by Solange Lopes | Aug 11, 2017 | Career |
Weekly news update – Photo: blackgirllonghair.com
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!
PS: Have you downloaded your 30-Day Free Dream Planner yet?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 4, 2017 | Career
via GIPHY
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 week we celebrated Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. Fortune encourages us to talk about it;
- Did you take your vacation this year? The HR Bartender confirms vacations help employee performance;
- Want to raise healthy, happy kids? Inc. says science recommends to stop doing this;
- Black Enterprise shares 5 lessons we’ve learnt from Auntie Maxine, including reclaiming our time;
- High heels and discriminatory dress codes in the workplace: The Undercover Recruiter shares how these disproportionately affects women;
- Introvert Alert! The Recruiter shares the guide for introverts to starting a new job;
- Ellevate Network shares why failing is the key to career success;
- Glassdoor lists 11 things never to say in an interview;
- We all have unconscious bias. Ellevate Network shares tips to eliminate it to make better decisions;
- TCS welcomed its very first intern this summer. Here are 7 tips to successfully work with your first intern.
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis
by Solange Lopes | Aug 2, 2017 | Career
Our Wear to Work feature presents workwear selections in various sizes and prices.
If you're a bag lady like myself (I see you out there), you know how important it is to have a bag that can accommodate all your stuff your entire life. Like this Tory Butch Gemini tote….
This tote is your perfect work companion, with its extra room for a laptop, an extra pair of shoes and other essentials. It also features an extra hanging slip pocket, and front D ring for attaching a coin purse or favorite bag charm.
This large tote is available in various colors, from pink (my favorite), to jewel blue, black, french grey, etc. It's $198 at Zappos.
What do you think of this tote? Seen any piece that you'd like to recommend, email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 2, 2017 | Career
TCS welcomed its very first intern, and can I say she’s simply amazing! In addition to being a huge help, she’s also full of great ideas and insights! One of the great advantages is also that through her, I get to revisit what it means to successfully work with interns, especially with your first intern.
I remember being an intern in college and having so many unanswered questions at the time. While I’ve worked with interns during my corporate career and now in business, it's always refreshing to stay updated on what it really takes to do so successfully.
Here are 7 tips from my corporate experience to my entrepreneurial hustle to build powerful experiences with your interns:
- Know the law!
Before you start working with an intern, you want to make sure that you’re on the right side of the law. While this may be taken care of by your organization, it's always informative to read about the legal side of internships.
Internships, especially when unpaid, are slightly different from traditional work arrangements. You can consult the Department of Labor regulations for what qualifies as an unpaid internship, and how to go about it.
2. Align your goals with that of your intern
Working with your first intern (and subsequent ones) is a great way to share your goals. It's also the perfect time to learn about their goals and what they're looking to get out of the experience.
The more you can align your goals with theirs, the more enriching it can be for both parties.
3. Make teaching your priority
Internships are first and foremost learning opportunities. Although there certainly is work involved, the priority should be to impart knowledge and experience. Whether it's about the industry, the company or the job at hand, make sure to strike a healthy balance between actual work and teaching on the job.
4. Be open to learning from your intern
One of the reasons I've always loved working with interns is the fresh perspective they bring with them. Be open to learning about different ways of working, or even pick up a few advanced social media or Excel tricks here and there!
5. Be mindful of their learning style
Different people learn differently. For interns whose experience in the professional world or in your particular industry may be limited, this is even more prevalent.
Is your intern more of a visual learner? Does s/he thrive with on-hands task? Learn about the way they learn best and try to keep them engaged.
6. Communicate clearly
One of the most common obstacles to successful internships is poor and unclear communication. After all, your intern most likely has very little, if any, exposure to your industry or line of work.
Make sure to keep the lines of communication as clear as possible:
- Have an orientation at the beginning: This will help get a picture of your industry or business, clarify your goals and set the tone.
- Prepare as many procedures as possible: Consider preparing and sharing procedures describing your main processes to speed up the learning process.
- Write down detailed instructions: Even if you're better at giving instructions verbally, consider writing down detailed instructions for your intern. This will minimize the miscommunication risk and the frustrating back-and-forth.
7. Show, Don't Just Tell
When it comes to working with your first intern, lead by example. Whether it's through displaying integrity or demonstrating how the work is done, show, don't just tell!
What other advice would you add to this list?
To your success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 1, 2017 | Career
Our Wear to Work feature presents workwear selections in a range of styles, sizes and prices.
Wear to Work: Colorblock Sheath Dress – Photo credit: whitehouseblackmarket.com
If you’re looking for a head-turner in your work wardrobe, this is it! This color block sheath dress from White House Black Market is an absolute stunner! It’s perfect for any day in the office, and transitions perfectly to a networking event in the evening, or even a night out.
I love the shape-making silhouette of this dress, with its slimming side black panels. It’s available in Petite and Regular sizes. The best part? It’s on sale for $59.99 at White House Black Market!
What do you think of this style? Want to have particular workwear styles featured? Email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Aug 1, 2017 | Career
How would you like to start your day feeling energized, powerful and filled with stamina? Instead of dragging yourself out of bed, barely able to make it through the morning with your usual (massive) intake of caffeine.
I know the feeling…Although I enjoy early mornings, getting up with energy and stamina after two kids, unending laundry and loads of work was a struggle. As much as I set my alarm for 5am, got my clothes ready for the next day and promised to myself I was going to start fresh, the struggle was real. It wasn’t until I started reading about and studying the habits of influential figures I admire, that I started realizing that starting the day in power is more a matter of habit and mindset than actual disposition.
Here are three of the most effective rituals I’ve learnt to decrease the crazy factor in your mornings, increase your mindfulness, and help us all start the day in power:
Quiet Time
When my first business coach recommended I add an additional 15 minutes to my mornings dedicated to just being quiet, I had to chuckle. I barely had enough time to jump out of bed, get the kids ready and manage to look human. Never mind adding more time to my morning craziness schedule!
However, I discovered that spending 10-15 minutes in quiet contemplation does effectively change your day…for the better! Whether you choose to spend it prayng, meditating, or just doing absolutely nothing, is your choice.
Sit quietly somewhere, preferably before everyone else wakes up, and chaos starts, and spend some time with your eyes closed in perfect peace. Let your thoughts wander as they will and surrender to the moment. You’ll notice feeling refreshed, energized and even having more clarity afterwards.
Gratitude
What are you grateful for? Have you thought about actually putting down these things into words every single day?
I have to admit it was a challenge at first, when my coach advised to write down 10-15 things every day that I was grateful for. First, I didn’t think I had the time. Second, what was I going to write? Not that I didn’t have anything to be grateful for, but developing a habit that very few of us have is challenging.
Nevertheless, I started. To my surprise, not only would it make me feel happier, and ever more grateful every day. I also noticed that better things, opportunities and events would also happen. The Law of Attraction defines this as the power of thoughts becoming things. The more you think about what you’re grateful for, the more there is to be grateful for. Now that’s power to start the day…
Write down your goals
Writing down your goals is not just about recording your objectives down somewhere. Most importantly, there’s something almost magical that happens when you put your dreams and goals on paper. Not only does it convince your mind of the possibility for these to come to fruition, it also gives you that extra motivation to accomplish them.
I’ve had as a habit to write down my goals on pieces of paper and carry them around in my wallet. I’ve seen many successful people do so, and I thought it a good idea to try it. Little did I know that after some time, I would dig out the same pieces of paper and update them with this single note: “Goal accomplished”!
In conclusion:
- Reserve some quiet time for reflection in the morning
- Practice gratitude as you start your day
- Write down your goals
What other rituals do you practice to start your day in power?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jul 29, 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!
