The Broad Experience

A few years ago I found out the most popular job for women in America is the same as it was in the 1950s - administrative assistant, or secretary. I was shocked. How could this be, in an era where women are more educated than men? Why are so many of us still working to support other people - mostly men - rather than pursuing something for ourselves? I set out to tackle those questions in this show, and take a look at the assistant role as it exists now. Typing and dictation are out, while managing executives' lives and company projects are in. But traditional aspects of the job remain. This is a role women still flock to, and are sought for, while men are largely absent.

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Brooke Lark was raised to think having a career was selfish and motherhood was sacred. She had four children by the age of 29 and never expected to work outside the home. But as she began to have more contact with the outside world, the certainties of her religion began to crumble. At 35 she was faced with a whole new prospect - not only working, but being the main breadwinner for her family. In this show we hear Brooke's story of being raised Mormon, losing her religion and joining a workplace she had no idea how to navigate.

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Patricia Jones was born and raised in Utah, a state with a conservative bent and one of the highest wage gaps in the US. 60% of the population is Mormon, but belonging to a conservative faith never stopped Pat from having a family and a career, first running a business, then as a politician. In her latest role she's on a mission to raise the status of women at work in Utah. And that means persuading a lot of pale males it's a good idea.

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Women have a problem valuing themselves, both setting prices and believing they're truly worth something in the marketplace. A lot of us charge too little for our work. Sometimes we don't charge at all. It's a complicated, multi-layered issue, and part of the reason women earn less than men. As someone who squirms whenever I have to talk about how much I'm worth, I knew I had to tackle the topic on the podcast. Guests are Adrienne Graham and Kathy Caprino.

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The boundaries between work and home are fraying all the time. We spend work time doing personal stuff, and time at home working. We talk about our personal lives at work too, and vice versa. But some of us aren't comfortable sharing much about our home lives with colleagues - we like our boundaries. Yet not sharing can put us at odds with a world where everyone's connected on social media. My first guest guards her privacy, but wonders if she's hurting her career by being circumspect. My second guest has a different take on openness at work.

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For years Sallie Krawcheck was one of the few famous women on Wall Street. She earned millions of dollars, had a huge office, and the use of a private jet. A few years ago, all that changed when she made the switch to entrepreneurship. In this interview we talk about the relationship between her gender and her firing from Citibank, why she won't shut up about diversity, stodgy company cultures, and handling sexism at work.

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In this week's mini-show Rachael Ellison is back to talk about leave. She says delegation plays a big part in having a successful leave, but more importantly, a successful return. Whether you're going on parental leave or you suddenly have to take care of a sick parent, your exit can be fraught with uncertainty. Then there are the unexpected surprises that await you when you get back. Rachael talks about ways that employee, boss and team can work together to plan for a smooth absence.

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A lot of women admit it: we have trouble delegating. How many times have you said, "It's just easier if I do it"? But you can't pull off a senior role without giving away some of your work to other people. In this show we look at the cultural reasons why women shy away from delegation, and how we can get more comfortable with it. My guests are coach and consultant Rachael Ellison and management professor Jodi Detjen.

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A lot of women dream of scaling back their careers after they have kids, even if it's just for a while. Some quit altogether and stay out of the workforce for years. In this show I talk to Kathryn Sollmann of 9 Lives for Women about the pros and cons of dialing back your work life. Kathryn says one vital point often gets left out of these 'leaning out' discussions: the importance of long-term financial security.

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We talk a lot on the show about being a woman in a man's (work) world. But lots of women are in female-dominated fields, and that can bring its own challenges - one of them being lower pay. Meanwhile your boss is still likely to be a man. Tune in to hear from listeners in two majority-women fields and from sociologist Marianne Cooper.

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