Draped Blouse – $29.95 – Photo credit: hm.com
I like the airy look of this chiffon blouse with wrapover draping at the front. The long sleeves add a touch of elegance, along with the button at front. This is simple yet sophisticated, and perfect for your 9-to-5, as well as after-hours. This blouse is $29.95 at H&M!
Other alternatives to this type of draped blouse include this wrap blouse from Shopbop, or this crossover front panel.
The Corporate Sis.
Photo credit: http://leeevansbooks.com
Please welcome again our contributing writer, Stephanie Samuel, to the blog. Today, she’s telling us about a career path many aspire to engage in, but are not sure where to start. In this post, Stephanie shares with us her 5 best tips to become a freelance writer.
Whether you want to change careers or grow your brand, becoming a freelance writer can be a great opportunity to expand your resume.
Moonlighting as a freelance reporter helped me break into the news reporting field. It is also the way I set myself apart as a professional.
However changes in technology have made these opportunities harder to come by. The growing popularity of blogs and the increase in free online content means that independent writers must take certain steps to remain competitive.
Here are some tips to put you ahead of the competition.
Cater to Your Strengthens– What are you into? Write a list of topics you feel confident discussing – be it traveling or health and fitness – and look for publications that are interested in articles about your area of expertise.
Mine Your Contacts– Knowing the right people can help you get in the door faster. Look through both your personal and professional contacts for connections to your desired publications. Use social networking sites such as Linked In to build relationships beyond your immediate circle of friends and colleagues.
Introduce Yourself- Visit local publications, meet the decision makers in person and let them know who you are and what you want to do. An impromptu introduction might be the bold move that gets you a byline.
Show What You’ve Got- Make sure you have a portfolio of previous work, a sample article or a pitch list of possible stories on hand as you meet editors. Make sure your samples showcase your skill set and help content managers get a proper sense of what they can expect if they hire you.
Draw an Audience – In this digital world, your work as a writer and content producer is not over once you’re published. It is important for freelancers to show publications that their work can draw in readers. So make sure to promote your work and the publication on your social media accounts.
Any other tips you’d like to suggest?
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Stephanie Samuel is a reporter with over nine years of experience. She has written for various publications including the AFRO-American, the Prince George’s Sentinel, and The Christian Post.
Photo credit: http://www.uhd.edu
This is a touchy one. So you let your sis or your cousin on vacation from Minnesota use your employee discount card. No big deal, right? After all, why should’t others take advantage of your employee perks? You’re actually being nice and caring. Right?
My $0.05: Tread carefully here! This may seem a benign matter, but can land you in some unnecessary hot waters at work! Make sure to find and read your company policy about employee discounts, as it can vary from workplace to workplace. Most often, employee discounts are reserved to you and your spouse, and maybe your dependents.
Whatever you do, stick to the rules! Remember ethics hotlines and anonymous tips are increasingly used to report these types of violations, as minor as they may be. You don’t want to get in trouble for a tube of lipgloss…
Do you share employee discounts with friends and family? Any tips?
The Corporate Sis.
We talked about dealing with a job you hate, and how being enthusiastic can make all the difference at work.For the average person at work, making it through the 40+ hours a week chained at a desk you’d rather be filled with cupcakes than paperwork, gratitude can be a far stretch. At this point, you’re on survival mode, waiting for your big break when you can walk around the office with the biggest “I Quit” sign you can find…
For most of us, being happy at work, or even pretending to be, can feel like pulling teeth. One extremely powerful exercise my coach had me do is actually write down all the reasons why I was grateful for my job, including the fact it provides financial resources (and also has greatly contributed to my shoe collection over the years). After I was done with this simple, yet powerful, exercise, I had a new-found respect for my job and the current phase I was in.
1. Yes, gratitude can help you when you’re struggling at work: Most people stuck in jobs they hate, or facing life crisis, find that showing appreciation for the people in their lives dramatically, and positively, alters their focus. When you praise and help someone else, you also help yourself!
2. Gratitude creates stronger bonds between co-workers than constant complaining: Studies show happiness and gratitude have a ripple effect. If you know someone who’s happy and grateful, your odds of being happy and grateful are increased. While complaining about work may temporarily unite you with your fellow grumpy co-workers, showing appreciation will uplift both you and them. And make you more prone to a promotion as well…
3. Gratitude will help you move forward: Productivity on the job has long been linked to gratitude. Now that more feminine qualities like emotional IQ, compassion, and support, are finally seen as a large part of organizational success, it’s increasingly obvious the more appreciation you show, the better the results. And the better the results, the more you learn, and the faster you can move on up, sideways, or you know, out…
Do you show gratitude for your current job, although you may dislike it? How do you go about it?
The Corporate Sis.
Photo credit: http://www.hire-intelligence.com
You may know the feeling, dragging yourself out of bed in the morning, brushing your teeth while trying to remember who invented the very concept of work, and heading to a job that for all intents and purposes, pays the bills (well, not that Michael Kors bag though), and that you…hate! How do you deal with hating your job but still having to put up with it because you’ve got to pay the bills? How do you muster a minimum level of enthusiasm for your job, when you’re dying to leave as soon as you get in? And what can you do to not want to change your diet to chocolate-based for the entire time you’re at work?
My $0.05: The rent’s gotta get paid, food needs to be purchased, and life’s necessities still need to be met. And it all requires a paycheck, which comes with a job, albeit one that makes you look forward to your next dentist appointment. If you must work at a job you hate, stop torturing yourself, do the best you can while finding ways to go after the job you really want (and not starve in the process). Do one thing to get yourself closer to your dream job every day, practice gratitude daily, and whenever you feel like throwing in the towel, picture yourself calling that successful frenemy of yours to ask for a loan…
How do you manage being in a job you hate?
The Corporate Sis.
