Helene Lerner's Blog, page 153

Happy Fourth of July from Women Working!

From all of us at WomenWorking, have a Happy Fourth of July!

 

Video Editor Elena Havas

Fabulous July Fourth Holiday Wardrobe

Yes, it's time for the beach bonfires, BBQ’s, rooftop soirees, clinking glasses with friends and good old conversations around the picnic table in the backyard. Before you leave the office for these priceless moments, I’d like to give you some pearls of wisdom on how to keep this feeling even after the fireworks end. Timeless colors like RED, WHITE & BLUE are synonymous with July and usually evoke happy memories like I just mentioned. Why not make these colors staples of your wardrobe all summer long?

RED. This color can sometimes be overwhelming for the office. A red dress is traditionally considered proper for evening wear because it’s alluring and all the things women want to downplay in the workplace for obvious reasons. But it’s no longer a faux pas for the office. Red shades are subtle yet effective mood enhancing colors – and they come in many hues and tones so it’s won’t be a problem to find one that’s appropriate for everyone for day and night. Another option is simply to brighten your workplace ensemble with red accents. Bright accents are a fantastic way to inject some color into your wardrobe.  Try adding them in your jewelry, handbag or belt, nail color or lipstick

 

WHITE. A color many would consider risky for the office because one drop of ink or coffee will destroy event the best materials. But the benefits wearing white are much greater than the risks, I promise you! You can always layer your white (blazer or sweater) so if there is a mishap, you have a cover-up. Another great tip: Tide to go sticks and a quick run to the bathroom with a small towel, hot water and a little bleach works too (lightly wash the spot with water and a dab of bleach then let it air dry).  More casual mixes are great options when wearing white. Denim jeans, shirts or blazers are instantly dressy options when in white and paired with heels and great accessories.

 

BLUE. The first thing that comes to my mind is the ALL AMERICAN DENIM JEAN. Obviously, this isn’t always a good option for work. However, you can wear denim to the office without a trip to HR. DENIM SHIRTS and DENIM JACKETS can be great additions to your work attire. Take a simple, traditional black skirt or slack and a very feminine handbag and add a denim shirt (even add a men’s tie or thin ladies’ scarf). Also try the same look with a simple tee or button down shirt and add the DENIM JACKET – it’ll be a throwback to summers past every time.

There is no rule book in fashion. The designers create outfits from inspiration and  so should you! Dare to be creative and dress according to how you feel daily. Work wear, casual wear and eveningwear are distinct genres of fashion, but they can overlap and intermix when done with common sense and restraint.  Show INDEPENDENCE in your style & enjoy the sights and sounds of summer! This season is way too short to waste.

 

Natural Beauty, Natural Entrepreneur

Maryam Moma, a young Nigerian-Tanzanian entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of a natural beauty line Yamerra. Growing up in a large household, she was raised to be particularly family oriented and developed a strong bond with her mother, who taught her natural ways to care for her body.

Her adoration for her mother, who was an architect, led Maryam to pursue a degree in architecture at Temple University-Tyler School of Art. During college, she worked as a fashion model, a career that introduced her to influential people in the beauty and skincare industry.

During her time at Temple, Maryam had the misfortune of developing eczema. Forgetting the methods her mother had taught her, she tried countless medicated products hoping to clear her skin but saw no results. After eight months of experimenting with various products, a friend suggested that she try natural shea butter. She used it extensively and found that it cleared her skin. However, she didn't like the smell or feel of the shea. To make it more enjoyable, Maryam played around with additional natural ingredients like jojoba oil and coconut oil. Soon, she was making natural concoctions for her friends. After years of dabbling, she created Yamerra, a line of high-quality, eco-friendly products.

How To Maintain Your Energy

Affirmation: I Use the Right Amount of Energy for a Given Task

Why do many of us feel exhausted throughout the day? Well, for one thing, we use to much energy on simple tasks that could be done with relative ease. For each activity we undertake, we need only do what's needed to complete it, nothing more or less. If we pay attention to the task before us, we'll know what measure of effort is appropriate.

When we get pulled in different directions,we need to stop and prioritize our tasks, reflect on what's needed, and tackel them one at a time.

How do you apportion your energy throughout the day?

Excerpt from In Her Power: Reclaiming Your Authentic Self, Lerner, Beyond Words/Atria

Amy Kule and Usher Spark Macy's Fourth of July Firework Celebration

Meet Amy Kule, the fabulous leader behind Macy's Fourth of July fireworks and Thanksgiving Day parade. Get the inside scoop on her career and what you'll see at this year's 37th Annual Fourth of July Celebration featuring superstar Usher as the curator.

 

Video Editor Elena Havas

Acknowledge Your Strengths and Succeed

In practically any endeavor in life, blazing the trail that's right for you can be tricky – and comparing yourself to others often leads to self-criticism. The truth is that accepting yourself as you are is crucial to building a career and - a life - that brings you happiness and fulfillment.

Get to know yourself. Accepting yourself is virtually impossible if you don't understand yourself first. Many of us feel external pressure to pursue particular kinds of careers or to follow particular paths to success. But that kind of thinking can be detrimental. We're all wonderfully unique! And embracing your uniqueness will help you determine the best road for you. So take the take the time to get to know yourself - what you enjoy, what stresses you out and under what conditions you work best.

Keep advice in context. Mentors and role models are great. But it's important to remember that the advice mentors and role models give you is filtered through their own experiences, personalities and interpretations of the world. What works wonderfully for them might not work so well for you. And that's perfectly okay. Don't criticize yourself if a particular piece of advice doesn't resonate with you.

Own your strengths. Some strengths are easy to express in a few words on a resume. Other strengths are less tangible but just as important, like creativity or the ability to work well with diverse groups of people. Don't downplay those strengths. Just because you can't earn a Master's Degree in creativity doesn't mean it's not a valuable skill. At the same time, be aware of - but don't judge - the areas in which you feel challenged. This will give you a more complete picture of where you're likely to excel. If you value your strengths, you'll be able to make better use of them, which will ultimately help you to succeed at creating a more satisfying life.

Networking at Summer Parties

 

Happy 4th of July to everyone celebrating, no matter where you live! Enjoy your day, the BBQ's and  fireworks. Whether you’re getting together with friends or family,  holidays and special gatherings can be great places to do some business networking. Your job search doesn't have to come to a stop just because the summer is here!

The key to success is to have the right approach. You never know who you'll meet – even at casual, social events. That's the magic of summer party networking - you might just meet someone who knows someone with whom  you’re trying to connect. Be sure to have a plan and target events such as the Chamber of Commerce, Neighborhood Block Parties and Industry Parties. Every year, Chambers around the US host summer parties - and some neighborhoods do, as well. These are excellent opportunities to connect with leaders and managers in a relaxed setting. Expatriate communities can also offer excellent resources. If you're living abroad, or if you're an expat living in the US, the are numerous expat organizations worldwide that can help you network with others in your field. The summer is a great time to get out and make yourself visible.

Here are a few tips to get the most out of summer parties.

1.    Bring your business cards, or be prepared to exchange phone/email via your smart phone. Even if you're not currently working, you should have business cards with your career brand and contact info.

2.    Don't over indulge. Your goal is to make a good impression! You can opt for alcohol-free beverages, or low-alcohol cocktails.

3.    Have a prepared “pitch” but keep the conversation light. If you're job searching or looking for a new career, leave things at “looking for a new opportunity” and “exploring new career options” instead of “can I email you my resume?”

4.    Let them know that you'll be calling soon. You want to schedule one-on-one time, so save the career conversation for this meeting.

5.    Follow-up within five days. Set up a meeting or a time to grab coffee within a few days of your phone call.

Be Bold!
One of the keys to my success as a recruiter was networking in social situations, including parties, gallery openings, lectures with a cocktail party, award programs, plays, conventions, wine tastings, charity events, camping trips, pool parties and anywhere else I could mix and mingle. I have a philosophy that is strong on meeting strangers. Because networking is about building relationships with people, it should be a life-long endeavor. Building and maintaining a robust network of friends, colleagues and professionals should begin in college and continue throughout your professional life, but it's never too late to start!

Shy?
If you're an introvert, summer parties are perfect. You can stick to small gatherings where you know a few people and they can introduce you to possible connections. This way, you’ll be less likely to feel overwhelmed and you’ll feel comfortable making one or two important connections. Plan in advance so you’ll know who will be attending.

Don't let the season slow your career management plans down!

Accept and Get What You Want

When we don't accept situations as they are, we may end up trying to control them, which is a waste of our energy and can leave us feeling angry or frustrated. In contrast, if we develop an accepting attitude, we learn to be more charitable with ourselves and others.

The truth is we can take actions to get the things we want for ourselves, but we can't manipulate the outcomes. Acceptance goes a long way.  It allows us to see a situation clearly because we're not caught up in trying to change another person.  Therefore, we are more apt to take action to get what we want.

What would enable you to let go of trying to control a situation in your life that you think is unacceptable?

Adapted from In her Power: Reclaiming Your Authentic Self, Beyond Words/Atria

Move Beyond Your Fear to Excitement

Many of us are afraid of the changing circumstances in our lives. Yet if we look beyond our fear, we find there's excitement in doing things differently. So why, sometimes, do we prevent ourselves from having a different experience? Because when we are afraid, we know our limits, and that feels safe. Excitement can be baffling and unpredictable.

It's easy to hide in our fears and never experience the joy attached to doing something new. As we let go of this, we realize each day has the potential to become a wonderful adventure.

The next time you are afraid of doing something new, how will you tap into the excitement that's there too?

Adapted from In Her Power: Reclaiming Your Authentic Self, Lerner, Beyond Words/Atria

New Career Coach

Greetings WomenWorking.com

I am happy to be back as July's Career Coach! Summer is a season full of parties, celebrations, family and friends. Even though it's BBQ-season, don't let your career or job search slip. Actually, the summer is a great time to network and job hunt. I will be sharing some practical tips to keep your career management goals moving forward over the hot summer months. A few topics I will cover:

 

•How to Network at Summer Parties
•Temping over the Summer
•How to Job Hunt While on Vacation
•Nail the Skype Interview
•Reassessing Your Career Path
•Revamp Your Online Brand
•Get Promoted this Summer!
•Coping with Unemployment over the Summer

Here are a few tips for a Skype Interview While on Vacation.

It always happens this way: you get a call from a recruiter that wants to set up an interview with a great company, but...you'll be away on vacation with your family. What to do? You can stay at home, and join your family later, or...suggest a Skype interview. (Many companies have instituted Skype interviews as a first step.) As long as you're traveling to a location with high speed Internet access, you can travel with your family, and make the interview. Here's how:

1.Pack your laptop! (don't forget the cords)
2.Bring a nice top/jacket combo with you. Sitting down, you won't need a skirt or pants.
3.Set up an indoor spot with a good background, and do a test run to make sure everything works.
4.Prepare! Practice answering questions such as “Tell me about yourself” and “What unique qualities do you bring to the job?”
5.Research the company, and have 3 questions ready for them. (Skip salary questions at a first interview)
6.Switch into “professional” mode. Vacations can be relaxing, but don't be too relaxed during an interview.
If you are not familiar with Skype, be sure to load the (free) software and make a few practice calls. You don't want your interview to be awkward because you are not experienced in using Skype.

If you have any topics you'd like me to cover, please comment.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Kristi Enigl

Global Media Coach