Professional Savvy career blog and podcast is for all of the young professional women who want to be seen as confident, competent, capable, and credible in today's competitive workplace.
Professional Savvy - a woman with a strong personal brand who exhibits wit, self-confidence, verve, and high social intelligence characteristics of or befitting a profession or engaged in a profession; well-informed on how to communicate, look, and behave in any business environment; takes initiative regarding her career advancement; easily navigates through political landmines in the workplace. - C. Pace
The Case of What You Got Isn’t What You Wanted:
In the movie, Devil Wears Prada, Andrea, aka “Andie”, has dreams of becoming a serious journalist . In her pursuit to become a journalist, she gets a job in at Runway fashion magazine, as a way to get her foot in the door to become a writer. Unfortunately, Andie’s focus changed from her writing skills to becoming the editor in chief’s assistant. The culture at Runway is superficial with a huge focus on ”looks” literally and physically. In an effort to “fit in” and be successful in her new gig, Andie changes her image and clothes in order to gain the acceptance of her demanding boss and colleagues. Along the way, Andie become too preoccupied with her “new” image and her future at the magazine and forgets that the job was supposedly a stepping stone to a journalism position. In the end she quits, realizing that she has lost her self as well as sacrificed her friendships for a job that wasn’t ideal or aligned with her goal to become a journalist.
Savvy take-away: In the words of Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts, “Image is a means to a noble end”. Remember, that your image must be aligned with your authentic self , values, and goals. Changing or refining your image should never change your true self.
We are shining the spotlight on Desiree Rogers, the White House Social Secretary, known for her intelligence, class, style, business and professional savvy. A personal friend and supporter of the Obamas, Rogers’, a Harvard MBA alumnus, was as one of Chicago’s most high-powered executives, a former head of the Illinois Lottery, former president of the Chicago utility, Peoples Energy, and most recently president of social networking for Allstate Financial.
For more inspiration, read the article on Desiree Rogers in WSJ Magazine
Professional Savvy women must be prepare in advance of a big job interview. Do you know what to do?
Here are a few savvy interview questions and taboo’s:
Finding a Job in a Down Market
ASCENT Leadership Newsletter, April 2009
Yes, the economy has slowed and many people have lost their jobs. But try not to be discouraged. If you’re looking, you can still find a job that’s right for you. But you may have to be a little more imaginative than when the economy is on the upswing. First and foremost, don’t panic. Panic and desperation only fuel more panic and desperation. Take a deep breath and feel confident that you’ll find something, a job that you enjoy. And remember that there is no typical career path anymore. Your path isn’t going to be a straight line-but curvy, with lots of twist and turns. For more advice on finding a job when times are tough, we spoke to Marilyn Mackes, the executive director of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, naceweb.org), a professional membership organization located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Mackes, whose NACE forecasts trends in the job market, tracks legal issues in employment and hiring and offers job search and career information, helped us put together these tips for navigating the job market during difficult or uncertain economic times:
Do the work. In a tough market, it’s even more important to do everything right. So make sure your resume is clear and truly highlights your skills, talents, achievements and results. Work your network-online and off. Is your Linkedin profile sharp and up-to- date? Same with your Facebook page-or is it full of shout-outs and vacation snapshots? Now’s not the time to be shy about reaching out and asking for guidance and direction. Do your homework and thoroughly research the industry, the market and any company you’re interested in.
Highlight skills that are valuable in a down market. For example, experience with budgets and cost management is necessary in difficult economic times. Show that you can manage and even inspire people under fire. Offer examples of ways you’ve worked effectively when resources are tight. Make extra sure to highlight points like these on your resume.
Think outside of your own box. Look at yourself and what you have to offer in an open way or a different light. Try not to limit the skills and experiences that you had that might be useful in the workplace. Just because you’ve always worked in operations, doesn’t mean that’s all you can do. Think about other ways to describe who you are and what you have. Are you a natural leader who heads the diversity committee at your current job? Do you have accounting skills from working at your parents’ bodega growing up? Are you highly organized, the recording secretary of your church’s board of directors?
Be flexible. Consider what there is a demand for and position yourself toward that demand. With a finance background or MBA, you might have your sights set on Wall Street. But a job in health care, education or energy might be a better option. Or government, which is attractive to many job seekers these days. Maybe you had planned to work for a large well-known corporation, but your skills might be attractive to smaller company or even a nonprofit. Keep your geographic options open. Living in New York or Chicago might be your dream, but think about the Midwest or South instead.
In the movie Catwoman, Patience Phillips (portrayed by Halle Berry) is a talented but insecure and shy visual artist at Hedare Beauty, a mammoth cosmetics company on the verge of releasing a revolutionary anti-aging product. When Patience inadvertently happens upon a dark secret her employer is hiding, she finds herself in the middle of a corporate conspiracy. What happens next changes Patience forever. In a mystical twist of fate, she is transformed from a shy, soft-spoken, insecure and scared woman into a woman with the strength, speed, agility and ultra-keen senses of a cat. With her newfound prowess and feline intuition, Patience becomes Catwoman, a sleek and stealthy creature balancing on the thin line between good and bad. Like any wildcat, she’s dangerous, elusive and untamed. (edited excerpt and clip from x3crystalb)
Savvy Takeaway: Don’t spend a lifetime caged! By accepting who you are – ALL OF WHO YOU ARE, you can be free and Freedom is POWER. Remember, well-behaved women seldom make history.(However, don’t steal -Thanks!)
