Identity is an interesting concept, we use our career or our path as the base of our existence, we are lawyers, caretakers, electricians, dentists, stylist, business owners or entrepreneurs. It is a strange such a large part of our identity is wrapped up in what we do to earn the money we need to sustain our lives, or earning a living. As a child, I always thought that the adults had it all figured out. They don’t struggle with major life decisions and they have this secret handbook that just tells them exactly what they need to do. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I realized, no one…
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8 Things to Learn by 30
A few weeks ago I had my 29th birthday. I was filled with mixed emotions; my life does not feel like the life of a 29 year old. I identify with being 27 not almost 30. My career, my personal life, every aspect of my life radiates 27 years young. At 40, I will probably shake my head when I read this blog post. Anyways, now that I am 29, 30 is just around the corner. I mentally put together a list of all the things I think are important for me to master/know by 30. I always hoped I would be mentioned on one of those 30 under 30 lists… I…
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How to Quit Your Job & Leave on a Positive Note
“I’m quitting” is an unnerving sentence to utter, no matter the circumstances. A couple weeks ago, I received some exciting news. I had no idea where to start, so the nerd in me turned to Google to better prepare myself. My workplace has become a second family to me and as much as I know that change will be good for me and my career, it is always hard to leave co-workers behind. I have outlined the steps that I took, from giving my notice to getting ready to leave to my final departure. Arrange a Meeting Schedule a meeting to talk to your superior. Put together a letter of…
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Everything You Should Know When Applying for Jobs
Last weekend I was in Calgary visiting with my sister. It is no secret that Calgary’s economy has been suffering and what once was a city filled with growth is now a city in recession. I talked to my friends in HR and they had some interesting tips for job seekers. Some I don’t think I would have thought of on my own. Master the Keyword Search For larger companies, a lot of the resumes and cover letters are run through keyword searches. The candidates are judged by how many times the crucial skills show up in their resume. For example, for accounting, words like ‘reconciliation’, ‘balance sheet’ and ‘cash…
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Being a ‘Yes Girl’ Without it Taking Over Your Life
Every time I think of ‘Yes Girls’ I think of Bride Wars when Anne Hathaway’s character gets tricked into taking over all of her fellow teacher’s extra-circular duties. The teacher acts as though she is the one who is doing the favour for Anne. I am sure if you have seen this movie, you remember this cringe-wrothy character. We have definitely all had that co-worker that just never pulls their own weight and is utterly clueless about their lack of contribution. Career-wise being a ‘Yes Girl’, is probably exactly what your employer is looking for. “Yes, I’ll stay late”, “Yes, I will finish the project by today”, “Yes, I can…
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How to Market Your Business on a Budget
In the generation of start-ups and entrepreneurship, more and more people are becoming small business owners. There are fewer risks and less overhead involved when it comes to opening up your own business. The rise of e-commerce has made it easier to have your business open and available 24/7 through the power of the internet. A traditional brick and mortar storefront is no longer the norm. Whether your business’s sole existence is on the internet, or you have an office/store, it is very important to learn to market your business effectively. Marketing continues to transform, initially, consumers were buying products for the products and now consumers purchase products in the…
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How to Use Instagram Stories
Instagram announced that they were introducing ‘Instagram Stories’ which is a very Snapchat-esque function. While it may not be time for your business to jump on Snapchat, I would highly recommend jumping on Instagram Stories.Instagram has drastically more users than Snapchat. I know it sounds daunting, having another social media function to update, but Instagram stories is awesome opportunity to connect with consumers. Why not hit the ground running and experiment with posting content on Instagram Stories. Functions of Instagram Stories Instagram stories is very similar to Snapchat but has limited features. The stories last 24 hours, there are some filters, the ability to doodle and write. Much like Snapchat…
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A Beginners Guide to Planning Events
The one thing that I have learned about events over the years, is that there are so many moving parts and no matter how prepared you are, there is always going to be surprises. Planning events takes a lot of patience, organization and creativity. Weddings, birthday parties, launch parties, any sort of event, all need to have a well thought out plan. I was born to plan. I plan my social life, my professional life and my trips; I am constantly making lists and getting all my ducks in a row. My tendencies have led me to a basic structure or formula, when planning events. Choose a Date This…
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The Dos and Don’ts of Instagram
Instagram has over 100 million active users and it is rapidly becoming the preferred social media marketing tool. Organic traffic is hard to come by on Facebook, because they want people to pay for advertising and Twitter is fairly limited. However, it is painful so see how some business choose to use Instagram! I have developed so many Instagram pet peeves. These is my beginners guide to effectively use Instagram for your business. Do Fill Out Your ProfileThis is an amateur mistake, if you are a new business you need to say a little bit about yourself and where you are located. A profile picture is a must. Instagram allows one active link so make…
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How to Overcome Work Imbalance
I remember when I was in University we had to do quite a few group projects. Usually in a group of six, 3 people ended up doing the majority of the work. The other three would either not show up, submit unusable work or miss all the deadlines set for the team. I remember our professors saying that group projects will be much like the office place. I always thought this was a ludicrous statement. There is no way these lazy people will even make it into the job market. Well they do, and usually these people have somehow talked their way into senior roles, while allocating all the heavy…
