by Solange Lopes | Nov 7, 2016 | Career
We’re at the eve of a major U.S. political election. And while you may be getting ready for work, or have already started your coffee-fueled day frantically typing away at your computer, there is something much bigger that may be impacting your career. It’s whether you choose to vote or not, and how the simple act of voting can impact your career…
What do you mean, voting can impact my career? It’s not like it’s on my resume, or part of my performance review…
Ok, I get your drift….But let’s think about this…Back on August 18th, 1920, the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution finally allowed women to vote. Still, women, especially African-American women, faced a lot of resistance and scrutiny when trying to exercise their legal right to cast their ballots.That’s only less than a century ago, in the U.S! In countries like Saudi Arabia, women have only been allowed to vote since….2011! Yes, only five years ago…
Fast forward almost a century, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which prohibits gender-based wage discrimination between men and women performing jobs requiring the same level of skill and effort, was only passed in….2009! Which also means less than 10 years ago, it was legally ok to be paid less than your male counterpart for doing the exact same job! Sobering, isn’t it?
So, yes, voting will not be reflected on your resume or performance review…But the simple act of exercising a right so many women were deprived of for so long, while suffering from wage inequality, is also a powerful way to protect your own rights and career!
Exercising your right to vote is not about candidates, it’s about the platforms and laws that can push women’s careers forward, or on the flip side endanger the rights and aspirations of working women everywhere!
As a working woman, a mother, and an immigrant, I believe it to be so important to raise our voices, so as to send fundamental messages that can ripple through every woman’s life and work. Messages like these:
I have a voice, and I will use it.
I mean, one of the biggest obstacles we have as women, whether it’s in our careers or businesses, is having our voices heard. Most times, it’s a matter of opportunity, especially for women of color. Viola Davis said it so well in her historical Emmy speech in 2015, when stating that the only difference between women of color and other women is opportunity.
Any area women can use their voices in is one more area where our concerns are heard, respected and addressed. Especially when it comes to deciding what our futures as women will look like…Which takes me to my next point…
My future matters. And so does my children’s.
How our lives and careers are shaped depends on the people we choose to elect. It’s not just about electing a President, but also about the legal, economic and political day-to-day decisions made in the background. Those are the ones that really affect our daily lives and that of our families.
Your career/business/future, and that of your children, may very well be on the line.
I care about resolving the issues we face as women and people.
I get it… The political landscape is not always exactly appealing. Actually, many times, we may just want to shut off the TV and hunker down under our covers on Election Day.
But if anything, casting that ballot says “I care”, despite all the obstacles. And that alone can move things in the right direction…
Do you agree that voting has impacted your career as a working woman?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 5, 2016 | Career
This is our weekly career and lifestyle news roundup, 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…
- This week, right before Election Day, Dell released an open letter to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump listing what women need to succeed;
- This Sunday is Daylight Savings Time. Inc. has the 1 way to make it amazing, productive and enjoyable;
- Tuesday, November 08th is Voting Day in the US. Business Insider has the state run-down of how much time you can take off from work to vote;
- Have you heard about that male contraception story? The Huffpost tells you why women are so fed up of it;
- Forget the glass ceiling, now it’s all about the “Diaper Ceiling”! Ellevate Network tips you off on how to crack it;
- According to this study reported in Fortune, Uber and Lyft drivers discriminate against women and African-Americans;
- Ellevate Network writes about women fueling business as a force for good through the Force for Good Accelerator/Fund;
- Evil HR Lady tells you how to pick the best holiday presents for your employees and clients;
- Black Enterprise suggests you put your phone down…well, at least for some time, if you don’t want to ruin your work-life balance;
- Do you have a branding website? The Personal Branding Blog tells you why you also need to have a blog to connect with your brand audience;
- Thanksgiving’s right around the corner. Serious Eats has 16 delishThanksgiving appetizer recipes you can try;
- Coloring your hair at home? Pop Sugar has this easy-peasy five-step guide for you.
Happy reading!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 28, 2016 | Career
Our Coffee Break feature discusses everyday issues or topics faced by women (and men) at work. Think of it as your daily chat with your work BFF…
So….Halloween is right around the corner, and I wonder if I should celebrate at work. If so, how can I pull a fun Halloween celebration in the office without losing my professional edge? Or should I skip it altogether, and save the festivities for after-hours?
My $0.05: Ok, so for those of us who are really into Halloween, it can be a bit depressing not to be able to enjoy the holiday at work. While many offices are OK with employees dressing up, many others are just not. And if you’re concerned about losing your professional edge in your favorite Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman costume, you can always:
Check in with your manager and HR first.
Before you make any plans (or drop any of your plans), make sure to check in with your manager and/or HR first. This could be particularly helpful if you’re planning to organize any team-based or group activities.
If You’re Going to Dress Up, Use Your Best Judgment!
If your office code allows for employees to dress up, the only rule really you should follow to make sure you keep your professional reputation intact is: Don’t wear anything embarrassing! As a guide, use this infographic from Refinery 29 to decide if your costume is offensive or not. And while you’re at it, why not make it a group/team thing? Here are 14+ office group Halloween costumes you can experiment with…even if it’s last minute!
Have Some Desk-Decorating Fun!
If you’re worried about your professional reputation at work, or didn’t find a decent enough costume for the office (or if you’re still deciding), how about having some wild fun decorating your surroundings? Plastic spiders, cobwebs, and other fun apparatus can add a nice festive touch to the day too…Short on inspiration? Brit+Co suggests 17 Halloween decor ideas for your cubicle or office.
Do it Potluck Style!
Why not release all that pent-up Halloween spooky energy into some fun and delish food? Organize a potluck within your team, and assign a special dish to each team member. No time for planning a food extravaganza? Well, bring your own spooktacular disk (here’s some inspiration for Halloween-themed food)!
Candy It Up!
After all, everyone’s favorite part of the holiday is all the candy we get to eat! So bring plenty of candy to share with your team and the entire office. Encourage the rest of your team to bring in some sweets to share and celebrate too! Oh…, and check out Thrillist‘s selection of 20 best Halloween candy to make your candy corner the best in the office!
What do you think? Is it OK to celebrate Halloween at work without losing your professional edge?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 26, 2016 | Career
Our Coffee Break feature discusses everyday issues or topics faced by women (and men) at work. Think of it as your daily chat with your work BFF…
So if you happen to have a gym on your work premises, or even nearby, that you could use either before work or during your lunch hour, would you exercise in between your work hours? Or would you rather save your fitness routine for the times you’re nowhere near work?
My $0.05: There are pros and cons to exercising on your work premises or at a site really close to work in between your work hours.
Among the pros, is the fact that you get to save time and fit in your exercise routine during your workday. And you also have access to a gym on a daily basis.
But unless you’re Beyoncé and “woke up like this”, you know there are quite a few variables that go into looking the part at work. And puffy, sweaty hair with a side of running mascara, not exactly part of it!
I personally think if you have the right infrastructure at work (or at the gym), including fully functioning showers, lockers, etc, and you’re organized enough to have all your equipment and grooming supplies on hand, then it may work for you! You may also have to make sure you can have enough time to devote to a full workout, whether it’s before work or at lunchtime.
I have to admit, I tried it but couldn’t quite fit in enough time to work out, get presentable for work and be at my desk without losing my edges in the process! But that’s just me…
What has your experience been with exercising between work hours?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 25, 2016 | Career
Tina Pettigrew – Senior Community Manager at Ellevate Network
I’m so excited to feature Tina Pettigrew, Senior Community Manager at Ellevate Network. Tina’s been such an inspiration and a support to The Corporate Sister, as well as an outstanding representative of Ellevate Network, one of my absolute favorite organizations for women in business.
I first met Tina virtually through my blog, and later met her in person at the Ellevate Network’s Summer Soiree in New York. The first thing that struck me about her is the passion, enthusiasm and creativity she puts into helping others. If there’s one thing her career trajectory clearly demonstrates is that being open, engaging and passionate about one’s mission and purpose can create incredible opportunities for ourselves and others.
So, without further ado, here’s Tina!
1. Tell us a bit about you and what you do!
I am Sr. Community Manager at Ellevate Network. What that means is that I utilize strategic partners, press, social media, creative, and more to help build our brand as a company and make sure that everyone sees us as a thought leader in the “women in business” space. I do anything from utilize our media partners as panelists at events to write thought leadership pieces for the Ellevate site, to test creative copy in marketing materials and social media posts to see how they affect our business goals. It’s fast paced, I get to be creative, and build real relationships with amazing people – so all in all, a lot of fun!
2. What led you to work for Ellevate?
How did you decide on this career path? When I was in my Masters program for Bioethics at NYU, I was working part-time (and then later full-time) at a nonprofit in NYC that focused on workforce development training. I was the Office Manager there but really spent a lot of time creating curriculum and developing my social media expertise. After I left that job, someone who was on the board there remembered me and reached out to me for the Community Manager role at Ellevate Network (which was then 85 Broads). I think I fell into this career, as many of us do, because I thought the work was interesting, but ultimately it makes sense that I’m being creative every day, as I see myself as a writer at heart. And I love to engage with people and hear their stories/ points of view, so this job is a unique way to do that.
3. Describe what a typical workday looks like for you.
First and foremost I need to check in on trending topics and the Ellevate Network social media pages (Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Google +. My colleague Johanna manages our Instagram/ Pinterest, but I like to talk strategy/ make suggestions often [which she may or may not like, haha]). I need to respond to anyone on these pages and make sure that we speak in an authentic voice while keeping our business goals in mind. Then I likely check in with my media partners/chapters/bloggers, make sure everything is good to go for any marketing campaigns we have going on (a new partnership, Sallie’s book coming out, a discount code we’re promoting, upcoming events we need to sell out, etc.), schedule social media for the following day/ check in on my best performing pieces and adjust my strategy. I chat with people on the phone about partnering, interview intern candidates (depending on the time of year), oversee a handful of customer services issues, review product projects Rebecca sends me, copyedit, scan the landscape of SEO (and make adjustments), and occasionally create graphics and write. We work very collaboratively here, so it really depends on the day/ project.
4. What do you love most about working at Ellevate?
My team! I have a seriously hard-working, bright group of people that I’ve been through the fire with, and I cannot emphasize that enough. Having people you can trust through the good and the bad, who you can bounce ideas off of, and who you can be honest with, is priceless.
5. How do the goals of a company like Ellevate affect your day-to-day job, and your career and life goals in general?
I believe in the mission of Ellevate, so the company goals are my focus every moment I work. I try to ask myself, “How does this provide benefit to our members?” every time I make a business decision. Working for a company that does well while doing good is very important to me, and I think that I will always be working somewhere that has a conscience.
6. What’s the most challenging part of your job and how do you not let yourself get burnt out?
Great question! The most challenging part of my job is juggling priorities. Because after all this is important, and so is this, and so is this. So I often need to take a deep breath and just take care of things. I have had my fair share of burnout moments, but one thing I remind myself of is: “Nothing is more important than your health. Take time out every single day (no matter how small) to clear your head. Take accountability for your own actions.”
7. What advice would you give other women who may want to follow in your footsteps and pursue a similar career?
Just jump in. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and ask smart questions. Keyword = smart. I believe that as an emerging professional, as well as young person in general, it is so important to be self-sufficient. There are so many tools at our disposal, use them! And then ask a smart question to figure something out. Also, find the people in your personal and professional life who have traits and habits that you admire, and build a relationship with them. They will be key to your success. And at work, always prove that you are useful – use your unique skills, whatever they are – and let your actions speak for you.
Bio:
Tina Pettigrew’s customer-focused and personable approach is what makes her such a dynamic Senior Community Manager at Ellevate. Prior to joining the Ellevate team, Tina worked for a number of esteemed institutions including the United Nations, the NYU/Bellevue Program for Survivors of Torture, Workforce Professionals Training Institute and the YMCA, where her experience ranged from human rights advocacy and law to professional development and training, with a focus on social media marketing and customer relationship management. She earned her MA in Bioethics from New York University as well as a BA in Health Science, with a concentration in Business, from the University of Florida.
Tina engages the community in many ways: she cultivates partnerships that are mutually beneficial to the company and speak to our values and brand; she is often the face behind Ellevate’s voice, communicating with the press, in social media, and in Ellevate’s marketing campaigns (Invest in Yourself, Female Role Model); and has a hand in customer service. Tina has a reputation for honest and respectful communication, creative problem solving, and thought leadership.
In her spare time, Tina trains in MMA, chats with her 99-year old grandmother, cuddles her dog Poncho and cat Liberty, and makes a mean dark-chocolate pistachio sea salt granola.
Got questions for Tina, or just want to drop her a love note? Please leave a comment below, or email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Thanks so much Tina!
The Corporate Sis.
