by Solange Lopes | Apr 3, 2017 | Career
Our Wear to Work feature showcases workwear pieces in various styles and price ranges. Please note this post contains affiliates links.
This is the perfect twist to the classic black sheath dress, that you can take from desk to dinner in a cinch! Loving the original trumpet sleeves on this very chic and ladylike dress. The pleating at the waist also adds a nice touch to it! It’ s available at Lord and Taylor for $199!
In similar styles, I also like this Calvin Klein bell-sleeve sheath dress from Macy’s, or this V-neck Emerson Rose version available at Nordstrom. But my favorite has got to be this floral bell-sleeve number from New York & Co!
Seen a piece you’d like us to feature? Post in the comments below or email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Apr 3, 2017 | Career
Have you ever looked at all your social media platforms, and just wanted to go lay down with a giant tub of ice cream? I know the feeling…Every so often, especially in the spring (because: spring cleaning time!), I try and take a dive into my social media to do some serious cleaning up…And I somehow end up with my head in the fridge, because: hard! And who wants to do hard after-hours and on weekends, which is mostly the time when most of us can tackle social media, right? (I know none of us spends hours browsing Facebook at work…)
Let’s be real…As professional and business women (and men), our social media presence now plays a definite and undeniable role in our careers, whether we want to admit it or not. Recruiters check for social media profiles before contacting potential candidates, while a number of hiring decisions take into account who you present yourself as and what you do on your social media platforms. Hence the need to periodically re-assess the messages we’re sending on these platforms, and how we’re getting perceived on these.
So how do you go about spring cleaning your social media presence, especially when you’re present on multiple platforms and have very little time to dedicate to this exercise? Do you just scrap it all and start over (including those questionable Spring break pictures from Freshman year)? Or do you spend your precious time combing through every photo and post?
For those of us who have zero time, desire or inspiration to re-assess our social media presence, here are 3 quick and painless tips to spring clean your social media platforms on the go:
Ditch the social media platforms you’re not (or barely) using!
Are you mostly on LinkedIn and Twitter but rarely can be seen on Facebook or Snapchat? Then it may be time to downsize your social media presence…As a rule of thumb, pick three platforms that you’re most active on and stick to these. Whether in your own business or career, there’s no need to endlessly spin your wheels on a gazillion platforms, when you can focus on two or three at the most!
However, remember to include a brief thankful message to your current followers when exiting a social media platform. It’s a sign of courtesy that can go a long way, and keep some of your connections alive while allowing you to do away with that particular platform.
Update (and clean up) your social media platforms!
Once you’re down to your two or three most used social media platforms, quickly go through them to identify any area that needs updating. Focus mostly on your bio and experience to start. Are these up-to-date and reflective of where you stand in your career and/or business? If not, consider dusting them off and updating them. Don’t forget to adapt them to the platform itself and what works best on it!
Twitter is great for networking and building professional relationships, Facebook and Instagram are more about sharing pics or posts of your personal and professional experiences. Keep these types of distinctions in mind when you update your information!
Devise a strategy for the platforms of your choice!
Now is time to think strategically! Instead of wasting time and energy on posts that may not create the best return, come up with a strategy that combines your resources with the goals you have in mind! Keep in mind that each platform may require a slightly different strategy, based on the type of platform, your own personality, experience and objectives…
For instance, you may want to consider spending more time cultivating relationships on Twitter and sharing content related to your industry or business. If you’re focusing on Facebook and Instagram, you may want to consider sharing more pictures of your professional experience or links to your latest blog posts.
by Solange Lopes | Apr 3, 2017 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
So it happened! The cup tipped over, and the coffee spilled all over my ol’ faithful Mac. I mean, all over…Right in the middle of my article! I was having a good morning too…And right there, in front of my horrified eyes, the screen sputters, and goes black…Worst nightmare!
And of course, I wasn’t prepared… Who’s ever prepared anyways? It also seems to happen when none of your data is backed up, when you’ve forgotten about the cloud, and when you have that client thing due like…tomorrow!
And when you combine lack of preparedness with lack of tech savvy, plus a serious high level of impatience and having to pick up he kids in the next hour, the end result can spell disaster!
How after weathering the loss of my ok’ faithful and contemplating the possibily of losing every family pic and word from the last 5 years or so, here are a few lessons learned from the depths of No Tech Land:
Avoid tech disaster but be ready for it!
Ok I didn’t mean to sound that gloomy… but really! If you don’t have your stuff already backed up on a regular basis, start now! Find the cloud, or some memory device, and back up your data regularly!
Research what to do when disaster strikes!
“Did you flip the laptop when it all happened so the water would not seep into the circuit board?”
“I hope you didn’t keep turning it on after the laptop went off, it would create a short-circuit!”
Great, everyone was telling me what I should have done after I really needed the info. Of course, I didn’t flip the laptop upside down, or unplugged it and refrained from turning it on for some time. No, what I did was frantically turning it on while cleaning it with a towel (thus allowing all the coffee to seep deeper into it)…I mean, how was I supposed to know?
So long story short, take some time to read up on what you’re supposed to do (and not do) when tech disaster strikes! Or ask around, or at least attempt to know what not to do if you spill coffee on your laptop, or drop it from the kitchen table…
Breathe and stay calm!
If you only use your laptop to pay the bills or play around online, tech disaster may hurt but not as much as if you’re an entrepreneur and your whole life/income is saved on it! Truth be told, I failed miserably at this…Instead of remaining calm, cool and composed, of course, I freaked out, frantically hitting the start button on my laptop…
Lesson learned: instead of panicking, accept the situation for what it is. You can’t go back in time, so take a deep breath…
Contact higher-ups, clients and anyone else relying on your work
If anyone is relying on you to submit any work/documentation/files that require you to have use of your laptop, contact them first! As soon as you can text, call or contact supervisors, bosses, professors, clients, etc, please do so and inform them of the situation.
Providing an early heads up will help smooth things out, and buying the time you need to address the situation.
Find other alternatives!
Being out of a computer is no reason to slack off! Make use of other resources, such as asking for a loaner for instance. If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur, find the closest library and use it for free! You can also opt to split your time between the library and your office, if you happen to be a corporatepreneur.
Accept the help of others as well! Your friends and family may offer to lend a hand. Your office may also offer you great alternatives. Graciously say yes!
Make this resolution: “I will always back up my files!”
Nothing like experiencing a situation like this to take your precautions! At least I’ve learnt my lesson…Which prompted me to invest in an external hard drive. Yes, we have the Cloud nowadays, but not all your files can be stored on it. If anything, consider investing in an external hard drive, and backup your files at least once a month.
I also use tools such as Google Docs and Dropbox, through which I can access my documents on the web at any time.
You turn: How have you survived a computer crash in your career or business?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Apr 1, 2017 | Career
Welcome to our weekly career, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and fashion news roundup! Think of it as your online watercooler/work gossip station/coffee break spot for now…Want to add anything to our list? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
- Happy April! The Glassdoor Blog lists 20 companies hiring like crazy this month;
- In major news this week, the New York Times recounts Bill O’Reilly’s attack on Auntie Maxine Waters (who wasn’t having it either), which started the #BlackWomenatWork movement of denouncing discrimination at work;
- The Penelope Trunk Blog tells us what it’s like to have a career you love, and it’s not what you think;
- Essence tips you off on staying productive during Spring break;
- Parents alert! If you’ve not heard of the “eraser challenge”, Forbes tells you all about its dangers here (and why you should tell your kids to stop now);
- Want to manifest more money into your life right about now? Ellevate Network lists 5 cool ways to do so;
- Want smarter children? Inc. tells you to delay childbirth;
- Tired out of your mind? Entrepreneur lists 11 tips to stay productive when you’re exhausted;
- Super busy? Ellevate Network tells you that’s exactly when you should exercise;
- This past weekend, I attended the 2017 Lady Project Summit and it was a blast! Read my recap HERE!
- Read more on my fellow Senegalese gal and 24 actress Anna Diop here!
- Food Network lists some of the best African dessert recipes, check it out!
Seen any piece of news you’d like to share? Post in the comments below or email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Cheers to the weekend!
The Corporate Sis
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by Solange Lopes | Mar 31, 2017 | Make More Money
It’s tax season, and it also is a time when you may be strapped for, well… cash. Whether you’re experiencing delays in getting your tax refund, or you happen to owe back taxes, there can be a host of reasons why you may be in need of cash during tax season.
I mean, how many times have you heard people complain of the fact that they’re flat broke during tax season because they’ve been hit with some tax penalty or another? Or that they’ve been expecting their refund but haven’t gotten it yet? Or that their refund is actually less than what they were counting on?
I know as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who volunteers to file taxes for individuals, I’ve heard quite a few of these complaints. The tax process isn’t necessarily one that’s predictable, and I’ve seen my share of filers who were unexpectedly dealt an unfortunate hand at tax time.
That’s when Check Into Cash comes in play. A trusted, state licensed and regulated lender for over 22 years, Check Into Cash can help with a short-term cash advance. Depending on the state you live in, you may be able to get up to $1,000 in cash. In some states, you can even apply online.
Some of the pros include no application fee, and that you can get an answer in less than 30 seconds, in addition to the fact that this service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While you do need a checking account and will incur a fee, this may very well be the solution to your tax season cash crunch time!
PS: Please note that The Corporate Sister is not affiliated with Check Into Cash.The Corporate Sister may be compensated for referring you to Check into Cash.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
