If you follow literally any blogger on the internet then you’ve noticed a little sale is going on over at Nordstrom.com. It’s huge. It’s THE sale of the summer and a really great opportunity for a lot of bloggers to start collab’ing with one of the biggest companies out there. Also, more importantly, we, the people, get some sick discounts. As my momma always told me “Don’t buy it online unless you get at least 20% off and free shipping.” So if you aren’t already logging in to Ebates before you start your online shopping to earn cash back can I offer up my little referral link for you? Sign up and start saving and earning cash back with every online purchase you make! And if you sign up you’ll immediately get $10 after your first purchase. Win freaking win!
Ok, so my small little Ebates spiel is over and what I really wanted to say is there are some serious pieces that you should have in your daily life that goes beyond your wardrobe. Whether you are working your way up the corporate ladder, an entrepreneur, a small business owner, killer blogger or just any woman who is hustling for a paycheck there are a few things you need to make sure you have as part of your everyday business woman kit.
I have had the opportunity to speak to college students in the past few months in regards to my career; how I got to where I am, what were my tough times, how can they accomplish their dreams and also my advice on how they to can crush the game. I want to make it known, these tips and tricks, things that I think you should have in your arsenal have been accrued over 12 years. I figured a lot of stuff out in the beginning by asking questions of other successful women soliciting their advice. I’ve also had my share of ups and downs and you know I’m here to share the good and the bad. So, without further ado let’s get down to business! Ok, real talk, every time I say that I want to sing the greatest Disney song ever made. Hi, Donny Osmond!
Personalized Stationary: When I graduated from college I received a set of notecards with my name on it. I figured I would use them as thank you notes for all of the gifts I received but my mom stopped me. She mentioned that in the business world personalized stationary is a MUST. Need to drop a thank you note in the mail after an interview? Do it with an extra little oomph and a nice notecard with your name on it. Personally, I am a fan of the simple when it comes to these cards, mainly because you don’t want to be sending off a ‘Thanks for the interview’ card to an older gentleman and the card is covered in flowers. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just find it’s better to be simple and let your message do the talking for you. I’m really feeling this solid border stationary and I just love a good san serif font!
Classic Notebook: I think it’s great to always have a nice notebook or a planner with you during the day. We live in SUCH a digital time that everyone is always buried in their phone, laptop, or their iPad. There are so many of us in my department that when we go to meetings we’re often fighting over the power plugs! I have found that not everyone is a fan of this new digital space and people can misconstrue your typing on your laptop in a meeting as you not paying attention. Of course, you are paying attention, but people can often get paranoid in the workplace. If you have the ability to leave the laptop at your desk, I mean bring your phone obviously, I suggest always having a notebook and pen handy! Target always has a great selection and again I love a cute and clean notebook and save the motivational quote ones for at home!
Business Cards & Holder: Even if you’re not ‘working for the man’ you most certainly need to have business cards. If you own your own business, you’re a blogger/vlogger, it’s a great way to quickly get your information into people’s hands. Oh, and you can drop a card in for a free lunch at some cafes in town! You cannot go wrong with VistaPrint and the prices are pretty unbeatable. You can even get really specific with your design and brand your card to match your site, company, store and more. Now, once those cards come in that you took a lot of time to design, take care of them in a business card holder! You can easily move it between purses to ensure that you always have your business cards on you, and you can rest easy that they aren’t getting damaged. I am loving all of the options that Kate Spade has and I even have a nice classic one for myself with a simple ‘E’ on the front.
Elevator Speech: Alright, we’re going into the territory of things that you absolutely need that you cannot buy. You NEED an elevator speech no matter WHO you are and WHAT you do. You’re a full-time blogger who focuses on up-recycling clothes you find at Good Will? Great! In 30 seconds how could you sell yourself and what you do? You’re a corporate communication professional with a passion for event planning and finding efficiencies? LOVE IT. So, figure out how a way to sell yourself…because you need to imagine that one day you’ll be in an elevator with someone whom you want to impress and you have 8 floors to sell yourself. Here are some great tips to help get you started. And if you guys want me to do more posts on my speech just let me know in the comments!
Resume/LinkedIn profile: This goes without saying right? Just no matter what you are doing, make sure you’re constantly grooming your resume and your LinkedIn profile, too! You never know when you’ll need it. When my job was eliminated back in March I was beyond grateful that a few weeks prior I realized I needed to update my resume. There’s NO way I would have been in the right frame of mind to work on a resume through those tears. However, make sure you’re always checking on your resume and that it is truly representing you. Also, a good rule of thumb is one page for every 10 years of employment. Also, play with the margins, make them narrow, use the justification…ok, I have a LOT of tips. Hmm, expect a resume post to come!
Alright, that’s my little soapbox for this Sunday…just remember that if you want to look the part, and the Nordstrom sale will definitely help with that, you also need to back up your walk and your talk with a few other handy items. I hope that this helped. What else did I miss? Leave me a note in the comments and tell me what is in YOUR bag that you can’t live without at work!
Go forth, and crush this work week like the boss that you are!
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