by Solange Lopes | Oct 20, 2017 | Career
Welcome to our weekly career, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and fashion news roundup! Think of it as your online watercooler/work gossip station/coffee break spot for now…Want to add anything to our list? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
- This New York Times article recounting actress Lupita Nyong’o’s experience with Harvey Weinstein makes sexual harassment all too real;
- Tired of “manterruptions”? Ellevate Network offers a 6-step process to halt this;
- Want to become braver at work? These 10 tips will help you boost your confidence at work;
- Black Enterprise shares kudos for this Black women beauty company that scored $1 Million in funding;
- The Muse shares these 16 companies that have amazing employee perks;
- Do you work from home? Forbes reveals how you can get more work done;
- This free app will finally help you control you inbox;
- Ellevate Network tips you off on how to work with a PR firm;
- Busty women alert! Corporette lists the best dress shirts for women with large breasts;
- Not sure which college to apply to? Making Sense of Cents helps you determine which college to apply to;
- WhoWhatWear gives us the lowdown on these under-$100 cold-weather essentials;
- We love food, and we love Halloween costumes, so Food52 lists our favorite food-related Halloween costumes.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis
by Solange Lopes | Oct 19, 2017 | Career
Workwear: Fringe Sweater – photo credit: www.whitehouseblackmarket.com
Our Workwear feature presents various pieces of work-appropriate attire at different price ranges and sizes.
Who said you can’t combine fringe power with the comfort of a cotton sweater? This double fringe sweater jacket for White House Black Market is elegant, yet edgy enough to take from desk to dinner. I would pair it with a nice pencil skirt or skinny pants for work, or even your favorite jeans on the weekend.
It’s available in Petite and Regular sizes, and is on sale for $77 at White House Black Market.
What pieces of workwear would you like us to feature? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
This post contains affiliate links and The Corporate Sister may earn commissions for purchases through links in this post. Thank you!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 19, 2017 | Career
What if you could boost your confidence at work to speak up more, take on more challenging projects and generally be braver in your career or business? What if instead of doubting your skills, abilities and natural talents, you could step into your own career and business and stop acting like you don’t already have everything you need? What if you could boost your confidence at work?
As working women, it can be challenging to find our sweet spot when it comes to tapping into our confidence in the workplace. I know it has definitely been for me, and still is in many instances. However, I also strongly believe that confidence is not necessarily one of those things you’re born with. Not only can you acquire it, you can grow it, mold it and boost it to fit who you are and where you’re going in life.
I went from zero confidence in myself, to pushing myself to doing some of the things that I was most afraid of. From appearing on video to sharing public pictures of myself, to going after my wildest dreams, I’m learning to do more brave work. And there are a few tips that have been helping me, and so many other women, rise above our fears and tap into that confidence we have:
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Stop beating yourself up!
One of the worst ways we can destroy our self-confidence is to talk ourselves negatively. Negative self-talk not only dampens your enthusiasm, but it robs you of any power to control your career, and life in general. Instead, adopting a positive mindset and attitude can help us stop beating ourselves up!
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Keep learning!
One of the best ways to get more self-assured is to keep on learning! From keeping up with the latest research to taking trainings and signing up for seminars, the more knowledge we have, the more it can boost our confidence.
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Know (and use) your strengths!
What are you good at? What comes naturally to you? Very often, those are the exact things we neglect in our careers or businesses, and instead focus on doing what everyone else is. Tap into those strengths and natural abilities and combine them with your career or business.
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Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
A lot of our fear comes from the fact that we may not have all the answers. However, we’re not supposed to. A strong sign of confidence is to have the courage to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to challenge your lack of knowledge in any area, and inquire about what you don’t know.
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Watch your language!
How do you talk about yourself? What words do you use to describe yourself? Very often, we can talk down to and about ourselves without even realizing it. This may mean limiting the instances when you say things like “I can’t…”, or “How could I…”. Instead, find ways to do more of what you think you cannot do, or learn how you can accomplish these.
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Celebrate your success!
How often do you recognize your own accomplishments? How many times do you celebrate yourself? This is not just to brag or show off. Recognizing that you are able to accomplish great things is a great way to boost your confidence. On those instances when you lose your confidence, remind yourself of those instances when you achieved so much!
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Fake it ‘til you make it!
When dealing with a new challenge or task, it’s normal to feel that you don’t have all the skills or talents you need. The same happens when starting a new job, or being exposed to a new area. This is when faking it ‘til you make it comes in handy. Act with confidence, even when you don’t feel like it, and notice the difference in your mindset and performance.
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Say yes more often
Are you afraid of taking on new challenges at work or in your business? Saying yes more often, and saying yes to the right opportunities, can help you boost your confidence as well. Dare to get outside of your comfort zone, and saying yes to opportunities that would normally scare you.
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But learn to say no!
In the same token, learn to stand up for yourself and say no to activities and tasks that keep you from being your best self. It can be a challenge to say no to opportunities not aligned with our purpose; however, learning to do so and practicing it, can go a long way towards establishing our confidence.
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Enjoy the ride!
There’s nothing like laughing at yourself, enjoying your experiences, and being generally light-hearted can help you improve your confidence in ways you’d have never thought possible.
How do you boost your confidence at work?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 13, 2017 | Find A Job You Love, PODCAST
Welcome to Episode #10 of the newly re-branded Corporate Sister Podcast! In this episode, we’re all about Girl Power Networking, or successful networking for busy working women! In a world where the perks of networking seem to be reserved to men, we as working women have to start claiming our spot in the room. It starts with leveraging the power of networking and successfully re-defining it in the context of our lives and work.
What you’ll learn/listen to/enjoy in this episode:
- Why networking is the #1 unwritten rule of business
- Why working women need to leverage networking
- How to shift your mindset around networking
- Tips to harness the power of networking as a working woman
Links:
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for tuning in and listening to this week’s episode! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please share it by using the social media at the bottom of this post!
Any feedback you’d like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!
Also, leave me a review for the TCS podcast on iTunes!
Your ratings and reviews are not only greatly appreciated, but they also help the show rank better!
If you have any questions, please email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Finally, please don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes to get automatic updates!
Thanks so much for your support!
Until next time,
The Corporate Sis.
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by Solange Lopes | Oct 13, 2017 | Career
Welcome to our weekly career, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and fashion news roundup! Think of it as your online watercooler/work gossip station/coffee break spot for now…Want to add anything to our list? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
- October 10th was World Mental Health Day. Evil Hr Lady advises us on how to work when depressed;
- Want to start a singing career? Recruiting Blogs lists 6 steps to start;
- Are you an introvert? So am I, and here are 7 tips to best network as an introvert;
- Levo recounts an edifying account of microagressions from a Black woman in Finance;
- Want to work less than 40 hours a week? Business Insider lists 16 high-paying jobs where you can just do that;
- Forbes Woman shares 3 ways to differentiate yourself in your career;
- Ellevate Network shares the side of female empowerment we’re not talking about;
- A
bad horrible workweek happens to all of us. Corporette tips us off on how to recover;
- The Muse shares 4 inoffensive ways to say “No” at work;
- This free Power Point template will help you ace every presentation, every time;
- Negotiate much? Ellevate Network shares 5 negotiation mistakes that are tripping you up;
- Making Sense of Cents shares 10 budget recipes and cheap easy meals you should try;
- WhoWhatWear shares 22 gifts your co-workers will use;
- Food 52 reveals the best time to drink coffee (and it’s not first thing in the am);
PS: Don’t forget to get your FREE list of 50 networking questions!
Cheers to the weekend!
by Solange Lopes | Oct 12, 2017 | Career
Workwear: Cashmere Belted Sweater – Photo credit: anntaylor.com
Our Workwear feature presents various pieces of work-appropriate attire at different price ranges and sizes.
Ok, people, Fall is officially here and the chill in the air is here to remind us to get our sweaters ready. Hence our very Fall-ish workwear pick, this Ann Taylor cashmere belted sweater. The refined quality of this classic cashmere is perfectly paired with its very flattering silhouette. It’s available in yellow ochre and gold at Ann Taylor.
I also like this cashmere cold shoulder sweater, as well as this gorgeous wrap front number, also from Ann Taylor.
What pieces of workwear would you like us to feature? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
This post contains affiliate links and The Corporate Sister may earn commissions for purchases through links in this post. Thank you!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 12, 2017 | Find A Job You Love
I’m an introvert. Which also means that the way I’m set up, crowded places filled with strangers and small talk don’t exactly agree with me. When it comes to networking, it seems the stage is open and reserved for extroverts. You know, those who can start small talk about just anything and look comfortable in pretty much any setting…Hence the reason why many introverts refrain from engaging in networking at all…
If you happen to be an introvert, and are not sure how to be more effective, and fulfilled when networking, here are 7 rules that will take your networking from blah to wow:
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Be clear about your why!
One of the biggest mistakes that I made was to network for the sake of networking. I wasn’t clear about my goals and why I really wanted to connect with a certain group of people. As it turns out, I wasn’t clear about my why!
Why are you attending this networking event? What are you hoping to get out of it? What connections are your hoping to make and why? What are you open to contributing to this event?
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Prepare, prepare, prepare!
Let’s be honest, I’ve had times when I failed to show up at networking events because I went to the wrong place. Or I would forget to bring my business cards, show up late, or spill wine on the host. With the exception of spilling wine on the host, some of these mistakes can easily be avoided with some advance planning.
Here are a few things you can do to prepare:
- Locate where the networking event will be taking place (do a test drive to it if you can)
- Make sure to bring your business cards and an extra name tag
- Go over the list of attendees and tentatively pick at least 2 people you want to connect with
- Brainstorm on a series of questions you can use in your conversations
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Start with women’s networking group
One of the things that really helped me when I decided to push my networking efforts forward was to attend women’s networking groups. Attending networking events with fellow working women can be more comfortable and feel more familiar at first. This is a good place to start practicing your networking skills and get over some of your initial fears. You’ll meet fellow working women like you who may be facing the same or similar obstacles you are.
While you may not want to limit yourself to women’s networking groups, these are a great start if you’re an introvert or just want to hone your networking skills. Organizations like Ellevate Network are great places to begin as well.
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Start with a buddy
It’s normal to dread stepping into unfamiliar territory, especially as an introvert. However, taking a buddy with you can relieve some of the pressure and make the whole experience fun!
Can you find a buddy or girlfriend who can tag along with you at networking events?
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Tap into your listening skills
Introverts have a natural ability to listen. When it comes to networking, it’s an invaluable skill. Learn to tap into your listening skills to learn as much as possible about the new connections you’re making and building a relationship with them.
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Take time out
As introverts, we can only handle a certain amount of socializing time before we need to replenish our mental resources by spending some time alone. Don’t hesitate to take some time out during networking events, so you don’t end up drained and depleted.
This may be stepping out for a minute, or taking a short break to grab a drink.
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Challenge yourself
Challenge yourself to take your networking efforts to the next level. If you’ve attended one networking event this month, why not take it up a notch and attend two next month? Why not join that organization that you’ve been dreaming to be a part of?
The more you challenge yourself, the better you get!
What other tips would you add to this list?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
