10 Burning Questions for Karen Burns, Working Girl

Wuhoo! Fellow workplace blogarista and cyber-friend Karen Burns (aka Working Girl) just published her first book:

The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use

She’s had 59 jobs (so far) and tells it like it is.  Clearly a girl after my own heart.  Of course, I’ve had at least 62 jobs myself, but 59 is really very good too, Karen. And I know you’ll keep trying.

Seriously grrrl…I’m so proud of you. And in honor of her new book, I’ve prepared some questions that Karen’s graciously agreed to answer in her own delightful Working Girl style. So without further ado:

Q&A for Karen Burns, Author and Working Girl

1. First, an easy one. How does it feel to be on your very own book tour? Any fun story you can share?

At my launch a young girl, aged ten or so, stood right by my elbow the whole time I was signing books.  Signing is an amazing experience, by the way.  “I read your book in manuscript,” she coolly informed me (true—she’s the daughter of someone in my writers’ group).  She added that she intends to be a writer herself someday and was watching because she needs to learn how to conduct a book launch.  Nothing like planning ahead….

2.  Does the fact that I’ve had over 62 jobs and you a mere 59 make you want to try harder?

No, it just makes me want to give up completely.  You win!  Uncle!

3.  I love your drawings. How does it feel to see your own art right there in your own book?

Thank you.  I am oddly unmoved by seeing my own art in a book because I really don’t think of myself as an artist.  People tell me I have to stop saying this but I just can’t help it.  I want to scream, “But I’m a writer, a word person!”  The art thing happened more or less accidentally; I learned just for the book.  The good thing about the art, for me, is that I’m not neurotic about it at all.  It is what it is.  However, if you want to see me go ballistic, criticize my grammar.

4.  What’s your least favorite job interview question and how do you answer it?

I hated it when they asked, “Tell me why you’re the best person for this job.”  My mind would start to whirl.  What if the other applicants were Warren Buffett, Madeleine Albright, and Stephen Hawking?  How could I possibly be “best” when compared to people like that?  I never did come up with a non-lame answer.  I think what this proves is that even if you don’t answer all the questions “just right,” you can still get hired.

5.  Where do you see yourself in five years? (Just kidding. But feel free to answer of course.)

I see myself as queen of the universe.  But do not worry, my child, I will be a benevolent monarch.

6.  What do you do to motivate yourself when you get the SDBs (self-doubt blahs)?

I stop and reevaluate.  When I got discouraged while writing the book & trying to find an agent (which is hard, btw), I’d ask myself, “Is this still fun?  Am I learning anything?  Is it still an adventure?  Do I still want to do this?”  The answers were always yes, yes, yes, and yes.  Remembering why you are doing what you’re doing can help you to refocus and combat the blahs.  As for self-doubt—the only way to battle self-doubt is to tackle the thing you feel doubtful about.  Rack up a few successes.  Try to learn from the setbacks.  It’s not easy, but why else are we on this planet?

7.  Which of your many jobs would you wish on your worst enemy and why?

Well, I would not wish the envelope-sorting job (see p. 66) on even the most despicable person in the world.  Do you want me to describe the job?  It involved scooping up envelopes as they were spat out of an enormous noisy machine, flipping through them to check that they’d been addressed, and then packing them into boxes.  That was it.  The term “soul destroying” comes to mind.  I lasted three weeks at this job.

8.  Which job would you like to try again knowing what you know now and what would you do differently?

Hmmm. If I changed the past that would mean changing the present.  Right?  And I’m pretty happy with my present.  So I have to say I wouldn’t do anything differently though, admittedly, I made many wrong moves, bone-headed mistakes, and idiotic choices—as the book makes clear.

9.  What question do you wish someone would ask you on your book tour that you haven’t been asked yet?

No one has asked, “Do you mind if I give a copy of your book to my very close friend, Oprah?”   I cannot fathom why.

10. And finally…what advice would you give someone worried about having too many jobs?

If the reason for “too many jobs” is you keep getting fired, then that’s a problem you need to work on.  If you’ve had a lot of jobs because you’re always improving, growing, moving up, then be sure to frame it in those terms.  Either way, keep in mind that when seeking employment you need only cite relevant previous experience.  Fortunately for you, and me, job hopping is not the kiss of career death it once was.

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Thanks Karen. Great answers. You had me laughing and nodding in agreement at the same time. No wonder you got all those jobs. It’s been a real blast working with you. (Hey…does that count as an extra job for each of us???)

Best of luck with your new book, WG. I love that you made this happen for yourself. You put the fun in wofunrk.  Go get ‘em grrrl!

Ronnie Ann

Want more Working Girl? Besides looking on her blog, you can also find her every Wednesday at U.S. News & World Report.  Oh…and if you want to see her cool promo video with her own voice and drawings:

[httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cidhqNQSUU&feature=player_embedded]

writing, images and narration by Karen Burns
produced by Dave Drummond
music and editing by Devin Clarke

And for more about her book:

The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use

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