by Solange Lopes | Dec 29, 2013 | Career |
Photo: watermark.cutcaster,com
It’s football Sunday, and while we’re watching the game, all comfortable in our PJ’s, snacks in hand and drink in the other, the last thing we tend to think about is how this popular play can affect our day-to-day careers. Unless your significant other, family member, friend or even a remote acquaintance is in the NFL, and can pull a professional string or two for you…Otherwise, you better just relax, get more dip for your spicy Tostitos, and mentally prepare to head back to work in the morning…right? Wrong…
As much as I don’t exactly know all the ins and outs of the game, one thing I know is that, as much interest (and money) is generated through this ball game, and as much of a fortune football players make, there’s got to be a method to this ball madness. And as much as for many it’s just a sports, for the small minority that racks up the majority of the game’s revenues, it’s a career and a way of life. Just like us, corporate sisters and minorities in a corporate world, except we ‘re still struggling to make it to the top of the game…
And as I watch our very own Tom Brady call the game shots and lead the Patriots further and further ahead of the game to victory, I can’t help but see a striking resemblance to our own competitive, team-based yet individual-rewarding, corporate gigs…And the more I think about it, the more I am seriously considering trading in my work pumps for Tom Brady’s sturdy cleats and become my own corporate career quarterback…
- Learn to call the plays! In football, the play is a mental diagram or blueprint of the game for every player on the field. It’s the quarterback’s responsibility to relay to the rest of the team the play the coach has called. This is more often than not the manager’s role in a corporate environment, as they have to ensure that they are positioning themselves to call the shots effectively while seamlessly translating the tone at the top. And even for those of us who are not necessarily in assigned positions of authority, we can still take ownership of an idea, a project, or a single endeavor, whether self-assigned or otherwise. There are many opportunities, many of them informal and at times low impact, where we can demonstrate leadership , assign micro responsibilities and conduct an assignment to successful completion…and be noticed for it!
- Be on the offensive! In football as in corporate, you have to be ready to be sacked by the opponent’s defense, be it your own boss’s expectations, the business pressures, or just your own career ambitions! And in sports as in business, it’s not personal, it’s just the nature of the game. As the quarterbacks of our careers, we have to be prepared in most, if not all circumstances, and have one or two plays up our sleeves to further our professional game.Whether it’s by getting prepared to give our inputs in the departmental meeting, or ready to present a sales proposal at the next budget meeting, to daring to offer a revolutionary yet potentially game-changing idea, we must continually be on the offensive!.
- Be Versatile! The quarterback’s role can greatly vary, depending on the offensive scenario followed by his team. From a very active role which would require him to pass most of the balls, to a role requiring different skill sets, the quarterback has to be one of the most versatile and adaptive players on the team. Similarly in a corporate environment, where different assignments, positions, and roles may require drastically different skill sets, versatility is very often one of the strongest competitive advantages we may display.
Are you your own career’s quarterback?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 29, 2013 | Career
Photo: sodahead.com
‘Tis the last Sunday of the year, and also our last media pow-wow of this year! Although our blog at The Corporate Sister is fairly new, our Sunday media pow-wows have been a longstanding tradition that we still enjoy so much, except that now we have the privilege to put it on paper and share it with you our readers. So in our Sunday tradition, here is the 411 on what were reading this week:
Happy Sunday, and happy reading!
The Corporate Sister Team.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 24, 2013 | Career
Clarisonic Mia 2 – Photo: clarisonic.com
Now for all of us corporate beauties out there, ’tis the season to look, well…beautiful! And since, despite all the wonderful make-up innovations, break-through serums and creams out there, and even beauty apps out there, beauty still comes from within, we have to find ways to cultivate what our mamas gave us…One of those is beautiful and healthy skin at any age! Glowing skin will make your make-up look even more flawless, and give you the radiance that will brighten the most drab of winter days…That’s why we wanted to share the now classic, yet still outstanding Clarisonic Mia 2!
This little face brush will not only scrub your pores clean of impurities, debris and leftover make-up much better than your hands, but will also improve the condition of your skin over time. I can personally testify to it. I started using the Clarisonic Mia 2 about a month ago, and can already see the difference! Cleaner, more radiant and glowing skin…and the added benefit of wearing less make-up, if any (now when you’re up against the clock every morning, you know this is a huge plus)…
Currently priced at $150 on the Clarisonic website (where you can take advantage of the free shipping and returns), it is a bit of a splurge…or an investment in your health and good looks (wink wink)… Plus it is guaranteed for an entire year, so whatever happens, you can always get a new one…
Seen a great product out there you’d like us to share? Please post a comment, or email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Dec 24, 2013 | Career |
Talk To App Icon
Now, we could not refrain from sharing this phenomenal app with you!We first saw it on the Daily Muse, and lo and behold, had to try it…And for anyone who’s ever struggled with contacting a business, whether it’s a store to check if they still have that wonderful shoe in stock in your size, or a restaurant for a last-minute reservation because you just messed up the family holiday dinner (it has happened), this is the equivalent of the Easy button!
Talk To, is THE new app out there, that makes it possible for you to skip the 20 minutes of waiting in line on the phone, or worse yet, driving to the store only to find out that the item you are so desperately looking for is not in stock….How is that possible? Well, you can now just text the business in question, ask your question, get your information, and voila! No stress, no traffic, no annoying elevator music while you’re waiting on the phone and cussing at all the customer service gods you can possibly think about…
When like us here at The Corporate Sister, you are uber-busy, prone to last-minute mishaps or just want to minimize your daily life’s inefficiencies and save some precious time, Talk To is just the app to download!
Seen a great app out there that you’d like to share? Please post a comment, or send us an email at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister
by Solange Lopes | Dec 24, 2013 | Career
Photo: drum.co.za
Many of us corporate sisters are getting ready to take a well-deserved break this holiday season, to spend time with family and friends, relax and unwind from all the pressures of this past year. And we all know how much R&R we can use, especially around this time of year…However, it’s not because we’re taking a break that we must disconnect completely from our careers. Actually, the holiday break is a great opportunity to invest in our careers by planting seeds of success that will certainly pay off in the long (or short) run…
- Revamp Your Resume! ‘Tis the season to update your resume, re-package it, spruce it up and make it look brand new for this year! From scrutinizing your spelling and getting rid of the typos, translating some of the acronyms and obscure professional jargon buried in there, and updating all of the information that no longer applies, targeting all the much-needed changes in your resume will also make you realize how much you have evolved and improved this year! It is now time to replace the old with the new, once you’ve taken out all of the outdated, unclear, and downright out-of-scope stuff. New accomplishments? New project skills acquired? New classes taken or certifications obtained? Make sure to include them all in, and make it all look like the overachieving chick’s resume that it was always meant to be….
- Update Your Linked In Profile: ‘Tis the season to link up all over again…professionally, that is! Complete your profile as much as you can, with all the necessary details about your current and past positions, where you’ve worked, and what people you’ve worked with or around think of you. The “completeness” of your Linked In profile is actually measured by the website, so the more complete the better. Increasing your connections, adding your (cute, and work-appropriate) picture, participating in groups that are connected to your field or expertise, and asking for recommendations, are all surefire ways to make your Linked In profile noticed by peers, potential network allies, and recruiters this coming year!
- Keep networking: Being away from the office does not necessarily mean that your networking abilities are now limited. There is a reason why we are all connected nowadays, and since connection means interaction, we now have infinite possibilities to network regardless of geography, time of day or year for that matter! Whether through Linked In, with your boss and co-workers, or just with friends, dropping in a hint about this lateral position you are coveting at work, or researching potential contacts in your field of expertise during your holiday downtime, are all ways to continue building your network even as you’re taking a break…
Want to read more about this? Here are some great articles from the Daily Muse on updating your resume and sprucing up your Linked In profile:
http://www.thedailymuse.com/job-search/spring-clean-your-resume-in-less-than-2-hours/
http://www.thedailymuse.com/job-search/best-of-2013-what-recruiters-want-to-see-on-your-linkedin-profile/
The Corporate Sister.
