Career Archives - Page 244 of 260 - The Corporate Sister

Corporate Inspiration: Xerox CEO Ursula Burns’ Profile

by Solange Lopes | Jan 15, 2014 | Career

Today, we’re less in a talkative mood, and more in an inspired mood (yes it happens sometimes). And for some mid-week inspiration, we’re listening to CEO and Chairman of Xerox Corporation’s profile Ms. Ursula Burns.
As a corporate sister who’s beaten the odds to rise to the highest ranks of management, Ms. Burns has much to teach us, and so does her story.
So let’s stop a bit, take a breather and take a listen…I hope you enjoy!

Coffee Chat: Got a Question? Get the Jelly App

by Solange Lopes | Jan 14, 2014 | Career | 1 comment

Jelly app

I’m a huge Google, Bing, search engine user in general. I admit it, from how to spell a word for an email I’m sending to the boss, to where to have lunch at work, I’m always searching the answer to something…
So when I stumbled onto the newest, hottest app for iOs and Android out lately, I had to smile…Jelly (the app, not the spread), is for inquisitive, curious, information addicts like myself. Except that it doesn’t just pull online resources to answer your questions, but it actually disseminates the question to people in and outside of your network who can just chime in and provide answers…
It’s just like a giant conversation going on, except it’s in your phone, and you get to have all that human input you wouldn’t usually get from your usual search engine…
If you ask me, it’s an amazing way to crowdsource information…And while it’s already making noise in the app world, will it get loud enough to survive? Hmmm…

Would you use the Jelly app?

The Corporate Sister

Lunch Break: Spanx Much? Best Shaper for Work

by Solange Lopes | Jan 14, 2014 | Career | 1 comment

spanx.com

So yes, for many of us, ’tis the season for pantyhose and shapers! After our discussion on patterned tights, now comes the Spanx question! While many of us corporate sisters in more traditional office environments (such as very conservative law firms, insurance companies, or banking institutions) may have to wear pantyhose all year long, I’ve been lucky enough to not have to subscribe to this requirement so far.
However, what with the cold winters and my expanding waistline after the holidays, I’ve had to invest in some serious shapewear.
My favorite these days, the Spanx Higher Power Panties. While it may not necessarily be your sexy date night go-to, for daytime in the office, it just works!
I love it under wrap dresses and structured sheaths, and I really don’t mind the hourglass silhouette or the few pounds it shaves off…
It’s $38 at Bare Necessities (which by the way is having an extra 30% off on clearance items, just thought we’d mention it in passing), and for me, it’s kinda become a necessity (until I make it to the gym next week that is…)

Seen a great work-appropriate piece you’d like to share? Please email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!

The Corporate Sister

Got A Business Call? How to Be Professional And Effective on The Phone

by Solange Lopes | Jan 14, 2014 | Career

timecommunications.biz

We wrote earlier about professional meetings and how to make ourselves (professionally) shine during these. Now there is another breed of non-face-to-face meetings that tend to happen more and more in the workplace, and that are not talked about as much: the conference calls. With the advent of online meeting tools such as Webex and other forms of more economical, long-distance means of communication, along with the expansion of businesses across the world, conference calls have become more the norm than the exception. And as simple, informal and easy as these may seem, they can actually be crucial when determining what kind of impression you leave your colleagues, superiors and clients with…And you may not always be able to blame an ineffective, poorly managed conference call on the lack of connectivity or poor static…Instead, there are some basic rules that should be followed in order for any conference call, even the most awkward phone meet-and-great, to leave everyone thinking how professional and effective you are:

Coordinate, coordinate, coordinate! Whether you are the call organizer or just an attendee, make sure that you’ve got all the details of the call down-packed. Easy stuff like the call time, place, and number. Especially for international conference calls, it is important to ensure that everyone is on the same page, when it comes to who is calling whom, when and where. Believe it or not, I’ve participated in one too many calls that started with a disruptive and unprofessional snafu about who was supposed to be calling whom, why the number is not working and so on and so forth…Also make sure to arrange a quiet place for the call, as the other parties really do not need to hear all about your neighbor’s spirited conversation with IT about why their monitor is refusing to turn on…And if you are to schedule a call in a conference room whose equipment you’ve never tried before, make sure you stop by and ask how to operate the phone (you may need it!)…And if all of this coordination business got your head spinning, just do a dry run the day before, to ensure that the number is working, and make sure to confirm with all parties involved the logistical details. And as elementary as all this coordination business may sound, you’ll be sorry you didn’t do it when you start fumbling for the right dial-in number, as your boss gives you the evil eye across the table…Just sayin’…
Be Courteous! As in many other professional areas, the rules of courtesy may be unwritten (I’ve actually witnessed some corporate environments where basic phone courtesy rules actually had to be plastered onto the walls to avoid professional blunders), but they certainly are real. Stuff like calling the person or other parties yourself if you happen to be the one making a request or asking a question. Or scheduling the call for the appropriate amount of time out of respect for others’ schedules, instead of just randomly increasing the duration by 30 minute-increments.Or if it looks like you will be running late for the call, offer the other person or other parties involved the courtesy of an email ahead of time to warn them and if necessary, reschedule the call. And believe me, a bit of courtesy will go a long way and make you remembered in a positive light…
Keep Track! It’s not just about organizing all this business call madness or even making sure you are courteous enough to the other parties involved. The point, after all, is to do business; and during an informal call with many parties, many personalities and egos, it may be challenging to distinguish business from other aspects of the conversation. Make sure you keep track of the call, and all the related business aspects. If you or someone else has set an agenda to the meeting, or put together a presentation to frame the meeting, it may be easier to keep track of the conversation. For these, I would recommend screen sharing services such as GoToMeeting for instance, or ScreenLeap (please ensure that these are coordinated with the start and end times of the call). A good practice that a great big corporate sister of mine has taught me, is to also send a follow-up email at the conclusion of each important business conference call, asking for the other parties’ inputs as well: this way, the call is documented and archived right away!

Any other tips for business calls!

The Corporate Sister.

How High Should You Go: Corporate “Heels-tiquette”

by Solange Lopes | Jan 13, 2014 | Career

inspiritoo.com

Today for our coffee chat, we’re not asking ourselves “how low can we go”, but rather how high we should go…That is, how high our high heels should be in a professional, corporate setting.
I have to admit to being genuinely shocked at some of the fashions I’ve witnessed in some professional settings. From 7-inch heels to too-tight pants, the fashion etiquette in some corporate settings just seems to be veering in a very inappropriate direction. To put it mildly, the rule should be basic when it comes to high heels at the office: “If you’re going to wear them on a night out with your girls, then you should probably skip them for the office!”
So how high is too high for heels at the office? A good, conservative estimate would be anywhere higher than 4″. If you can keep your heel height anywhere between 3.75″ and 4″ or lower, even better…
Back in April of last year, Capitol Hill Style had a great diagram on acceptable heel heights for the office, and a great post on it too! As you can tell below, anything past the red line…much too risqué for work!

capitolhilstyle.com

stuartweitzman.com

For our shoe pick today, we’ve selected this conservative yet strikingly stylish Stuart Weitzmann Jazzbow pump. At 2 1/4 inches, not only is it appropriate for the office, but it also certainly pairs well with most of your wardrobe. It’s on sale for $199, down 50% off.

Do you agree with the corporate “heels-tiquette”?

The Corporate Sister.

Lunch Break: Mango Pinstripe Suit

by Solange Lopes | Jan 13, 2014 | Career

Wool-blend pinstripe suit – Mango

In line with our menswear-inspired recommendations for the office, our lunch pick today is this dark blue pinstripe suit from Mango. In pinstripe wool-blend, with button fastening, notched lapels, and twin flat pockets, this suit is both elegant and stylish for the workplace. At $59.99 on sale (please check out our extensive sales listings today), down 54% from $129.99, the jacket can be even worn alone with a nice suit or nice trousers! And in dark blue, it’s a nice alternative to the usual black. The coordinated trousers are priced at $69.99.

Don’t forget to consult our sales listing, and take advantage of the great deal out there!

Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!

Time to Shine: How to Make Yourself Noticed During Work Meetings

by Solange Lopes | Jan 13, 2014 | Career | 2 comments

ceeceassociates.com

It’s Monday, back to the grind, and back to a slew of meetings that will take your entire day! Yet, whether or not you enjoy these work meetings, they do constitute unique opportunities to showcase your talents, and yourself! As much of a hard, resourceful and diligent worker bee as you may be, staying hidden between your three cubicle walls will not make you noticed…at least not as much as when you’re in a meeting room surrounded by VPs, managers, and co-workers from ranks above and below yours. Will the pressure be on? Certainly…but a dear big sister of mine always says that the best results (and the best people) come out of the highest pressure situations…So how do you ensure that not only do you resist the pressure, but you actually use it to your advantage to shine:

Don’t Let Them See You Sweat! If there ever were an appropriate context for this phrase, it’s certainly now! Squeezed in between the department’s director and the Controller, called on to debrief on the status of your latest project, and having to present both yourself and the project under the best light, talk about feeling the heat! Well, it’s in those high-pressure, high-intensity moments that you can’t let anyone see you sweat! Prepare before-hand, even if you only have but a few minutes before the meeting. How? Jot a few notes down on your notepad,anticipating questions your boss or a prospective customer may ask you, and drawing a quick outline of your response. I like what I call the bullet-point system, where I list at least 3 high points of discussion before entering any meeting. And don’t forget to look the part as well: if you have a few seconds before a meeting, take some time to compose yourself, fix your hair, verify that your clothes are in working order (literally), re-apply a coat of (discrete) lipstick and…get ready to shine!
Speak Up! Literally! Earlier last year, we wrote a post on why not speaking up may just be your biggest career sin. One of the recurring criticisms I got through most of my professional reviews throughout my entire career is that I could speak up more. As women, and as minorities, we tend to shy away from the spotlight in many circumstances. And this certainly keeps us from many opportunities in the workplace. Have a great idea? Don’t be afraid to present it. Use firm and authoritative language, while still remaining polite and professional. Eliminate phrases like “I think” or “I hope”, which denote uncertainty, instead replacing them with firmer “I anticipate”, “I plan” or “I expect”. And last but not least, speak loud enough for all to hear you!
Pay Attention to Your Body Language! Do you tend to hunch over at the meeting table? Or do you have a tendency to cross your legs and arms and almost disappear at the confines of the conference room? Well, those are signs of shy people who lack the confidence of their ideas and presence. And that’s the last impression you’d like to give. As hard as it may be, try and remind yourself to sit or stand tall and lean forward.For years, before each meeting, I’ve had to write on a bright yellow Post-It note stuck to my notepad, in bold red letters: SIT UP!; and every time I would unconsciously start crawling under the table, I would look at this Post-It and fix my posture. Elementary? Yes. Effective? Hell yes! Instead of fixing an invisible point on the opposing wall, make a point to make solid eye contact with people in the room. Even if some avoid looking at you…And please stop hiding those hands under the table, put them on display on the table, thus showcasing not only that perfect nude manicure, but also how much confidence you have!

Is it your time to shine at work meetings?

The Corporate Sister.