Working Girl's Guide #24: Charlie Puth and laminated eybrows

Plus, tips for making a great (or horrible) impression at your next job.

We’re talking strikes up and down the coast, my “momager” debut, and tips for a new/first job.

Let’s get into it.

Strike at the Dock

You might have heard about the Longshoremen strike, and if you’re not 100% clear on what’s going down (I definitely wasn’t), here’s the TL;DR so you can keep up when your boss inevitably asks what you think about it. So basically, the union representing dockworkers (people who load and unload about half the cargo ships that come into the US) went on strike: they want more money and a ban on automation, which they see as a threat to job security. And an agreement has been reached: wages will be up 62% over a new six-year contract, and an alleged “happy medium” of automation will be implemented. Had the strike gone on longer, supply chains across the country would have been severely affected.

Holiday Shopping Yet?

The window between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year is almost a full week shorter than it was last year. In response, stores are pushing their holiday sales way up: Walmart’s holiday toy list was published in early September, and Amazon’s holiday-themed Prime Day is this week. Brands are are fighting for consumer dollars by trying to beat their competitors to the punch. “Holiday creep,” as its called, will have us shopping earlier this year — but we can still expect even greater price cuts come Black Friday, according to consumer reports.

Apple Breaks Into Hearing Aids

The FDA approved a new hearing aid software by Apple, which will allow Airpods Pro 2 users to take a hearing test, adjust sound balance and tone based on the results of the test, and track any changes to hearing impairment over time. This is a big deal because the FDA has never okayed over-the-counter hearing aid software before. While the Pros are still pretty expensive, hearing aids can run up to multiple thousands — so this is potentially an important step towards accessibility.

Spent the weekend watching myself on TV? With Charlie Puth? Hang on...but yes! You read that right!! This weekend, a TV show I acted in called The Charlie Puth Show released on Roku, and I play Charlie's "momager" in the series. Total pinch me moment getting to watch with my friends and family this weekend!! Huge thank you to Charlie and the team for trusting me with this project! You can watch on the Roku mobile app and therokuchannel.com.

OH MY GOD IT’S CHARLIE PUTH!!!!!

Fall is in the air. And with pumpkin and ghost decor comes the burning need for an all-denim jumpsuit. Wore this bad boy last week and not only received ten compliments but also felt like I was in a giant snuggie all day at the office. Stylish and comfortable?? Never heard of her!

It’s almost sold out but one size is still available!!!

As the week kicks off, I always feel that familiar urge to ease into a slow start —maybe scroll through some Toks or lay in bed and pretend it’s not Monday. But instead of drifting into procrastination, let’s get ahead by sharing our priorities, which is something Annie and I do with each other, and has helped us level up our prioritization and communication! This week’s productivity hack? Take a few minutes to draft a quick Slack message outlining your top goals for the week, and send it off to your boss or team. Not only does this keep you accountable, but it also shows your team you’re on top of things, and means no one is out there wondering what they have to remind you to do. Keep it simple: list your main tasks, any deadlines, and maybe a couple of challenges you’re anticipating. And don’t worry about being too formal — this can be a suuuper casual check-in! It’s a great way to set the tone for your week, and also gets you thinking about your priorities and any questions/blockers you’re dealing with.

In this week’s episode of the pod, Ross and I reflect on our first days working in consulting and sales. There’s nothing like the mix of excitement and anxiety when walking into your first day of a new job! And there are so many ways to set yourself up for success by starting out on the right foot (many of which we DID NOT do ourselves). We’re sharing tips for new jobs that’ll lower your anxiety and help you to be productive right out of the gate. And if you’re interested in making a first impression that will scar your image in your coworkers’ minds, we’ll hit you with some absolutely unhinged stunts to pull on your first day! Also: stay tuned for some BTS from my starring role in The Charlie Puth Show, and my just as important news: I decided to laminate my eyebrows. Listen here.

Don’t make the mistakes we made.

Thanks for reading!