by Solange Lopes | Sep 14, 2016 | Career
Photo credit: shop style.com
Our “Wear toWork” feature presents a piece of workwear, along with great alternatives, for stylish corporate sisters.
I haven’t featured a bag in a while, and was looking for one that would be practical, stylish and still economical to take to work. Hence today’s pick, this Street Level reversible faux leather tote, which comes with a wristlet too. It’s $49 at Nordstrom.It’s a great bag if you’re looking for an inexpensive option that offers multiple styling opportunities.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 13, 2016 | Career
Our “Wear toWork” feature presents a piece of workwear, along with great alternatives, for stylish corporate sisters.
This Shoshanna macrame eyelet sheath dress is the perfect combination of feminine elegance and style. Loving the simple and sophisticated cut of this round-neck dress, accented by beautiful macrame stitching. The short sleeves are as practical as they’re elegant too. This dress is on sale for $103.50 at Neiman Marcus.
Petites
In the same style, this Calvin Klein perforated striped sheath dress is both trendy and elegant.
Plus-Sizes
This flower eyelet sheath number from Talbots is bright and cheery for the end of the summer. Sizes run to 18WP.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 13, 2016 | Career
You know those terms that sound really cool, but hardly anyone knows what they really mean. Like “personal brand” for instance…You hear the term being thrown around in networking events and career discussions here and there, but really, what does it mean?
When I think of a brand, I think of Starbucks, or Coke, or Pepsi. It could also be the Nike “swoosh” on your sneakers, or the embroidered alligator on your Lacoste shirt. Look around further and notice the glowing apple on your computer. All these are visual representations of brands we’ve grown accustomed to seeing and buying into…
Does this mean we should start picturing ourselves sitting in our cubicles typing away at our computers with a big “Employee” sticker all over our foreheads? Or that we are mere corporate products sitting on department shelves waiting for our expiration dates? What exactly does it mean to have and develop a personal brand? And how much does it affect our careers?
It took me a while to understand the concept of personal branding, especially as it related to my career. It’s not exactly something you’re taught as you step into Big Corporate, which is unfortunate. If more of us knew about it right from the start, it would help us self-direct our careers more effectively.
After struggling with the concept for quite some time, here’s the simplified definition I came up with:
“Personal branding is the melting pot of who you are, what you are passionate about, and what you do really well, channeled into a concise, clear and focused message about who you are and how you stand out.“
In other words, that’s how you tell the world who you are, what you have to offer, and how unique you are. It’s your own intangible business card, the one you carry with you everywhere you go as you interact with others and build your career.
Why does it matter so much to my career?
- Your personal brand allows you to define yourself, before anyone else does: When I started out in Big Corporate, I had my personal brand handed to me. Like most people. I was the “quiet”, “nose-to-the-grind” employee. Many times, other people’s perceptions of us build our personal brand before we’ve even had a chance to decide on what it should be. By building your personal brand, you get to define who you are in the workplace and beyond before anyone else has a chance to decide for you.
- Your personal brand helps you figure out what makes you stand out, and use it to your advantage: The process of building your brand will force you to sit down and take a good, hard look at what makes you unique and different from others. In a corporate, and world culture in general, where we may try to fit in more than we try to differentiate ourselves, this can draw the line between having an average, normal career, and soaring to the heights of your professional field.
- Your personal brand increases your value and decision power in your career: Why do you think that guy got hired instead of you? Or why this person got the promotion instead of that other one? There’s a lot that goes into the balance when recruiters, management, or even investors (if you happen to be an entrepreneur) decide to bet on one person and not on the other. Building a strong personal brand hijacks your value, as it makes you stand ahead of the pack, and allows you to have more choice in your career.
Have you thought about developing your personal brand, and how it can affect your career?
PS: Want to learn more about personal branding? Join the “Recharge Your Career” month, for a discussion on re-energizing and re-inventing your career.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 9, 2016 | Career
Wear this weekend: Patchwork Boyfriend Jeans
Our “Wear toWork” feature presents a piece of workwear, along with great alternatives, for stylish corporate sisters.
So I’ve been checking out the latest Fall “deconstructed denim” trend. I have to say, the idea of patching different types of denim on one single piece of apparel was not exactly tempting to me at first; but browsing through various brand sites, I’ve found a selection of styles I really like! Like this BlankNYC denim patchwork boyfriend pair from Nordstrom Rack.
Loving the lived-in appeal of the patchwork panels on this subtly distressed pair of jeans. The slimmed down boyfriend fit is also really flattering. And at $39.97, the price isn’t bad either!
I also like this cool (and equally inexpensive) version from H&M, as well as these sharp Current/Elliott stiletto ankle jeans from Neiman Marcus.
Petites
I’ve also found really cool styles for petite sizes, like this Inc Indigo wash boyfriend pair from Macy’s. This scarlet patch version from ASOS is not too shabby either!
Plus sizes
This City Chic “Patched Up” distressed skinny jeans number from Nordstrom will definitely turn heads. And this patch denim boyfriend pair from JC Penney is a winner all by itself!
What do you think of the patchwork/deconstructed denim trend? Would you sport it?
Love,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 9, 2016 | Career
This is our weekly career and lifestyle news update, where we round up exciting news of the last week and we let you have it…ahem, news-wise that is…
Think of it as your career gossiping section on steroids…
And while you’re at it, follow us on Facebook, Twitter,IG, and Pinterest!
Here we go…
- Big Corporate can be pretty tough! This Ellevate Network article gives you 10 insider lessons for surviving the corporate world;
- Got a big presentation coming up? Business Insider tips you off on 15 things you should do in the 15 minutes before;
- Are you bored at work but unwilling to quit? Work It Daily has this suggestion…
- Preparing for a big interview? Here are 21 questions designed to trick you…
- Eyeing that next promotion? Ellevate Network has 4 strategies to help you;
- There’s hope for sitting through all those dreaded meetings! Mashable presents world’s strongest coffee is here, and its caffeine levels will electrify you…
- Want to raise wildly successful kids? Inc. says you should try this;
- Did you know about these hidden fees in your 401k?
- Are you an entrepreneur? Check out this tactical guide to building a million-dollar network;
- In a career rut? Use this mindset tip;
- Wondering where to shop for plus-size workwear? Check out my guide here.
Happy Friday!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 7, 2016 | Career
Wear to Work: Pajama Shirt Dress – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
Our “Wear toWork” feature presents a piece of workwear, along with great alternatives, for stylish corporate sisters.
If you thought the concepts of pajamas and workwear would never co-exist, think again! It’s actually one of the biggest fashion trends for Fall 2016!
This WhoWhatWear pajama shirt dress from Target is here to prove you can mix loungewear and elegant workwear. Loving the lightweight feel of this dress that can be worn in any season! It’s available in blue, brown polka dot, and dark red. My fave is the brow polka dot shown on the picture. It’s $34.99 at Target!
I also like this floral pajama style dress, also from ASOS. If you’re ready to splurge, then this F.R.S. elevated shirt dress may be right down your alley!
Petites
I’ve also found this style of dresses in Petite sizes at ASOS, with this floral print stepped hem pajama shirt dress. Oh and this one too! Both these styles also comes in Tall sizes.
Plus-sizes
I’ve not found much choice for pajama style dresses in plus sizes (hello designers, let’s get to work!). But a nice alternative is a pajama style jacket, like this elegant cream number from River Island which comes in sizes up to 14.
What do you think of the pajama trend? Would you sport it?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 7, 2016 | Career
After working as a news co-anchor on Baltimore WJZ-TV, Oprah was demoted to a lower position on morning TV. Years later, she went on to dominate daytime TV for all of 25 years, and now has her own network. After failing to make the 1968 Olympic Skating figure, Vera Wang became a senior fashion editor at Vogue where she was passed over for the editor-in-chief position after 15 years. Harry Potter’s author J. K. Rowling faced 12 rejections before selling the book for only $4,000.
You may have read these success stories of women who’ve turned failure into success. Yet, the part we don’t often see is that these very women were also, at one point in their career, “stuck”. That like the rest of us who sometimes don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, as we’re faced with rejection, or simply as we’re coasting through our careers.
One of my mentors once told me that you can approach everything as it’s an opportunity, or as if opportunity is nowhere. It changed my way of thinking, especially about my own life and career.
As uncomfortable and discouraging as it may be, a career rut can synonymous with an opportunity to reposition ourselves. If you consider that it can be the gateway to a transformation in your career, then you can gain the patience, insight and determination to turn it into success.
You may be reading this wondering what kind of woo-woo ideology this is. Especially when it comes to work. Yet, there are many instances in my own career when I was “stuck”, when this simple principle helped me place whatever situation I was in a better, more productive context.
Here are three ways you can literally trick your mind to get out of a career rut:
Own your failures
Sara Blakely, the billionaire inventor of Spanx, says her father used to ask her and her brother to recount their failures at the end of each day. This, she says, has taught her the invaluable asset that failure is.
Instead of seeing failure as an insurmountable obstacle in your career and life, own them instead. Recognize where you’ve fallen short, so you can address your weaknesses and leverage them
Learn from failing
Redefine failure in a new way, by learning from what didn’t go so well. Use these failures to re-define your career by pivoting where needed. Where can you adjust your performance to reach your goals better? How can you improve your results by targeting exactly those areas where you fell short.
As awkward as it may be, keeping a record of your failures or shortcomings at work can help you develop a winning strategy. For instance, I used to collect all the review notes I’d get from my managers to create a list of areas where I needed to pay special attention, and what I exactly needed to do in each area. End result: guaranteed progress!
Take simple steps to transform your career
Do something each day to transform your career, especially when you’re hitting a career rut. It could be as simple as keeping a “Not to do” list to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
Or identifying those very things that make you feel like you’re in a career rut, and pivoting from where you are to get closer to where you want to be.
Do you use this mindset tip to break out of a career rut?
PS: Want to read more about reaching your career? Join our “Recharge Your Career” Month challenge.
To Your Career Success,
The Corporate Sis.
