4 Reasons Why Your Should Have a Career Folder

Do you know all of those great articles that you tweet, share or read? It's probably safe to say that you don't remember everything you read, and wish that you could go back and find the article when needed. Over the past couple of years I've run into the problem constantly, so I started brainstorming a way to save articles that I thought would be really useful.

I created two solutions, actually printing out the article or saving it as a PDF in a special file on my laptop using printfriendly.com . It's super easy to use and you save trees, so that's a plus. Here are four reasons why you should start a career folder too!

1.Keep Information for Later: Instead of trying to remember everything you read ever about having your first job, you can keep the information for later to read before big events! It's been really helpful for me because I don't feel as rushed googling everything I can think of before a big event.

2. Writing Inspiration:  As I try to write more career inspired posts, these articles give me a great deal of inspiration! My reactions to them, what I they are missing or even a "spin-off" topic is just a few of the thoughts I can write about.

3. Help Others: Sometimes I'll have a friend who wants advice or help with something, but honestly I just can't remember anything good. So I'll go back into my files and find a URL to email or text to them so they can read it.

4.Find Favorite Writers: When looking back into my folders, I often find a blogger or professional who's articles I connect with the most. I take the time to find them on Twitter in order to read more of their content and even potentially connect.


What would you put in your career folder? Do you already do this? What is your system?


xoxo

My First Job: The Ladders

In the past couple of weeks, The Ladders reached out to be in hopes of inspiring me to write about my first job. This request brought back a lot of memories to children I've babysat, and beer spilt on me.

By working, I saved money to study abroad in Spain! I saved even more by tutoring English while abroad!

I've held a number of jobs and internships over the past 10 years. Starting off at the young age of 11, I helped "watch" my siblings while my parents were away for short periods of time. Starting at 12, I babysat regularly once a week and on weekends until I started nannying for my parents' best friends. Their three girls taught me patience, time management and how to make the most of situations. During my time as a nanny, we had some really fun times and a couple bad days. Nannying showed me that I actually didn't want to be a teacher, as well as introduced me to public relations (via the mother). Not only did I work as a nanny the summer after my senior year of high school, I was also a busser and hostess at a local resturant.

Working at a resturuant was the first time that I applied for a job, had an interview and was hired. Being a busser wasn't very glamourous, and there was a significant amount of beer and tartar sauce spilled on be. However I enjoyed working with the staff, and it taught me how to be accountable as well as the importance of tipping and being a respectful customer.

Both of these jobs taught me multiple lessons as well as helped me get my first internship and job on campus. First, I learned how being a little early for every shift or workday is crucial. Second, I learned the importance of staying until the job is finisehd while being efficient. Third, relationships are everything because they help you become a better employee/person. Fourth, every job teaches you something. After I ended these two jobs, I realized I didn't want to be a teacher or work in a resturant my whole life. Even if you find out what you don't want to do, every job can teach you something.

Working from a young age has taught me the value of hard work, experiences and doing your best no matter the job. Due to my experiences, I value my money and time as well as others money and time.

These days I'm reading to be done with hourly jobs and continue on to my career as a salaried employee. However I value every one of my experiences because I learned something from each, and the jobs as well as the people have helped me find my way as well as my next job.

What was your first job? What did you learn from it? Did help you figure out your career?

xoxo

#ContessaMovement

Over the past couple of years I've become an avid reader of career blogs, including Career Contessa. They have some of the best content, and I've saved a bunch of their articles for tips on my internships and workplace attire.

I'm really excited to announce that they've asked me to become a #ContessaMovement Ambassador! Since I'm going to be graduating in December I'm excited to share my journey with you, as well as help you with your own career path.

The other #ContessaMovement ambassadors are amazing women, and I can't wait to learn more about their careers as well. Sharing career advice with other women is one of my passions. I believe that helping each other out is how we can all get ahead and make a difference.

The Career Contessa is a great website, and they have an awesome newsletter so you can get new career advice, recipes and outfit inspiration in your mailbox! If you like the Skimm, Levo League  and the Every Girl you'll love this newsletter! Just sign up using this link

http://www.careercontessa.com/ambassador/ashleyv!

Have you visited the Career Contessa website? Make sure to sign up for their newsletter

http://www.careercontessa.com/ambassador/ashleyv!  xoxo

Workflow: July 17th, 2015

I love reading articles on how to hack your workflow! Here are some of my favorite posts for you to read this weekend!

Work Hacks:
One of the best ways to be noticed in the office is to sound confident.

Intern and end of the year client presentations, here are some brilliant ways to start a presentation.

Gmail hacks to make you a pro.

Need to interview someone famous? Tips on how to meet anyone you want (that's still alive).

We multi-task too much, learn how to stay focused and re-train your brain! It really works!

Want to increase your brainpower? Daily habits that will help.

Ending your internship soon? Make sure to ask these people to lunch and follow this advice!

Need to network? (The answer is always yes) Here is a quick guide to getting comfortable at networking events

Leading a team? 5 tasks for effective communication leadership.



Public Relations:
IBM got 1,000 employees to become brand advocates. Borderline genius!

Freelancing? Thinking about it? Here are some tips on how to do it with a full time job!

Did you read my post about Jared Fogle & Subway? Here are lessons to glean from it!

Feel Good
One of my pledge class sisters is a Make-A-Wish Wish Granter! She is raising money for her participation in the Walk for Wishes! Please donate here so that she can help kids with terminal illnesses dreams come true! Even $5 will help her to her goal of $500!

Have a fun & safe weekend (sorry the Mom in me came out there)

xoxo

Book Review: Welcome to the Real World

Here's another career book review for your Friday reads!

Welcome to the Real World: Finding Your Place, Perfecting Your Work, and Turning Your Job into Your Dream Career by Lauren Berger is a great read for any young professional, especially those who are just graduating or about to.

This book is definitely more tailored towards women. Even though I have a year and a half until I enter the "real world" I have found her tips to be immensely helpful in my current internship.

I would also recommend this book to anyone who is taking a full-time internship during the summer months, because she gives helpful tips on how to balance work and life. Apart from the actual advice, Lauren gives you the most important points at the end of each chapter, making it easy to reference over and over. (Which for a Type A personality for myself is perfect!)

The most helpful part of this book was the networking section. I always feel awkward about networking because it's so out of my comfort zone. What I'm most nervous about is approaching upper level positions to ask for their advice and help. However I'm quickly learning I just need to bite the bullet.

Lauren gave great advice on how to stay connected, with holiday emails and Google News Alerts. I don't want to give too much away because I'm pushing you to go out and buy this book!

If you are going to be a freshman or sophomore in college, read her book All Work, No Pay: Finding an Internship Building Your Resume, Making Connections, and Gaining Job Experience  with me next week! (I read her books in the opposite order, whoops) 

What helpful and inspiring books have you read this summer? Let me know in the comments please!

xoxo

Winter Break

I am officially on Winter Break! I am still at school to work and will be packing up parts of my room. I'm not sure if I posted this, but I will be an RA next semester on campus, so I have to move. (I dislike packing as awesome as this opportunity is.)

{1} Internship search: My plan is to apply to quite a few. You never know where an opportunity might strike!
{2} Resumés and Cover Letters: After I find internships I want to apply for, I plan on writing a cover letter and resume for every internship I want to apply for.
{3} Read a couple books: Hours upon hours at my favorite coffee shop. I need a little bit of a mental break, so if you have any book suggestions let me know!
{4} Craft a litte?: I won't have a lot of money, but I will have time to try something
{5} Blog: My goal is going to be to blog three times a week, and to make a large queue for when my life will eventually be crazy.

What will you be doing with your winter break?

xoxo

Career Advice

This week in one of my Communication classes we had a guest speaker who worked in LA for about 15 years. He had written and produced a movie, as well as worked with Disney. He said something that resonated with me.

As someone who will be searching for internships soon, this piece of advice stuck with me.

{Stick it out for 6 years}

His advice explained:
{First Year}: Figuring out your way as an adult, settling in and dealing with truly living on your own
{Second Year}:You start to feel comfortable on your own, make connections and start to try and make things happen.
{Third Year}:This year you might become discouraged, and feel like it's time to go home. Don't. Stay and continue to work like you did your second year.
{Fourth & Fifth Year} Continue to work, network and give all you have like you did the second and third years. Be persistant
{Sixth Year}: This is the year something is bound to happen! It may seem like luck, but it's actually your hard work paying off.

Sometimes I have a minor freak out that I'm never going to find a good job after college and I'm just floating. This piece of advice gives me hope though. 

xoxo

the Smart Girls Group October Articles!

I have been writing for the past month for the Smart Girls Group Loop! It's a lot of fun, but it also challenges me to be creative! Here are the four articles I wrote in November!

Denis Rodman in North Korea 

President Obama, Syria, & Congress

Changes Coming to a Facebook Near You

Feminism Today

Have you checked out the Smart Girls Group Loop? You really should, they have great articles. Make it part of your daily reads!

xoxo

Why You Should Read Lean In: Powerful Woman Series

I am an avid reader, but I don't post about it because I'm really into historical fiction, and most aren't! However I heard about Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg from Levo League, and I am encouraging all of your to read it, regardless of gender, age and position in life. In order to raise a generation of equals, everyone needs to take part. 

Sheryl Sandberg did this Ted Talk which put her on the stage for feminism. Here are reasons why I am glad I read Lean In, and why you should too. 

1. She encourages the idea that females and males are inherently different, but she explains why females in business is a good thing. Females can have a positive impact. 

2. She gets rid of the stereotype of feminism. It's no longer the bra burning movement it once was. Her definition makes me want to be a feminist. 

3. She wants everyone to work together. Not just woman helping woman. She wants men to realize the double standards, and she points out men who realize that and who have helped. 

4. She encourages women to support men in a new role, and to find men who are going to be equal partners. When you have an equal partner, both of you can have successful careers and personal lives. 

5. Women need to take more risks. In the book, Sandberg conveys a statistic that is a little sad. Men will apply for a promotion when they meet 60% of the criteria, while women will when they think they meek 100%. "Owning one's success is key to achieving more success" 

6. She redefines leadership for everybody. "Leadership is about making other better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence".  Honestly, this will be my new mantra this year as I step into new leadership roles. 

7. "I want to do that -- and I'll learn by doing it" She encourages everyone to embrace the ever-changing business culture and learn along the way. 

8. She gives real world business advice to everyone. "An all-business approach is not always good business". She encourages people to look at people as actual humans when they do business. It's bound to make the world a better place. 

9. She encourages everybody to help women. Their parents, grandparents, partners, girlfriends, guy friends, basically everyone needs to pitch in. Her dream, and my goal is that my daughter will have equal opportunities without workplace bias. 

Go get this book on Amazon. Read it. Loan it to your friends. Have them loan it to their friends. Spread the word about this new revolution in the workplace. 

Have you read Lean In? What do you think of it? After reading this will you read Lean In? 

xoxo

aEv

ps. I will be posting about other books I read, either by women or men to make us more powerful women!