by Solange Lopes | Nov 11, 2014 | Career |
vibevixen.com
Happy Veterans Day! I know some of you are working today (we get the day off in Rhode Island, yay!), but nevertheless to add to the celebratory tone of the day, here are my 10 favorite sales:
- Ann Taylor is offering 40% off suits and perfect shirt (plus an extra 25% off when you first sign up), plus an extra 60% off all sales styles (use code WORK40);
- Nordstrom is still having its clearance sale up to 40% off;
- Macy’s is offering an extra 20% off select product with the code VETS;
- LOFT is offering 20% off for new insiders, and an extra 40% off all sales styles;
- Neiman Marcus is offering an extra 30% off discount online through Wednesday only;
- The Limited is offering 50% off all full-prie items today only (use code SAVE50) and 60% off select sweaters;
- Saks is offering up to 40% off discounts, plus a chance to win a $700 gift card (use code NOV2014);
- New York & Company is offering Buy One Get One 50% off, plus today only get $100 off $200 purchase, or $50 off $100 purchase;
- J. Crew is offering 40% off on all fall sale styles, in stores and online today only;
- Last but not least, Banana Republic is offering 40% off discounts (use code BRGOOD), and an extra 25% off when you sign up).
Happy Veteran’s Day, and happy shopping!
Any good sales you’d like to add?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 11, 2014 | Career
Should you pay your career dues – Photo: huffintonpost.com
Happy Veterans Day, and a big thank you to all who served for our freedom and safety! As we’re celebrating today those who paid theirs and our dues by serving, when it comes to our careers, should we still pay our dues? Should we still make heavy sacrifices, at times foregoing our families and friends, to get to the top of our professions? Or is this idea just antiquated, and as Penelope Truck put it, so old school? While many, especially in leadership positions today, still think it is important to pay one’s career dues, and serve and sacrifice before reaping the benefits of our work, our generation of Millenials doesn’t necessarily believe in carrying a whole lot of student debt to start at the bottom of the work food chain.
My first few weeks in Public Accounting were spent making photocopies in my crisp new Ann Taylor blouses and skirts. I came armed with my Masters degree, my hair slick and make-up immovable, prepared for big meetings, strategic sessions and instant promotions. What I found is I had to pay my dues, hanging out at the copy machine and catching the last train home after long nights at the office. Like many before me had to do. And although I don’t necessarily like the term “paying your dues”, truth is anything worth your time and effort will cost you time, energy and some level of sacrifice. The question is, how much are you willing to give to get to where you want to get?
Today’s generation of Millenials is literally stuck between a rock college and a hard place, as many no longer believe in the necessity of foregoing happiness and fulfillment in order to pay dues we’re not certain we owe in the first place. According to this Bentley University study, 70% of people from older generations perceive Millenials as not willing to pay their dues, while 55% of Millenials, while arguing to the contrary, admit their generation no longer believes in the necessity to pay dues. Is it a surprise then that such disconnect between generational perceptions creates such an employment vacuum in our society?
While I don’t agree with the now widespread opinion that paying our dues is actually bullshit (excuse my French), I also think the concept is due for an update (and maybe even an upgrade). Paying your dues is no longer about hanging out in the copy room, or even collecting the boss’ coat and Prada bag (hello Miranda Priestly)…
No, paying your dues in today’s workplace is about showing how motivated and resourceful you are. Whether it’s by using your side hustle to help your career, or by showing you have a plan for success at work, “serving” at work is less about face time at work than about proving yourself from the get-go. Paying our dues has become more about packing in the quality than laying out the quantity…
So, really, should you pay your career dues? And if so, how have you gone about serving your career?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 10, 2014 | Career
Photo: ringgitplus.com
The holidays are right around the corner, and with them a whole slew of activities, from hunting down the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving (not literally), to staying awake for Black Friday and starting your Christmas shopping early enough (just to find yourself running the stores for your great-aunt’s last-minute gift).
With all this holiday hoopla, staying focused at work can get really hard, if not downright challenging. Let’s not even mention online holiday shopping, and the resulting significant decreases in workplace productivity! I know I have to remind myself around this time of year that work deadlines are fast approaching, and scribbling my Thanksgiving menu on post-it notes will not help with my year-end projects….
My $0.05: As a mom and a recovering shopaholic (please don’t judge), this is a challenging time of year in general, more particularly at work. Most of the year-end projects are coming due, and with that an avalanche of personal and family obligations to contend with on the home front. And the same 24 hours in a day…While it’s easy to let productivity slide, I try and prioritize tasks at work when I’ma t work, and at home when I’m home…while reminding myself it’s not going to be perfect, it’s just gotta get done!
Are you less productive at work around the holidays? How do you manage holiday stress and keeping your productivity up at work?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 10, 2014 | Career
Midi pleated dress – $55 – Photo: topshop.com
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The midi silhouette is seriously trending these days (check out my previous midi selections here, and here), and while I’m not always for trends, I have to say this midi pleated dress from Topshop caught my eye. Loving the purple, very Fall-ish color, and the contrast between the pleated midi skirt and the classic, scoop-neck top. This dress is $55 at Topshop!
I’m a big fan of belts, and I’d probably add this elegant leopard gold buckle belt to this dress, or even this seriously stylish padlock belt for a quick style upgrade!
Seen a great, work appropriate fashion find you’d like to share? Please email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 10, 2014 | Career |
Photo: nicoleisthenewblack.com
“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work” – Stephen King. Or is it really?
There are a lot of talented people out there, people who were just born with an innate ability to do things most of us would need light years to complete. Take drawing, for instance. After many drawing lessons and programs through school, I still draw stick people with humongous heads and itty-bitty arms and legs. It’s just not my thing. Could it be if I applied myself and worked hard at it, I could draw spectacular people in amazing colors and shapes? Probably, but I’d much rather have dessert…
Scott Dikers, one of the founders of the reputable news source the Onion, thinks hard work is much more important than any talent in the world. Malcom Gladwell, author of the best-seller, Outliers, would probably agree with him, as the premise of his book is around hard work and circumstances winning over raw talent. And we can all agree that with hard work, dedication and consistency, the human brain can master just about anything, almost.. Yet, as much as we may argue to the contrary and deny the importance of innate, raw ability, talent does matter, much more than we may think…
So why are there so many talented people who can’t seem to get it right at work? Why do so many of the most famous business gurus, from Henry Ford to Walt Disney, and some of the biggest scientists, thinkers and investors, the likes of Einstein and Thomas Edison, encounter some of the biggest personal and professional failures at first? Could it be that talent is really not enough for success? That hard work is more valued in our society, and raw talent frowned upon as the “lazy” privilege of a few? Or could it be that our professional landscape, rife with myths of optimal productivity, excessive automation, and damaging competitiveness, is actually unable to recognize and leverage talent?
I’ve had the opportunity of meeting extremely successful people in the corporate sphere. Yet what struck me most about them was not their out-of-hte-box ideas, or innovative decision-making, or even sheer originality. No, many, if not most of the extremely successful “corporate” people also happen to “outwork” and “out-network” everyone else. Many of them are the ones at work after hours, and the ones at the exclusive happy hours around the boss. Is there anything wrong with that picture? No! Yet, if we want more people to succeed at work and work in itself to be be more challenging and fulfilling for everyone, there’s a whole lot that is missing from this picture…
Yes, talent is not enough, you need hard work to bring it all to fruition. Yet, when original, innovative and raw talent is overlooked in favor of robotic increased productivity and inside favoritism, we all suffer. There’s a reason millennials want to work for themselves, and why Corporate America is not comfortable with this generation of fulfillment-seeking, fearless, passionate, unconventional individuals.
And that may be the reason why so many talented people are not successful at work, and why work, in return, is not as successful as it could be…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 9, 2014 | Career
Weekly news update – Photo credit: k8.picdn.net
Happy Sunday! Hope everyone’s enjoying their week-end, ours is definitely on the colder side over here…Time for hot chocolate and cozy slippers, and…my weekly news update:
- Seeking wisdom? Well, 99U provides 7 pieces of wisdom that will change the way you work (I love #6!);
- Speaking of wisdom, the non-conventional kind that is, I’m loving Medium‘s Grandma’s how-to list for getting through life;
- Got bad habits? Don’t toss them all out just yet! Fast Company writes about 8 of your bad habits that are actually good for your health and productivity, while the Daily Muse gives you 6 reasons why it’s totally OK to ditch your perfectionist habits;
- Lifehack recommends 3 productivity tricks that you probably haven’t tried yet (including taking a cold shower hmmm….);
- Ever wondered how your spouse affects, or could affect, your career? The Harvard Business Review tells about the one thing about your spouse that really does…
- If you want to make money in America right now, go to medical school. At least that’s what Business Insider recommends while listing the highest paying jobs in each state;
- Speaking of highest paying job and careers, Brazen Careerist explains why working abroad makes you a better candidate for jobs at home;
- I loved this article by Harvard Biz Review on how female CEOs get to the top, and how all the advice we give young women is actually wrong, while listing 5 reasons you should work for free;
- Last but not least, Daily Worth ranks the 25 best companies for women.
Happy Sunday, and happy reading!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 7, 2014 | Career
Private Secretary app – Photo: iTunes.com
Now you know somewhere deep in your most personal dreams, you’ve always wanted a private assistant! Well, I know I do…Nothing like having someone schedule your annual dentist appointment or dreaded meeting with your accountant.
And of course, there’s an app for that, and it’s rightfully called Private Secretary! Forbes recommends it as one of 7 apps to make your life easier by scheduling your appointments and structuring your calendar so you can lay on the beach and relax finally catch up on all that laundry…
My $0.05: Get. It. Now. One less thing to do means more time to do the stuff you really want to do…Just sayin’…
The Corporate Sis.
