Ask Your Work Wife

Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife: College Edition, where Vanessa & Holland go back to school to answer top questions from college students who are headed into corporate America. Finding your first job after graduation is a piece of cake when you’ve been using your undergrad to get experience (check out Episode 27 College Edition | How to Get Experience Before You Have Any).  But what if you’...

Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife: College Edition, where Vanessa & Holland go back to school to answer top questions from college students who are headed into corporate America. For the second in this five-part series, Vanessa & Holland discuss that ageless paradox: how do I get the 3-5 years of experience required by employers when I’ve been in college for the last 3-5 years? Everybody's bit...

Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife: College Edition, where Vanessa & Holland go back to school to answer top questions from college students who are headed into Corporate America. First up, that all-important question (and yes, it does fucking matter): how do I pick a major? Listen. You can study underwater basket weaving if you want, but pick the right major in college and these four years can be...

We say it all the time: you are the only one advocating for you. So you’ve gotta know your worth and remind yourself of how you add value every day, every week, every month, and every quarter. Otherwise, you’ll feel small, think small, and play small. And that’s just not how the game of corporate America is won. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your r...

We’ll respond to “Emily” and sprint to the CEO’s office when it’s Miranda Priestly calling and we’re wearing Jimmy Choos. But until then, what do you do when you’ve just started a new job and people are yelling, running, and maybe even sexist? Remember: signing an offer letter means nothing about your longevity with this company, and you have every right to GTFO. Watch for these red flags in the f...

Your work product is perfect, your results are stellar, and your performance reviews are top-notch. So why does someone younger and less experienced get the promotions you want? Leveling up your career and landing that promotion are entirely within your control. All you have to do is manage up, down, and around, all while keeping you, your career, and what you want top of mind. Welcome to Ask Your...

What you do is not who you are (unless you’re a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker), but what do you do when you have nothing else to fulfill you? We all just want to be happy, so take the Work Wives’ advice: figure out what you really want, reverse engineer it, and execute. LFG. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real wo...

The ink on your offer letter is dry and you’re about to GTFO. But what do you do about your current job? Your manager? Your projects? It’s time to give your two weeks’ notice! (And no, we’re not talking about Sandra and Hugh.) Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in corporate America. Covering topics from quitting to in...

Feeling imposter syndrome on your first or 50th or 500th day in corporate America? Don’t worry, that means you’re doing it right. In this episode, Vanessa and Holland teach you to reframe imposter syndrome, turn toward the fear, and focus on all the ways you’re totally qualified to be here. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about re...

Is Corporate America for moms? Absolutely, as long as you define what you want in both motherhood and in your career. We know that isn’t easy, but once you get clear on what you want, you’ll find exactly what you need to make it happen, and you’ll be the best Chief Executive Mom in the boardroom. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions ab...

We all want to do the least amount of work for the most amount of money, but how far beyond your job description are you willing to go to get more money? And what happens when you go too far, you’re overworked and underpaid, and your work-life boundaries are constantly being tested? Enter: the Elasticity Clause for corporate America. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa &...

Want to level up your career? Get as much information as humanly possible. Enter: the informational interview. And there’s a reason it’s called an informational interview: to get the most out of it, you need to gather information, and you need to give information. Done well, informational interviews can help you get what you want. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Ho...

Gird your loins, because it’s time for some tough love.  In this episode, Vanessa lays down the law on entitlement, expectations, and ego when you’re the most junior person in the room. Take her advice and you’ll get paid to learn, earn your company’s trust, and build a foundation that will pay dividends. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer you...

Resumes. You've got one. And it needs help. It's time to bring your resume into the 21st century. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in corporate America. Covering topics from quitting to interviewing to negotiating to resumes and meetings. It’s about knowing the rules of the game so you can get what you want. Email u...

When it comes to starting a new job, expectations are low. So you can either skate through your first month or start building an empire: the choice is yours. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in corporate America. Covering topics from quitting to interviewing to negotiating to resumes and meetings. It’s about knowing...

Career change is inevitable, so remember this: there's nothing that you can't do.  All you have to do is put your career changes in an intelligent order, trust your intuition, and get it done. Let’s fucking go. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in corporate America. Covering topics from quitting to interviewing...

Do mentors choose you or do you choose them? Should mentors always be women? What’s the difference between a mentor and a manager, and WTF is a champion? In this episode, Vanessa & Holland teach you what a mentor is, what it isn’t, how to find one, and how to lock it down. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in cor...

Remote work is not all ring lights and laptop stands. It takes self-knowledge, a strong community, and practice. Holland happens to be an expert remote worker, so in this episode, Vanessa takes on the role of interviewer to get you a true look behind the remote work curtain. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in corpo...

We all adore a work bestie, but what if you want to quit your job? Can you keep your bestie? Do you have to choose between friend goals and career goals? The answer is: friends let friends quit, and take them out for drinks after (even if your work bestie is also your manager). Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in co...

When should I take PTO? What should I get my manager for Christmas? Should I even use the word “Christmas” at work?! Yup, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Vanessa & Holland are here to help you maximize your vacation days, get the right gift for your manager, and always have the perfect response to whatever holiday greeting arises in the Zoom chat. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a...

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” “What is your biggest professional achievement"?” “Why should we hire you?” Memorizing 30-, 60-, and 90-second answers to these and the other 47 interview questions you found in a listicle the night before your final round of interviews will only get you so far. Next time, skip the listicles, skip the trendy books, and try this: know what you want. See if...

Everyone uses LinkedIn to gather intel on their potential managers. But what do you do with that information once you get it, and how can it transform your career? Vanessa & Holland have all the answers, plus a few ways to use LinkedIn once you’re hired to get ahead in the game of corporate America. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real quest...

This week, a listener asks Vanessa & Holland what to do when your company hires your replacement… Or when it’s too toxic to stay… Or when there’s no room for growth. You get the hell out of there — but make sure you listen to this episode before you make your move. Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast where Vanessa & Holland answer your real questions about real work in corporate A...

Corporate America is a game and that game has rules. But the resources teaching you how to play the game, let alone win the game, are few and far between, and fewer and further between for women. Vanessa & Holland break down how we got here, what we're doing about it, and how you can win the game of Corporate America. (So you can get what you want.) Welcome to Ask Your Work Wife, a new podcast...

What is this meeting even for!? Vanessa & Holland can’t answer that for every meeting, but they can help you navigate (and even train your manager) on how to have a productive and meaningful Status. The Work Wives give example agendas and tips on how to coax your manager into holding regular status meetings with you. Why? So you can ask for that raise… with receipts! Welcome to Ask Your Work W...