Let’s talk careers.

September 16, 2009 at 2:00 pm (careers, comments, getting ahead, habits, iphones, office, Planners)

This recent post got quite the response! Seems that there are a few of us who are really trying to make careers, not just hold jobs. I’m completely fascinated by the work world and have been for years, taking my first job at 15 because I couldn’t wait any longer. Most people say don’t rush the ‘real world’ but honestly, I love it. I couldn’t wait to be out of college and out on the grind (even though I worked full time most of my college years just because I wanted too). I’ve always loved to work. Don’t hate.

I loved some tips from my girl Ebony Jewel who’s grinding it out in the software sales biz. I can tell from her blog and our twitter chats that she gets after it. I asked her to take a peak at my entry and let me know if she had any great insights I might not have thought of. I LOVED her ideas. One being her ‘little black book’ and no this is not of the boy toy variety. She keeps a small notebook with to do lists and at the end of each day either checks them off, X’s them as irrelevant, or CF and ‘carries forward’ the task until the next day. How brilliant. I love this. Especially as I start my new career (Monday!) and will need to be that much more detail oriented.
Her other tip made me CRAVE an iphone! She recommend Tripit.com to organized all of your travel details. For those of us working girls always on the go this sounds amazing. You forward all the info you get (with those pesky confirmation numbers) to Tripit and they keep track or anything for you, neatly in your phone so you can reference it as needed without whipping out folded pieces of paper (as I did just last week). I travel ALOT lately, with my family being everywhere but Florida. Soon I’ll be traveling for work as well. So if Verizon would hurry up and get the iphone, I’d be IN on this. Until then, those of you with them should sign up and continue to make me jealous.
I was excited to see that all the commenters agreed with me about Thank You notes. We are a rare and possibly dying breed we thankful ones. Keep it up ladies, keep it up. Laura even said she knows of someone who hired the only person who sent her a thank you for the interview she gave (out of 30). See readers, I’m not steering you wrong! Five minutes to write a thank you note could tip the scale in your favor. If you’re not willing to go the extra mile, there’s someone else out there who will.
In response to the admission from all of us that personal phone calls don’t get the prompt response that work phone calls get…well, there’s something to work on. Friendships are important and as 20-somethings were in the phase now where we are (or should be) making the friends we’ll have for life. Great relationships require effort on the part of both friends. If we can do it at work, we can do it at home. My problem is I return all my phone calls (personal that is) while driving. Bad habit. And yes, I’ve seen the bloody PSA that’s circulating facebook.
Another great thing that came of said entry from earlier this week was that I added a new friend to the Coach Planner Cult. I live by my Coach planner and have been for almost 4 years now. One of my best buys ever. And that’s saying something if you know my shopping habits. Welcome to the family, Ebony Jewel. : ] I recommended highly using a planner and while tweeting I specifically recommended the largest size Coach planner, as they’re stylish and professional (and lets be honest, fashionable) – as well as functional and the inserts are reasonable. The planners themselves are a little steap (hint: hit the outlet malls for steals) but the inserts run about 14-16 dollars per year. My planner and I have been to heck and back – or wait, that was Hawaii.
One more piece of advice for this week when it comes to careers. Set your coworkers up for success. Your office shouldn’t be a place of competition. You should want your company to succeed and look good, so make sure that you build up your coworkers along the way. No one likes the girl who takes all the glory and blames all the mishaps. Don’t be ‘that girl’, ever. Let your work speak for itself, while you encourage the image of your company as a whole.
We’ll talk more careers later loves.
B

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September Must-haves or Must-do’s.

September 11, 2009 at 1:38 pm (Candace Bushnell, Coach, Dave Ramsey, fashion, friendship, Gossip Girl, Jennifer Weiner, Kindle, Lauren Conrad, Planners, Soho, Wedding)

1. Birthday cake. Well, that is if you’re me and your bday is in September – or if you happen to be near the Christensen house because my mom make’s THE best birthday cake in the world. Too bad Josh doesn’t like chocolate, huh Candy? : ] Oh well, more for us. If it’s not your birthday in September, you can eat some in honor of me.
2. Gossip Girl Season 3 party – check. Thanks to some other addicts I helped get started – we’re getting together to celebrate the return of Chuck Bass to the screen on September 14th. Ow ow.

3. Attend a best friends wedding. Also, done & done already in the month of Sept for this girl. Congrats to Alyssa & Rob.

4. Kindle 2. Mine’s on it’s way and I’m SO excited. Therefore the Kindle 2 makes my must have’s or must-do’s for September 2009. First book I’m going to buy? The September bookclub book – ‘Girl with a Dragon Tattoo’. Hurry Kindle, please hurry.
5. Chic-lit. I’ve declared September my month for Chic-lit. So go to Borders and pick yourself out a new Shopoholic book, read some Jennifer Weiner, or join me in reading some Candace Bushnell. Oh wait, and I already read Lauren Conrad’s book to kick the month off.

6. Attend Fashion Week in Tampa. Well, you don’t have too but I sure want too. September 23rd-25th.

7. Company. I love to have company come to stay with me. Maybe growing up in a household where we constantly had people staying over is to thank for this. This month my friend Sarah is coming from Jacksonville to spend my b-day weekend with me. I can’t wait to show her around SoHo!

8. New Knowledge. When I think of September I think of the start of school. Well for those of us out of school why shouldn’t we still consider September a great month to start learning something new? This month for me, I’m tackling Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University with my church (Grace Family) and a few girlfriends. Perhaps my Kindle will be my last splurge for a while once Dave gets a hold of me!
9. New planner inserts. Time to start thinking about 2010. Hard to believe, I know. I’ve got mine, thanks to Candy and Coach.

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