Be Happy at Work: 100 Women Who Love Their Jobs, and Why

by Joanne Gordon

Meet Leslie, a gallery owner in New York City; Donna, a pharmaceutical sales manager in Texas; Lynne, an animal trainer in Utah; and Betsy, a CEO in California. These women and ninety-six others are members of The Happy 100, a diverse group of women who love their jobs unequivocally. While many workers across America feel bored, unrecognized, and unchallenged, these women greet each new workday with pleasure and a sense of anticipation.

What’s their secret? There are concrete connections between each woman’s job and her unique combination of skills, character, and personality, and Be Happy at Work highlights them through candid snapshots of their working lives and career journeys. Author Joanne Gordon has identified three universal themes and ten categories of happy working women, demonstrating the core reasons of their fulfillment. There are The Lovers, women whose work champions a personal passion; The Thinkers, who thrive on intellectual challenge; The Surviving Artists, who make a sustainable living from a creative endeavor; The Determinators, who feed a need for control and influence; The Heroines, who work to change the world; and The Builders, who enjoy building a company, a team, or a product from the ground up.

Each of Gordon’s interviewees fits into one of these groups–everyone from actress Stockard Channing, broadcast journalist Lesley Stahl, and songwriter Diane Warren to everyday women who work as a screwdriver manufacturer, a truck driver, and a hospital clown. Gordon tells each their stories and reveals why each woman is happy with her choice–and how readers can achieve the same happiness in their own working lives.

Here are the inspiring stories of a chef at the South Pole, a scientist, a judge, a forest ranger, an investment banker, and a Manhattan doorperson, among others. The Happy 100 are all real women whose career stories will help you find yourself in their company. Be Happy at Work proves that loving one’s job is not a luxury for the lucky–it’s a real, attainable possibility for every woman, everywhere.

Genres: Nonfiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2005

Reviews

[Wanderingdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading about various jobs and what these women love about it. I also enjoyed that the author doesn’t try to create a system or anything (though there is a theme). I didn’t think too hard about the labels she gave the stories and just soaked up all the experiences. Like chicken soup for the women who love their jobs.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. Really makes you reflect on your career and your goals. I didn't really like her classification system and need to continuously discuss which category she had placed women into. But I really liked the stories and the concluding chapter was excellent.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommend this book to any woman who needs encouragement in following her career dreams, transitioning between careers.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you are working or not, this is an inspiration to follow your inner most desires.

[Sherry Getz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great inspiring stories.

[Maryanne]

There are some weird cringy moments in these stories but otherwise it's exactly what you expect- 1-2 page stories about how women found a career they love and why they love it.