5 Ways to Ensure You Are Work-Ready

Sitting on the couch, flipping through the latest Vogue, and sipping on tea seems most pleasant for a lifetime ahead. But, there comes a point in life when reality sets in stone and things get oh-so-serious. September is a month of reflection and transition. Reflecting on the joys of summertime but pondering in thought about your career. Well, if you’re sitting there twiddling your thumbs and worried about how to tackle this next chapter of your life, here are five of the best ways to ensure you’re work-ready and be more than ready to apply, interview, and succeed with confidence!

PHOTO: Lex Kelly

1—Appearance is everything

An initial impression is everything. The way you present yourself will show a lot to your employer. Be sure you know what the dress code is and whether it’s smart casual or professional attire. A statement piece for every wardrobe is a tuxedo blazer. You can pair this with anything, whether it’s with a pair of jeans and boots or with a pair of tailored slim pants, a classic heel, and a white shirt with a collar.

PHOTO: Kenia Viezcas

2—Have your résumé up to scratch

A professional résumé is essential. This is what you will give the employer when applying for the job, so an engaging summary, proof of expertise, education highlights, and relevant past experience must be listed on your résumé. A cover letter is always a great thing to have as well, so you can target the job and employer in a very specific way, outlining that the job is attractive to you and why. Get creative and stand out. Remember to tailor each cover letter to the specific job you are applying for.

3—Organization is key

The key to staying organized is having a good diary or planner. Whether you’re old school or tech-savvy, this should be your go-to bible. Make checklists, write down what you need to do for the week, and take note of important dates, ideas, and thoughts. This will guarantee that you will not miss or forget a thing.

PHOTO: Valerie Cammack

4—Don’t forget about time management

Plan wisely before any interview. Plan your outfits, your work schedule, your departure times, and your alarms. Having a good grasp of time will help you make conscious choices, enabling you to work smarter even when time is tight and the pressure is high. Have a watch on every day. Not only can you look stylish with a rad watch, but you will never be late.

5—Be prepared for anything

In any interview, questions are going to be posed to you, so you may as well be one step ahead of the team. Research, read, repeat. It’s so important to be confident in your answers, and, above all, be you.

Comment below any helpful ways to get ready for your next career move, whether it be a dream internship or job aspiration. What is an essential way for you to be work-ready?

Five Tips to Make a Good First Impression on Campus

Everyone is back to school, and back to the hustle and bustle of the new school year. Some of us are even starting entirely new beginnings! Whether it’s your first year on campus or your last, it’s always important to keep in mind the first impression you’ll be making when you walk into class that first day. Follow these few tips that I’ve gathered from experience here at Kent State University Fashion School, and you will sail through your first week of classes leaving nothing but good impressions on all of your professors and peers.

PHOTO: Ali Bell

1—Organize

It never hurts to carry a planner in your bag to keep track of your daily to-dos. Keeping yourself organized will not only make you feel better throughout the week, but it will also show your professors that you are prepared for class.

2—Don’t be late

Find your classrooms ahead of time so that you don’t run into this problem. No one likes walking in 10 minutes after the start of class and having everyone stare at you while you try to find the last seat. Being on time is not only important now, but for the future job you’re working toward as well.

3—Ditch the drink

Surprisingly, some professors have very strict rules when it comes to eating and drinking in class. Save yourself the embarrassment of being called out the first day because of your cup of coffee. Wait until you know what each professor allows before you decide to bring a drink to class.

4—Dress professionally

Although it’s not a must, it’s certainly preferred. How you dress has a lot to do with the first impressions people make of you. You can keep it as simple as a pair of dark wash jeans and a colorful blouse. Or, you could go as far as a pantsuit. Either way, practicing professional dress now will help you later when you go for that first big interview.

5—Network

If you haven’t heard the importance of networking yet, you certainly will before you graduate. Networking is all about making connections with people in your industry. It’ll help you score internships or even land a job. So, when you walk into class the first week make sure you reach out to your peers. Stay after class and meet your professor. It’s okay to show that you care about your field of study.

How do you prepare for back-to-school? Leave me a comment below!

How to Market a Brand on Social Media

Do you have a brand that you are promoting on social media, or that you are struggling to promote? Or perhaps your brand is gaining attention, but you’d like to step it up on social media. Your “brand” may actually be yourself. Fear not, because in no time at all you too will be a social media whiz with these six simple tips and tricks. You may want to grab a cute notebook and pen to jot down some notes!

1—Content. Always have great content, especially when starting out. This includes awesome photos with great lighting, and meaningful posts and captions. You can use a camera, or you can use your beloved smartphone instead.

2—Interact with followers. After creating a post, be sure to interact with your followers. Follow accounts that are similar to yours as well as brands you admire. Like and comment on posts of those you follow and reply to comments on your own posts.

3—Use hashtags (properly). Always use hashtags so that others can find your posts, but be sure to use them properly. This means using hashtags that are commonly searched, rather than making up your own. Be intentional; make sure they relate to your post and make them readable. Some acceptable hashtags are #fashion, #style, #vegan, and #foodie. You can also use related hashtags that are not used as much so that your post has a greater chance of being seen. Examples of these are #fashionblogger, #fashionista, #instayum, and #whatveganseat. Remember to stick to three to ten hashtags per post.

4—Respond to both positive and negative comments. Make sure you address negative comments on your social media accounts. If a follower has a concern about your brand or product, make it right and apologize, if necessary. Ignoring negative comments will make it worse unless of course, it is a rude comment that can be left alone. You don’t want to be rude, sarcastic, or argue with your followers.

5—Be “real”. Rather than putting up a fake façade on your social media accounts, let your followers in and show them who you really are. This can be done by showing a behind the scenes look into your photos. Using Snapchat or Instagram stories will enable your followers to feel more connected to you.

6—Use Google and Instagram Analytics. If you have a blog or website, using Google Analytics will provide you with detailed statistics about visitors to your site and help you understand what works for it. There are third-party Instagram analytics tools, such as Iconosquare, which tracks follower growth and losses, the best times to post for maximum engagement, and your best performing content.

Hopefully, these tips will help you engage with and grow your audience in order to successfully market your brand on social media!

Do you have any tips for marketing a brand? Let us know in the comments below or by tagging @Cfashionista on social media.

Tips on What to Wear to an Interview

The first thing your interviewer sees when you walk into the room is your clothes and the way you carry yourself. This is why finding an outfit to wear for an interview is probably the hardest thing to do. Figuring out an outfit, especially when you are trying to look professional and fashionable, can be tricky because you don’t want them to think you do not care about the job, but you also want to show them your personality through your clothes.

I decided to challenge myself and figure out a chic outfit that will help you stand out while looking very professional. This might be only one outfit, but I’ve got four tips on how to recreate your own look! Style is different for everyone, so make sure to add your own touch to your recreation.

Dark Colors

Earth colors are the way to go! Colors like maroon, navy blue, and black make an outfit look put together. Interviewers are drawn to these types of colors. Bright colors are usually a no since it might make an outfit look less professional.

Tuck It In

This adds a style to your outfit and gives it a little twist to the regular professional outfits. However, do not overdo the slouchiness. For instance, if one of your clothing items is already big and oversize, make sure you wear something else that is tight-fitting because two oversize clothing items, can make you look a little lazy.

Accessorize

Accessorizing is always important, but remember to wear very minimalistic jewelry. A choker for this type of event might not be the best choice, but a long simple necklace always does the job. Heels also add an extra touch to the outfits and wearing strappy heels gives you a chic look.

Confidence

Last, but definitely not least, confidence. You are beautiful and you will rock this interview. Be confident in yourself because that is the best accessory you can wear!

Which one of these was your favorite tip? Comment down below or share with us your recreation of this look on social media and do not forget to tag @Cfashionista!

4 Tips for Productivity After a Long Day

When you get home after a long day, the last thing you want to do is anything slightly productive. I personally would rather throw on pajamas and nap for a few hours, then wake up and watch Netflix. But because that normally isn’t an option, I’ve created four tips for productivity even when I’ve been working all day. Whether you’re going from your 9-5 to work on something creative like a blog, or you’re going from a long day of class to work on more homework, these tips will be so helpful!

1—Wake yourself up. In other words, don’t take a nap. Unless you’re some magical human being who can actually take a 20-minute nap, don’t even lie down. Drink some coffee or tea, turn on some pump up jams, or dance around your room. Do whatever it takes to wake up. It feels impossible, but I promise you’ll be thanking yourself when you’re done with your work before midnight.

2—Dress for success. This tip may be a cliché, but it’s true! Fight the urge to wear pajamas or even sweatpants, because these clothes will get you in the mindset of sleep. This doesn’t mean you need to add makeup or a pantsuit (especially if you’re sitting at home), but wearing comfortable clothes you feel confident in will translate into work you’re confident in.

3—Set the tone. Do the same thing every time you need to get into a productive mood. This could mean fixing yourself a coffee, sitting in the perfect chair, or even using the same notebook each time. I love to go to Starbucks to write blog posts, but because that isn’t always an option, I like to have something to sip on. Set the tone every time you work, and in a while, just the sight of coffee will get you in the productive mood!

4—Make a list. Whether you make a new to-do list or you keep a running list of tasks, writing down your goals is so helpful. You can write concrete terms like “Write a rough draft of my paper,” or you can give yourself more abstract goals like “Spend 20 minutes working on paper without a break.” Checking off your accomplishments is so satisfying, plus every time you’re not sure what else you need to do, you’ll have a full list written down!

What are your tips for productivity? Let me know in the comments below!

The Value of Self-Promotion on Social Media

There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t see “link in bio” at least once in someone’s Instagram caption. Our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook feeds are filled with links, promotions, and content. Some tend to find this very annoying, and it can be at times. But it’s also so important that users take part in self-promotion over social media.

First off, your social media is your life to the outside world—specifically potential employers that are looking to see what kind of person you are in the online space. While everyone tells you that it’s important to be mindful of what you post, it’s also important to utilize self-promotion. This may seem self-centered or narcissistic, but how will others know about your work if you’re not putting it out there? Promoting articles, blog posts, collaborations, etc. via Instagram and Facebook is how I drive traffic to these pieces of content. People would have to find my content organically without social media. This is difficult to do when you have a small following in a space filled with content.

This self-promotion also shows that you are proud of your work. It’s a kind of digital confidence. Knowing that there’s a bigger audience to share my work with keeps me focused on perfecting everything I put out there. Even if I’m not directly promoting a piece, people can still find my work through the websites I produce for, so that means everything has to be the best it can be.

How to Shamelessly Self-Promote

To create the perfect self-promotional post, it’s important to be very selective in your photo choice. What image is the most interesting or relatable to your audience and story? If they like the photo, chances are they’re more likely to click on your link. After choosing your winning image, create a concise caption that encapsulates your content in a sentence or two. Hashtags are helpful to reach people outside of your followers—consider adding these in a comment instead of the main caption. This keeps your main post clean and free of distraction.

Pick a time of day when most people will be scrolling through social media. Early morning, lunchtime, and the evening always seem to garner the most attention. If this is a piece of work that you want a lot of people to see, try promoting it a few times over the span of a week. Be sure to change up your photo and caption so your feed isn’t filled with the same content.

Now, go ahead and start self-promoting. You never know who will see your work next and like it, like a potential employer.

So how do you self-promote on social media? Let us know in the comments below!

Chic in the Workplace

As a lover of all things fashion, I like to make sure that I look chic at all times. The summertime is always a hectic time for me in my professional life as I run around applying for internships, jobs, events, etc. I have many go-to looks for various types of professional settings that range from casual to formal.

My secret to looking chic and professional is putting together clean and stylish basics together to achieve a flawless minimalistic look. I am a huge fan of pairing skinny dress pants with basic tops to create a casual professional look. I paired my favorite pair of skinny suit pants with a basic beige shirt. This is my go-to formula for casual professional wear.

When I want to dress up and make my attire look more formal, I like to wear darker colors. I put together a pair of black dress pants and a basic white T-shirt to dress up my look. The contrast of the black and white makes the outfit seem more professional, even though it’s just a few basic pieces.

I also added a blazer to the outfit as a way to make it even more formal for more special occasions. For all of the outfits, I paired them with a pair of basic black dress shoes.

Accessorizing is a very important part of putting together looks for me. For these looks, I like to pair them with unique accessories that will add a pop of pizzazz. A belt with a cute design can be a great standout piece for an outfit of basics. I love this belt because the fabric gives it an interesting texture which makes it even more unique. Plus, it has ducks on it. Who doesn’t love ducks?

I also like to add a bit of bling to my outfits. A simple gold bracelet can always make an outfit more chic and classy. I paired my outfit with this vintage gold bracelet.

Looking your best means feeling your best. When you feel your best in professional settings, you can have the confidence to do your best.

What are some of your favorite go-to styles for professional wear? Let me know in the comments below!

3 Stylish Outfits to Wear to Work

When was the last time that you looked forward to an interview, meeting, or new job, but had no idea what to wear? Dressing stylishly in professional settings can often prove to be rather tricky. You don’t want to look too casual, but you also fear coming across as just another applicant in the same white button-down, black pants, and black blazer. What if I told you there were ways that a Fashionista like you can incorporate personal style in your outfits, even in a professional setting?

1—High neck is high style. A mock neck or turtleneck top is conservative but also flattering if the fit is right. The best news is that this top style has been on-trend for some time, proving that you can be stylish without showing a lot of skin. If it’s too hot in the area that you’re in, go for a sleeveless version of this top, but bring along a nice sweater in case it gets chilly in the office.

2—All in the sleeves. Most everyone can agree that the same old white blouse is a bit boring after a while of wearing it to every interview or meeting. Mix it up a little by throwing on a top with sleeve detail. Bell sleeves are totally in style, and add a little something to simple black pants and pumps. If you want to play with the style side of the outfit even more, try pairing your top with heels in a matching color to create a cohesive outfit.

3—The style is in the jacket. Work style doesn’t always have to go all out in the core of the outfit. Sometimes, all it takes is adding a statement coat to tie it all together. Add some flare with a coat that features bell sleeves for a subtle yet stylish look. A striped blouse with black pants and pumps doesn’t take too much thought, but wearing a fashion-forward jacket amplifies style factor along with a number of compliments to come.

How do you add style to your work outfits? Show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista.

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3 Ways to Rock Your Internship

I learned very quickly at the beginning of my freshman year that being involved and putting yourself out there does pay off. All I heard from advisers, professors, and fellow classmates was to gain experience in my field. Employers value work ethic and many believe that our generation completely lacks it. Jumping on opportunities when you find them can set you apart from the crowd and set you up for success. Coming from a small high school, I knew college would open a lot of new doors for me to explore. With writing for CollegeFashionista, interning with Curtsy, and becoming an Alex & Ani Student Ambassador, I have learned a few things about how to be professional and rock your internship.

1—Be yourself. Though it sounds cliché, this statement has guided me through all of my life. Employers want to know and understand you, not the person you think they want you to be. During interviews, don’t be shy to brag about yourself a little bit. Remember, they are trying to get to know you and want to know what you are made of. This tip has also helped me to network and meets tons of people just like myself!

2—Dress the part. Today, many workplaces are becoming more and more casual. No, this doesn’t mean you can show up in sweats, but you no longer have to wear a suit to most workplaces. Though dress codes are becoming more casual, you can still look professional. My favorite way to dress up a pair of jeans is by wearing my black leather loafers. They dress up any casual outfit and show that you are down to business. On top of just clothing, wearing simple makeup and a fresh, bold lip color can set you apart. What you wear helps other people understand you better and perceive you differently. Be sure to be proud of what you are wearing, and as I said before, stay true to yourself through your clothing.

3—Have fun. My parents have always taught me to do what you love and find a way to get paid for it. The words “job” and “work” often seem to have negative connotations. It is easier said than done, but finding a job that pays the bills and makes you happy is a win-win situation. Though what I am involved in takes up much of my free time, I am enjoying myself and that is all that matters.

What has helped you land your dream job? Let us know on social media by tagging @CFashionista!

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Top Ways to Keep Your Professional Attire Classy and Fabulous

As wisely stated by the famous Coco Chanel, “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” This quote applies to many areas of fashion but emphasizes an important point. It is crucial to remember these two elements when you’re getting your professional attire ready for a day at the office, an interview, or any professional setting.

The first item you should start with is your “centerpiece.” This would include dresses, shirts, skirts, or dress pants. Decisions like these must be made early on so you can ensure that you are truly dressing to impress. It is important to note that when individuals network in business settings, the only information a person provides is what they show standing before someone. This includes what they talk about and, more importantly, their professional attire. This Fashionista knows that a simple, straight, medium-length dress is a perfect way to stay cool in the heat while still looking classy and fabulous.

Another key to maintaining a professional look is to not be excessive. A dress with a simple print like this can allow you to make a statement while not going overboard. Your “centerpiece” will be your main focal point, so you want to ensure that your accessories complement your outfit and don’t do more harm than good. A gorgeous, safe way to do this is by picking a color and maintaining it. This Fashionista balances her look perfectly with a simple black handbag, black heels, a sassy pair of shades, and a cup of coffee for her travels. While the print on the dress adds flair, the solid black accents become an asset to the look.

As much as we all want to make a statement when networking with professionals, going to an interview, or attempting to be an adult in general, always remember to keep it simple, balanced, classy, and fabulous.

How do you show your style through professional attire? Show us on social media and tag @CFashionista!