NOW, NEAR, NEXT

A guide for professionally established women on the dos and don’ts of career advancement.

Written especially for mid-career women who are feeling stuck, this short but powerful guide lays out step-by-step instructions on how to emerge from a professional rut. The first section encourages readers to release any guilt and regret that may be holding them back and instead envision what they want for their professional future. Such goals include establishing (or reaffirming) work boundaries, asking for help from friends and family, and harnessing one’s “natural talents.” The authors then focus on proactively pursuing professional development, which can include engaging in outside volunteer opportunities or board appointments in order to hone transferrable skills, and they emphasize the importance of emotional resilience, such as learning to pivot when an obstacle emerges and establishing a regimen of “holistic self-care.” Three symbols appear intermittently throughout the book, denoting either “Personal Reflection” (via a thought bubble), “Take Immediate Action” (a high-heeled shoe), or “Chart in Now, Near, Next Blueprint” (a mountain). These questions and activities are meant to spur readers to further contemplate and chart their own course of professional action. Much of the advice is common sense, but it is organized beautifully and will likely prove extremely helpful to those who are good at following directions and sticking to a plan. Occasional color diagrams and flowcharts will appeal to visual learners, while the various questions (“What common word or phrase must you remove from your communication style?”) are both introspective and practical. Some suggestions, such as serving on a board of directors, may seem overwhelming to those readers who are already pressed for time, but Bentzen-Mercer and Rath make it clear that every piece of advice they include is a means to an end. The authors maintain a friendly but professional tone throughout, giving the distinct impression that everything about this guidebook—including their advice and exercises—is reassuringly intentional.

Bentzen-Mercer and Rath offer helpful advice using a clear, actionable, and encouraging approach.