WE'VE GOT THIS

So, you’re ready to go back to work!  You know you have the skills and the motivation.  You’ve checked the job postings online, maybe even done a few applications.  Now… you wait.

You GOT the job! After what seems like an eternity of looking you are ready to start your new job. You have that feeling you get on a roller coaster as you head for the first drop, nervous but excited. There is a vision in your head of a parade heralding your triumphant return to the working world. Surely everyone is as happy and excited for you to be there as you are, right? In reality, it's more subtle. Kander and Ebb beautifully describes it in the song A Quiet Thing . The song begins with the lyrics," When it all comes true just the way you planned, its funny the bells don't ring. It's a quiet thing.", that capture how it really feels. Wait...what? Try it's more like Murphy's Law. On my first day back to work, I was prepared. I had mapped out my commuting route. I got up early to make sure I could get the kids off to school and leave for work with plenty of time to spare. I had a killer outfit picked out. I was ready to take on the world. Well i

There are five core members of our blog group and while we talk about what's current in both the business casual and more formal wardrobe sense we haven't jumped at the chance to write about it.  Why is that? Do we shy away from the topic because  fashion can be perceived as  a "women's topic" or are we hesitant to give advice on a topic about which so many people have something to say. If we talk about our wardrobe are we somehow less professional? Are we afraid of getting it wrong? Regardless of the answer, we may not be willing to write about it but we are talking about it. More often than not we all face the usual questions: What do I wear today? What do I wear to a casual lunch? Networking morning coffee? A first, second or third interview? Meeting a recruiter? On the first day of a new job?  Negotiating salary? The answers on what to wear can be found using the same skills you are using to search, network or work.  Research, compare notes with colleagues

So a new year is upon us. For many, its a time of resolutions and new beginnings. To be honest, I don't make a new year's resolution. I haven't made them in years. I find the idea of making a pledge to do something that I really have no commitment to doing and then feeling less than enough when I don't do it, pointless. But I do like the idea of taking a step back and reflecting upon inward-looking questions like: How am I doing? What does the best version of me look like?  What do I struggle with? Instead of a resolution, each year I pick a word out of a bag of words. I then reflect upon and look for ways to work on what the word represents throughout the year. My word for 2018 is EXPLORATION . There are so many interesting possibilities with this word.  I do hope one of them is going somewhere new and fun!   🙂 So in the spirit of new beginnings, now is a great time to take a step back and consider how the job search and/or re-entry process is going.  Ask yoursel