by Solange Lopes | Aug 8, 2014 | Career
Leopard Pullover – bananarepublic.gap.com
TGIF! I was alluding in our news roundup last Sunday to the new amazing collaboration between Banana Republic and famed French designer Roland Mouret. And today is day 2 of the fashion frenzy, since the Roland Mouret collection has been available since yesterday. Hence our pick of this casual-meets-elegant leopard pullover!
Loving the boatneck shape and three-quarter sleeve, which makes this pullover a great transitional piece from summer to fall! The easy shape makes it easy to pair with nice slacks or a pencil skirt. I would keep accessorizing to a minimum, to let the leopard pattern shine! It’s $79.50 at Banana Republic!
Do you like this pullover? What do you think of the new Roland Mouret collection? Please chime in..
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 8, 2014 | Make More Money
how to manage your money at work – essence.com
One of the managers who interviewed me once asked me how good I was at budgeting. Ok, I had my standard three strengths and weaknesses prepared, some of my best work experience to date, and this guy was asking me about my budgeting skills. Sure, I kept a flimsy spreadsheet with a tally of my basic living expenses (climbing ever higher), but what did that have to do with me getting the job?
Fast forward a few years, and budgets are everywhere! Time budgets, departmental budgets, hiring budgets, various allocation budgets to keep track of while still achieving under budget results. From the accounting to the legal profession, through engineering and pretty much any discipline one can end up practicing, the King Budget reigns supreme! And not learning to develop budgeting skills effectively can stand in the way of a successful career:
1. Start at home! As technical as some professional budgets may sound, they are all based on the basic allocation of limited resources to a particular endeavor. Like your last $20 to lunch for the rest of the week! Or your entire shopping budget needing to fit into your increasingly smaller discretionary expense pool! Develop basic budgeting skills at home, and transfer what you know to the office!
2. Build a system! Whether you’re using the latest state-of-the-art budgeting software, or you’re still attached to your manual spreadsheets, you’ve got to have a system in place! Some basic tenets of effective budgeting, including maintaining evidence of resource allocation or reviewing the budget frequently, should be part of the way you manage your budgets at work.
3. Communication is key! One of the biggest culprits of effective budget management is lack of communication. While you may have the skills to build and maintain a time or resource budget, failing to effectively communicate expectations to your team or management may render the whole process ineffective. Speak to your manager or team about the budgeting process, get everyone involved and make it a team effort!
Do you think budgeting skills are crucial to your career? Mind sharing some tips?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 7, 2014 | Career
Jacquard-weave jacket – $49/95 – hm.com
I like this jacquard-weave jacket from H&M for its original look and stand-out color. The collarless look is pretty unique, combined with the snug fit and pockets in the front. It makes me think of Fall, and is a perfect pick for the upcoming season in a classic, yet still trendy color.
It’s $49.95 at H&M, and is available in sizes 2 through 14!
What do you think of this jacket? Would you wear it to work? Any other piece you’d like to suggest? Please chime in in the comments section…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 7, 2014 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
Happy Thursday!
Hard to believe that summer, with its vacation time, week-ends outdoors, and relaxed schedules, is almost over. And with the end of it, comes again the pressure of schedules, organization, tighter schedules, otherwise known as…back to school!
As busy corporate mamas, and as much as we may be reticent to admit it, the transition is mostly hard on us. Just as we start getting accustomed to easing up on the lunch packing, homework checking and general schedule policing of the school year, here it all comes back, all at once…And of course, work doesn’t slow down to allow us some time to catch our breath either.
1. Expect some chaos! Or a lot of it…Transitions are naturally chaotic, especially when they require you to get your act together before you’ve had your first cup of coffee! Before starting the planning process, take a deep breath and forgive yourself in advance for not making the school bus on time every day…
2. Start NOW! No need for endless planning, or painful delaying of the inevitable. Start tackling the back to school list now, order the kids’ uniforms During your lunch break, grab supplies as you go food-shopping…Just start!
3. Keep the focus on education! Some household habits should never change, regardless of the season or time period, especially when it comes to education. Continuously fostering strong reading habits, frequent visits to the library and museum, and educational extra curricular activities, helps both the kids and the adults keep a sense of continuity. Education is a priority!
How do you manage back to school stress and working? Please share some your tips.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 6, 2014 | Career |
Timeful app – http://english.blog.eazel.com
Although I’m far from your regular geek, I have to admit I love a good app (who doesn’t these days?). And when the app in question helps me combine my messy calendar and endless to-do list, it’s a win-win. That’s what Timeful does, by creating your to-do list based on information you enter or by suggesting some good habits you may want to adopt (like unpeeling yourself from the bed and hitting the gym)…Then it incorporates all that in your calendar, that is also synced with Google calendar, and voila…
So what’s so special about it? Well, the miracle happens when Timeful actually suggests better time slots or activities for you, based on your usage, activity and suggestions. Just like your life partner, except this one doesn’t talk back and actually does what you tell it to do…I’m digressing again…
What do you think of this app? Have you tried it?
The Corporate Sis.
