"Women have to make their own luck."

Check out this article on women in Hollywood...although women make up only 16% of "behind the scenes" jobs in the movie industry, Charlize Theron says, "I try not to kind of b**** and complain about what [women] don't have...it's a tricky thing because, I think, if you want to find that linchpin, you can, in anything."

Here's to Friday! Have a good one!

Work is work, no matter where you live!

Let's take a moment to thank our international readers...I've gotten such great feedback from the ladies in Asia, Europe and even Australia. Thank you! This blog is doing something only a blog could do...creating "virtual mentorship" between women who live thousands of miles apart. Thank you all for your participation!

Focus on your goals

Kelly R. is a Leadership Development Specialist at a major corporation. Ever since we met, she's been the definition of driven and goal-oriented...a powerhouse wherever she works. She's always known how to get things done while still being charming and fun to work with.

1) What do you wish you had known when you started working?

Never talk about other people you work with negatively. You never know when that person will become your boss.

2) List one "do" and one "don't" for young women at work

Don't get caught up in office gossip, though it might be interesting to find out the "scoop," it will never get you anywhere. Do build networks with other women; find out how they got to the place they are today. Mentors are key to getting promoted, that will take you further in business than anything else.

Women like Kelly have been known to ask a potential mentor to lunch and say, "I want to be in your shoes one day...how do I get there?" That's a definite Do!

Comm superwoman gives her two cents

Holly McFall is a public relations professional on hiatus to be a stay at home mom. She is also the founder of the fabulous football blog for women, Girls on Football. She has some advice for any ladies out there in the field of Communication:

1) The main thing I wish I had known before starting my first job was: Nobody knows the difference between Public Relations and Marketing. Most companies figure they go hand in hand and consider both jobs a function of the "Marketing Department". I studied PR. In my college curriculum, Marketing was a completely different major. Different classes, projects, and requirements. I feel that either businesses should start understanding that these two functions are separate or colleges should recognize that the business world is grouping them together and start a major that incorporates both so the graduate is prepared to step into a role as both PR and Marketing Expert. Because in the situations I have witnessed, Marketing Departments are not very big and one person is required to do Marketing, PR, MultiMedia, etc.

2) One "Do" for young professional women: Do attack your job with a positive attitude. Even if you are overqualified or in a temporary job, a positive attitude is noticed and admired.

One "Don't": Don't get discouraged at managements lack of inspiration or resistance to brilliant ideas. Your creativity will be appreciated someday.

Another "Don't": Be friendly with all your co-workers but don't get locked into any one clique as management will sart to judge you based on aquaintances and not your performance.

Can we second that one about being judged based on your office clique? Amen!

Know thyself

Annie, whose field is healthcare, understands a thing or two about the importance of knowing yourself as it relates to the workplace. She had this great advice to share with women starting out in their careers:

1) What do you wish you had known when you started working?

I wish I would have known what I truly wanted to do with my life! Beginning a career is exciting stuff, but 5 years down the road, if it's not exactly what your heart is in, you will regret that you never determined what your calling was.

2) List one "do" and one "don't" for young women at work

DO play the part. Act as if....in other words, have confidence in yourself and your work. If you have confidence in yourself, others respect you more. If you went to college and earned a degree, flaunt it! you earned it! Personally, I have a doctorate, but don't have ANYONE call me doctor...but I should!

DON'T allow yourself to be taken advantage of, as many women do. Stand your ground and know your role and be sure that your superiors know that you are a force to be reckoned with!!

Our New Year's Wish

We polled a group of friends to see what they were hoping for, work-wise, in the New Year. Here's what they said:

"To finally prove to my boss that I get more done when I telecommute than when I'm in the office!" - Susan R.

"This year I'm finally going to use the task function on my Blackberry instead of writing myself a bunch of notes that get lost." - Pat M.

"I want to find a way to work with another manager on our team who constantly bends the rules, or ignores them totally, to get his way. I'm sick of being mad about it and am going to learn how to deal." - Pamela K.

"I'm going to go back to working full time after being a stay at home mom for four years. I want to do something in my kid's school but am not sure what." - Nikki N.

Hearing these made us wonder what we should be resolving to do ourselves...check out this great article on business resolutions for the New Year for a jump start.

Oh Marcus I Love You

He's like a therapist for your career, with a cute accent and lots of supportive phrases like, "oh love, you've got a wee problem." If you've read any of Marcus Buckingham's books, you know that he has an interesting way of looking at personalities and how they affect performance at work. Now you can take an online course through Saint Oprah's website, available here. It's great for anyone looking for a career makeover, or just an attitude re-adjustment.