Career Soup: What's Your Brand

Image Credit: Business World from Vector.me (by vecteezy.com)

Workplace buzzwords often die off like "paradigm shifts" and "thinking outside of the box." However, there seems to be one that keeps hanging around: "personal branding." How important is personal branding to your career success? Very important! I realized this when I was speaking with a friend and she was asking for some social media design advice. I suggested that she needed to "get your brand popping!"  All roads should lead to your passion and what you want people to think of when they thing of you. If you are a widget counter, but your passion is financial planning, then you should read as much as you can about financial planning, blog about financial planning in your free time, offer gratis financial planning to family members, and suit up in all profiles pictures on your social networking pages.  If you are a teacher, but you'd ultimately like to be principal or move to higher education, expand your vocabulary to include graduate level education and administrative terminology. Shift your brand from a stellar teacher to a stellar school leader. Branding is about who you want to be using your strengths to guide you!

Take products for example. When you see a certain logo, there is an expectation of what you're going to get.  Your mind pulls up past experiences (good or bad), advertisement jingles, and the like.  What images and thoughts are retrieved when someone sees you or your online presence? Doing a quick Google search for images for "headshots" in your current or desired profession will give you plenty of ideas how to style your profile pictures.  I can offer you assistance in designing an industry-appropriate resume that will fit in AND more importantly stand out in the right way to get you noticed. Feel free to contact me for assistance!

Winter Wardrobe Reboot: Career Essentials

It is very easy to get stuck in a fashion rut during the winter months. The fun of fall fashion is over and you may be tempted to just throw on a thick (albeit warm) sweater and some comfy trousers. That look can get drab fast. If you have seven key pieces in your wardrobe, you can mix and match to avoid the frump that winter blues can bring. Let's take a look...

This ensemble allows you to wear your warm cardigan sweater, but keeps it classy and chic with an LBD. Paired with black tights and ankle boots, your look is complete. To dress it up more, nix the chapeau, wear a statement necklace or pearls, and black pumps or high heel knee boots. Dowdy girl avoided!!

A tailored grey pants suit is another necessity this winter.  It can simply be worn as a suit, but there is so much more you can do. You can where the jacket over a little black dress or wear the pants with a cardigan sweater or as shown above, with an animal print blouse and a bright colored jacket.

Now, to recap, you need a cardigan sweater, a little black dress, black tights, tailored pants suit, and a bright colored jacket. The last two items that will help you make it until spring are a cape and a pair of fresh black trousers (wide-leg or skinny).

I pretty much live in my cuffed black wide-leg trousers. I get a fresh pair of black pants each season.  There isn't much I don't do with these pants. I dress them up with a blouse or wear them with polka dot sweater and my Danskos for a more fun, casual look. I usually wear skinny black pants in the spring and summer months, but I've seen these cute cuts paired with boots both knee and ankle along with pumps like pictured below. Put on some statement socks for a cool look with pumps, but make sure they're office appropriate.

The appeal of the cape is the dramatic effect it has with the simplest of outfits. It's like you're a superhero about to save the world. The bow is such a lovely addition to this pale cape. And the camel color of the other cape pairs well with almost everything. Shop in your closet first and then go out and use those gift cards on the items you need. They'll be on sale for sure!

Update: Look what I found just today. Rachel Zoe never fails! We're on the same page! 1/7/15

Dog Days

The holidays are over! Some people are depressed. I'm actually ready for the spring. But, I realized that my dog is going to miss all of the attention he's been getting for the past 2 months. We've been home, going outside multiple times during the day, and making sure tummy rubs were never in short supply.  We'll soon be back to work and school leaving him to entertain himself for a few hours. Thank God my parents are retired, so he won't be all alone.  Yet, I know the change will affect him. Here are some tips to help your doggy adjust to business as usual.

1. Wake up 10 minutes early and get ready. Once you're dressed, spend 10 minutes with your dog doing his favorite activity. This activity does not include the morning restroom break. For my dog, this activity would include a few tummy rubs, a song, tossing the ball around, and treat.

2. Leave challenges around the house. Put chew toys around his designated area. This will give him something to do rather than tear up the couch or baseboards.  Cover his doggy bed with a blanket.  Hide a treat under his pet bed or a towel.

3.  Hire a pet sitter for an hour a day, 2 or 3 days a week. You can gradually wean your dog off these services or maintain the practice if you find that your pet is happier when you get home.

4.  Schedule dedicated doggy time each evening. As days get longer, you will have more time to play outside. Until then, you can have a scavenger hunt with your family including your furry pal.

Any ways that you can include your dog in family activities will be best during this transitional time. Separation anxiety is real for our beloved pets. To help them through this change, we must make a deliberate effort to include them in the smallest of activities to compensate for the lack of presence until it's time for Spring Break!