This is the 4919th most frequent Japanese word.
直子
"直子" (Naoko) is a Japanese female given name, meaning "honest child" or "straight child," depending on the kanji interpretation.
In this sentence, "直子" refers to a person's name, Naoko, identifying the subject who started a new job.
直子さんは新しい仕事を始めました。
Naoko has started a new job.
Here, "直子" is the name of the person's best friend, linking the name to a descriptive quality.
私の親友の直子はとても親切な人です。
My best friend Naoko is a very kind person.
The word "直子" represents a person whose opinion is suggested to be considered in the context of the statement.