Shop Small: Small Business Saturday DON'T FORGET!

Don't Forget that tomorrow is Shop Small Saturday, even if it's just the local fruit market! Me personally I'd rather shop small because I think they appreciate it a little more than the big retailers and sometime less is more. Don't get me wrong I still love my big retailers! Plus this helps the community thrive and the economy can benefit from it as well.

Happy Shopping! 

#MCM: 6 Ways to Write a WoW-ing Resume

With a solid resume in hand you'll greatly increase your odds of earning a closer look and getting that interview.


1.    Format Your Resume Wisely "Do the Hiring Managers" Work for Them

No matter how well written, your resume won't get a thorough reading the first time through. Generally a resume gets scanned for 25 seconds. Scanning is more difficult if it is hard to read, poorly organized or exceeds two pages.

• Use a logical format and wide margins, clean type and clear headings
• Selectively apply bold and italic typeface that help guide the reader's eye
• Use bullets to call attention to important points (i.e. accomplishments)

2.   Identify Accomplishments not Just Job Descriptions

Hiring managers, especially in technical fields like engineering, seek candidates that can help them solve a problem or satisfy a need within their company. Consequently, you can't be a solution to their problems without stating how you solved similar problems in other companies and situations.

• Focus on what you did in the job, NOT what your job was there's a difference
• Include a one or two top line job description first, then list your accomplishments
• For each point ask yourself, What was the benefit of having done what I did?
• Accomplishments should be unique to you, not just a list of what someone else did
• Avoid using the generic descriptions of the jobs you originally applied for or held

3.   Quantify Your Accomplishments

The most common mistake on resume is making too many general claims and using too much industry jargon that does not market the candidate. A resume is a marketing document designed to sell your skills and strengths rather than just portray a bio of the candidate.

• Include and highlight specific achievements that present a comprehensive picture of your marketability
• Quantify your achievements to ensure greater confidence in the hiring manager and thereby generate interest percentages, dollars, number of employees, etc.
• Work backwards to quantify your accomplishments by asking, If I had not done X, what could have happened?

4.   Cater Your Resume for the Industry

Unlike advertising and design professionals who have greater creative license in designing their resume for those fields, the mechanical engineering industry won't be impressed and may be turned off by distinctive resume design.

• Error on the side of being conservative stylistically
• Your accomplishments, error-free writing, grammatically-correct, clean, crisp type and paper will make the impression for you

5.   Replace your Objective" with a "Career Summary"

A Career Summary is designed to give a brief overview of who you are and what you do. Most Objectives sound similar: Seeking a challenging, interesting position in X where I can use my skills of X, Y, and Z to contribute to the bottom line. Not telling at all.

• Grab a hiring manager's attention right from the beginning, remembering you
  have only 25 few seconds to make a good impression
• Spend time developing a summary that immediately gets their attention, and accurately and powerfully describes you as a solution to their problems

6.   Network. Network. Network.

For unemployed candidates, handing out resumes should be a full-time job. The majority of mid- to senior-level positions are filled through networking, so contact absolutely everyone you know in addition to recruiters who are in a position to hire you or share insights. Networking can include

• Personal business contacts, people you've worked for or who worked for you
• Vendors and sales representatives you've dealt with in the past five years
• People listed in the alumni directory of your alma mater

It's our Anniversary [ F O U R ] years

Today Chaz and I will are celebrating our  F O U R [ 4 ] year anniversary. Hard to believe it's been four years, since a frigid night in Charlotte I asked him out! Yes I asked him out and him being the man he didn't confirm it until later on the next day!  With any relationship you have ups, downs, good times and bad. I appreciate everything that he has done and continues to do for me. Although I'm not the easiest cookie to get along with sometimes he still puts up with me and I love him forever and a day for that. So here are a few things that I think help our relationship work...I'm not saying these are the golden rules to a relationship just what works for us.

The above photo's were taken a few weeks ago by the same photographer that took my best friends wedding pictures. They came out great (beside us hating the way we look...weight wise)! 

GOD FIRST // First and foremost, God is the center of our relationship. We go to our knees in prayer before anything else when we have trials or triumphs and that will always be the case. We both came into this relationship knowing how important our faith is and fully knowing it would be the foundation to our lifetime together. We both are continuously working to grow closer to God and ask him first for help in our relationship. 


ALONE & TOGETHER TIME // We both truly love spending time together but it's important to have alone time or with our separate friends. Whether it's him going out to watch a game with the boys or me having a mani date with a girlfriend, we acknowledge that's key and healthy so we make sure to have those times!


GIVE & TAKE // This is pretty self explanatory but we both had a hard time making this happen in the relationship. It shouldn't be one sided where one person is always giving, giving, giving. It's a two way street and each party should have the desire to give and receive. You have no idea how hard it is for me to give up control at times, but it may not be much but it's thoughtful and impactful too. I'm learning because there are some things that he puts up with and does for me that he may not necessarily like. 


BEING COMFORTABLE // Chaz and I are so comfortable with each other until it's not even funny. There are certain things he does that will have me in tears and some in disgust (the same goes for me). He also knows my deepest darkest fears and my dreams and aspirations. If you aren't comfortable with your partner then you really don't know them, especially if you want to spend the rest of your life with them. 

 It takes LOVE. TRUST. RESPECT UNDERSTANDING, FRIENDSHIP AND FAITH in your relationship to make it last. 

Hope these tips and thoughts help! 

What's in my.... Makeup Bag

I always get compliments on my makeup. So this a post about what products I use. I'm not a professional, I've just watched a ton, a TON of Youtube videos. My favorite in NitraaB (hey girl!)   Majority of my products are Smashbox and they pretty much all can be found at Ulta. I know that some people change makeup's all the time, but for me once I find something that really works good with my skin and I'm able to use it not matter the look I'm going for...I tend to stick with it. I also believe that if you want a flawless look then you have to spend a little money on it. Starting out I didn't wear Smashbox. I went from Covergirl to Mac to playing around and figuring out what works best for me. So let's get into what products I use. I've also linked to the products.

1. Photo Finish Foundation Primer Adjust - If you don't use a primer currently....shame on you! If you have dark spot, red spots or blemishes then this is the product for you. This primer is lightweight and helps your foundation last longer than it would alone. You can use this on normal or dry skin--when seasons change so does my skin and this allows my makeup to look the same throughout the year. 

2.  Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation (Deep Warm Brown 4.2) - It took me a long time to find a foundation that matched my skin. When I was introduced with this hydrating foundation I knew it would be something that I would use for a long time. I bought it especially for my best friends wedding because I knew it would be hot and I would sweat. It really does last for 15 hours. I wore it from 12pm to 1am-- no smudges or drips or any retouching needed. Product goes on smooth and gives you a natural look. 

3. Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer - If you have dark circles, puffiness, or wrinkles this will help reduce them and also give your concealer will be flawless. 

4. Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer (Deep) - Prior to using this I never used a concealer before. Always thought about it but didn't really see the benefits, until I tried Tarte. It lasts throughout the day and with the help of the eye primer, you see little to no creases under the eyes. I have bad dark spots and it covers then really good. You probably can use this product for contouring, I haven't but while talking to consultants, they suggested that you can. 

5. Smashbox Eye Lash Primer - The primer adds volume and length to your lashes so they pop a little more when you apply mascara. You are able to apply it evenly to all the lashes. NOTE: if you have consider the fiber lashes and it doesn't fit in your budget--this will give you almost the same results but doesn't hurt your pockets as much. 

6. Benefits Cosmetics They're Real Mascara- Easy to apply; last longer than most mascara's. The brush gets all the little tiny lashes that most others miss. I would Highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for there lashes to pop! NOTE: I use the lash primer first then apply this and my lashes are just a little longer than just with the mascara. 

7. Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade (Dark Brown) - Pomade last pretty much all day and it also very easy to remove. I use mine everyday and it always gives me a smooth look. 

8. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner (Intense Black)- I accidently bought this liner and fell in love with it. It is very easy to apply both under eye and on the eye. I find apply on the eye the hardest, my eyes never match but everyone seems to love them. It last pretty much all day weather its a thin line or a thick dark one.

9. Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder (Medium Dark) - This powder was introduced to me as a finishing powder because I hated taking photos and always having a white powdery on my face. This is one of my favorite products because you twist the top to shave of a much or little of the powder you will need. I never really do a full turn of the top because I don't use that much of the product. 

#MCM: Tips for Online Career Hunting

This week we are talking about what you should do before and after diving into job searches and applying for the first positions that you see. The process of starting a new career or just looking for a new position can be very time consuming, but in a good way. You want to make sure that you are doing everything in your powers to make sure you are getting in front of the right people and doing everything necessary. 

These are some useful and handy tips that you can follow: 


1. Google Me! 
Google yourself to see what comes up -- and what potential employers will see if they do the same. If you don't like what you find, it's time to do damage control.

2. Decide what Career Path you want to go down

Take the time to research various positions that you feel you fit the qualifications for. If you have experience in Communications take a look at Human Resource, for example. 

3. Visit Staffing Agency Sites

 In addition to browsing the large boards, visit the Web sites of recruiting firms that specialize in your field, which maintain their own job postings. You can work with them to get more detailed information on classes that you may need to take to get a position in that new field that you are working your way in.

4. Social Butterfly

Networking is one of the most effective ways of locating new opportunities, and the Internet makes it easier than ever to expand your web of contacts. Sites like LinkedIn provides "virtual" opportunities to connect with other professionals -- in your area or halfway across the world. You can participate in forums, this will help you bounce idea off of other established professionals and also beginners such as yourself. 

5. Tread carefully. 
There's a time and a place for everything. With that old adage in mind, be careful of when and where you do your online job hunting. Using your company's computer and Internet connection to look for a new position is a bad idea. Employers have the right to monitor the sites you visit and the e-mails you send. So, resist the temptation to hunt for a new job at the office if you want to keep the one you have for the time being.

6. Visit Job Search Sites Daily
Top sites like Monster, Indeed and careerbuilder, you can search for specific job titles or general industries that you are interested or experienced in. You want to make sure that you check them daily so you can apply for any job that you see is posted or see what type of skills you need to make that career adjustment. 

7. Follow up!
It is critical that you follow-up with prospective employers after applying for a position.  Although we think technology has no flaws, there are a few, there may of been a few resumes that have got lost in the shuffle. If you haven't heard anything in a week then just call and/or email the company, ask to speak with someone in HR in charge of hiring. Once you get them you want to introduce yourself to them. At this time you can also verify that your resume has been received and is included in consideration for the position. 

Hello November

Welcome to November!! November and December are two of my favorite months! I've always been close with my family and look forward to see a lot of them and just enjoying the reason for the season. Also Chaz and I celebrate our 4 year anniversary! Still can't believe it's been four years since we started dating! This month is rather busy (as the past few months have been). Wow! Can't forget that we had snow here in Columbia...the earliest snow ever here! I was taking full advantage of my "sleeping" late day and when I woke up I had a number of missed calls and texts asking about snow--I looked out the window and there was no snow! But in my hometown (which is like 40 mins away) there was plenty of snow! My nieces and nephews enjoyed the snow and even talking to my 94 years old she enjoyed watching it safely in her house! But on the down side many people had their lights out...still! So welcome November...I'm ready and excited for you!

Jawbone Up: Review

Packaging it comes in (not my actual Jawbone)

Recently I purchased the Jawbone Up band to help kick start this healthier lifestyle that I'm trying to live. By using this fitness tracker it has motivated me to move more, take more walks, eat healthier and go to bed a decent hour. 

The jawbone that I have is the regular one that cost $80.00 at best buy. I connect it  to my iphone and it track my steps, sleep and food intake. It is a rubber cuff that's embedded with motion sensor technology to track sleep, steps active time and idle time. You can manually enter activities such as yoga or cycling since these are non-step activities. It comes in 8 different colors and also has a band that allows you to connect via bluetooth no matter what or where. It has a battery life of 10 days so you don't have to worry about charging it every day. I've been taking mine off while I shower and letting it charge. 

Sleep Patterns 

I have weird sleep patterns and I'm always going to bed at a reasonable hour (or so I think ) but I still feel tired and grumpy when I wake up. Could be the fact that I'm not a morning person. But I wanted to know more about my sleep patterns. The band allows you to track your light vs. deep sleep, the number of times you wake up and how long it took you to fall asleep.You are able to set a goal of how much sleep you want to get each night. Right now my goal is 8 hours. I tend to meet my goal most nights. 

Meals

I've used myfitnesspal.com for the longest to track what I ate. Many times you have to manually put in what you ate or cooked. This is the same way you have to input your meals on jawbone. It gives you the option to take photo of your food and/or scan the barcode, but the feature hasn't worked on my phone/app since I started so I just manually put the foods I've eaten in myself. I try to track everything as much as possible so far so good. My only issue is I always forget to put my food in and sometimes the foods I eat aren't in the database. 

Physical Activity 

I've lacked in the area of doing physical activity besides walking with the band on. But it does show how many steps that you've taken for the day and also the number of calories you've burned. It does really good at tracking the number of steps that I've taken at games and throughout the day at work. Hopefully if my plan to go to the gym this evening works out I'll be able to give a review on the data that is pulls when I work out. 

Overall, I like the jawbone. I've got annoyed a few times when I was sleeping with having it on (I'm a wild sleeper) but other than that I enjoy it and the results so far. I'd rather be tracking something versus tracking nothing. 

Monday Career Motivation #MCM: 5 Questions to Start the Career Search

Starting on Mondays I'm going to be doing a MONDAY CAREER MOTIVATION (#MCM). Working in HR everyone feels that I should have the inside scoop on jobs that are being offered. Wrong! Even if I did it wouldn't be beneficial to you or myself for me just to push you through to get a job. So I'm going to be posting some helpful tips around interviews, resumes, healthcare, etc. also some marketing and management stuff (since I do have a degree and experience in that as well).

So to start this #MCM off we are going to be talking about searching and applying for jobs online. With the job market having it's ups and down, many people are looking for jobs nationwide, by having the convenience of the internet. (oh the joys of technology) Using the internet for job searches can be very tedious and time consuming, but if you are dedicated and willing to spend that extra 20 mins filling that application out, you possible could move on to the next phase.

The first thing we are going to discuss are 5 main questions that you should be asking yourself.


1.  Who are you? 
In terms of training, qualification and your previous job titles. (i.e. Administrative Assistant, Human Resource Generalist, etc.)

2. What do you do? 
This question is a two part question--the second question is what can you do and what do you want to do? -- You are basically looking at the skills required to do the job you want and asking yourself the three questions listed above.

3. What fields interest you?  
Many fields have subfield included in them. You also want to take that into consideration. For example, Human Resource a subfield would be Generalist (Recruiter), Coordinator, Assistant, etc. You want to understand and learn each function and skill set of these subfields.

4. Who do you want to work for? 
For me this is the biggest question that I have to answer. I've dealt with small businesses that gave off the impression that they were multi-million dollar companies and also companies that were the total opposite. You want to make sure the qualities that you bring to the table will be appreciated and also they mesh well with the companies you are looking at. You should also look at the characteristics of the employees that they currently have and if you will fit and work well with them.

5. Where do you want to work? 
As I stated before with technology you can apply for positions world wide. You want to figure out if you are limited to a certain area or a specific state. You should also take into consideration the cost of living in another area if you are planning on relocating.


These are the base line questions that will get you to start thinking about your career and the next steps you will take.

Next, the topic will be Steps to Searching for Positions Online.

I'm BACK..For Real For Real

Birthday Cake

Wow!  I knew it had been a while since I had posted to the blog, but I didn’t think it had been this long.  Soooo let's play catch up in August I celebrated my 28^th birthday!!  I had a small birthday dinner the weekend before with a few good friends and family. I always want to do something big and grand for my birthday(s) but over the years I’ve realized that friends that are reliable are few and far between. I always work myself up because I invite people that I feel are my friends but they never show or give some excuse as to why they can’t come. I’ve realized people make time for whom and what they want to and I’m just not one….and I’m okay with that. Sorry about that tangent I went off on. But we went to dinner had drinks shared some laughs and called it a night.  Chaz and I went to the outlets and did some shopping and went to dinner and ended the night lying in the hotel bed watching football. Great night huh!?! I enjoyed it and spent time with those that really mattered so it was perfect for me.   Plus I realized just how close to the 3-0 I am. It put into perspective that I've still got a few things to do in my 20's that I haven't done yet! Let the countdown begin to 30. 

College Football season is here and U of SC has some disappointed fans. Prior to the season they predicted us to go all the way. I had confidence that our team was going to do something this year. But being a Gamecock fan from the beginning of my life I knew that they would build us up with excitement just to let us down.  We lost our first game of the season to Texas A&M. There was some sore loser in Willy B that night! We beat Georgia and lost to Missouri and Kentucky….you know our fans are really mad now. Chaz reads the message boards and the whole time I’m saying I don’t want to hear it. I know the fans are mad and upset but come on…you hype these guys and coaches up as if they are the President of the United States. This goes to their heads …. No you aren’t the baller that you think you are and if you aren’t making plays or catches that you should be then you shouldn’t get recognized for anything. For any kind of recognition you should be outstanding on and off the field.  

Hair Before Cutting it

About two weeks ago I decided to go ahead and cut my hair. I gave into the creamy crack addiction. My hair was breaking off around the edges, my weave was nappy and I was over spending ridiculous amounts of money on natural hair care products.  When we relaxed it and washed it out. I thought my hair was longer than what it was, so I wasn’t too disappointed or emotional when she started to cut it. We decided that we would add some color to cover up my premature gray hair. So now I’m a red, blond, brunette…but it shows up as red. At first I was like OMG WTF… YIKES, because I thought it was going to be the ghetto red but it doesn’t stand out that much. The reactions at work were good; my boss stared at me majority of the day. He said it would take some getting use to! Then he proceed to tell me his hair journey.   Right now, I’m pretty happy with the change. I just want to make the color more permanent so I can start doing my hair at home more (washes and deep conditions).

NEW CUT

People think I was crazy to go back to creamy crack when I’ve been natural for over a year. Natural isn’t for everyone. When I started my hair was short and uneven so weaves became my best friend all over again so it would grow. It finally started to grow and I did bantu knots and it didn’t come out the way I expected it so It was right back in a weave I went. Plus I was always concerned as to what people at work would think. I work in blue collar (mostly white) male dominated work place, they would have no idea what I was going through if I would have showed up with my natural hair out.  For now I’m dedicating myself to getting my hair back healthy, with relaxers.  I think I’m going to keep this short style for a while—at least until after the New Year.

I promise the next post won’t be in three months. It will be within a few days. I have a few things brewing in this beautiful mind of mine.

Hope all my readers are doing great! 

Christian Louboutin Nail Polish

 Christian Louboutin has stepped into the beauty offer ladies  a collection of nail polish. You will be able to match your nails with your shoes. The "Christian Louboutin" nail polish also comes with a pretty nice pricetag. They are $50.00 per bottle!  You can find the collection on August 6th at Saks, Nordstrom and Sephora.  Will you be making a purchase?

The 3 C's of Life

Sitting down and taking a look at where I've been in life and where I want to go in life lead me straight to something that some people have a hard time accepting...change. Change isn't always bad, as some people claims it to be. I don't want to sit down 2 years from now and have the same thoughts about how my life isn't where I want it to be. When I think of change I think about how less complicated things will be and how I will be truely happy about my life and the things associated with it.  There will be times that I fall short or I fail but that's what life is all about, picking your self up, learning from your mistakes and move on.  The change may not be  noticeable to everyone around you but the fact that you know it, is all that matters.

How to Have a Better Day?

We can blame everyone else for putting us in a bad mood but ultimately it's up to use. These are a few little things that we all can do to make our days a little brighter.

1. Listen to your favorite song, put it on repeat.

2. Smile at a stranger passing by, return a strangers smile.

3. Step outside, breathe in the fresh air.

4. Send an email, text, call a friend you haven't talked to in a while.

5. Go for a drive, turn the music up.

6. Knock an item off your to-do list

7. Take a Nap

8. Share a random, fun special memory with a loved one.

9. Make a new friend, learn a new skill, explore a new place.

10. Go out of your way to something nice for someone

Extra: Smile. Laugh.Enjoy

M I A

Hi,

Sorry that I've been MIA for the past week or so. I recently started a job in my career field and also finishing up with my last class for a few weeks. It's been hectic making sure that everything gets done.  So for the next few weeks I'll be MIA! I promise when I come back it'll be worth your wait.

100 Days of Happy: Day T W O

Today I am happy because my dearest and best friend is happy. On May 31st she married her high school sweetheart in the purest, loving and fun wedding that I've ever been to. It was a joyous occasion to be apart of. Seeing her happy made me happy. I could talk all day about how important, special and a valued friend she is to me and my boyfriend adores her and her husband (weird saying that)!!

Calico Photography 

Aubrey and I met in high school while she was dating Bill. We only had a few classes together. 5 or 6 years later through mutual friends we started hanging out almost every weekend and we were inseparable. We ended up being room mates for a while and then went our separate ways. At that same mutual friends graduation party we reconnected and picked up where we left off.  July of last year I got the "guess what" text from her. I already knew, she was engaged!

It seemed like we'd been talking about the wedding and planning it forever and in one month the days flew by. The big surprise for the Groom was Cocky coming to celebrate with everyone! I think he loved it and was truly surprised and so was everyone else.

 The bridesmaids and I created a book with letters we had written for her (Aubrey that is) and ended it with a letter from my babies (her doggies) and her future husband. It was so mushy that I had to put it together without reading it because all I did was cry when a letter came in. When we gave her the book we first gave her a box of tissue, she was like what is this. Then she opened the book and read the first page and it was water works, and ugly cries from then on. Today I got a text from her saying that she had her husband, Bill, read her the letters while she cried. I've came to the conclusion that her mom and I have been around each other way to much because I'm such a lush now and cry way too much at the sight of wedding pictures and just thinking about it. I'm ready to cry now. 
 
I've always wanted to have great friends that I could grow old with, raise kids together, double date and all that good stuff. I've been blessed with a few friends that I can truly see this happening with. Thinking about the future of my friends make me extremely happy, especially Aubrey and Bill. I wish them nothing but a lifetime of happiness

100 Days of Happy: Day One

So I decided to do the 100 days of happy challenge.  I’m finding myself happier these day no matter what I have going on. I guess it’s because of the good and positive things that I have going on. Make sure you stay tuned for my happy post.  Please note that I am emotional and will start to ramble, so bear with me.

Day ONE.

Today I am happy with myself and the person that I’m becoming. I’ve come a long way from the girl that I use to be and I’m far from where I want to be. I have days where I struggle to smile and project a positive attitude while going throughout the day. When I have days of unhappiness I seem to take it out on the people that I am close to.  Today I looked in the mirror and realized that I am to blessed to keep a frown on my face and be unhappy when things don’t go as aspect or the way that I wanted them to.  I know that everything I’ve been through and going through is for a reason. There’s something on the horizon that God is going to bless me with.  Today I am my own happy. Happy about the way I walk, the way I talk, the grey hair that adorns my head, the size I am, the twinkle in my eye...I am happy with everything that God has blessed me with, weather big or small. I refuse to give up on myself and the blessings that are coming my way. 

Patience is a Virtue

I'll be the first to admit that I do not have patience and I have the hardest time waiting. It's a goal of mine to be more patient.  I'm the type of person that feels they have to be in control of the situation, even though I know that God has a timing for everything. Right now I'm really dealing with it. I'm waiting to hear back from something that I've been praying for a while now. Today I came to the conclusion that God knows what is best, and what is for me will be for me. I have to strive to be patient and wait, wait for his blessing. 

I've turned to reading and posting these scriptures on my desktop and phone that I turn to when I'm feeling anxious, impatient, and uneasy. 

Isaiah 40:31 "Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary."

Psalm 62:8 "Trust in Him at all times, pour your hearts out to Him, for God is our refuge."

Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

Psalm 39:7-8 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. Deliver me from all my transgressions ..."

Psalm 25:5 “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.”

Be Encourage!