Book Review: How To Go To Work by Lucy Clayton & Steven Haines
Deepali Foster reviews Lucy Clayton and Steven Haines’ new book, an indispensable guide filled with honest and unfiltered career advice.
‘People might have the skills they need to get their dream job, but they can’t see a way to get there.’ - Stormzy
From a young age we watch our parents head off to work with a smile and a wave, and as we grow older we begin to realise that one day, that’ll be us. Yet when the time comes to delve into the world of CVs, colleagues, and conferences, very few of us are taught how to go to work. Even though the average adult spends a third of their waking hours at the office, career guidance in school rarely goes beyond a superficial talk and a multiple choice personality test. Many of our generation find themselves being thrown into unknown territory, with unhelpful assumptions and little to no support. But all is not lost: Lucy Clayton and Steven Haines’ indispensable book, How To Go To Work, has come to save the day (and your future work life).
How To Go To Work is a guide like no other, filled with honest, unfiltered advice that nobody ever reveals when you’re starting your career. Published this month, the book was written in response to the out-of-touch system of educational institutions, which fails to “adequately prepare young adults to integrate into and enjoy work.” We’ve finally been blessed with an up-to-date manual that answers both major and minor work-related qualms, from how to handle toxic workplaces to cracking dress codes (fundamental piece of advice: leave your ‘groovy’ socks at home if you want to bag the job!). Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest: How To Go To Work is living proof that this saying is true. Its premise is straightforward but effective, confirmed by the multitude of tips scribbled down in the margins of my copy. How had I previously survived without such revolutionary advice?
How To Go To Work includes hard-core facts and researched insights provided by Steven, as well as the wisdom of several leading professionals, from London architect William Smalley to Kathleen Saxton, Founder and CEO of The Lighthouse Company. It was a privilege to meet some of the contributors at the book launch event held last week in the grand halls of Somerset House. Conversing with such diverse talent was not only inspiring but incredibly revelatory; learning about each of the contributors’ unique struggles to get to the top highlighted the miscellaneous ways that careers develop - there is no one clear path to success. Most notably, although the accomplished contributors came from various walks of life, they all shared the same three key qualities: zeal, charisma, and drive.
‘Talent, determination and sheer hard work are the way to rise - become indispensable to your team and success will come naturally.’- Katie Keith, first lady at production company Rattling Stick
I found the guide especially compelling when it challenged false notions of the working world, such as the overused saying “it’s not about what you know, but who you know.” Whilst acknowledging that the statement may be true for the few who are privileged enough to have the right family connections, Steven and Lucy nevertheless exposed this notion as a narrow-minded myth. ‘Who you know’ is never fixed. We make new connections all the time: an opportunity could come knocking at your door whenever and from whoever.
How To Go To Work is also commendable for its de-stigmatisation of mental health in the workplace. Section five, “The Bad Days”, confronts the inevitability of times plagued by self-doubt and mistakes. You can relieve so much pressure when you learn to accept that no one is unwaveringly productive and optimistic. When reading about the common feelings of stress, loneliness, and fear of failure, I was glad to discover that good comes out of bad. Sometimes you have to go through the worst day ever in order to remind yourself when you need a break; work should never get to the point that it feels all-consuming. Architect William Smalley spoke of his innovative idea to offer his employees an annual ‘duvet day’: staff can simply send a text in the morning and take the day off, with no explanation required. Petition to get UCL to adopt this too?
What really makes this book stand out from the crowd is its ability to tackle the typically anxiety-inducing subject of work in a genuinely entertaining way. Lucy animates the text by scattering her humour throughout, providing much-needed relief - particularly when dealing with serious issues such as protecting your values at work. Her warm and colloquial style of writing flows effortlessly across the pages, bringing a uniquely personal quality to the book: you truly feel as though you’re lost in an exchange with a family member or a long-time best friend. How To Go To Work is accessible in both language and format: information is often broken up into segments of just two to three pages, giving you the freedom to flick through and read manageable chunks as and when you please. Reading this book is not only useful, but effortless.
How To Go To Work successfully demystifies the daunting world of careers whilst simultaneously providing comfort and reassurance about the future. Although primarily aimed at young adults, it’s actually a book for all, a modern-day bible if you will. Its sacred powers extend beyond the realms of the workplace: by encouraging self-reflection and a positive mind-set, it proves to be enriching on a personal level as much as a professional one. Honest, humorous, and humbling, How To Go To Work is guaranteed to make you less afraid of the UCL Careers Office and more excited about one day going to work, now that you know exactly how.