by Solange Lopes | Mar 13, 2015 | Career |
Chambray shirtdress – $45.46 – Photo credit: http://www.nyandcompany.com/nyco/
I was looking for an easy and cool shirtdress I could wear on the week-ends, and found this Mercer Chambray shirtdress on the New York & Co’s website. Shirtdresses happen to be a big Spring trend, and the combination of chambray and this flattering silhouette make this a dress a go-to for week-ends. It’s on sale for $45.46 at New York & Co.
To transition into Spring, I’d pair this dress with cute vintage booties like these ankle boots from Yoox, or these easy and oh so elegant D’Orsay flats from J. Crew.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Mar 13, 2015 | Career |
(Photo: iStock by Getty Images, #StarStock image for the #UnfinishedBusiness movie)
Hello everyone! Today our guest contributor Stephanie Samuel is recounting a business travel experience that taught her quite a bit about confidence at work as a woman. Thank you Stephanie!
Business trips are a privilege that many often dream about. It is often embellished – on TV in the Jackson Hewitt “Where’s Janet” commercial and on the big screen in comedic movies such as the new film Unfinished Business – as an opportunity for ridiculously over- the-top jaunts.
Those images of all-expenses-paid excursions to The Big Easy or the home of Oktoberfest are alluring. Yet the truth is, besides the fact you’ll probably spend more time in a hotel or conference center than exploring the sights (sorry to burst your bubble), business trips can really test you ability to deal with high-pressure situations.
I’ve traveled to seven states to interview newsmakers, make connections and represent my publication. During these trips, I feel a rush comparable to skydiving. Just as the skydiver is excited to push him or herself to the physical limit, I also feel the excitement to produce great work.
Yet I must confess the pressure sometimes brings out the anxieties and insecurities I have as a black woman working in a male-dominated industry. (A recent American Society of News Editors survey revealed men make up two-thirds of U.S. newsrooms).
An example that comes to mind happened during a trip to Tennessee. I was there in part to interview the executive producer and the writer behind an upcoming movie. It was a major film that focused on a conversional subject that our readers were following closely.These were important interviews, to say the least.
I had the interview’s time and location scheduled, my questions written up, and my outfit laid out days ahead. Then, the unthinkable happened – I lost my purse and just like that, the whole interview was in jeopardy. I immediately called the necessary people, rescheduled the interview times, all the while apologizing profusely. Yet, I still I felt like there was egg on my face.
As I arrived to the media room on schedule for my new interview time, I learned a male colleague who was scheduled to use the space before me had also arrived late. Although his tardy interview was now delayed just like mine, he kept his cool. He seemingly laughed the whole thing off as minor scheduling error.
To be clear, I harbor no hard feelings towards this gentleman. Yet I was definitely shocked at the difference in reactions to what was basically the same situation. Why was he so calm while I was panicked?
Former Wall Street Journal managing editor and Condé Nast Editor-in-Chief Joanne Lipman explained in a recent article titled “Women at Work: A Guide for Men”, that women continually feel the pressure to prove their competence and earn respect in the workplace even as they climb the corporate ladder. Men, on other hand, don’t have the same pressure because they assume they are owed respect by nature of their employment.
Fiscal Times writer Drew Gannon wrote in the article “How Men and Women Differ in the Workplace” that while women tend to enjoy challenges more than their male counterparts, men are more confident even when unprepared.
Gannon quoted George Washington University Law Professor Charles Craver’s essay “The Impact of Gender on Bargaining Interactions”, stating “Males tend to convey more confidence than women in performance-oriented settings.”
Craver’s essay continues “Even when minimally prepared, men believe they can ‘wing it’ and get through successfully.On the other hand, no matter how thoroughly prepared women are, they tend to feel unprepared.”
When I reflect on the incident, I now realize I was trying to prove my competency. I was also trying to break free of the stereotypes of the African-American always running on CP (colored-people) time, and the emotional, scatterbrained woman.
So how can women better flourish under pressure?
It is tempting to oversimplify the answer in a punchy phrase. (Be confident! Believe in yourself! Lean in!) In that particular incident, I needed more confidence. Most importantly, I needed to unpack cultural depictions of women and African-Americans that had followed me on my trip.
Similarly I think every woman must develop a process to better handle pressure and trust her own instincts and abilities.
—
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. You can follow her on Twitter @stephlivinlive
by Solange Lopes | Mar 12, 2015 | Career |
Slack – Photo credit: slack.com
If the mere thought of your email inbox makes you cringe in sheer desperation, there’s an app for your yet-undiagnosed condition. It’s called Slack,and it may just turn email into an obsolete form of communication from the Dark Ages. What it basically does is allow any business to set up a platform for team communications, accessible from anywhere. Then why not just use AOL Instant Messenger then? Well, Slack also offers great features that are perfect for professionals, including a competitive search engine, the ability to use it on virtually any device as well as to auto-archive all interactions.
While it’s available for free, it also offers businesses customized plans at the rate of a minimum of $6.50 per employee. The application is also easy to maintain by IT departments, especially since it’s hosted online and can be easily customized.
My $0.05: Dear email, it’s been fun, but you may have to go now…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Mar 12, 2015 | Career |
Asymmetric Pencil Skirt – $41.30 – Photo credit: lastcall.com
Last Call is having its Friends and Family sales, with 30% off everything. Today’s Work It pick is this Philosophy asymmetrical pencil skirt, discounted down to $41.30! Loving the eye-catching asymmetric V-shaped front, and the flattering, fitted silhouette. Perfect for Spring!
I’d pair this elegant skirt with a pair of comfortable yet stylish wedges to welcome Spring in, like these nude Madden Girl ones, or this pair of pointy-toe Circa Joan & David pair.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Mar 12, 2015 | Career |
Photo credit: blackenterprise.com
Dear Daughter just joined her school’s very selective “book club”, usually reserved to classes above her kindergarten level. When I asked her how she got in, she simply smiled and said: “Mommy, I just asked!”. Duh…In her cute little brain, there was no thinking she was too young, inexperienced or under-qualified. She wanted to do something new and challenging, and she just went for it. What would happen if we just went for exciting things, like jobs we’re not necessarily qualified for, or responsibilities that are a bit above our heads?
Many of us, especially as women, tend to back away from jobs we’re not fully qualified for. Research shows women won’t go for a job unless they’re fully qualified, while men will apply for a new position as long as they meet at least 60% of the requirements. Interviewing for a job we don’t have enough experience or credentials for paralyzes us. Never mind getting the job at all…
Yet, at the end of the day, we all want to challenge ourselves to push past our limits. And that includes not being bored to death sitting at the same cubicle, doing the same job day in and day out:
1. Just Do It! Apply for that seemingly out-of-reach position. You will never win the lottery if you don’t play, and you may not score the gig of your life if you don’t apply. Perfect your resume, take a deep breath, and click the Send button! What have you got to lose?
2. Show progress and (good) attitude in your resume! Your resume will initially speak for you, so let it promote your professional brand. You may not have the extensive experience required, or the preferred certification. Yet, ensure your resume clearly shows progress in responsibilities and functions. Emphasize supervisory functions and ones that show initiative and progress!
3. Be honest! One of the mistakes candidates make when applying for a position they may not be qualified for, is over-inflate their current qualifications. Do not set unrealistic expectations you may not be able to fulfill! You have to strike a balance between not selling yourself short and over-selling yourself. Emphasize what you do know, recognize what you don’t and be open to learning. Instead of just saying “I don’t know”, use phrases like “I’d be willing to learn”, or “I did do something similar in my prior experience”, for instance.
4. Do something different! When aiming for different results, use different techniques! Set yourself apart from the crowd by doing something different! Send an original hand-written thank you note, make a video resume (as long as it’s accepted in the field you’re applying in), try and meet your prospective boss for coffee (please no stalking).
5. Leverage your uniqueness! You may have unique talents that can bring an added edge to your performance. If you blog on the side and can help set up a departmental newsletter, bring that up! If you’ve taken public speaking classes and would love to put them to use in your new role, say it! A friend of mine even told the hiring manager for a job she was applying for his team would perform better with more gender diversity! Ballsy, yes, but she got the job!
How would you go about landing a job above your qualifications?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Mar 11, 2015 | Career
performance-review – Photo credit: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com
One reader asked if is legal to share employee performance reviews at work, whether from management or employees.
From my experience and what I’ve gathered through online sources, there definitely exists a right of confidentiality when it comes to performance reviews. Yet these are mostly limited to medical information, or unauthorized use of photo, name and voice.
When it comes to performance reviews, neither the employee nor the employer is bound to a legal requirement not to share employees’ evaluations. In cases when disability or other circumstances subjected to legal stipulations are included, those may be kept confidential.
As a general rule, whether you’re the manager or the employee being reviewed, keep discreet about performance reviews. Discussing anyone’s performance may be perceived as bad taste, and raise unnecessary comparisons and value judgments in and outside of your team.
What do you think?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Mar 11, 2015 | Career |
Skinny Pants – $49.50 – Photo credit: loft.com
Finding flattering pants that can be dressed up or down can be a bit tricky, especially when like myself, you don’t particularly enjoy trying on umpteenth options before finding the right pair. Hence today’s pick, these etched bi-stretch skinny ankle pants from Loft. Loving the perfect tailoring on these very “Frenchie” ankle pants, perfect for the upcoming Spring! The bi-stretch fabric stretches both in length and width, making for a flattering (and forgiving) silhouette. These pants are on sale for $49.50 at Loft.
I’d pair these with an elegant yet practical tee like this structured flutter tee from J. Crew, or this mixed media flutter sleeve tee from The Limited.
The Corporate Sister.
