Working Girls

Tess McGill, a secretary at a lower Manhattan stockbroker firm, endures constant belittling from her boss and male co-workers while proving she has sharp business instincts. Frustrated by the ceiling placed on her ambitions, she quits in a dramatic move to prove she can stand on her own. Her exit kicks off a quest to climb the corporate ladder on her own terms.

She lands a job as administrative assistant to Katharine Parker at Petty Marsh, a mergers and acquisitions firm. At first, Katharine appears supportive, encouraging Tess to share ideas and prove her worth. The assignment puts Tess in the game to develop a major deal.

Katharine initially supports Tess's Trask Industries idea, then dismisses it as a failed venture. Tess watches office politics loom as she tries to claim credit for the concept. The shift foreshadows the ethical challenges Tess will confront.

While Katharine is away due to a broken leg, Tess housesits and uncovers meeting notes showing Katharine's plan to steal the Trask idea. The discovery undermines Katharine's mentorship and motivates Tess to act on her own terms. It marks a turning point in Tess's strategy.

Tess returns to her apartment to find her live-in boyfriend having an affair. The shock prompts her to end the relationship and refocus on her career. This personal setback frees her to pursue the Trask merger without emotional entanglements.

With Katharine away, Tess borrows the associate's clothes and, with Cyn's help, cuts her hair to transform her appearance. The makeover helps Tess project authority as she prepares the merger proposal. She uses Katharine's connections to push her plan forward.

Tess attends a dinner hosted by Jack Trainer's firm to get to know him before the merger meeting. At the bar the next night, Jack flirts with her but doesn't reveal his name, adding mystery to their attraction. After Tess passes out in a cab, he accompanies her to his apartment, setting up their personal connection.

The day of the merger, Tess and Jack review the financials and present the plan to Trask. Jack reveals that they did not sleep together and commits to moving forward with the idea. Their professional collaboration begins to solidify as they push the merger forward.

Katharine returns home on the merger day and confronts Tess, accusing her of stealing the idea. Tess cannot defend herself and leaves, realizing Katharine will derail her progress. This confrontation escalates the conflict and tests Tess's resolve.

A few days later Tess returns to Petty Marsh to clear out her desk and encounters Jack, Katharine, Trask and the team. Jack defends Tess, and Tess explains to Trask how she originated the idea. Trask confronts Katharine and promises to have her fired if she repeats the offense.

Trask offers Tess an entry-level position with Trask Industries, legitimizing her work. She moves in with Jack, signaling a new personal and professional partnership. The shift marks a formal recognition of her talents.

On her first day at Trask, Tess meets Alice, who is initially assumed to be her boss but is revealed to be her secretary. Tess insists they work as colleagues, not as boss and secretary, signaling a move away from Katharine's dynamic. The scene establishes Tess's commitment to a more modern, collaborative workplace.

Tess calls her friend Cyn to share the news that she has finally made it and is succeeding in the corporate world. The call confirms her transformation from a marginalized secretary to a confident professional. It marks the successful culmination of her reinvention.