Office Desk Tour!

Hi everyone! It has been much too long. Sorry my mini vacation kind of consumed me. Also, when I went back to work on Wednesday (WFH though) it was a super super busy day. I had a lot to catch up even though I logged on the night before to check out my e-mail. I was on and off the phone the whole day which is a little weird for me. Despite being in HR, I work in a function that doesn't require that much client interaction. I kind of like it this way because I am not the best with words (something I am working on).

My trip to El Paso was super fun and a bit of a culture shock. I didn’t really realize the strong Mexican influence that Cuidad Juarez has on El Paso. I really loved El Paso though! I wouldn’t mind living there with how low the cost of living is, plus it is a  peaceful way of life (especially considering that Juarez is one of the most dangerous cities in the world). My uncle was super surprised that we were there for his birthday and spending time with my family was super fun.

For my first post back, I thought I would do a fun post. My desk set up! Or the more fun parts of my desk that is.

Due to security/confidentiality reasons, I won’t be showing my screens. Working in HR, I get access to extremely sensitive data so I don’t want to take any risk of anything confidential being shown. At work I have two computer screens (right above the panda calendar in the picture below). One of my screens has a privacy screen (so you can’t see my screen at a certain distance/angle), I use this screen when I am dealing with data on the more sensitive side (anything to do with terminations, promotions, talent, etc.) On the other screen I typically leave my e-mail open on, so I can keep a constant eye on incoming request. I have a couple of sticky notes on the bottom that remind of important dates, tid bits of info and excel formulas.

A good office tip is not to leave confidential information lying around your desk (or hanging for that matter). Don’t sticky note important passwords onto your screens and always make sure to put away documents at the end of the day.

Moving on from the screens, below it (as I said above) I have a little calendar panda thing that my roommate gave to me. It is super cute and adds a little bit of cuteness to my desk. To the right side of that I have the black mesh stand that you can see. On the top level I have a Jiminy cricket Tsum Tsum which I kept hold of after I sold off most of my collection. I just think he is super cute and those chubby cheeks, those chubby cheeks!! To the left of him I have a magnet my manager brought back from Yellowstone. The middle level I have a random Olaf Tsum Tsum that I didn’t have anywhere else to put. The bottom level has a Cornell mug that my old manager gave to me as a graduation/ending my job there present.

To the right of that I have the super cute unicorn. One of my old managers from my current job gave it to me. I saw it sitting on her desk one day and remarked on how cute it was, she told me to just have it because she didn’t have any idea how she ended up with it haha. Below mister unicorn there is a teabox that my old colleague (who is now in England at acting school kicking some butt) gave to me.

That black mesh organizer is just full of random things (lip balm, platypus hand cream, chocolates, wet ones, a puzzle, stapler, sticky notes and hand sanitizer). This organizer is kind of my "everything else section" I just put anything and everything that doesn't have a home in it.  I also have a tissue box and Cornell mason jar of mints that just float around my desk.

Below my desk I have my heels, I have about 7 pairs (I know…I know that’s a lot). I like to have choices plus I own so many heels that my desk space works as extra storage. I have a couple different black pairs of different heights and styles, a burgundy pair, a tan pair and a dark hunter green pair. 

As you can see, I like to keep my desk fun and lively. Surrounding myself by cute and happy things makes my day go by faster plus sometimes it’s just fun to look at.

How do your work spaces look? J Would be curious to see~

As always stay safe and warm!

How to get a job Thursday's!!

Hey everyone! As always a quick life update, I am traveling to Texas and home next week! I will be posting when I get back home (around Wednesday). I don’t think I will post from Texas unless the opportunity presents itself. I also joined a book club! Well joined is a strong word, but my co-workers and I started up a book club. Super excited for it! Ever since I graduated college (not even university, college so 3 years ago), I have really been slacking on my reading. Looking to get reading back into my groove! Well now that the update is taken care of lets jump right in to….Find a Job Thursday’s!!!

This will be a continuation of my first resume post:

Numero Dos: Let’s build up that resume (continued)

Showing vs. Telling

“I am the top of my class, I got a perfect score on the SAT, Number 1 in the ACT”

Vs.

“Class Rank in the top 5% , SAT score: XXXX ACT score: XXXX”

“I completely revamped the reporting system and improved its efficiency”

Vs.

“Improved X reporting system’s efficiency by 10% by streamlining work process, cleaning up back end data and decreasing queue time which increased client satisfaction by 20%”

When I would critique a resume, my first piece of advice was to always show versus tell. The examples above will show you exactly what I am talking about. Instead of stating something bluntly and as a matter of fact statement, show how you did this, how you achieved this or phrase things in a less boastful way.

In the first example, instead of telling someone that I am in the top of my class (with nothing to back it up) I am showing them by stating that I am in the top 5% of the class. This shows that you are head of 95% of the class. If you are at the top and your school uses Latin honors then, you can use terms like valedictorian or summa cum laude. These are easily recognizable and their meaning is understood to most recruiters. Instead of stating that my SAT and ACT are perfect, I show the numbers and let them do the talking (Trust me recruiters know what a high SAT/ACT score are, how relevant this is depends on the industry you are applying to).

In the second example, instead of stating that you improved/revamped something, you are showing how you did this and the effect it has on the organization. It is more impressive to show that you did this and let the reader infer from that how important it was, then simply stating that you improved it (with no context, what you defined as improved might be different than what someone else is thinking!).

Depending on the recruiter it can also come off as arrogant or boastful if all you talk about is how you were super invaluable to a company (but don’t even go into detail on what you did that was so invaluable). I am not telling you to not be proud of your accomplishment and not talk yourself up, but know how to talk yourself up and make sure to highlight key skills that will impress recruiters. Whenever possible provide data to back up your statements (Improved X by 5%, Made capital gains of 10%, increased customer satisfaction by 3 index points, etc.) This will resonate with a reader and allow them truly appreciate the work you have done.

As always stay safe and warm!!!

Good deal on work friendly clothes!

Hi everyone! Here is a quick update while I am on lunch break. Loft is having a pretty good deal on a lot of their winter clothing! I can vouch for the quality, as I have ordered many pieces and they all fit me perfectly (even the pants which I never fit into dress pants the right way!) Link Below:

Loft

I purchased from this sale three shirts with shipping it came to $29.82 which is basically $10.00 per item (which is a great deal!). I ordered two of the tank turtle necks which I can layer and one of the mock neck sweaters (for days when I am feeling a little more lazy).  

I hope you all find something nice! Stay safe and warm!

Surviving the Blizzard with my Hunter Rainboots!

Hi everyone! A quick life update as always, I survived the blizzard!!! Yey, my first NYC blizzard! It wasn’t that bad actually when you compare it to the snow we have in Upstate (but aside from Canada & Antarctica there really is no comparison to Upstate). I worked from home yesterday (otherwise known as WFH) because I was feeling a bit under the weather. I basically got a cold that was aggravated by playing in the snow (I am an idiot I know).

Moving on from my update, I wanted to give you a review on the ever so popular and ever so wonderful Hunter Rainboots! These rainboots have helped me survive the after effects of the blizzard, so I thought I would give you my view on them (especially because they are on the pricier side). Link to where I purchased mine will be at the end of this post, I purchased mine on Amazon with some gift cards.

You have a couple of different choices when it comes to Hunters the two most important (in my eyes) being the color and height. You also of course have a choice of where to buy them, what style, etc. I bought mine off of amazon, and I choose the original style (basic rainboot).

The color ahh the color! So I really wanted these in a shiny yellow to like throw back to being a kid, but I decided that for the work environment (because to me these were an investment that I would be using for a long long time plus I didn’t know what the work environment was going to be for me!) black was the way to go. I also thought about maybe doing the hunter green, but I knew I would get tired of it/I couldn’t rock it every day. Black is always my go to because I think I just look so sleek and put together when I wear black. Also, I wanted something neutral, so it wouldn’t clash with my sock choices (if I decided to wear socks or legwarmers on said day).

I went for the short boot style because I thought that the tall style would be a bit overwhelming. I am a bit on the shorter side, and I have stubby legs (and thicker calves). I didn’t want the tall ones to feel to tight and constrained and besides I tend to like shorter styled boots. The heel on the boot is great because it lets you dig into the snow a bit more. The traction on the the soles is also good, I have yet to slip in these! As a piece of advice when walking in snow, I find it best to just let your feet slip a little side to side (don't fight to keep walking straight). It is easier to walk this way!

These boots fit perfectly you can find a sizing guide in the Amazon link I linked below. For reference I ordered a size 7, I am typically a size 6.5-7 and the 7 fits well enough that I can wear thick socks without feeling uncomfortable. I would suggest just going for your normal size in these!

They are made of some high quality rubber and do not let any water in. They are a bit stiff when you first wear them, and they will remain pretty stiff (I mean they are made of rubber). They are relatively comfortable, but I find they irritate my foot if I don’t wear thicker socks. I can wear these in the summer and not feel like I am suffocating (with thicker socks!). I think this goes back to the short style of the boot though; the taller boot might be too much for the summer months.

Are they worth the $115.00ish? In my opinion, yes! I think they are a bit more stylish than other rainboots and they are really high quality! I like that you can transition these for summer to winter by buying a fleece sock bootie or wearing thicker socks. They have an iconic look that can’t be beat and are appropriate for work or play. As always stay safe and warm! J

Link: Boots!

On! I am wearing Micheal Kors thermal socks for boots

These are a size 38 which translate to basically a size 7

The little clasp is more for fashion than use

You can see the little heel and the traction 

The sock boots from the first photo!

How to get a job Thursday's!!

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope everyone’s morning is going swell. Quick life update from me, I finally got a winter coat!!! I have been braving the NYC winter (which is not that bad when you compare it to Upstate NY winters) with my rain coat (that has fur on the inside so it is kind of warm) and a thermal sweater beneath. I haven’t been freezing, but it definitely has been rough. I managed to find a really high quality Uniqlo coat on sale online right in my size (I always buy a size up for coats because I like them to fit oversized so size XL for me) and in my favorite color black!!! (Picture below just imagine it in black)

Moving on from that, I thought I would come at you with another addition of how to find a job Thursday’s! This time I come at you with resume tips!

Numero Dos: Let’s Build that Resume Up

As I have alluded to before, resume’s kind of suck. You who you are professionally and academically get summed up into one piece of paper. Just one, you don’t get two!!! So let’s just jump right into a quick tip on building up your resume (I found that doing multiple tips led to a blog post the size of Antarctica, so I will do these one at a time):

ONE PAGE!!!! ONE PAGE!!!! ONE PAGE!!!

This may seem like common sense to a lot of you, but I have critiqued many a resumes (it used to be my job back in University) and I always get people with two or three paged resumes. I am not talking about PhD students or other special cases here; I am talking about regular Joe who is a junior in University. If you are a regular college student, there should be no reason your resume is longer than a page.

I will let you know that I have heard this from several recruiters (I use to assist them in the same job) that they immediately throw away resume’s that are longer than a page. You have to think about this way any job at a well-established/start up/any job posting that it is looking for fresh out of college students will get tons of application. Most of the time each position is managed by 1 recruiter who has to read through and evaluate each resume. These recruiters 99% of the time skim through resumes and look for key words and attributes. Adding on a page to the 800 other resumes they have to look through 1. Probably Annoys them 2. Doesn’t put you ahead of anyone 3. Is what is on that second page really that important? If it was that important you probably would have put it on the first page, right?

Also remember that sometimes when you submit your resume to the general page of an employer it will go into the black abyss of resumes (we don’t speak of the black abyss). So a quick tip would be that whenever possible submit your resume through your schools career services/career website/job posting with specific e-mail address to send the resume to.

Keeping to a page might be difficult, but it is possible! I would suggest really evaluating the worth of the experiences on your resume, being the SGA president your senior year in High School might not be as relevant as being part of the business society in University. It is about quality and not quantity! Try to pack in as much as you can on your resume, but the bulk of your resume should spend time elaborating on experiences that taught you meaningful skills that can be translated into the workplace. If you find that you have a lot of meaningful experiences that relate differently to different job post, and then create different versions of your resumes! (For example one targets job openings in the tech field vs. finance).

I will stress again quality over quantity! Your resume should highlight the skills that prepare you the most to take on your new role, and this I can promise you can fit on one page.

As always stay safe and warm!