Review of Girl on Top: Your Guide to Turning Dating Rules Into Career Success

Last night I went to a fabulous event that was part of a book tour for Girl on Top: Your Guide to Turning Dating Rules into Career Success, the new career guide by Nicole Williams. The invite-only event, hosted by The Limited, was a chance for Williams to showcase her book to the backdrop of fantastic styles.

Girl on Top is not your ordinary career advice book for women, just as Nicole is not your ordinary career woman. Founder and owner of Works, a company focusing on career development for women, Nicole has a tell-it-like-it is approach that you might liken to a career-consulting version of What Not to Wear’s Stacy London. Sometimes Nicole’s advice and choice of wording can be harsh, but it is only in the interest of bringing out your best. Using the most common rules of dating, Nicole delivers a witty, accessible, fun read on how to succeed in your career much in the same way you might try to snag a man.

Like Stacy London, Nicole rolls eyes at the notion that your brain and/or personality is all you need to get ahead. While conceding that it would be terrific to be acknowledged for your brains even though you have hair growing on your chin and a wort on your nose, ultimately she points to the inevitable truth that first and foremost we are all judged by our looks. That’s not to say that looks alone are the key to success, but there is something to be said for playing up your assets and Girl on Top coaches you on how to do just that.

For example, chapter 5 is entitled “If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It.” If you are asking what “it” is, good. She has the answer, and it might not be exactly what you are thinking: “What I’m talking about is an intangible energy. It is a stand-up-straight kind of confidence. It is a lightness and ease. It is a sense of humor that comes from not taking yourself too seriously. It’s captivating and commands attention.” Whether you’re Catherine Zeta-Jones or Susan Boyle, we all have ‘it’ — it’s just that some of us are better skilled at tapping into “it” than others. Ultimately it’s an art anyone can learn and Nicole will teach you.

Girl on Top goes on to tell you about etiquette, work-life balance, navigating social functions with colleagues, and more. And of course, woven throughout the book is advice on work-place style. There is no checklist for each item of clothing that belongs in your closet. Instead you will find guidance in helping you choose a wardrobe that enhances your assets without making you look like Julia Roberts in Pretty Women. I think most people ultimately agree that “less is more” when it comes to feminine wiles and this book gives the proverbial “hear hear” to that notion.

Ultimately Williams’s book is about empowering women to bring out their best, and learning how to work it to their advantage. Sure much of the advice may seem like common sense, but it serves as a good reminder of what to do and what NOT to do in the professional world. Coming from someone who has made a career of teaching other women how to succeed, her advice is worth listening to.