Let's "Link Up"
Monday, October 30, 2017
If you are spending more time stalking your crush over the gram than seeking out people with your dream job on LinkedIn, then you are DOING IT WRONG.
Let me introduce you all to LinkedIn, the more professional version of Facebook. Here is the formal adult world where you will not find modern day memes, INSIDER videos, and every wannabe news reporter. Expect to find inspirational quotes, positive stories, and situations to reflect on. Of course you can't do this all without a proper network.
Remember when you were younger and added everyone on Facebook from people you actually knew to people you've made eye contact with just a strand of their hair? If even that. Welcome to LinkedIn, where you will renew this younger social media habit. Instead, this time, you are going to put the "social" in social media.
On the first day of school or a job, theres ALWAYS that round of introductions followed by an eyeroll from someone that dreads the idea. (tbh that was always me in class) Instead of adding someone and never talking to them, how about you send a request and INTRODUCE YOURSELF. Ask them how they are as well and if they would be willing to talk about their work experiences. Do this especially with people that are working in your desired field. Just because you don't personally know them does't mean you can't reach out to them. Didn't all your friends start off as strangers anyway? Exactly my point. So start typing and building that network.
Next up: your actual profile. Pick a really good picture, not your Saturday night TAO or Dream Downton ones, but a simple, "heres my face one."Rumor has it you should't have a picture with glasses on, I do and I've still gotten got offers. Just post a full face high quality photo in good lighting. Then list all important/ relevant work experience and educational deets. Don't know what to put under your job description? Go to your jobs website if they have one and pull out some key points from that description! You can now smack the easy button.
So now you're back to typing. Start adding start talking. Start applying to jobs by requesting HR Managers directly and then emailing them your resume. It is 2017. It took a man to send a box of donuts to an employer to get her to read his resume. It'll cost you nothing because you got LinkedIn. The goal is to get noticed and make it known that you are interested. If that doesn't work, connect with other people in that company or organization. Someone will have a direct contact. Obviously be smart about it. Don't just email "Hey, I really want to work here can you give me a contact from someone that can make this happen..." What stranger is going to want to do that? None. Once again, introduce yourself and a very little bit about what you do and how it will be relevant. But before that ALWAYS ask how the person is doing. It's polite, professional, and shows that you aren't messaging for just your own benefit. Personally by experience, this has worked best for me.
So lets say you get an interview, now what? Go on Glassdoor and start reading reviews from people that once worked there. This helps because you'll get to know the pros and the cons, ALSO, some people leave potential interview questions that they will be using. Write them down on a piece of paper and start creating a well developed answer of your own. How to used LinkedIn with this: message people, like an intern, and ask them about their interview experience/ do they enjoy working there. Go on Google and search the company. See if there was anything relevant going on related to them in the news. Maybe it was a current collaboration with a well known designer, maybe they just had a new acquisition, maybe they are implementing a new technological system. You never know whats going to come up in a interview, so you want to be as prepared as possible. Since you "really wanted to work there," what better way than to show you actually care than about knowing the behind the scenes / staying up-to-date with all things related to them.
Here's just some of my personal tips/ ideas on using LinkedIn for jobs and interview prep. I've gotten five job offers/internship offers just from doing this. Lately I feel like a lot of people don't know how to properly utilize LinkedIn, so it's a missed opportunity for them. This blog post was highly requested and if I could help a few friends or strangers out, the content in this piece was the goal.
I hope this helps you on your journey! If you have any questions, comments, or even suggestions, feel free to drop them below.
Photo by Kieran Bammann. Hopefully someone caught on the chain links on my belt in relation to the post. I'm so witty, I know.
Who I am, hates who I've been
Monday, October 16, 2017
Or who I've been, hates who I am; the order can be debatable, yet still valid when said in both ways. The other morning I was waiting for a train feeling rather empty. I've been feeling a little empty lately. Unsatisfied. Uninspired. Unmotivated. And on top of it all, afraid to shop. I would like to say that partially came from an article from Girlboss about the average American not knowing how to budget (I am that average American.) And from a recent lecture in macro. The rest, well, you are about to read about.
When I feel these ways, I always like to look to the past, so that way I get redirected into the future. I read old blog posts, and look at my Instagram feed, and I try to get a feel of what got me to those moments, and what I was feeling in the moment. The video of me running home eager to show my brother how I learned how to do a headstand in yoga that same hour? I smiled as he recorded me holding the headstand for a few seconds before I fell over and we both started laughing. The picture of me smiling in someones apartment filledddd with giant red balloons; a mere reminder of the little things in life. And just rereading old work reminds me of how witty and funny I really am/ can be. It also reminds me of all the positive feedback I've gotten. These things remind me that the feelings are temporary, which helps me progress.
What has me feeling all these ways is work. Any type of work...school, my jobs, and my up keeping. Does anyone ever realize that we are only in our early twenties and that we will be working the rest of our fucking lives? The average person retires at 65. If you want to be a little more cushioned or productive, retire at 70-something. That's a good 40 SOMETHING MORE YEARS. By then we could have a face full of wrinkles, health issues, or even be looking into retirement homes. I didn't sign up for this.
As a legitimate workaholic, it stresses me the fuck out. 23 days into the month of September and I've only had 3 days off. And those three days don't even count because I'm in class from 12-9:30pm. I hate this routine of constantly being on the clock. Working to pay bills, and spending precious time indoors behind a desk and in a stockroom. Working is just such an integral part of my life and always has been. But it's becoming so routine and as a result its making me miserable. Please don't tell me I'm the only one.
I hate how working so much has caused me to lose myself. The workaholic I am, hates who I've been. Hates being cranky, tired, and having only enough time in the morning to pop in two chocolate chip waffles before running out the door and doing it again for the next 6 days. Hates that I've lost a bit of the person that I am, to turn into a catatonic , ill version of Wednesday Adams. On top of the mixed feels, I end up taking a break from you, my audience. What do I talk to you about? What do I share with you anymore? Are you still going to read my posts?
I overthink and stress... ALOT. A not so fun fact: if you stress so hard you can develop air bubbles on your fingers that eventually cause the skin on your fingers and hands to peel and bleed. It itches a lot and is very uncomfortable. Apparently, stress causes hand eczema. Let me tell you, nothing looks more disgusting. And nothing is more awkward than meeting a new person in the business world and REJECTING a handshake. The seconds of staring at each other while the hanging hand is well just...hanging, can feel like days.
So if you're in a funk, or feel a bit uninspired, take a few minutes and look back. Look back at happier moments, look back at old accomplishments, look back at the memories that you enjoyed. You will have new moments like these to look forward too in the near future. And don't stress too much. You don't want hand eczema. Nobody does. Take the time out to have a peaceful lunch break, meet up with a friend as time restricted as your schedule is. Take that mental health day off. No amount of money is worth more than your well being. I hope you are all doing well. See you all in the near future.
Let me not forget, photo credit to the fab Kieran Bammann.
When I feel these ways, I always like to look to the past, so that way I get redirected into the future. I read old blog posts, and look at my Instagram feed, and I try to get a feel of what got me to those moments, and what I was feeling in the moment. The video of me running home eager to show my brother how I learned how to do a headstand in yoga that same hour? I smiled as he recorded me holding the headstand for a few seconds before I fell over and we both started laughing. The picture of me smiling in someones apartment filledddd with giant red balloons; a mere reminder of the little things in life. And just rereading old work reminds me of how witty and funny I really am/ can be. It also reminds me of all the positive feedback I've gotten. These things remind me that the feelings are temporary, which helps me progress.
What has me feeling all these ways is work. Any type of work...school, my jobs, and my up keeping. Does anyone ever realize that we are only in our early twenties and that we will be working the rest of our fucking lives? The average person retires at 65. If you want to be a little more cushioned or productive, retire at 70-something. That's a good 40 SOMETHING MORE YEARS. By then we could have a face full of wrinkles, health issues, or even be looking into retirement homes. I didn't sign up for this.
As a legitimate workaholic, it stresses me the fuck out. 23 days into the month of September and I've only had 3 days off. And those three days don't even count because I'm in class from 12-9:30pm. I hate this routine of constantly being on the clock. Working to pay bills, and spending precious time indoors behind a desk and in a stockroom. Working is just such an integral part of my life and always has been. But it's becoming so routine and as a result its making me miserable. Please don't tell me I'm the only one.
I hate how working so much has caused me to lose myself. The workaholic I am, hates who I've been. Hates being cranky, tired, and having only enough time in the morning to pop in two chocolate chip waffles before running out the door and doing it again for the next 6 days. Hates that I've lost a bit of the person that I am, to turn into a catatonic , ill version of Wednesday Adams. On top of the mixed feels, I end up taking a break from you, my audience. What do I talk to you about? What do I share with you anymore? Are you still going to read my posts?
I overthink and stress... ALOT. A not so fun fact: if you stress so hard you can develop air bubbles on your fingers that eventually cause the skin on your fingers and hands to peel and bleed. It itches a lot and is very uncomfortable. Apparently, stress causes hand eczema. Let me tell you, nothing looks more disgusting. And nothing is more awkward than meeting a new person in the business world and REJECTING a handshake. The seconds of staring at each other while the hanging hand is well just...hanging, can feel like days.
So if you're in a funk, or feel a bit uninspired, take a few minutes and look back. Look back at happier moments, look back at old accomplishments, look back at the memories that you enjoyed. You will have new moments like these to look forward too in the near future. And don't stress too much. You don't want hand eczema. Nobody does. Take the time out to have a peaceful lunch break, meet up with a friend as time restricted as your schedule is. Take that mental health day off. No amount of money is worth more than your well being. I hope you are all doing well. See you all in the near future.
Let me not forget, photo credit to the fab Kieran Bammann.
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