You're Too Smart for This

Book excerpt: Your first job isn't all it's cracked up to be . . . You just spent $100,000 on a college degree to make photocopies. And your manager probably isn't even happy with them. Life at the entry level isn't about what school you graduated from, or even who you know. It's actually about paying dues and brownnosing and keeping your foot out of your mouth during meetings. You're Too Smart For This explains everything your college professors didn't: Understand how college has no application to reality, or anybody living in it. Come to terms with doing gruntwork and smiling while being yelled at. Get straight with operating on a team - putting personal interests second, for once. Negotiate office politics, and recognize when to keep quiet (e.g., "the daytime"). Earn the right promotion or transfer, instead of quitting and being poor again. Locate a balanced work life, not based on social sacrifice and being hostile. You're Too Smart For This will help you get the hang of the working life soon enough. And even have some fun with it. Especially at happy hour.