Working Girls

A working-class Irish-American secretary who dreams of climbing the corporate ladder. She endures belittlement from her boss and male colleagues, and her resolve grows after a pivotal humiliation. Her practical savvy, resilience, and willingness to risk confront the barriers of gender bias while she seeks a fair shot at advancement.

An ambitious associate partner in a mergers firm who initially appears supportive but harbors a plan to claim the strategic idea for herself. Her manipulation and pursuit of power create ethical tension and test Tess’s integrity. The dynamic between Tess and Katharine reveals the costs of ambition within a competitive, male-dominated environment.

A mergers and acquisitions associate whose professional collaboration with Tess grows into a complicated, personal connection. His involvement with the merger adds layers of attraction and ethical tension, especially given past entanglements with Katharine. He embodies both opportunity and risk in Tess’s ascent.

The boss who belittles Tess and sets the high-pressure, competitive tone of the workplace. Their clashes illuminate the gendered obstacles Tess must overcome to prove her capabilities. The dynamic underscores how authority figures influence career trajectories in corporate culture.