by Solange Lopes | Nov 19, 2014 | Career
Cap-sleeve top – $78 – bergdorfgoodman.com
I was looking for a silk layering piece that would be sophisticated and original enough for work. Hence today’s pick, this Rebecca Taylor printed-silk cap-sleeve top, on sale for $78 at Bergdorf Goodman.
Loving the structured mandarin collar and placket snap closure, as well as the fun yet still conservative print. I’d pair this with an elegant pair of black slacks like these Elie Tahari straight leg trousers, or these tapered trousers for a funkier workplace (and mood)…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 19, 2014 | Career |
Photo: bossip.com
Many of us attribute taking a step down in our career, or foregoing a career altogether, to having kids. Yet the somewhat surprising secret of your career success (or lack thereof) could actually be your significant other. According to a recent study, your spouse’s personality has a lot more to do with your career success than you could ever imagine.
Remember Huma Abedin, who started out as Hillary Clinton’s assistant and ended up rising to the top of her career? Or rather, do you remember her more when reminded of her husband Anthony Weiner, who made headlines for sharing pictures of his (no longer intimate) intimacy. Do you recall how all of a sudden, in light of all the penis-sharing business of her spouse, her career lost lackluster as she was faced with the harsh decision to divorce her hubby (and be poor, alone and pregnant at the time), or stay and endure the backlash of public opinion?
Speaking of the Clinton’s circle, do you also recall Monica Lewinsky and the whole sex scandal that surrounded her back then? Granted, unlike Huma, Monica had an integral part in it. Yet, here as well, the actual spouse, Hillary, who had nothing to do with the whole thing, also had to suffer the consequences of her husband’s behavior. And sixteen years later, as Monica Lewinsky is shamelessly staging a comeback on social media ahead of the 2016 campaign (interesting coincidence), Hillary is probably going to have to suffer consequences she never bargained for….
So can your spouse ruin your career? Absolutely! Can you do anything to prevent them from doing so, or to even limit the damage? It depends on how strong you are if you decide to stay and face the backlash on the home and public fronts; or how much you are willing to place a phone call to your parents to loan the money you’ll need to pay for an expensive divorce, oh, and for groceries too…
And while you’re at it, and if you still are deciding on the best marriage and career choices, you may want to read Linda Hirschman’s book, Get to work, and follow her decade-old advice to “marry down“. As crazy as it may sound (and to my male readers, please don’t get mad), a man who is less rich, less in the limelight, and less prone to ask their spouse to set their careers aside to propel his, may just be what some ambitious, go-getter women need…
Just sayin’…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 17, 2014 | Career
Photo: switchapp.com
If you’ve ever wondered how to apply the principles of fast-paced,. anonymous speed-dating to your job search, well…there’s an app for that. It’s called Switch, and it’s been dubbed by The daily Muse as the new Tinder for jobs.
What it does:Basically, it allows you to conduct your job search anonymously, without the stress of your current employer, clients, friends or acquaintances ever finding out. Not only are you able to check out job postings incognito, but you also get notifications directly to your phone every time a potential employer likes your profile, very much like “likes” on Facebook or “Favorites” on Twitter. And if sparks fly, Switch allows you to be put in direct contact with the recruiter in question. So i happen to be a hiring manager, consider your work made much easier…
My $0.05: Whether you are actively searching or passively job-hunting, Switch sounds like a great option to do the do under wraps (here’s another app for job-hunting on the down-low), and still keep abreast of great opportunities on the market. Great app!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 17, 2014 | Career
Moto wrap dress – $130 – whitehouseblackmarket.com
It’s no secret I love wrap dresses (check out my prior wrap dresses selections here and here). Today’s selection is also a wrap dress, with a modern moto edge, that is. Loving this long-sleeve moto wrap dress from White House Black Market, which combines a classic silhouette with edgy biker chic accents on the notch collar and on the waistbelt.
This great moto wrap dress is $130 at White House Black Market,and would look great with a chic yet still edgy pair of ankle boots like this one from Ann Taylor.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 17, 2014 | Career
Is your career trapping you – Photo: forbes.com
It’s Monday morning, it’s pouring rain outside, you can’t find your umbrella and you’re late for work. And of course, traffic is crazy and your hair is starting to frizz. All of a sudden, your throat feels tight, your palms get sweaty, and you feel…trapped! Trapped in a career you feel you can’t escape from. Trapped in a 9-to-5 that you feel will never help you fulfill your dreams. Just trapped, with no prospects, no light at the end of this long career tunnel…
There are many reasons nowadays to feel trapped in one’s job, the bad economy, a family at home, and so on and so forth. It ends up robbing us of our confidence,depleting our ambition, and making us give up on our dreams.
Yet, are you truly trapped in your job, or are you making yourself believe you are? And if the latter is true, is it really possible to be happy in one’s career? Or must we all settle for some lousy measure of career satisfaction (if any) in order to barely stay afloat?
Yes, many are the pressures, from mounting (and still unforgiven) amounts of student debt, to family and personal responsibilities. Yet, I strongly believe as much as you may have to put up with an undesired career for some time, there are ways to prevent your career from having you, all of you that is:
1. Decide what you want! I hate to point out the obvious, but not knowing what you want may keep you from getting it. What makes you happy? Better yet, what are you good at that provides you with satisfaction? If in doubt, poll your friends and family, they may see in you what you fail to give yourself credit for.
2. Start somewhere, anywhere! The best way to feel less trapped is to crack a window in your golden prison of a career or job. A friend of my sister’s had always been passionate with photography. She just started one day, taking pictures of people and places around her, posting them on social media and on her website. After years of side hustling, she now has a thriving side business. While she’s not yet ready to take this business on full-time, she’s glad she started somewhere, anywhere, with what she had.
3.Keep checking in with yourself! Now this may not be your typical career advice, yet it has saved me from many a bind. In your career equation, you are the most important variable. And just as you are called to grow and change in life, so are your career aspirations. Check in with yourself, often; ask yourself if you are happy and fulfilled, and what you can do to be happier and more fulfilled. Whether it’s saving up to launch an entrepreneurial venture, or hustling on the side, or taking a sabbatical to find yourself, take your career pulse often, and do what works for YOU!
Do you feel trapped in your career? What are you doing about it?
The Corporate Sis.
