Rules for the Road

By Eve Luppert

A no-nonsense introduction to the working world that reveals the unspoken rules of corporate life, Rules for the Road tells first-time workers everything they need to know to get ahead and succeed.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399524118
• ISBN13: 9780399524110
• Release Date: June 1998
• Publisher: TarcherPerigee
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.6" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

It graduates but not with a 4.0

Rules of the Road- is an easily read book I found to take a "real world" attitude approach that I, myself, like to use in workshops and presentations. The book opens with a tone of that of a "journey". It compares a new job to that of traveling aboard by using foreign country custom references; which I found to be humorous, timeless and all too true. The book does an excellent job relating these "foreign affairs examples" back to life's lessons. Her writing style was very easy to follow because the entire book is written according to "road rules" (which are short statements you'd find on quality fortune cookies, without the lucky lottery numbers) but then proceeds to explain them further for those who may not have quite understood what message was trying to be sent. A few downfalls I found were a few early examples she used from the 1980's; which I believe will not relate to this generation of graduates and some of the road rules were harsh and negative. One example that stuck out for me was making photocopies. The book leaves the reader with the impression that this common office task is grunge work and will only have to be done while the reader is in this entry level job. When in fact, most of us know that this is not the case. (Learning how to use the photocopier seems to be included in most new employee orientation sessions). At the end of the book the reader will find a short section dedicated to resources explaining standard company benefits and the employment laws. Although I think these will be of some use to the reader, I feel the advice on how to deal with one's work related problems, if any do occur, is unprofessional and should draw concern from Career Professionals.This short book does accomplish its task of giving an insight to the first time, post graduation, job seeker and I do recommend it but I think like any book, readers should take everything with a grain of salt.

Vital for the college kid in your life

I picked this book up in a bookstore and read most of it before it left the store with me. I just started my first internship and the advice in the book helped me extend this internship from a one month position as office photocopier to a summer long position in the research department at almost twice the pay that i was getting previously. its an invaluable read for any kid my age, because just about every one of us walks into that first jb or internship expecting to be king of the office in two weeks or less. buy it, read it and take the advice. it'll save you a lot of embarrassment and even some photocopying!

Smart, funny, kick in the pants advice

I loved this book, I laughed at many of the events described in RULES FOR THE ROAD. Eve Luppert tackles the task of dealing with your first job, where the demeaning and confusing politics of taking on your first assignments are explained from the perspective of someone who knows both sides of the workforce. She gives clear, funny insights into what those first entry jobs are all about...and how not to muck them up. I especially liked the chapters dealing with the office politics of who to go with complaints, raises, and overtime issues and who NOT to go to. Everything from miserly, control freak bosses driving you crazy to getting a better job description, is laid out in a no-nonsense matter, that will have you laughing out loud. She is especially funny when describing the "when worlds collide" atmosphere of management vrs. ambitious and aspiring workers. I highly recommend it. The perfect graduation or " first job" present, it would keep you from making many blunders in whatever corporate career you may aspire to in the complicated and unforgiven world that is office politics today.