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The Secret Language of Work: Hyper-Helpful Scripts for Every Situation
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
From the creator of AdviceWithErin, the definitive book on how to use the right words at work—so you can build the career you deserve
We’ve all been you’re sweating, sitting in front of your laptop, and the interviewer on the screen says, “Tell me about yourself.” You freeze. Is that even a question? What are they expecting from you? What do you say?
If that paragraph made your heart beat a little faster, TikTok star, career educator, and “the internet’s big sister” Erin McGoff is here to help. In The Secret Language of Work, McGoff shares her best, customizable scripts for how to communicate in the professional world—word-for-word, exactly what to say during interviews, while negotiating salaries, when you need to set boundaries with co-workers, as you advocate for yourself, and in any sticky situation at the office. With McGoff’s advice, you will master the unwritten rules of work speak that are key to career advancement.
Learning how to say the right words, in the right order, in the right way, at the right time, is an art that too few people are taught. Stellar communication is probably the most valuable skill you can possess—and once you know the secret language of work, you will be able to confidently tackle anything your sure-to-be outstanding career presents to you.
From the creator of AdviceWithErin, the definitive book on how to use the right words at work—so you can build the career you deserve
We’ve all been you’re sweating, sitting in front of your laptop, and the interviewer on the screen says, “Tell me about yourself.” You freeze. Is that even a question? What are they expecting from you? What do you say?
If that paragraph made your heart beat a little faster, TikTok star, career educator, and “the internet’s big sister” Erin McGoff is here to help. In The Secret Language of Work, McGoff shares her best, customizable scripts for how to communicate in the professional world—word-for-word, exactly what to say during interviews, while negotiating salaries, when you need to set boundaries with co-workers, as you advocate for yourself, and in any sticky situation at the office. With McGoff’s advice, you will master the unwritten rules of work speak that are key to career advancement.
Learning how to say the right words, in the right order, in the right way, at the right time, is an art that too few people are taught. Stellar communication is probably the most valuable skill you can possess—and once you know the secret language of work, you will be able to confidently tackle anything your sure-to-be outstanding career presents to you.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
March 13, 2026
as a big fan of Erin McGoff, reading this book felt like watching one of her videos. her writing tone is almost exactly the same: informational, relatable, and encouraging. because the variety of topics she covers and wealth of conversation scripts to accompany them, this book is accessible entry to the basics of unspoken office etiquette.
however, some sections felt copy-and-pasted from her short-form content, making each chapter feel like only a surface-level explanation of the topic; graphs were based more on storytelling than on actual statistics.
even so, i’d recommend this book for people early in their career, people who have never read a business book, and anyone who wants an index of McGoff’s advice without going on social media.
however, some sections felt copy-and-pasted from her short-form content, making each chapter feel like only a surface-level explanation of the topic; graphs were based more on storytelling than on actual statistics.
even so, i’d recommend this book for people early in their career, people who have never read a business book, and anyone who wants an index of McGoff’s advice without going on social media.
Read
March 4, 2026I fumbled my way through corporate America and somehow managed to build a successful career out of figuring things out as I went. That said, I seriously wish I had this book ten years ago. It would have saved me from a lot of hard conversations, second-guessing, and lessons learned the long way around.
For a long time, I over-apologized. I downplayed my work. I said yes to things that weren’t really my responsibility because I wanted to be helpful, or liked, or simply not difficult. Like many people, I thought working hard was enough and that eventually the right people would notice.
What The Secret Language of Work does so well is explain the part no one teaches you: how to communicate your value in a way that’s authentic, clear, and effective. Erin doesn’t ask you to become someone else or adopt a corporate persona. Instead, she shows you how to show up as yourself - just with the language and awareness that helps people actually understand the impact of your work.
She also walks through how to keep yourself visible in the right way. Not self-promotion for the sake of ego, but the kind of thoughtful communication that keeps your contributions top of mind when opportunities and promotions come around.
Whether you’re just starting your career or already deep in it, this book gives practical insight that most of us only learn the hard way. Erin manages to put words to dynamics many people feel but struggle to articulate, and that alone makes this book worth reading.
For a long time, I over-apologized. I downplayed my work. I said yes to things that weren’t really my responsibility because I wanted to be helpful, or liked, or simply not difficult. Like many people, I thought working hard was enough and that eventually the right people would notice.
What The Secret Language of Work does so well is explain the part no one teaches you: how to communicate your value in a way that’s authentic, clear, and effective. Erin doesn’t ask you to become someone else or adopt a corporate persona. Instead, she shows you how to show up as yourself - just with the language and awareness that helps people actually understand the impact of your work.
She also walks through how to keep yourself visible in the right way. Not self-promotion for the sake of ego, but the kind of thoughtful communication that keeps your contributions top of mind when opportunities and promotions come around.
Whether you’re just starting your career or already deep in it, this book gives practical insight that most of us only learn the hard way. Erin manages to put words to dynamics many people feel but struggle to articulate, and that alone makes this book worth reading.
Review of advance copy received from Author
We invest heavily in technical skills.We rarely teach the invisible rules that determine who advances.
I have followed Erin and her content for years and was so excited to get a copy of her book prior to publication! And if you're a fan of her content, you will LOVE the book. Her advice on self-advocacy, resumes, interviewing, confident communication, and more is practical and easy to apply to almost any situation. This book's specialty is breaking down the unspoken corporate rules, especially for early-career professionals or those without support systems to guide the way.
In short, so much of our success at work comes down to communication and this book walks through all common communication scenarios and potential pitfalls to prepare you to succeed or improve your current skills.
If you’re early in your career, mentoring someone who is, feeling stuck at work, or just a seasoned professional looking to sharpen your communication, this one is worth checking out!
I have followed Erin and her content for years and was so excited to get a copy of her book prior to publication! And if you're a fan of her content, you will LOVE the book. Her advice on self-advocacy, resumes, interviewing, confident communication, and more is practical and easy to apply to almost any situation. This book's specialty is breaking down the unspoken corporate rules, especially for early-career professionals or those without support systems to guide the way.
In short, so much of our success at work comes down to communication and this book walks through all common communication scenarios and potential pitfalls to prepare you to succeed or improve your current skills.
If you’re early in your career, mentoring someone who is, feeling stuck at work, or just a seasoned professional looking to sharpen your communication, this one is worth checking out!
April 26, 2026
Erin McGoff: The Secret Language Of Work
I rate this 6/10.
This book is more useful for people earlier in their careers, especially those learning how to handle interviews, salary conversations, difficult managers, feedback, workplace confidence, and direct communication.
What I found useful as a leader was the reminder that many workplace problems start before the real conversation happens.
Someone assumes intent. They build their own version of the story. They discuss it with the wrong people. By the time the real conversation happens, they are already frustrated or defensive.
That is how small issues become bigger problems.
The strongest reminder was around gossip and workplace drama: do not take the bait. Keep it neutral, stay respectful, and get back to the work.
I see this as a leadership issue. Teams lose clarity when side conversations become easier than direct conversations.
The section on false narratives was also useful. We all carry old experiences into current situations. The risk is that we respond to memory, ego, fear, or insecurity instead of what is actually in front of us.
I would recommend this book to early-career professionals, and those preparing for their first real leadership role. It gives practical language for moments many people handle badly because nobody ever taught them how to handle them properly.
#Leadership #Communication #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceCulture #ProfessionalDevelopment
I rate this 6/10.
This book is more useful for people earlier in their careers, especially those learning how to handle interviews, salary conversations, difficult managers, feedback, workplace confidence, and direct communication.
What I found useful as a leader was the reminder that many workplace problems start before the real conversation happens.
Someone assumes intent. They build their own version of the story. They discuss it with the wrong people. By the time the real conversation happens, they are already frustrated or defensive.
That is how small issues become bigger problems.
The strongest reminder was around gossip and workplace drama: do not take the bait. Keep it neutral, stay respectful, and get back to the work.
I see this as a leadership issue. Teams lose clarity when side conversations become easier than direct conversations.
The section on false narratives was also useful. We all carry old experiences into current situations. The risk is that we respond to memory, ego, fear, or insecurity instead of what is actually in front of us.
I would recommend this book to early-career professionals, and those preparing for their first real leadership role. It gives practical language for moments many people handle badly because nobody ever taught them how to handle them properly.
#Leadership #Communication #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceCulture #ProfessionalDevelopment
April 6, 2026
So for context, I absolutely love Erin’s Ig page which I have been following since I graduated. She provides lots of useful advice that I have successfully applied multiple times. The book however feels a bit like a video script. It is written in a very informal tone which makes it a little “too easy” to read, as in too simplistic. I am still happy with my purchase and think it will be useful to go to the book and refer to specific chapters when I need advice, rather than searching for a video online. I also liked that it feels more targeted to young women on the labour market, contrarily to the usual career-advice books. Rating 3.5/5.
May 13, 2026
nothing revolutionary, but still encouraging & relatable as a young woman trying to solidify a career path. this is written in a way that allowed me to actively reflect and think about how i am going to apply the information being shared. i’m glad i listened instead of reading the physical copy!
i will say i was not for the use of ai recommendation in chapter 5… you will get a much more genuine reply and genuine insight from choosing to talk to someone else instead of generative ai!
anyways, grateful for erin’s insight and encouragement for self advocacy (:
i will say i was not for the use of ai recommendation in chapter 5… you will get a much more genuine reply and genuine insight from choosing to talk to someone else instead of generative ai!
anyways, grateful for erin’s insight and encouragement for self advocacy (:
June 22, 2026
Really great, lots of good advice and scripts to use/make your own.
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April 6, 2026shoutout au grads
August 16, 2026
A book about how to use professional communication should not include Millennial-speak like "if you know you know" and "don't @ me." I just cannot take her seriously. She sounds like a ditz.
March 31, 2026
I love the writer of the book and I’ve been following her on YouTube ever since she started creating content. But I do feel as though her content applies only to the limited role of US work culture. I live in France and the work culture here is completely different. The rules about negotiation in the book or just reaching for your dream job or promotions do not apply.
I’m still happy to have read the book, though.
If nothing else it’s a useful lesson in communication that most people are never taught and it’s helpful even in relationships if not just the workplace. To end I would like to say “it’s not personal it’s just professional.”
I’m still happy to have read the book, though.
If nothing else it’s a useful lesson in communication that most people are never taught and it’s helpful even in relationships if not just the workplace. To end I would like to say “it’s not personal it’s just professional.”
June 24, 2026
2.25 stars. This book has a lot of good information for individuals just starting out in their career, but there isn’t much to learn for those who have been working for many years. Also, the way the information is presented is a bit cheesy at times. It’s definitely written for a younger audience.
Additionally, many of the example scripts in this book would not be transferable to the job markets in other countries. For example, many Europeans would find this way of talking very artificial and untrustworthy.
However, it did remind me to reach out to hiring teams more often after I apply for roles, so at least one takeaway.
Additionally, many of the example scripts in this book would not be transferable to the job markets in other countries. For example, many Europeans would find this way of talking very artificial and untrustworthy.
However, it did remind me to reach out to hiring teams more often after I apply for roles, so at least one takeaway.
March 23, 2026
As a past Career Coach, I have followed Erin McGroff’s “AdviceWithErin” social media channels for years. She is the first career professional I’d recommend to my students and clients because she gives practical, invaluable career advice in personal, bite-sized videos. She is engaging and knowledgeable and this book reads exactly as if she’s sitting across from you at Starbucks telling you how to get the most out of your career and live the best life possible. I appreciate she always gives exact scripts to use for specific scenarios and pulls back the curtain of the “secret language of work.”
May 13, 2026
Loved this book. The best thing about it was the negotiation section about out in negotiate pay, and other things this book would be great for someone anyone who’s staying a job or even has been in a job for a while that needs some refresh sometimes when we’re in a job, we forget certain things in this book helps. Remind you of things that you may have forgotten.
August 12, 2026
4⭐️ - In terms of a professional development book, this is great! Appreciate the tangible examples and scripts to help navigate the workplace. Could be great for a great read no matter the industry. Also love Erin’s examples on TikTok.
April 15, 2026
Corporate work etiquette 101, I wish I had read this when starting my career.
August 6, 2026
While I didn’t take away a ton from this book, I could see this being a great read for high school seniors entering the workforce who could benefit from understanding the hidden language of work.
March 25, 2026
I’m so glad I listened to this book.
What I learned was just common sense: Keep yourself visible. Stay positive. Yes and! Replace why with what or how. Give feedback that stings. Be discreet. Take breath. Be intentional.
Why I still needed to read the book: Erin gives colorful examples and logic to her teachings that make the case to take these to heart so compelling and help them stick. Her videos share these teachings too, but with too much bait. This feels like a true, simple guide for a young professional.
What I learned was just common sense: Keep yourself visible. Stay positive. Yes and! Replace why with what or how. Give feedback that stings. Be discreet. Take breath. Be intentional.
Why I still needed to read the book: Erin gives colorful examples and logic to her teachings that make the case to take these to heart so compelling and help them stick. Her videos share these teachings too, but with too much bait. This feels like a true, simple guide for a young professional.
March 16, 2026
I’ve been following Erin on social for a few years and was excited to hear she was writing a book. It did not disappoint! Plenty of useful tips and practical advice to be found within these pages, especially for someone like me on the millennial/Gen Z cusp and early on in my career.
April 24, 2026
I loved this book!! As a big fan of Advice with Erin, this was all the amazing tips I needed to hear and more to strive forward in the workplace. I did a mix of reading the physical copy and the audiobook and both were phenomenal!
April 1, 2026
My favorite quote from this book (and one of my new life mottos) is “Use soft words with strong boundaries.” 💯
April 4, 2026
Obsessed. This is the book I needed after high school and college. Erin is so relatable and gives such tangible advice.
April 9, 2026
I really like how Erin is focused on the outcomes of conversations instead of making an emotional point. This is such a great guide for any type of communication and it felt good to see some of this advice and know I already do a lot of it 🤭
June 5, 2026
Erin McGoff is a Zillenial filmmaker-turned-TikTok work advice guru; her 2026 book The Secret Language of Work is an extension of her social platform advice.
This isn't an inherently bad book, but I would take it with a big grain of salt given McGoff's platform and expertise. Career advice books are a crowded market, and I tend to prefer books written by folks in their mid- or senior-careers who can give more nuanced advice based on decades of lived experiences (which often include hard lessons learned from well-intentioned mistakes). There are seldom cut-and-dry, one-size-fits-all rules for a topic so complex.
Further reading: career advice books I resonate with more strongly:
Strategize to Win: The New Way to Start Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career by Carla Harris
Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career by Kristi Coulter
Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms by Shellye Archambeau
My statistics:
Book 81 for 2026
Book 2387 cumulatively
This isn't an inherently bad book, but I would take it with a big grain of salt given McGoff's platform and expertise. Career advice books are a crowded market, and I tend to prefer books written by folks in their mid- or senior-careers who can give more nuanced advice based on decades of lived experiences (which often include hard lessons learned from well-intentioned mistakes). There are seldom cut-and-dry, one-size-fits-all rules for a topic so complex.
Further reading: career advice books I resonate with more strongly:
Strategize to Win: The New Way to Start Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career by Carla Harris
Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career by Kristi Coulter
Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms by Shellye Archambeau
My statistics:
Book 81 for 2026
Book 2387 cumulatively
March 13, 2026
This is a book that anyone in the workforce could benefit from. Erin does a phenomenal job on her Instagram account of providing scripts of scenarios one may encounter in the workplace and how best to handle them with grace and still maintain boundaries. However, this book takes it to the next level. So much of "succeeding" at work is knowing how to communicate effectively, and in this book Erin does an amazing job of walking through common scenarios and how to handle them authentically in your own voice.
If you are a fan of Erin's content, you will love the book (and I highly recommend the audio version - she narrates it herself). If you are just starting out in your career, looking to rejoin the workforce, feel like you just don't have a good mentor who can give you the advice you're looking for about work and your career, looking to sharpen your interview/negotiation skills, or are simply feeling stuck in your career, this book is for you.
If you are a fan of Erin's content, you will love the book (and I highly recommend the audio version - she narrates it herself). If you are just starting out in your career, looking to rejoin the workforce, feel like you just don't have a good mentor who can give you the advice you're looking for about work and your career, looking to sharpen your interview/negotiation skills, or are simply feeling stuck in your career, this book is for you.
June 21, 2026
Unfortunately, the introduction and most parts of the book had a lot of fluff. I appreciated the examples and I wished there were more of them. Someone said that this book seems inclusive to women in corporate and it did give me that impression. Overall, I wished there was more to this book, more tangible examples as opposed to attempting to talk about a lot of topics. I think the book was too broad and attempted to tackle a lot of ideas. At times I felt the videos that Erin posts have more valuable information than this book. I think this book overpromised a lot and that was disappointing.
April 4, 2026
I like Erin, but this book kind of felt… icky? To me?? Like it’s marketed as “I help people market their McDonalds experience and teach people with no insider knowledge how to get into the big leagues” but then the whole book was geared towards people who are like crazy driven professionals in huge industries. Definitely not for the every day Joe Schmoe who needs help navigating their way from the bottom to the top.
April 9, 2026
A helpful little guide, especially for someone who didn’t grow up in high society or learn how to “talk the talk” when it comes to professional/networking settings. As a long-time fan of Erin’s social media content, I recognized many of the scripts from videos that she’s already shared, but that doesn’t make them any less useful! Her bubbly personality shines through even when she’s teaching you how to have difficult conversations, and that is what really sells this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you are looking for a book to help you in the professional work space, this is the book you need to be reading!
Erin McGoff (aka AdviceWithErin) offers a ton straightforward advice on various topics and subjects that help the audience gain useful knowledge that can be implemented in their professional lives from being a better written communicator & verbal communicator, navigating the job hunt, what to do in that special 90 day window when starting a new job, etc. If you think of something to cover, she covers it in the book guaranteed.
My favorite section was the chapter all about networking. I am a person that definitely thrives better networking online, and luckily a lot of networking is done online anymore. However, I will add that she also gives tips on how to network in person, which are definitely tools that I will try to put to use as much as I can. I also appreciate in this chapter, she covers everything that encompasses networking and how to navigate it to make it less awkward, difficult, and stressful. A favorite quote I have is from the introduction of this chapter that says specifically, “What holds so many people back from networking is fear — fear of being too forward, fear of feeling awkward, or fear of causing offense to others while embarrassing themselves”.
Lastly, if you know of or follow Erin’s content on social media, you know how she presents her videos as a more skit format to not only make it enjoyable to watch, but also easier to understand and digest what information is given. The voice that Erin uses in her videos I fully believe is present in this book as it’s like I could hear her voice in my head as I read .
I can’t recommend this book enough for people, if you want to help yourself in professional work settings and apply what you learn (and even use some of theses tools in your everyday life too), you need to read this book. Run, do not walk to purchase this book when it releases March 10th!
Erin McGoff (aka AdviceWithErin) offers a ton straightforward advice on various topics and subjects that help the audience gain useful knowledge that can be implemented in their professional lives from being a better written communicator & verbal communicator, navigating the job hunt, what to do in that special 90 day window when starting a new job, etc. If you think of something to cover, she covers it in the book guaranteed.
My favorite section was the chapter all about networking. I am a person that definitely thrives better networking online, and luckily a lot of networking is done online anymore. However, I will add that she also gives tips on how to network in person, which are definitely tools that I will try to put to use as much as I can. I also appreciate in this chapter, she covers everything that encompasses networking and how to navigate it to make it less awkward, difficult, and stressful. A favorite quote I have is from the introduction of this chapter that says specifically, “What holds so many people back from networking is fear — fear of being too forward, fear of feeling awkward, or fear of causing offense to others while embarrassing themselves”.
Lastly, if you know of or follow Erin’s content on social media, you know how she presents her videos as a more skit format to not only make it enjoyable to watch, but also easier to understand and digest what information is given. The voice that Erin uses in her videos I fully believe is present in this book as it’s like I could hear her voice in my head as I read .
I can’t recommend this book enough for people, if you want to help yourself in professional work settings and apply what you learn (and even use some of theses tools in your everyday life too), you need to read this book. Run, do not walk to purchase this book when it releases March 10th!
March 15, 2026
I absolutely love this book! I wish this would have been available to me when I entered into the workforce. Erin’s advice is practical and easy to follow. The scripts that she provides take all the guess work out of how to handle interviews, issues with co-workers, toxic bosses, and more.
Having majored in Mass Communications, I noticed that Erin hits all of the major points on how to be an active listener as well as an effective speaker. The knowledge and techniques that Erin imparts are truly invaluable. I think that this book should be a requirement for all college students.
As a fellow entrepreneur and business owner, I can attest that Erin truly understands the importance of establishing confidence and boundaries early on in one’s career. This book reminded me that I boundaries are truly essential to crafting the life that you deserve.
I highly recommend this book to all readers looking to take their career/business to the next level.
Having majored in Mass Communications, I noticed that Erin hits all of the major points on how to be an active listener as well as an effective speaker. The knowledge and techniques that Erin imparts are truly invaluable. I think that this book should be a requirement for all college students.
As a fellow entrepreneur and business owner, I can attest that Erin truly understands the importance of establishing confidence and boundaries early on in one’s career. This book reminded me that I boundaries are truly essential to crafting the life that you deserve.
I highly recommend this book to all readers looking to take their career/business to the next level.
July 21, 2026
This "self help" career book is pretty much a necessity for anyone knew to the workforce, or returning to the workforce, or even someone who has never had the full range of corporate-like work experience and needs some of that now. McGoff, who is a candid but upbeat content creator, addresses many mini situations in your career on her social media/IG, but has published a book in 2026 that serves as a very useful guide, especially for young adults.
Included are tips regarding your attitude at work, how to communicate with coworkers and your boss, how to interview and network, how to negotiate, and generally how to be successful. It is easy to read and engaging, and very down-to-earth. It's a useful reminder for anyone who might be stuck or mid-career as well (for example, if you find your emails being too long-winded, maybe this is a good reminder). Highly recommend this for anyone on the workforce today.
Included are tips regarding your attitude at work, how to communicate with coworkers and your boss, how to interview and network, how to negotiate, and generally how to be successful. It is easy to read and engaging, and very down-to-earth. It's a useful reminder for anyone who might be stuck or mid-career as well (for example, if you find your emails being too long-winded, maybe this is a good reminder). Highly recommend this for anyone on the workforce today.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews