first job and need a clear and concise read on what to do/expect。 Like Ng， I come from an immigrant family who did not know any of the unspoken rules of the work place。 I had to learn by myself （and am still learning as I go！）。 "The Unspoken Rules" is also a great read for managers who are interested in understanding and recognizing any unspoken rules they may unknowingly have and how to address those unspoken rules。 Regardless of years of experience or position in the hierarchy， there is a lot of valuable information in "The Unspoken Rules" for anyone to learn。 I highly recommend！ 。。。more
Sudheer P
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Note: I was given an advance review copy of the book。 As a former Diversity & Inclusion Consultant， I heard from hundreds of women， people of color， first-gen professionals， and other diverse professionals about their difficulty navigating workplace cultures （from Fortune 500 companies to startups）。 I co-authored a book （Mastering the Game: Strategies for Career Success） to help diverse professionals and that’s also why I was excited to see the practical advice Gorick Ng shares in his new book Note: I was given an advance review copy of the book。 As a former Diversity & Inclusion Consultant， I heard from hundreds of women， people of color， first-gen professionals， and other diverse professionals about their difficulty navigating workplace cultures （from Fortune 500 companies to startups）。 I co-authored a book （Mastering the Game: Strategies for Career Success） to help diverse professionals and that’s also why I was excited to see the practical advice Gorick Ng shares in his new book。 Diverse professionals often struggle in new roles when no one tells them the unwritten rules critical to success。 The most helpful aspects in the book were: （1） visual doodles that are fun and informative， （2） thorough checklists of what people expect from you but don’t say outright， and （3） side-by-side comparisons of mediocre vs。 excellent actions in a given situation。I highly recommend Ng’s book for the following groups:（1） diverse college/graduate students preparing for summer internships or new jobs， （2） any diverse professional who wants to advance but isn’t getting concrete feedback on how to improve， （3） University Career Services Departments， （4） Employee Resource Groups looking to support junior members， （5） HR managers who focus on on-boarding， professional development， and talent management，（6） D&I Committees looking for practical advice to share at an annual retreat， （7） D&I Advocates focused on retention and advancement of diverse professionals in their organizations。 Diverse professionals know that they often have to work twice as hard to get half the recognition that their peers in the majority group。 We are constantly judged on everything we do from our email tone to voicemail messages to how we ask questions （Ng gives tips on all three in this book）。 If you use Ng’s book as an active strategy guide rather than figuring things out through trial and error， you will take your career performance to the next level。 。。。more
Angela
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