How to find a cause you love and get involved

[Photo by hobynye]

You probably see my many posts on Facebook and Twitter about Dress for Success Miami - that's my cause. Volunteering and getting involved with a cause is a great way to help others, meet new people and add some life into your work/life balance.

But where do you start? There are thousands of causes out there, all with good intentions. How do you select the one that's right for you? First, think about the following:

Your heartstrings
What pulls at you? It could be injustice, poverty, animal welfare, homelessness or any number of things. But if you are going to spend time and energy in cause, choose one that you feel personally drawn to.

Your experience
What have you done or been through that can help others? Perhaps your days as a food server in college can be channeled in a soup kitchen. It could even be a match of professional skills – I started volunteering with Dress for Success Miami by offering communications, writing and marketing services pro bono (and I still do).

Your time
Be realistic here – how much time can you commit to helping out? Is it once a week? Once a month? For certain events? It could even be taking on administrative projects you can do on your own time or in your own home. Knowing this beforehand will keep you from getting in too deep too fast and not enjoying the experience.

Now that you've picked a cause, ask around or do a search on Volunteer Match or Idealist to find an organization close to you. Contact them to get an overview of the organization and get to know the people running the place. If your gut doesn't feel good about it, it might not be the right organization for you, but don't get discouraged.

Some easy ways to get involved:

• Volunteer. Most nonprofits, especially local ones, have more demand than capacity. Find out how you can help out as a volunteer, whether it's helping deliver services (like mentoring or tutoring), staffing events (a personal favorite of mine), doing manual labor (think Habitat for Humanity) or helping out in the office (like data entry or answering phones).

• Donate/Fundraise. Time is valuable, yes, but some things do require money. Can you donate some funds? You can even help organize a fundraiser or 

• Pro bono services. If their needs fit your professional expertise, consider offering pro bono services. This is common for areas such as public relations, accounting and legal services. It helps to define a scope and set some expectations.

What does it mean to be on a nonprofit board of directors?
To be honest, I knew very little about nonprofit boards before I joined one. First and foremost, board members serve as ambassadors for a cause – representing the organization, spreading word about their good works and building relationships and good will. Most nonprofit boards also provide financial oversight and accountability for the organization. For philanthropic nonprofits, such as charities, arts organizations and those that thrive on donations, a large part of a board member's duties will include fundraising.

Are you involved in a nonprofit or volunteer cause? How did you pick one and how are you involved?

Project: Discipline

I've never been a fan of the word "discipline."

It evokes the feeling of doing what I should be doing for my own good, but with a lot of reluctance. See: practicing piano, stopping myself before helping three of french fries and putting that buttery leather bag back on the rack.

The key phrase: for my own good.

Discipline – when self-inflicted with a goal in mind – can be good.


So this year's project is discipline. I'm doing what's good for me, whether I like it or not.

Good for my body.
I want to put more good stuff in and be more active this year to get my energy up. Sure, it's always a goal, but now there's a plan and a partner in action. I'm going to drink more water, snack healthier (my weakness) and get reacquainted with the gym.

Good for my mind.
This blog is something I really enjoy, yet it's often the first thing that gets pushed off the post-work to-do list. Same with writing for pleasure. I'm going to write something every day, whether anyone sees it or not.

Good for my heart.
For some reason I have yet to pinpoint, our trip home this Christmas left me more homesick than ever. Spending time with those I care about is important, and I need more of it. I'm going to get over my phone-phobias and make an intentional effort to stay connected with friends and family near and far.


What does that mean here? More posts. More professional and style advice. More presence. (Not necessarily more of these touchy feely personal posts.)


What are you working on in your life right now?

Navigating a new dress code

I touched on some new job jitters, but I'm starting to get settled a few weeks into the gig. Though I'm in roughly the same industry as I was back in California, I have noticed some notable changes in the dress. The differences are due in part to company culture/environment and in part due to the different sartorial sensibilities of Miamians (vs. Sacramentans).

My observations so far:

In
Dresses – A popular choice around the office and a good go-to option. Hemlines are also a little more relaxed here.

Walking-friendly shoes – It's a big campus, and I learned quickly to wear comfortable shoes. Those blisters from week one are still fading.

Color – A Miami thing, perhaps? There was a lot more black and gray in Sacramento.


Out
Suits – A rarity in our office, even for VPs. I wore one for the interview and again last week (for a photoshoot), and totally looked out of place.

Jeans – We have casual Fridays, but folks rarely wear jeans. I need to get some non-jean casual pants (do these black skinnies work?).

I've spent most of this first month erring on the conservative side, and it still remains to be seen if and how my old work style will change. Some of it is just personal preference. My wont for a crisp button-up isn't echoed much in my office, but reflects my personal style, so that's something I'll likely keep. 

How much do you change your work style from one office environment to another? What regional/industry differences have you noticed?

Why I liked being a freelancer

While freelancing wasn't all rainbows and butterflies, but it wasn't all bad, either. There were actually quite a few good things that came out of freelancing.

Finding community and building a network
Prior to moving to Miami, I did not know a single soul here. I had heard about a cousin on K's side of the family, but that was it. So I got to work. I began volunteering at Dress for Success Miami. K and I got to know the long-lost cousins and got plugged into a local church. Now, a year later, I can say that I have some very dear friends here in Miami—people I can text for a quick dinner or shopping trip. Friends (yay). I also got to make connections that weren't only personally fulfilling, but also professionally beneficial. Not only was I finding people who could toss some opportunities my way, but I was also building up my ability to be a resource for others.

Trying new things
There were a lot of firsts during my year as a freelancer, though not all work related. Sure, there was my first BNI meeting (which was great, but I already knew I wasn't staying freelance and it is pricy). My first business proposal. My first homemade gnocchi. My first diaper change. My first speed-friending session and first speed-friending friend. My first nonprofit board experience. My first book proposal (still in progress). And my second in-person glance at a Kardashian.

Refocusing my career
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, freelancing gave me a much better picture of what I want to be doing in life. I learned (a bit late in the game) that I hate grantwriting. It makes me tear my hair out. And just because I'm good at it and it pays well doesn't mean it's what I should be doing. My freelancing experience also reminded me of how much I loved working for a nonprofit that aims to serve others and bring about greater good. While much of my freelance work was still with nonprofits, it also required a lot of time spent concentrating on myself and my business, which to me was a distraction.

Free time
Let's face it. The best part about freelancing was the free time I had when I (1) wasn't drumming up business, which I hated doing, and (2) wasn't working, which I didn't do much of because I wasn't doing (1). This was free time to make our place a little more homey, try out some new projects, hang out with new friends and really just hang out. I was a stay-at-home mom with no kids (and a husband who does his own laundry and ironing—score). After several whirlwind years of full-time work, freelancing on the side, blogging, serving in church, being a wife, flying to see family and friends frequently and other commitments, I was beat. So tired. The past year was pretty refreshing, but I'm ready to get back in the game.

Denim, art and other questions about starting a new job

A new job is a welcome escape from the uncertainties of the job market, but securing a job opens up another realm of uncertainties, big and small. A sampling from my mind this past week:

• Which piece of art do you bring to decorate your space? 

• Are jeans allowed on Casual Friday? Is there Casual Friday?

• How long do you wait to update your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles?

• Bring lunch or buy lunch? What's the overarching office culture?

• Where is the closest Starbucks?

• Will folks enjoy or bemoan my sense of humor?  

• Headphones or ambient music? Earbuds or over-ear?

And most importantly...

• When is it safe to bring out the brass knuckle mug?

[photo credit: former coworker B]

What questions burn when you start a new job? And really...what about the mug?

Why I went back to the office

As you may have seen on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, I started a full-time job last week. I haven't really given an update on my freelance adventure since April, but soon after that update—well, to be honest, even before that post—it was evident that I wasn't happy being a freelancer. I was happy with the flexible schedule and with the ability to choose my own projects, but I didn't feel like I was furthering my career goals. I'd always been drawn to the office environment, imagining myself in a bustling workplace, getting stuff done. In sixth grade, I dressed up as a businesswoman for Halloween (mom's suit, dad's briefcase).

Even after I'd made my decision, I wanted to see the one-year of freelancing through. The plan was to begin looking for a job when the year was up in August, but I saw a very enticing job posting in May, and I knew I'd regret it forever if I didn't apply. So I went for it. I didn't get the job I applied for, but we started a really interesting conversation that led to a new position, which I started last week.

There were a lot of factors that influenced my decision to go back to 9-to-5 work, but here are a few of the big ones.

Coworkers with common goals
Sure, I've bemoaned all types of annoying coworkers before, but I missed my downers and oddballs. Especially in my communications work, my piece of the project was usually just that—a piece. It was passed to me with clear directions (though sometimes open-ended), and it was handed back when complete, never to be seen by me again. I was part of the work, but not part of the team. And for me, that made it a little less fun. I yearned for true collaboration, for differing opinions, for seeing things through from conception through the end.

After-work hours
One of my favorite things about graduating from school and hitting the working world was getting off of work and having the rest of the evening to myself. No homework. No required reading. Being a freelancer put a damper on my me-time, or at least having regular hours. Though I'm on the East Coast, my "work hours" were still more aligned to West Coast time just because that's where my clients were. This did give me some before-work time to myself, but also meant I was sometimes doing phone meetings after dinner.

Stability and once-a-year taxes
Though I've cried and moaned every April as I've tackled taxes, I never knew how easy I had it as a regular employee. If your tax prep involves waiting for your W-2s and other statements to come each January, consider yourself lucky. A regular paycheck doesn't hurt, either, especially as we save for a house and I continue driving my 11-year-old car into the ground (I'd like to be able to pay cash when it comes time to replace it, and that kind of savings takes pre-planning).

I have plenty more to share about my decision and all the other considerations that led up to it, but I'll spare you today and spread it out over the next few weeks. As with before, I won't be discussing the details of my day job here. On the plus side, you'll be getting more outfit updates on the Facebook page (if you're into that kind of thing).

One year ago today...

One year ago today, this is what I set my foot into for the first time: our apartment in Miami. We had just come off a 17-day road trip across the country and were finally setting eyes on the place we leased sight unseen, after hunting down banks and FedEx offices in Reno, Nevada. It would be 29 days before any of our furniture arrived, and in that first month without most of our belongings we celebrated our four-year anniversary, K started his new job, and I settled into my one-year freelance experiment.

In our first year we finally bought some real furniture (couches and a dresser to replace hand-me-down futons and rolling plastic drawers), found a group of insta-friends (magnetic happy feelings and all), and scouted out all the best cheap places to park on Miami Beach. Though K has yet to adjust to Miami summers, I am happy as a clam in this climate; in fact, I'm convinced I was made to live in Miami, and am happy to be rid of winter.

Miami feels comfortable. California is comfortable, too, but Miami is no longer a wild card. For the first time in my adult life, a move has not come with an expiration date (graduation). For all I know, this is where we'll grow old and raise children, and though that realization is totally foreign to me, it's not an unpleasant thought.

So here's to Miami, and any place you've adopted as your home. I'm ready to shed my newbie status and embrace being a local.

What I've been up to...

writing

coding

researching

meeting

cleaning
mourning

planning

packing 

Facebooking

be back later

Four questions to ask when you're lacking direction

 [flickr: pursuethepassion]

Like I mentioned last month in my freelance update, I've been thinking a lot about direction. Specifically, I've been focusing on a few questions (and some list-making) to help me along, and boy, has it helped! Here's what I've been mulling over.

What are you passionate about?
What gets your goat? This isn't quite the same as "what do you love?" (for example, one can be passionate about addressing poverty, but it'd be weird to call it "love"), but also any issues or industries that really get you fired up, angry or excited. It can be as exciting as rocket science or as seemingly mundane as accounting. I also wouldn't choose just one thing...write down a few.

What are you good at?
Let's be realistic: I'm not good at everything and neither are you. Heck, I'm not even good at the things I love sometimes (my dust-covered guitar can tell you that much). Write your strengths down. Now look at your passion list: how do your strengths fit into your passion industries? If you don't know enough about your passions, find out more. A lot of times it's just finding the right company or organization to rekindle your passion and set you in the right direction. Make a list of career options that combine your passion and skill.

Where do you want to be?
This could be a specific location, a specific job position, or a specific industry. It may help to break it down into bite-size time goals, for example, I want to be in x position within 5 years and at x point in my career 15 years from now. This could also include lifestyle choices, such as if you want the flexibility to stay at home part time with children or the freedom and budget to travel to your heart's desire. Compare this to your list of career options...which careers on this list will help you get there?

How do you get there?
Though you may realize where you currently are is not helping you get where you want to be, don't jump just yet. Where do you need to be to get there, and how do you get to that starting point? It could mean picking up a few new skills on your personal time, or just starting to look for that perfect job. Make a plan and a timeline for getting on track.

The issue I often deal with is narrowing down my passions. I'm easily excitable and enthusiastic. The question that helps me most is "Where do you want to be?" My list may be slightly long, but over the past few weeks I've prioritized it so that I can work toward the goal and still have some fallback options.

How did you find your career direction? Any other questions that should be considered?

Loves | Links

Loves

Brilliance New York lipstick in Blaze. I splurged on this baby back in February, and I am so in love. It is bright and fun when first applied, and then fades to a pretty stain. Perfect for summer.

MWF Seeking BFF.  New city, 52 friend-dates. If I'd seen her blog while she was doing this project and if she lived in my city, I would totally have sent Rachel a fan email. As it stands, I did so anyway after reading the book (hey, she's coming to Miami next week...I have a shot, right?).

Cap-toed shoes. I'm considering DIYing one of my older pairs if I can't find a pair I like in my budget. Any ideas on how to paint leather or faux leather?

Links

Wardrobe Oxygen's "What Not To Wear Your First Week of Work" is useful well beyond the first week, in my opinion.

Glass Heel's Molly Cain shares the 8 things you're doing wrong on LinkedIn over on Forbes.

Is the power suit for women dead? The Grindstone chronicles its decline. I love designer Rachel Roy's take on it best: "Power shouldn't come from the clothes, but from the person."

Summer heat can make business casual unbearable. The Daily Muse shares some great dos and don'ts for summer dressing in the office.

I'm loving this multifunctional armchair on Apartment Therapy for casual computer work, but I'm a desk girl myself. On a similar note, Flavorwire rounds up some amazing unconventional workspaces (my fave is the cardboard pop-up for looks, not utility).

Written communication in business is crucial (seriously...count the number of emails you write compared to phone calls you make these days). Forbes offers 10 great tips for better business writing.

A note from Hillary to Jason.

Me and the bean

The Bean (what kind of bean did you think I was talking about?)

How is it already Friday? (Yes, I still ask that every Friday.) Finally letting my confession out this Monday really spurred me on. Knocked out a few projects, sent out a pitch, purchased and downloaded My So-Called Freelance Life (thanks to Catherine) and committed to trying out a business networking group next week.

The other fire under my buns was my annual Chicago vacation (which in freelance terms means a bring-your-work-with-you and stay-glued-to-your-email kind of trip...I'm not baller enough to be able to put my two projects on hold yet). There's something about this city that drew me in when I first visited as an 18 year old, and I'm so lucky that I get to come out once a year during K's work conference. Spouses on work trips can be awkward, but I gladly leave him and his colleagues alone all day to find my own adventures. The icing on the cake is the weekend, when the conference begins petering out and K and I get to visit with my cousins and their families nearby.

I've been to the Cloud Gate sculpture (lovingly known as The Bean) before, but I hadn't spent much time there until now. I woke up bright and early on my first morning in town, sauntered over to Intelligentsia for some joe, and then grabbed a seat in Millenium Park, which was still empty aside from security and one other morning person. I sat there for 30 minutes while I nursed my coffee, taking in the bean, the buildings and the birds. By the time my cup was empty, the place was abuzz with the day's visitors, so I grabbed my fancy camera and joined in on the fun.

The best part? Helping a couple take their photo with the bean and inadvertently photobombing it with my reflection in the metal. You're welcome, folks!

I was so happy, I even attempted an outfit shot for y'all (attempted being the operative word).

H&M jacket, Merona top from Target, Gap skinny pants, Target flats

Freelance Files | The halfway point (an honest look)

Depending on when you start counting, I've been at this freelancing thing for about eight months. Goodness, that seems like a long time.

How's it working out for me?

In some ways, it's been good. In others, not so much.

By the time this post goes up, it will have been over a week since I first typed out most of it. Since then I've been editing, sleeping on it, editing some more, sleeping on the new versions and debating both internally and externally about how much to put out there. When your professional life is on the Internet, it's important to filter what you say. I still believe that, but I also believe in being human and allowing myself a measured level of vulnerability.

A lot of bloggers have gone freelance lately in a variety of fields. Looking in from the outside, things look so hunky dory, and, to be honest, though I keep a smile on my face and look on the bright side, freelancing has been a less than rosy road. Lest anyone think freelancing is super-easy or that bloggers are super-humans, I'm throwing (some, not all) caution to the wind and letting you in on my true freelance experience so far.

So here goes. Let's start on a positive note.

The good:

• My flexible schedule has allowed me to take on some volunteer and pure pet projects, such as Dress for Success Miami (where I'm also on the board), more online writing and helping friends with their nonprofits. Though I don't get paid, this has exposed my work to new networks here in Miami, though I have yet to really foster those into business opportunities.
• Added one new client to my paid work (which also includes two ongoing contracts and a freelance editing client).
• My apartment is cleaner than ever.

The not-so-good:

• Fear. I am an introvert. I have major anxiety when it comes to new situations and putting myself out there. It used to be a paralyzing hide-in-a-hole-for-days/weeks/months and avoid-all-human-interaction kind of fear, but now it's a slightly watered down version of that. The computer is a great facade to hide behind. What has been most helpful in the past is having a few folks I trust as sounding boards, and I'm still building that group here in Miami.  
• Lack of direction. What brings in most of my small freelance income (grants) is not what I was educated in or wanted as a career goal (magazine journalism) or what my resume shows as my strength (nonprofit communications). I truly enjoy all three of these fields, but I wonder whether I need to narrow my focus. And then there are the things I would love to do someday, like write a book or make things with my hands for a living. How should my profession and my passion relate to one another now and how will they in the future?  

Side note: One or two people asked about freelance and finances in the reader survey, and my answer doesn't add up to a full post, so I thought I'd address it here. One of the reasons I went freelance was because my husband got a full-time job; previously he was a graduate student/TA while I worked full time. Because we basically just switched roles, our household finances have not changed—we make about the same overall, spend about the same and save about the same. No real adjustments there.

When I originally decided to freelance, I gave myself a timeline: one year and then it was decision time. Either commit to this freelance thing or get off my butt and go back to full-time work. My random indicator of "success" was going to be whether I could make 50% of my previous full-time income through freelance work (so far I'm at 21%) . I have no idea whether this is realistic or not (any freelancers remember how year one went?), so I may choose another indicator when the time comes. Since I started in August, I'm giving myself until this August (mid or late). Five months to go.

I may not be where I wanted to be at this point in freelancing. But I do know my biggest challenge: me. No one and nothing else is responsible for my lack of progress. I'm the only one that I can make any changes here. It's slightly depressing, but at the same time, completely empowering.

The first step to overcoming a problem is admitting you have one, so this is my confession. And since I have yet to solidify a professional sounding board here in Miami, I hope you don't mind acting as one in the meantime.

Time to get to work.

Must-watch: Miss Representation

After months and months of searching spurred on by my friend's post on this in October, I finally got myself to a local screening of Miss Representation yesterday. The film explores the role of women in society, power and media and also discusses the history of female portrayals in the media.

The film had a personal start—Jennifer Siebel Newsom was pregnant with her first child, a girl, and was concerned over the society her child would be raised in. Yes, a lot has changed over the years, but at the same time, it's amazing how little it has changed.

• There is less diversity (in types of roles and occupations, etc.) in female leads in today's films than female film protagonists in the 50s. Even "strong" female action heros conform to the male definition of sexiness (you can't fight crime without a corset).

• The U.S. is 90th in the world in terms of women in national legislatures. Rwanda, Iraq and China all have more women in their legislatures than the U.S.

• The number of cosmetic surgical procedures performed on youth 18 or younger more than tripled from 1997 and 2007.

• Women in the public eye are more likely to be judged for their appearance and beauty than men. Media often jumps straight to how a female looks rather than their qualifications.

• Women are also often pitted against each other even when competition isn't there, creating the perception that we are working against each other, when in reality women are often each others' biggest supporters.

The film also talked to teen girls about their experiences and their perceptions of being a woman today. It was both heartbreaking and encouraging. These girls want to be taken seriously and recognize that women are unfairly treated. And yet, they are hard on themselves and on their own bodies even though they are beautiful and smart. One girl, who couldn't have been older than 15 or 16 years old, shared about her younger sister, who was depressed and cutting herself because she was not happy with her own body.

So what can we do? I came away from the screening with a few ideas to apply to my own life.

• Stop judging other women based on their looks. I am extremely guilty of falling into the trap of criticizing other womens looks in private, especially when they are on my television or in my magazine. Even though the things I say to myself or to my friends and spouse will likely never reach the ears of the individual, the attitude of judgement is toxic and is probably the thing I like least about myself (the quick rush to judgement). I also want to stop jumping to judgement of women who do opt for cosmetic procedures or do things to make themselves look or feel better (in their opinions).

• Support and encourage other women in their endeavors. I love watching other women succeed, and in fact these women are my role models, but I could be better about encouraging those in my own life and helping publicize those I see online. The disparity between the 51% of Americans who are women and the 17% of Congress that is female is huge, and though I don't have political aspirations myself, I hope that those of you who do are not afraid to throw your hat into the ring. I don't believe in voting for women because of their gender (I'm more of an issues person), but more women on the ballot means more choices and more chances for fair representation.

• Be an example by showing my satisfaction with the body and beauty I've been given. It is extremely heartwrenching for me to hear girls and women (including my friends) talk about their dissatisfaction with their physical traits, especially when I know they are beautiful. This dissatisfaction is so pervasive and accepted that I think a lot of women who are happy with their looks are ashamed to let others know they are happy with the way they look. It makes me even more aware of what I put on this blog, too, and while I have never espoused a certain body or beauty type, I'm reassessing any subliminal messages I might be sending and how to intentionally send a solidly positive message.

As you can tell, this film touched me tremendously. I highly recommend that you watch it, too.

Check out the trailer:


 Find a screening in your area here, or find out how to host one.

Have you seen Miss Representation? How do you feel about the role of women in the United States today? What else can we do to make the world better for girls and the future?

Hit me with your best shot [reader survey]

A lot has changed in my life recently and a lot has changed on this blog (or maybe not enough). As I move forward and test out where this blog is going, I want to make sure I'm keeping it relevant to your life and interests as well. You can also email me with suggestions or feedback (please keep it constructive).

It should take less than five minutes to answer the five easy questions below. Thanks, friends!

Things I know I know

Warning: brain dump ahead

You may have noticed a little blip on the blog this week. A sign of life, if you will.

That was me, and I'm dipping my toe back in here.

Before you run off and unsubscribe at once (how dare I intrude on your life without me), I just want to say this: it's going to be different.

What? How? Why? Over the past few weeks I've come to a few conclusions.

I am The New Professional.
It's a part of me. A part that I really want to share with you. I tried so hard to squeeze it into a new little spot, but let's face it: The New Professional is here, on this blog, or it's not alive at all. I'm not going to fight that anymore. And at this point in my life, my mind is dominated with professional transitions and exploration, so these topics are more relevant than ever to me.

I needed a break.
After over a year and a half of basically the same blog format and features, I needed to break free of what the New Professional had become. So I stepped away, cleared my head, and branched out. Running away may have been the easy way out, but I'll say it again: it was necessary, good and productive. It gave me a chance to assess things without any pressure or timeline and to refocus my life. I trained for and ran a half marathon and got reacquainted with reading and writing for pleasure. Good stuff.

It's not about what I wear.
This blog began with outfit posts, but right now, dressing up doesn't really factor into the equation. Two months from now? Who knows. I still love clothes and dressing up, and that will still be part of this blog. I still believe there's a lot of progress that needs to be made in encouraging and enabling women to dress appropriately for the workplace. I'm just not sure I'm the best model. Plus, I ended up with hundreds of outfit photos, but not a single usable shot for the Christmas card.

I've changed.
Early 2010, when this blog started taking shape, seems like ages ago, and I've taken quite a few turns in life since then. I'm not much of a shopper anymore; the whole idea of going out and buying things has lost its appeal. I'm on even more of a budget than I was before. I've taken more of an interest in my health and have been exploring my new city and where I fit in here. Change is good. I'm embracing it.

I have the right to change my mind. 
This is how I'm feeling now, but I am a woman of many moods and many ideas. Who knows what the future will hold? I'm still interested in the style and fashion side of things, especially on a budget, so they'll probably make their way in. Will I add new features? Probably. My plan is to throw a bunch of stuff on the wall and see what sticks.

So I'm taking a fresh look at the blog and starting from square one. What will this blog become next? I'm not quite sure yet, but I hope you stick around for the ride.

I'm back.*

*Not every day, not with outfit pics, but definitely with the professional stuff, style topics and a bit of life thrown in.

Internships: Experience now, pay later

[Elton One]

There’s been a lot of hullabaloo lately about a former Harper’s Bazaar intern’s lawsuit against the company. A brief synopsis: this college grad was not receiving pay or academic credit and was expected to work 40-55 hours per week. It’s an all around messy situation.

Luckily, not all internships are that demanding or scandalous. Some even pay. In my 5.5 years of college and grad school, I logged in four paying internships (including one at Hearst competitor Time Inc.) and one unpaid. My duties ranged from creating PowerPoint presentations and processing freelancer invoices to performing full traffic impact analyses and stepping in as an interim managing editor for a quarterly magazine. The experiences were invaluable, and really bulked up my marketable skills.

What to look for in an internship:

• Academic credit or pay. If you choose to forgo either, just keep in mind you are a volunteer with a fancy title (which isn’t to say it won’t be a good experience, but you’ll have much less leverage). There are some opportunities to get both, though they’re a bit harder to find.

• Industry exposure. How involved is the company or organization within its industry? Will you have a chance to work with corporate partners or subcontractors, or attend events?

• Hands-on experience. Find out what your tasks will be. If it’s all coffee-toting and phone-answering, you might have a nice line on your resume but few skills to show for it.

• Mentorship. Who you will be reporting to is just as important as what you will be doing. Your direct supervisor directly impacts your experience, beyond just what tasks they give you. Always been observant…you’ll learn more than you can imagine just by watching.

•  Potential job opportunities (bonus). Is the company in a position to potentially offer you a part- or full-time offer after graduation or at least connect you to companies that do? This isn’t a make or break type of requirement, but you should keep it in mind. Two of my internships led to job offers.

What if academic credit isn’t an option?
Say you’re a recent college grad stuck in this economy that needs experience (like the HB intern in question). You don’t qualify to receive academic credit, but are having a tough time finding paid internships in your field. Try looking at related industries that may offer paid internships to keep you close to your desired field. Freelancing and volunteering are also great options to expand your network and get your name out there.

It’s up to you whether you want to try out many different internships or stick to a few longer-term ones. Just don’t let internship horror stories discourage you.

Originally posted here. I'm doing a little experimentation with what goes on the new blog and what might be more appropriate heading back to this little blog. Thoughts?

Elsewhere in the blogosphere...

Just popping in for a quick update. Even though I stopped blogging here, I still had a huge backlog of professional topics to address (and more ideas every day), so I brought it along with me.

The New Professional is now a weekly installment on my personal blog, Memoranda. Check it out here.

I'll be reposting some oldie but goodie posts from this blog, but it's mostly new content. Today begins a mini-series on internships: picking the right one, making the most out of the one you get, and (for those of us that have made it to the other side) managing an intern to maximize the benefits for both you and them. So head on over and let's continue the discussion!

[psst, if you haven't stopped by already, there are some new(ish) outfit posts on Facebook, too. Don't say I didn't warn you.]

And since no post is complete without a photo, here is a shot of South Beach. My family came into town for the weekend and had never been before, so I obliged.

It's been fun, folks...

...but it's time to say goodbye to our regular rendezvous here. It's not you, it's me.

I'll still be all over the Internets chirping away and updating The New Professional Facebook page, and you know how to reach me if you need me. You may even see semi-regular outfit pics on Twitter and Facebook (no promises). I'll also be posting every so often on my personal website, though in a much less focused and disciplined form than I've been doing here. I've truly enjoyed getting to know you, and am definitely still available to answer any of your questions and to dispense free advice on anything (though I must warn, my expertise is rather limited). I certainly haven't run out of words.

I'm still in shock that anyone reads this blog. Some of you may even have been around since the beginning. I love each and every one of you crazies. Thanks for making this the most popular hobby I've ever had.

I rock the iPad

Left these at home for my trip, but brought them with me on the iPad.

For the first time in a long time, I went on vacation without my computer. Although I did have access to my parents study room, I went on it only once, to print my boarding passes for our return flight. I did, oh, about 5 minutes of actual work, too (reviewing my latest post over at the Daily Muse). Aside from those two tasks, I stuck to my phone and iPad, which more than did the trick.

I'll be the first to say I was skeptical about the iPad. And then I received one as a gift (thanks, M&B!), and now I'm addicted. I've had it for about five months now, and it's been a great tool. My favorite uses for the iPad?

• Reading. I wasn't looking for an e-reader of any sort, but I have to say, I read more now than I have in years thanks to the iPad. Not just ebooks (I use the Kindle app and iBooks, depending on price and where I have a gift card), but also magazines and blogs. Nearly all of my print subscriptions have digital counterparts that are free with my existing subscription. It really comes in handy when I don't want to lug a pile of magazines with me on a plane or to the treadmill. As for blogs, I use MobileRSS free, which syncs with Google Reader and easily opens posts in the browser when I want to comment.

• Blogging. I never thought I'd need it, but I bought a blogging app and love it (I use Blogsy). If I already have photos uploaded into my Picasa or if I'm using a creative commons photo from Flickr, it's super easy to get my text ready and publish from the iPad. More often, I type a post and then save to draft to polish and add photos on my computer. 

• Communication. Though I already have a smartphone, I prefer to use my iPad to respond to messages when I have it handy. I've also started using Skype and FaceTime since I've had my iPad. It's easier to hold than my laptop so I can walk around with it (I gave my friend a video tour of my apartment on our first Skype chat), and it's nice to be able to video chat with my iPhone-toting friends (I'm a Droid owner myself).

• Entertainment. I keep up with HGTV and Bravo shows through their apps, and have been known to like a few games as well. And then, of course, there are those Saturday mornings spent rifling through YouTube videos in bed.

Just to clarify, I am not an Apple fan girl. I've never even bought an Apple product (my MacBook is a hand-me-down). But I see iPads everywhere, and have found mine to be really useful. I hope this post will be useful for fellow iPad owners who want to get more out of their tool. There are many other tablet options out there that probably have similar features if you're on the market for one.

No iPad post would be complete without a link to this gem (possibly NSFW), which came out years before the actual iPad. Enjoy!

Tablet users—what are your favorite apps and uses?

Thankful

I have quite a few thank-you cards in my card box, but this one is my fave. Down to my last one.

It's been quite the year, hasn't it? I have a lot to be thankful for.

• A safe and relatively uneventful cross-country move and a really good job for K
• New friends and our new church in Miami
• Family all over the country (and world), and a healthy new baby nephew
• Dear friends in Sacramento and Davis, who made me feel at home for the past four years
• My former job and the opportunities it continues to give me
• A roof over our heads and food in our fridge
• A modern dishwasher
• Good health for myself and my family
• The ocean view from our window
• Palm trees
• Airplanes
• Internet, phone, Skype, FaceTime
• Southern California, which feels more and more like home the further I move away
• A ton of other stuff that I won't bore you with

Happy Thanksgiving! Be back Tuesday.