by Solange Lopes | Nov 30, 2014 | Career
Weekly news update – Photo: http://nappyheadedblackgirl.com
Happy Sunday! Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving week-end. As you’re recuperating from the food coma (and the dreadful family reunions) and relaxing, here is our weekly news update:
- Black Enterprise lists 10 motivational career insights from the Bible;
- Essence teaches us how to earn multiple streams of income;
- Are you an introvert? Well, the Daily Muse reveals you may have to stay away from coffee (and how am I supposed to survive?);
- Wired had this great article this week on how the new Feminist Hacker Barbie may just be what our little girls need (yup!);
- Shopping for a great gift for your feminist friend? Huff Post Women gives you 21 ideas of awesome (and oh so relevant) gifts (and #21 is my absolute favorite);
- It’s not easy to feel good about what you do every day! Well, Levo League gives you a few pointers in this article;
- Intimidated by Forbes’ “30 under 30” list? Well, thank Daily Worth, for featuring 9 badass women who did not make it by 30, and still managed to make it big;
- No, it’s not too late to get ahead at work before the year ends, as shown by Time’s 7 great tips to accelerate your career before the New Year hits;
- The Pew Research Institute reveals when it comes to the gender pay gap, millennial women are near parity, while the New York Magazine writes about women in powerful positions being more likely to be depressed;
- Last but not least, here is how you can manage your heavy workload during the holiday season, and prevent social media from ruining your career.
Happy Sunday, and happy reading!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 28, 2014 | Career
Photo: http://www.handmadeology.com
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I certainly did, and after ingesting mounds of food, I’m ready for some good deals…Here are my favorite 30 Black Friday sales, ready, set, shop!
- ASOS: Enjoy 30% off everything, plus an extra 70% off on all sales items (Yowza!);
- Ann Taylor: Today only, get 50% off your entire purchase:
- Amazon: Enjoy 70% off jewelry and up to 30% off women’s clothing;
- Aldo: Get 20% off all regular priced merchandise (Code: EB14) and 50% off all original price on reduced merchandise;
- Barneys New York: Take of 40% off select styles;
- Baublebar: Enjoy 15% off two items, 25% off 3 items, and 35% off 4 items, plus free shipping;
- Bergdorf Goodman: Enjoy up to 40% off already select designer sportswear collections plus an extra 20% off already reduced 5F merchandise;
- Bloomingdales is having its Big Brown Bag sale, with up to 50% off discounts;
- Banana Republic: Enjoy 50% off one item plus 40% off your purchase;
- CUSP is offering 20% off select items;
- Express is offering 50% off everything;
- Forever 21: Enjoy an extra 30% off sale items;
- H&M: check out the great deals from $4.95 up;
- J. Crew is offering 30% off full-price styles and 40% off sales items;
- Joe Fresh is offering 50% off site-wide;
- JC Penney: enjoy the free shipping in addition to the great discounts;
- Kohl’s: Enjoy 15% (use code THANKS);
- Kenneth Cole: Get 30% off;
- Last Call: Enjoy a whopping 40% to 60% off;
- The Limited: 50% off your entire purchase plus free shipping;
- Lord&Taylor: Enjoy 50% off extra on women’s sale items and 65% off on men’s sale items;
- LOFT is offering 40% off everything;
- Macys: Save 40-50% off select styles;
- Nordstrom: Take an additional 20% off select sales items;
- Neiman Marcus: Enjoy an extra 50% off when you take 20% off select items;
- Old Navy is offering up to 50% off everything online, and an extra 15% off your purchase (use code GRAVY);
- Rebecca Taylor is offering savings up to 30% off on sales items;
- Reiss: Take 30% off select items;
- Saks: Enjoy an extra 40-50% off your purchase;
- Tibi is offering an extra 20% off sales items.
Happy shopping!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 26, 2014 | Career
Relax Lite app – Photo: https://play.google.com
Ok, we all know Thanksgiving, this great time of the year to be thankful and reunited with your entire family can also be a time of gritting your teeth through your least favorite relatives’ not so funny jokes, and waiting to exhale, literally…Speaking of breathing free of annoying relatives, there’s an app for that! It’s called Relax Lite, and is meant to have breathe in and out with the help of soothing sounds and animations.
Whether you’re doubled over from heartburns, or trying hard not to punch any of your in-laws, this app can save your stomach and sanity all in one…By the way, it’s available on iOs and Android, free!
Did I say Happy Thanksgiving?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 26, 2014 | Career
Embellished merino wool sweater – Photo: anntaylor.com
As the holiday season is officially upon us (and so is the cold weather), I’ve been on the lookout for festive yet cozy sweaters, that would look just as good in the office than at my in-laws’ Thanksgiving gathering. Hence today’s pick, this embellished merino wool sweater from Ann Taylor, on sale for half off $74.99!
Loving the simplicity of this versatile sweater, which can be just as easily paired with a black pencil skirt for work, or tuxedo pants like this great pearlized pair, also from Ann Taylor!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 26, 2014 | Career
Happy Thanksgiving Eve!
The holiday season is officially in full swing, and so are fourth quarter and year-end deadlines! While we look forward to celebrating the holidays, unwinding and relaxing a bit, projects still need to be completed and delivered, deadlines met, basically, stuff needs to get done…
Not to mention many of our colleagues and reports are taking time off, and getting the job done without overtaking team members and stressing ourselves out right before we have to go spend time with our dreadful great-uncle: not so much! Especially when 85% of businesses do not bring in extra staff to help with mounting business demands, and workloads tend to be delegated to the employees who are here (and already drowning under their own pile of work). So how do we manage our workloads, be merry and remain sane all at the same time:
1. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! I usually have a spreadsheet built listing all my projects by deadline and importance. The more urgent goes first, and the rest gets re-arranged as effectively as possible. Ain’t nobody trying to be Superwoman…
2. Set clear expectations! Before any major holiday or busy time at work, have a talk with your manager and team, so as to set clear expectations! Do not overstretch yourself when you know it’s unlikely you’ll be able to deliver! Give yourself some extra padding room and plan accordingly!
3. Take time for yourself! In the midst of the holiday shuffle at work and at home, plan some time for yourself. Request time off in advance, block off some time away even from family (lengthy showers and bathroom breaks do count), and take a breather! The better you are, the better your life and work is (and the safer everyone around too…)
How do you manage your workload during the holidays?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 25, 2014 | Career |
Photo: http://blackmenconfrontingthelies.blogspot.com
Yesterday’s events in Ferguson, MO, and the controversial conversation ensuing on and offline for many of us, made me think about how much impact recent news events can have on our career. Is it ever OK to discuss controversial events in the news at work? Some topics such as politics, religion, or even your own health, can land you in pretty hot water at work. How about hop topics in the news, possibly with racial and/or social ramifications?
While some may argue that discussing controversial issues and topics at work ay help in resolving them, others may think it’s best to avoid them for fear of others being too sensitive or offended by it.
My $0.05: If you can’t discuss it with your boss, don’t discuss it at work! If there’s a slight chance it may make someone uncomfortable, save the talk for your friends and family. Keep it professional.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 25, 2014 | Career
Lafayette 148 Liv jacket – $203.31 – Photo: bloomingdales.com
I like this vibrant Lafayette 148 Liv jacket from Bloomingdale’s. It’s design is as unexpected as it is fresh, yet still professional enough for the office. The round neck, long sleeves, and concealed hook closure make it great for work, while the zebra print adds a jazzy edge to it. It’s on sale for $203.31 at Bloomingdale’s!
I’m not sure about pairing this jacket with the coordinated dress, too match-matchy for me. However, a nice pair of fitted slacks like this one, or this one, would nicely complement this jacket while still letting it shine.
The Corporate Sis.
