Little Black Book: A Toolkit for Working Women

by Otegha Uwagba

Little Black Book: A Toolkit For Working Women is the modern career guide every creative woman needs, whether you’re just starting out or already have years of experience. Packed with fresh ideas and no-nonsense practical advice, this travel-sized career handbook is guaranteed to become your go-to resource when it comes to building the career you want.

Writer Otegha Uwagba (one of Forbes European 30 Under 30) takes you through everything you need to build a successful self-made career: from how to negotiate a payrise to building a killer personal brand, via a crash course in networking like a pro, and tips for overcoming creative block. Plus Little Black Book is full of indispensable advice on how to thrive as a freelancer, and an entire chapter dedicated to helping you master the tricky art of public speaking.

With contributions from trailblazing creative women including acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Refinery29 co-founder Piera Gelardi, The Gentlewoman's Editor in Chief Penny Martin, and many more, Little Black Book is a curation of career insights.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Self Help, Business, Personal Development, Womens, Productivity

113 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2017

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book gives pretty standard advice for productivity, creative block, personal brand, public speaking, money, and other relevant topics for creatives. The advice is valid, but nothing new, and they are all presented in bite-sized pieces that don't give room for much depth.

[Annikky]

Nothing groundbreaking, but sometimes it's good to remind oneself of the basics. Worth it for a couple of good - and new to me - resources alone (it's a very quick read).

[Alexandra Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Am I the only one who was completely disappointed with this? The simplicity of the ideas didn't inspire me but rather left me cold; nothing new but, more importantly, nothing for the grey matter to nibble on.

[l. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is, all in all, a worthwhile book, but the last chapter, consisting of words of wisdom from various successful women (including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie!) was the best part of it … which says a lot, I think. (rtc)

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[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Das kleine Büchlein hat mich ganz schön überrascht. Es gibt tolle Ratschläge für viele berufliche Situationen oder solche im "Erwachsenenleben". Außerdem ist es sehr allgemein formuliert - im Grunde nicht nur für Working Women, sondern fast eher für Working People (und sogar Studierende!) und auch nicht nur für kreative Berufe. Sehr lesenswert, toller Input!

[Julia Sapphire · Rating 4 out of 5]

more of a 3.5

[Rosamund · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Probably better for people right at the start of their creative career - this is more like freelancing 101, e.g. manage your finances, make sure you exercise. Probably better to own it as a hard copy too, so you can flick to a specific part you need. It was more Lean In-ish than I expected (not a compliment). By this, I mean some of the quotations at the end made me roll my eyes hard.

[Tatjana Sarajlić · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jedno veliko NE. Ne volim knjige ovog tipa, i ne znam kud je pročitah. Prvo, dobila sam je na poklon, a uglavnom ovako završim nakon tih knjiga; drugo, pomalo mi liči na uobličen i uokviren novinski članak.
Nešto što možete pročitati bilo gdje, ali eto, stavljeno je pod jedan krov. Ne govorim da je katastrofalno, ili nekvalitetno, ali jednostavno nije za mene, jer mi previše vuče na "How to...", a od toga se ježim.

[kippen (uponthepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I guess I need a physical copy of this book now. Absolutely wonderful.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Black Book is indeed an essential for women working in the creative industries. Whether you're freelance or working within an organisation, it's a mine of useful advice - some of which I have already started following and found immensely useful. This book is highly relevant, the author has real and up to date insights into how the women it's aimed at live our lives. It is extremely practical, with tips on efficiency, the admin side of creative work, networking, and self-care. Very glad to have read this.

[Vivian Wolkoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every working woman should read this!

[Esmée · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite hard to rate because it’s a book of just useful information for if you’re working. The information given is interesting, so I gave it 4 stars for being useful, and I loved the quotes in the back, but this is especially useful if you’re freelancing in the creative industry.

[Anna Morgenstern · Rating 3 out of 5]

While being very banal and not really bringing anything new to the discussion, I appreciate having all these career advice being put together in one book summarising the very basic things every working woman should know. I wish the author would have elaborated and given more "less general" advice as well.

[Manuela · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is nice to read. It is good to be reminded of some essentials even when you are not new to business or are not in the creative Industrie. However I would have liked it to go more into detail and not merely scratch the surface... but then again, there already are so many books that do go into detail that it gets overwhelming so it is good to have an overview.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sat with a notebook while breezing through this very readable advice compendium and have 15 new things to try out. Great appendix as well. Lots of good stuff in here for freelancers.

[Weaving Fiction ( Sj ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a useful and insightful book. Even as someone who works a normal job, not in the creative industry, there was such a wealth of knowledge hidden in this tiny book that allowed me to understand more, and honestly, will allow me to further myself as a person.

[Sarah (readingfornow) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick introduction for anyone who is planning to work in a creative industry or work freelance/for themselves. Lots of helpful tips to start off with!

[Chelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great! Think of all the great advice you've received about work life, and condense it into a tiny, pocketsized book that is direct, motivational and overflowing with Woman Power. At about halfway through the book, I stopped and thought, I've heard most of this before. But the thing was, I hadn't listened. And this finally made me want to. So take this advice to heart, and listen to Otegha and the other amazing women quoted in this book. I could spend the whole afternoon writing out my favourite lines, but instead, just read it :).

[Cassandra Marie Darling · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not even worth 99p. Honestly uninspiring and same same. Really sorry but this stated nothing which wasn't already obvious, was aimed more for American audience, self employed and creatives. Just wanted more I think.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little book with some helpful hints. I didn't find anything overly unique however.

[what.heather.loves · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Women who are striving for more. Women, who like me, want, or need to, make a change. Because things are changing aren't they? The offices, studios and coffee shops where we spend the majority of our waking hours are constantly evolving, and with them the rulebook on how to build a successful and fulfilling, creative career."

This mini compact career guide for women is concise; small and just over 100 pages. I can't say this better myself - Emma Gannon (in my TBR pile) is quoted on the back - 'There's no fluff in here. It's all solid gold.' Split into ten chapters and an appendix with further resources, Uwagba's guide is like having a determined and confident friend giving you strong options to make the best of your working life. Advice covers managing your time, overcoming blocks, building your brand, public speaking, knowing your worth, skills, networking and looking after yourself. Whilst much of the advice may not be necessarily groundbreaking, this concise, friendly format pulls it all together with panache.

I suspect it is of most use to creative freelancers, but there was new and useful information for me to pick up and which I hope to adapt and apply at work. To clarify my context - I work in the public sector advising on works to historic buildings and change within the historic environment, which is managed by policy and legislative frameworks - not freelance or hugely creative.

I particularly like the inspiring quotes from working women near the back of the book. My favourite is: 'Take up space. Don't be apologetic about your ideas and opinions. Men aren't.' from Lindsey Young, Curator at Tate Britain. If you are looking for a practical and empowering career guidance for women, this is worth a read.

[Fangirlalert_07 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book way more than I expected too, well because for starters it was non-fiction and I don't really enjoy non-fiction but this book was a startling exception. The only reason I picked this book up was because of the "feminist" in me. I really wanted to read a book that is women-centric!

This book has it all, from advice about networking to managing your finances. Very informative but not so, that it becomes boring. well detailed and precise, I liked how the author didn't really make the book super long and was concise and brief. A peek into women's professional lives, this book was brilliant and I'm sure working women around the world could relate to it!

A small little booklet of just about 100 pages, but it contains everything you will need to navigate your professional world. Filled with inspiring quotes by numerous successful women around the world and also useful tips that could save hours of your time. It will mak things simpler and has solutions for daily life work problems too!

On the whole an amazing book, that will help you a lot along the way! Do read it. A huge thanks to Harper Collins India for a review copy :)

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was given to me as a gift by one of my best friend’s and I finally got the time to complete it today as I recover from my lower back injury.

Reading this book reminded me again of how to pick myself up in the workplace - how to tackle finances, creativity block, learning new skills and managing people. I related to a number of things in the book and found mysef nodding along to chapters that really hit the spot - like how to be assertive, proactive and holding on your own in the workplace. Topics like self-care, imposter syndrome and doubt also comes up and a few tips on how to tackle difficult issues. It is an easy read and somehing you can complete in a day/few hours with no problem. I love how this book has good references to other books and also useful resources that you in use daily in a personal or workplace setting.

Overall, I would recommend this book to those looking to reignite their passion in the workplace and those who are just starting out in this big and scary working world. Thank you Otegha Uwagba for sharing your insights and knowledge, will check out your other works!

Any books you’ll like to recommend that are an easy read?

[Lindsay Seddon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a good read if you want to fire yourself up to start working on a new project or if you're thinking of changing direction. After reading this I will be updating my CV and looking at my options, as well as changing my daily routine to be more productive with projects I have already started.

I would have liked to have read a little about what Otegha herself does and about her own experiences, and I definitely could have done without the two pages about mental health that could have been summed up as "breathe a lot".

This is mostly bullet points or very small paragraphs and although a lot of it is useful and worth remembering, it wasn't life changing.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this is a book for every woman in the creative industry or every woman who's an entrepreneur. It's a helpful guide on how to do things in the business with a female insight. It helps with time-management and contains lots of incredible resources, and sources you can get inspiration from. Also, very useful tool for freelancers as it explains why it is important to get a grip of your finance and understand every aspect of being a self-employed woman.
I loved it and it was really helpful reading, that has given me a better insight on how to manage things within creative industries.

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This tiny, stylish pocketbook is a great resource for women who work. From how to negotiate a salary to setting a freelance schedule, Uwagba’s book is a great gift idea for new graduates, creative friends, or budding entrepreneurs. I found it to be a little repetitive, but it’s a solid foundation for women who have yet to hear this advice.

Uwagba’s podcast, In Good Company, is excellent supplementary material for any woman who needs career inspiration, a self esteem boost, or a freelancing community.

[RosaDG · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise compendium of sound advice, reflections and timely resources to be effective and efficient when managing your time as a working person without the usual obstacles that women face in the workplace negatively influencing one modicum in your self-esteem. Interesting!

Aholku, gogoeta eta baliabide puntualen bilduma zehatza, langile gisa zure denbora kudeatzeko orduan eraginkorrak eta eraginkorrak izateko, emakumeek lantokian izaten dituzten ohiko oztopoek zure autoestimuan negatiboki eragin gabe. Interesgarria!

Un pequeño compendio de consejos acertados, pensamientos y recursos oportunos para ser eficaz y eficiente a la hora de gestionar tu tiempo como persona trabajadora sin que los obstáculos habituales que se presentan a las mujeres en el ámbito laboral influyan negativamente ni un ápice en tu autoestima. Interesante!

[Sakshi Pandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually very helpful book...
The author talks about how you should exercise and keep work out of your personal life. At the same time gives tips on creating your brand and asking the correct value for your work. Certainly not a guide to work but can be used for all.

[Readbylala · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book to have in your library for tips on starting your own business or how to create more opportunities for yourselves. It's aimed at creative women but the tips are relatable for all fields.

[Harriet Thacker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a great book with some useful hints and tips on how to get the most out of your career.