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!

The little heater that could

Hi Y’all! I am feeling a bit under the weather today (not like totally just a stuffy nose and slight sore throat). Being sick in the city is kind of the worst because of the face paced environment. I have an amazing manager and really nice co-workers so they make me feel better! But still I feel bad going to work not being 100% luckily it’s a bit slow for us.

Anyways today I thought I would come to you with a great/cheap buy if you (like me) feel you sleep/live in an igloo as opposed to an apartment!

Depending on what part of NYC you live in, you could either live in a tiny apartment where your bed barely fits or some elegant spacious room with a beautiful view (and anything in between). I live in one of the outer borough’s in a walk up (rent is so much cheaper and I live in a super safe area!). It is a decently nice apartment, and my roommate has furnished the place beautiful.

vs. 

My room is on the smaller side (decently sized for NYC), but my room contains the door that leads to our rooftop. I think because of that door I get some of the cold draft, so it can get chilly at nights even with the heating system on. In order to fix this problem, I decided to invest (lol this thing is so cheap I can hardly call it an investment) in a heater (link at the end).

The heater I will be discussing is the Lasko 754200 Ceramic Heater with Adjustable Thermostat.

The heater is relatively small a couple of size comparisons would be that it is smaller than my short boot hunters, about the size of a medium Tsum Tsum standing up and a little bit bigger than a six pack of beer (great comparisons I know!!!). I love the compact size because it doesn’t take up a lot of space in my room, and I can move it around easily if I get too hot.

For being a small guy, this heater has the strength of an ox. It is definitely the little heater that could. It has two heating settings (1 not so strong, 2 super strong) and 1 fan setting (which is kind of weak but I bought this for the heating not the fan).

I put it on 2 as soon as I come home, and it heats my room up in about 20 minutes. At this point, I put it to 1 so it’s just a mild heat (so I don’t feel like I am roasting). Depending on how cold it is I either leave it at 1 for the night or just turn it off. I am seriously amazed at how fast this thing heats your room! You have to make sure not to set it up against a wall because it sucks up air from the back (so you wouldn't want to obstruct this process). 

This heater is a great solution for those living in apartments with not the best heating system. It is like a mini fireplace, and it is super cheap ($25 and free amazon shipping! Link below is not affiliate, just a normal old link).

I think this goes without saying, but be careful of touching it when it is on!!! It gets SUPER hot that it will burn a bit if you touch it. Also be careful if you set it near your bed frame (and the bed frame is metal). The metal will get hot and it might burn if you touch it too. Just don't be an idiot like me. :) 

Overall: I give it a 5/5 feel free to read other Amazon Reviews, but it has my seal of approval. As Always stay safe and warm!!

 Images: All are from google! Not taken by me :) 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TKDQ5C?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

Things no one told you about working through the winter!

Hey all! It has been much too long, sorry about that! Real life came over me. As a quick update, my company wrapped up yearend processes (promotions, compensation, etc.). This happened last week so it was a bit hectic to say the least. Then there was a promotion celebration (then the recovery from that hangover). Finally, I went to Long Island this weekend for a baby shower (when I am on LI I don’t tend to bring my laptop as it weighs 2020200202 pounds).

I thought a fun post to celebrate my return would be, things no one told you about working through the winter!

Most of us have had some sort of summer internship and the weather is great so it’s easy to dress and be motivated for work. Nothing can truly prepare you to spend your first winter working. So here is a couple of things that surprised me (some of them shouldn’t have been surprising but hey they did):

1.       The amount of tights you need to have on hand

Dressing in the summer was easy, I would throw on a dress and cardigan and be good for the day. Sometimes I would even sweat on the subway and think “Man I wish it was a bit colder so I could at least not feel like a pig being baked above some fire pit”. I regret ever speaking these heinous words. The cold adds such a layer of difficulty when getting dressed because you have to look professional but also want to be warm (and let’s face it warm clothes tends to look goofy on almost everyone).

The advice I  give is investing on a lot of tights, they will save your life! Don’t skimp either, invest in some quality tights because sheer ones will not keep you warm. I actually think the “No-nonsense” brand from Wal-Mart makes some pretty solid tights. I have about 7 pairs and they have yet to snag or tear. I bought some Uniqlo heat tech tights, and they just did not work. I am a thicker girl (or fat whichever word you prefer to use), and they just kept rolling down my tummy like down to my knees (even though I bought the correct size for my weight…). Anyways tights are a must and at least have 5 pairs, so you have options outside of pants!

 

2.       The holidays are no longer a two week long vacation

Just as a heads up, every companies policy differs in this area my company personally only gives the 25^th and the 1^st off. BUT, they are very flexible with many people working from home in the in-between days. The office is usually dead in the in-between days (except for the comp teams), so it won’t be super busy days.

My whole point here is that the way that school schedules are created you usually get at least 2 weeks off for the holidays. This 90% of the time won’t happen when you transition to full time. Be prepared to adjust your schedule accordingly and don’t be a scrooge if you have to work the 24^th. J

3.       Have a shawl/blanket scarf in the office

I think all offices were created to have dramatic shifts in weather AKA feeling like you are in Antarctica wrestling with polar bears or in the beaches of Puerto Rico enjoying some sunshine. So be prepared! Wear layers (cardigans or suit jackets) and always have a blanket scarf (I guess this is more targeted towards the ladies, I see a lot of guys having spare vest around though!). The blanket scarf is the best invention because it wraps you up in cuddly warmth, but it also looks professional! (Almost all of my co-workers have one in their drawers).

4.       Get used to you café food

When it gets cold outside, it is really a hassle to bundle up to go out and get food for 5 minutes. The café sees a dramatic increase in traffic because it is just more convenient (if you are lucky enough to have a café in your building!) Choose wisely and try to vary the food you end up getting (salad everyday can get to be too much).

I hope you found these helpful! J Stay warm and safe~

Why does this cost so damn much?

Hi everyone! I hope the weekend is treating everyone nicely. I have been able to catch up on a lot of things including finally getting to replay one of my all time favorite games Eternal Sonata and catching up with my best friend from university (who is now going to Northwestern Law after she graduates, woot woot!).

I thought it would be fun to do a series on products that are priced really crazily (AKA out of my budget) and give you my opinion on them. Just as a heads up for many of these products I will be trying samples I get because I would rather pay my rent than pay for an ridiculously priced product that 80% of the time can be substituted by something else.

To kick off this series we have Chanel's Sublimage La Creme Texture Supreme. This product rings in at $390.00 USD. For 390.00 dollars I expect someone to hand deliver product and apply it to my face every night while they sing be me bedtime songs. Like seriously?!?! That is enough to pay like 4 of my bills together. Below you can see a comparison of what I got as a sample after buying a face powder from Chanel.com (hey, a girl can have nice things....)

What it claims: "With a single key ingredient, Vanilla Planifolia—a rare botanical found in the farthest reaches of Madagascar—LA CRÈME unlocks the key to a woman's beauty and self-confidence. The ultimate skincare indulgence, LA CRÈME creates a glowing, luminous and even-toned complexion. Facial contours become visibly firmer and signs of aging seem to disappear. Enhancing the experience: a delicate, refined fragrance and sumptuously rich feel. 1.7 oz."

vs.

I actually prefer the packaging of my little sample versus the full size. I don't like jarred products. I feel like they have a tendency to get dirty more quickly. Overall they seem more unsanitary.

So how does this product perform? It is okay. It has a thick consistency (which can be seen below), so it will leave your skin feeling more hydrated than thinner moisturizers (that are typically found in the drugstore). I only applied this at night because it was a bit too heavy to use in the morning. The one day I used it in the morning my skin felt super oily throughout the day.

I didn't feel like my skin tone seemed more even after applying it. I don't even see how that would be possible because it has no tint (is it supposed to like reduce discoloration? Not sure). My skin did glow, but my skin glows after I use any moisturizer (its more of a shine than a glow but hey). 

My skin didn't feel super amazing after using it. It just felt moisturized and soft, but I have achieved that same feeling by using other moisturizers from brands like Clinique or Acure.

The product was a bit too thick for my liking because after using it I didn't feel like I could use an essence or sheet mask (or else I would be an oily mess). This might be suited for dryer skin types. 

It had no scent that I could detect (don't know if I have mentioned it but my sense of smell was horrible). As I mentioned before, I like the sample because I was able to get just the right amount of product (which was a little less than a dime size for my whole face).

The sample size lasted me about 5 days, so I am assuming you can make the larger size last at least 6 months (but by that time it might be gross).

Overall: Biggest question, is it worth it? A big fat NO you can find way cheaper moisturizers that do basically the same thing. Maybe I am missing something on this, but it really isn't all that. I wouldn't pay 390 take one zero out of the equation and throw in a coupon then I would be more likely to buy it. At least I can say I got to put a rare botanical extract on my face right? 

Can be found here: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/chanel-sublimage-la-creme-texture-supreme/3142689

How to get a job Thursday's!!

Hi everyone! Long time no see, happy new year’s~~~! I have been a bit busy catching up with my family and getting back in the work swing. It is really hard going from being hungover wrapped in a blanket like a burrito, to wearing business clothing and running reports. To welcome in the New Year, I thought I would start a new weekly series “How to get a job Thursdays!”

A little background in my personal full time job search, I secured a full time position in November of my senior year of University. I have now been on the job for about 6 months. I have worked since I was 17, so I have held numerous amounts of positions (some great some not so great). This will give you a sense if you want to take/trust my advice.

So before I start this series of course I have to put in a huge disclaimer that what I am providing is tips and tricks to facilitate the job search process. These tips and tricks in no way will 100% guarantee that you will find a job, but I do think that they can help the process! This is my personal advice if you don’t think it is helpful or good advice then please feel free not to take it. Always do what you think is best for you.

Numero Uno: Use your time spent in College/University Wisely

When you go to any system of higher education, it is with the intended purpose that you will find a better career path afterwards (or your parents forced you too which isn’t any fun). With that being said, it may be the first time a lot of people get their first taste of freedom/ability to control your schedule. It is all about balance trying new things, partying, having fun, taking trips WHILE gaining meaningful experiences to put on your resume.

Your resume will sadly (because really why should a piece of paper determine if you get a job or not?) be your most instrumental tool in getting interviews/professional opportunities. If you spend all four years of your university throwing up in into a toilet bowl, you sadly won’t have much to put on your resume outside your favorite variation of Bacardi.

You should try to find some sort of campus job that will help build your resume. For example, I worked as a Peer Advisor in one of the career offices on campus. This gave me the ability to critique resume, conduct mock interviews and assist students in the job search process which translated very nicely onto my resume (for an HR position).

It also helped me gain meaningful experience I could talk about in an interview. An interviewer would ask “Tell me about a time you had to work on a team?” I could talk about working on the Peer Advisor team and how we assisted each other answering questions, collaborating in cross function projects, filling in for each other and working as a greater overall campus career office team.

Any position can add immense value to your resume do not underestimate the power of being able to say that while you had a full schedule (or part time schedule) at university, you held down a job which required you to do X, Y and Z. It really impresses employers and lets them know that you can handle pressure/working on a schedule.

Also, make sure to utilize your summers!!! It is important to try to get your foot in the door in the industry/profession that you eventually want to be a part of. This means looking for internships were you can gain invaluable experience and make excellent connections. Internships are also a little easier to get then full time jobs because employers don’t really expect you to have that much experience (going back to my earlier point if you have jobs during the school year this can help you snag an internship more easily).Make sure to utilize your campus career office to see if there are any employers coming to your campus to recruit/internship listings you are listed in.

As a general timeline internship recruiting generally is most heavy in the spring (this is not to say that a fair share of employers also go in the fall). Plan accordingly so you have time to get your resume critiqued, participate in mock interviews and review positions you would be interested in.

On an ending note, make sure to also have fun but balance is key! Pick 1 or 2 nights you go out a week and spend the other days adding experiences to not only your resume but also your life (attend talks/events, participate in a play, commit to that workout routine etc.).

As always stay happy, safe and healthy!