We Answer Questions from Early Career Listeners

We talk through questions from listeners seeking advice on the challenges they’re facing early in their career — from being excluded from meetings to how to be more assertive.

What should I do if I’m left out of important meetings? How do I balance assertiveness and persuasion? Should I talk to my boss about infertility? How do I set myself up now if I want to be CEO someday? We respond to questions from listeners early in their careers who are looking for advice on their workplace quandaries.

Our colleague Paige Cohen joins Amy Bernstein to share her experience and talk through answers to these questions. Paige is a senior editor at Ascend, a new vertical at HBR that helps young professionals find their place in the working world and realize their personal and career goals.

Guests:

Paige Cohen is a senior editor at Ascend, a sub-brand of Harvard Business Review.

Resources:

“How Women Manage the Gendered Norms of Leadership,” by Wei Zheng, Ronit Kark, and Alyson Meister
“Too Shy to Be a Leader?” from Women at Work
“How to Respond When You’re Left Out of Important Meetings,” by Melissa Raffoni
“Employers, It’s Time to Talk About Infertility,” by Serena G. Sohrab and Nada Basir
“When You Need Time Off for Health Reasons,” from Women at Work
“Act Like a Leader Before You Are One,” by Amy Gallo
“Convincing Your Boss to Make You a Manager,” by Anna Ranieri
Paige’s “My First Day as CEO” TikTok video