by Solange Lopes | Nov 21, 2014 | Career |
Photo: the grio.com
Ok, I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and a few other social media sites. And although I’m not posting any drunken, or inappropriate selfies (I never understood the drunken selfie concept, shouldn’t you be unable to function let alone take a selfie, but I digress…), I realize, as annoying as it may be, my simple online presence may wreak havoc with my career. Yes, while social media sites like Linked In for instance can boost your chances at landing the career of your dreams, others can spell the end of your professional reputation.
Take for instance, befriending a co-worker on your Facebook page. Or having an old high school girlfriend unearth questionable pictures or stories about you? There are indeed many ways your seemingly innocent social media banter can cost you at work:
1. There’s a thin line between…personal and professional! And these can be blurred pretty fast, and at times irretrievably…Avoid mixing personal and professional on your social networks, and if you do, keep some clear boundaries between your contacts! Sites like Hibe.com can help you do just that…
2. Keep your network in check! Oftentimes, it’s less about the stuff you post than the stuff others post about you, on your page. If your audience is less politically correct than Jimmy Kimmell, you may want to put them in check….or restrict your privacy settings, pronto!
3. Timing is EVERYTHING! Remember your posts are time-stamped, so if you’re posting links to hilarious videos during work hours, beware! This could get you fired or dropped from the running to the job of your dreams, so post carefully!
4. First impressions matter! If your profile picture features your side boob as main character, or last year’s wardrobe malfunction somehow found its way on your Instagram page, you’re not exactly making the best first impression! Prospective employers do scour your social media profiles, and so do current employers! So just as you wouldn’t want your annoying sister-in-law to find a less than flattering pic of you anywhere, polish your appearance, both in person and on social media!
5. What happens on the Internet stays on the Internet! Those pics from Spring break in Cancun with you adoringly cradling a bottle of Moet? They were, and still are online somewhere. So don’t let your new educated, “bourgie” reputation fool you! What happens in Internet Land stays in Internet Land, except there are no secrets on Internet Land, and that banking firm may not exactly pick your stellar resume over your questionable love pics with champagne bottles! Dust the skeletons in your closet, and get to deleting…
What are other ways to prevent social media from killing your career?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 19, 2014 | Career |
Photo: bossip.com
Many of us attribute taking a step down in our career, or foregoing a career altogether, to having kids. Yet the somewhat surprising secret of your career success (or lack thereof) could actually be your significant other. According to a recent study, your spouse’s personality has a lot more to do with your career success than you could ever imagine.
Remember Huma Abedin, who started out as Hillary Clinton’s assistant and ended up rising to the top of her career? Or rather, do you remember her more when reminded of her husband Anthony Weiner, who made headlines for sharing pictures of his (no longer intimate) intimacy. Do you recall how all of a sudden, in light of all the penis-sharing business of her spouse, her career lost lackluster as she was faced with the harsh decision to divorce her hubby (and be poor, alone and pregnant at the time), or stay and endure the backlash of public opinion?
Speaking of the Clinton’s circle, do you also recall Monica Lewinsky and the whole sex scandal that surrounded her back then? Granted, unlike Huma, Monica had an integral part in it. Yet, here as well, the actual spouse, Hillary, who had nothing to do with the whole thing, also had to suffer the consequences of her husband’s behavior. And sixteen years later, as Monica Lewinsky is shamelessly staging a comeback on social media ahead of the 2016 campaign (interesting coincidence), Hillary is probably going to have to suffer consequences she never bargained for….
So can your spouse ruin your career? Absolutely! Can you do anything to prevent them from doing so, or to even limit the damage? It depends on how strong you are if you decide to stay and face the backlash on the home and public fronts; or how much you are willing to place a phone call to your parents to loan the money you’ll need to pay for an expensive divorce, oh, and for groceries too…
And while you’re at it, and if you still are deciding on the best marriage and career choices, you may want to read Linda Hirschman’s book, Get to work, and follow her decade-old advice to “marry down“. As crazy as it may sound (and to my male readers, please don’t get mad), a man who is less rich, less in the limelight, and less prone to ask their spouse to set their careers aside to propel his, may just be what some ambitious, go-getter women need…
Just sayin’…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 17, 2014 | Career
Photo: switchapp.com
If you’ve ever wondered how to apply the principles of fast-paced,. anonymous speed-dating to your job search, well…there’s an app for that. It’s called Switch, and it’s been dubbed by The daily Muse as the new Tinder for jobs.
What it does:Basically, it allows you to conduct your job search anonymously, without the stress of your current employer, clients, friends or acquaintances ever finding out. Not only are you able to check out job postings incognito, but you also get notifications directly to your phone every time a potential employer likes your profile, very much like “likes” on Facebook or “Favorites” on Twitter. And if sparks fly, Switch allows you to be put in direct contact with the recruiter in question. So i happen to be a hiring manager, consider your work made much easier…
My $0.05: Whether you are actively searching or passively job-hunting, Switch sounds like a great option to do the do under wraps (here’s another app for job-hunting on the down-low), and still keep abreast of great opportunities on the market. Great app!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 14, 2014 | Career |
Photo: blackbluedog.com
I’m not a perfect mom, I buy my kids’ bakesale cupcakes (and pack them in pretty tupperware so it looks like I baked them), and I’m guilty for blabbing about them and showing everyone pictures of their latest funny faces. Yes, including at work…
And while I, and so many other moms working outside of the home, cannot help from gushing about our kids (or pretending we actually bake, or cook on a daily basis), there is a demarcation line we have to be careful not to cross…
So, really, how much should you talk about your kids at work?
My $0.05: Being true to yourself at work is an amazing concept! It just doesn’t always work out, especially at work. You and I live in the real world, where there’s not enough time to bake cupcakes or fight idealistic wars, and where you’re better off being aware of discrimination where it exists. Truth is, today’s workplace is much more sympathetic to dads than moms, and mentioning your sleepless nights with your infant is only going to make you appear incompetent.
So, no, you need not act like you’re single and ready to mingle. Yet you also don’t need to excessively brag about your kid’s brand new tooth. Strike a balance, and if in doubt, err on the conservative side. Unfair? Yes, but real, and since most of us live in the real world…Just sayin’….
How much do you talk about your kids at work?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 14, 2014 | Career |
So Dear Daughter’s kindergarten bake sale is today. And as a proud mommy, I woke up this morning, lined the bottom of one of my best tupperwares (i.e.the only one I could find with a matching lid) with foil paper, and placed all the cupcakes, expertly aligned in their array of colored frosting and sprinkled to perfection, in it. Bake sale handled: Check! Ready to get to work: Check! Store-bought cupcakes with a heavy dose of motherly guilt: Check, check, and check!
In a perfect world, I would have this great bonding time with my daughter, baking cupcakes and sharing lifetime memories. We could have even taken pictures and posted all this family happiness and wholesomeness on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
In my world, I got home the night before with a terrible headache, right before noticing the Betty Crocker buttercream frosting from last year was frosted over, literally, and unusable. Not to mention the most basic cake mix recipes on Pinterest had at least two more ingredients than my entire pantry. I was busted, shoved in the bad mommy corner. So Dear Hubby got it handled a la Olivia Pope, and bought the cupcakes, as I laid in a puddle of working mom guilt…
Most moms who also work outside of the home will admit, in addition to the dreaded motherhood penalty, to feeling these pangs of motherhood guilt. That sting in the pit of your stomach when your kid mentions other moms volunteering at school all the time, or when the umpteenth bake sale (really, must there be this many) catches you unprepared…Or the slight, controlled smirk at the PTA moms who always pick up their kids on time (really, how do you make bad traffic and last minute bosses magically disappear?)…
Does this mean I want to be perfect, PTA, homemade cupcake-making mom? As much respect as I have for the perfect moms out there, I don’t! Many of us, if not most, chose this life, and while it may mean buying cupcakes instead of baking them (with the cake mix), it also means we try our best…
And until they invent an automatic cupcake-maker that also helps with homework, laundry, dishes and remembers to pay the bills, I may have to invest in a few more cake mixes and store-bought cupcakes…Just sayin’…
How do you deal with professional mom’s guilt?
The Corporate Sis.
