 Having your first job out of college can feel freeing. Money in your bank account? Check. Food in your fridge? Check. New work friends? Check.
But your first job also sets the tone for your entire career, so it’s important to make a lasting impression. Here are The Brand Girls’ first job etiquette rules that all college grads should follow. Go easy at happy hour: Having work friends to grab dinner with can be a fun break from the office, but go easy at happy hour. While every industry and company is different, Business Insider recommends staying in ‘professional mode’ even when you’re not in the office. The Brand Girls team agrees - that means sticking to the tried and true two-drink maximum rule for any happy hours or work events. P.S. Always be responsible and share an Uber home! Put your phone away: In college, we’re used to being able to talk to our friends whenever we want. While sending a silly Snapchat in class may have been funny, it can be seen as unprofessional at work. Our BG pro tip: Flip your phone down on the table during meetings so you won’t be tempted to check what your cousin just tagged you in on Facebook! Eye contact and handshakes aren’t old school: Our friends at Forbes share that body language reveals the ‘true meaning’ behind what you say. Actions like nodding, making consistent eye contact, giving handshakes and thanking people for their time go a LONG way for making (and keeping) relationships in the business world. Keep The Brand Girls’ first job etiquette rules in mind and you’ll be destined for the boardroom in no time - you go girl!
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 As millennial women, we are known for wanting it all - our dream jobs (and salaries, hello!), strong relationships, travel, you name it.
Despite our big plans, we’re still notorious for putting the needs of others first and taking care of ourselves last. And It can be easy for us to get so caught up in helping others that we lose sight of our own goals and passions. The Brand Girls is here to help you finally make your dreams a reality with three reasons college women need to starting putting themselves first. Your future is just that - your own: No matter who else is along for the ride, your future truly belongs to YOU. Putting yourself first empowers you to take the reigns in your own life! Now is the time to decide what you want and then make. It. happen. At The Brand Girls, our Founder and CEO, Rachael Bozsik, strives to make all millennial women realize “you are a chooser of opportunities.” Prioritizing builds strength: The Herald Sun shares, “You slowly leak confidence as you start to question your abilities.” And The Brand Girls couldn’t agree more. By prioritizing yourself and your own needs FIRST - you’re breaking the mold and setting your own tone as a bold, fearless, young professional who can do it all. No room for doubt here, ladies! You can’t fill from an empty cup: Focusing on yourself and your own goals first will only give you more energy + inspiration to help others later. “...by tending to our own needs and practicing good self-care, we alter the very quality of how we relate to others,” Psychology Today shares. “Our families, friends, and coworkers get to experience us as the best and fullest versions of ourselves—happy and present.” Remember, working on yourself and your own dreams is healthy. Focusing on your goals first will only strengthen your relationships and leave a better version of you to others! the brand girls: So you graduated... now what? Tips and Tricks for Navigating post-grad life6/17/2018  Each graduating class of fierce millennial women who goes through The Brand Girls program impresses us more and more.
Graduating from college is one of the most important milestones in your life. One that’s exciting, scary, and bittersweet all at once! Our CEO Rachael Bozsik always says she created The Brand Girls because she wishes she had The Brand Girls. So we decided to give you the BG secrets to navigating post-grad life we wish we had sooner! There’s no such thing as a ‘traditional’ path: “I wish someone told me that you can create your own roles at companies… you don’t always need to look for applications,” says The Brand Girls Founder and CEO Rachael Bozsik. “You can pitch a company you love.” Be prepared for your plans to change: It’s great to have an idea of what you want to do and how you’re going to get there, but don’t grow too attached to your plans! “Throw your plans and expectations out the window, develop your personal brand and elevator pitch, never miss an opportunity to network, and know that it’ll all be just fine,” says Harris Walker. Nobody ever has it all together: It’s easy to look around and think everyone else’s life is perfect, but remember that the grass is always greener on the other side. Let go of the comparisons - trust us on this one! Challenging yourself is the only way to know what you’re capable of: Don’t be afraid of taking a risk by accepting a job with responsibilities you have never done before. This is the time in your career to go out of your comfort zone and learn. You will figure things out as you go: This might be our most important piece of advice. You’re not supposed to graduate knowing how to do everything. You’re going to make mistakes along the way and there are days that it’s going to be tough. But remember that every mistake you make is also an opportunity for growth.  Once you get your first full-time gig post-grad, it’s so tempting to blow through your paychecks now that you’ve got some money in your bank account - finally!
But, The Brand Girls knows how crucial it is to start your first job with good savings habits. Never been great at managing your money? Don’t worry, our 6 tips make it easy for millennial women to make smart money moves! Set realistic goals: The Brand Girls is all about setting goals in every aspect of your life. Grab your notebook and think about what’s realistic. How soon do you want to pay off your student loans? How much do you want to have in your savings? Don’t forget to schedule check ins to monitor your progress! Write down the goals or events that you’re saving towards: Apps like Qapital make this super easy by allowing you to set aside a little bit each month toward specific goals. The reminder of what you’re saving for pump up your motivation. You’ll be ready to splurge during your trip to Cabo in no time! Don’t forget to pay yourself, too! Forbes recommends putting money aside in your savings before any other expenses to help you build up your emergency savings fund (3-6 months pay). Studies show this method can help boost your savings much more quickly. Set a budget - and stick to it: This is a tried and true method for increasing the cash in your pocket. Now, you can do all of your budgeting right from your phone. Check out Daily Worth’s 5 Best Money Apps for Millennials here. Plan for your future: If your employer offers a 401(k) or pension plan, take advantage of it - especially if they have a matching company contribution. Investors.com shares that the sooner you start contributing, the more money you’ll save over time! Remember, no matter how much money you’re making in your first job out of college, it’s important to set your strong saving habits now - trust us, you don’t want to regret this later!  Making mistakes is a part of life, and will also be part of your career. But The Brand Girls wants to let you in on a little secret…
It’s not about the mistake you make, but how you handle it that really counts. Whether you’re at your dream job or first internship, here are our 4 easy tips to fixing your first big screw up at work! Fess up: Once you realize that you made a mistake, the most important thing to do is to be upfront about what happened. Don’t try to cover it up or hide it from your team - this will only make the situation worse when the mistake comes to light later! Take responsibility: This one will earn you major points with your team. Your boss will appreciate that not only did you keep them in the loop on the mistake, but you were accountable for it too. Pro tip: Don’t play the blame game! If you played a role in the mistake, take ownership of it. Come with your game plan: When you alert your boss or your team with a problem, you always want to have a solution ready. If you accidentally posted a tweet meant for your personal account to the company Twitter (with 1K followers - yikes!), what would your game plan be when you approach your boss? Tell us in the comments! Correct & plan for the future: There’s a big difference between the first time you make a mistake and the 7th time you make a mistake… Once you’ve corrected the situation, make sure you take the proper steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again! The most important thing The Brand Girls wants all fierce millennial women to know is that it’s okay to make mistakes! As your career coach, we want you to know that a big part of growing in your career is going to be taking risks - and they’re not always going to be successful. But with these tips, you’ll handle each one with style and class - and earn a lot of respect from your team for keeping your cool!  When it comes to work, while many of the things Millennial women want may differ, we do all have one thing in common: we want to be appreciated.
But it can be tough to get the kudos you deserve at your first job or first internship especially because, let’s face it, you haven’t been there very long. Here are 4 ways to make yourself a more valuable employee: Find your 'go-to': Being known as the ‘go-to’ employee for something (or multiple things!) is a great way to show your value. At The Brand Girls, we love encouraging you to learn new skills as you go - it will only increase your worth! Make professional development a priority now, you won’t regret it. Be proactive: One of the easiest ways to boost your value? Think ahead and plan, plan, plan. Always being one step ahead shows your team that you’re a forward-thinker, which is a major asset. According to Glassdoor, Employees who consistently go above and beyond without being asked are on the fast track for a promotion... ka-ching! Always offer to help: Think about it - do you have a coworker who always lends a hand, no matter the task? People tend to think of these employees as more reliable As Harvard Business Review shares, “your goal is twofold–to get what you ask for and to do it in a way that enables the other person to feel good about helping out.” Keep track of your successes: Don’t forget to take weekly notes of your big wins and key data points on your BG brag sheet. This is an important tool when it comes to updating your resume or discussing your future promotion (and bonus!).  Spring is here, Spring is here! And there’s something about the warmer weather that just makes all of us at The Brand Girls want to get organized.
According to Inc, a clean workspace can “create an environment in which people can improve their performance and productivity,” and The Brand Girls team couldn’t agree more! Kick off your office spring cleaning with our 3 easy tips. Use it or lose it: Getting into a ‘use it or lose it’ mindset helps us keep what we really use and throw away what we don’t. The longer you stay at your job, the more stuff you’re going to collect over the years. If it’s not something you use often, file it away or toss it. Cut back on paper copies: Are you one of those people who always has papers allllll over their desk? How many of those documents do you also have on your computer? Unless you really need printed copies for your first job or internship , stick to digital and cutting back on paper copies. Don’t forget to recycle (or shred) any copies you already have! Scrubba dub dub: How many times a day do you touch your desk? Keyboard? Phone? Mouse? Germs live all over these surfaces, so bring in your disinfecting wipes and clean everything thoroughly. Pro tip: Wipe down your desk and phone weekly! We feel better already, don’t you?  Applying for your first job or first internship online is a great way to search for your dream gig, but The Brand Girls wants to share a little secret to increase your odds of being hired.
You’ve spent so much time on your personal brand and confidence - now go show off your hard work! Applying for jobs, or just meeting company recruiters, in-person at your campus career fair can help set you apart. Here are The Brand Girls' 4 tips on making your school’s career fair a productive event! Look good, feel good:There will be recruiters and managers from different companies, so you want to make your best first impression. Dress as if you are going to an interview! Do your prep work: If your college provides a list of the companies attending the career fair, go through a few days before and highlight ones you’d be interested in working for. Don’t forget to check out their websites for potential job openings and more information about the company! Recruiters will be impressed that you know what their company does and if there is a specific role you think you’d be a good fit for. You’ll also want to print copies of your resume and cover letter to pass out! Practice your elevator pitch: As much as you’re looking for a job or internship, recruiters are looking to make the best hires for their companies. A lot of times that means meeting with as many students as possible at career fairs. Practice your elevator pitch the night before - you want to present yourself as polished, to the point and professional! Follow up: Be sure to collect business cards from everyone that you meet with + don’t forget to follow up with your new connections! Email them a digital copy of your resume, connect on LinkedIn and apply for positions online if necessary. Bonus points for bringing your own contact cards. You’ve got this - now go rock your campus career fair!  Last week, The Brand Girls celebrated International Women’s Day along with millions of other strong women worldwide. We’re firm believers that together there is nothing we can’t accomplish.
It even says on our website, “We believe in GIRL POWER,” which is part of why we love International Women’s Day so much. The feelings of unity, empowerment and strength on International Women’s Day were uplifting for women everywhere. Now, think about if you could make the women in your inner circle feel that way every. single. day. Wouldn’t you? Our challenge to you is inspired by the 100 Day Project featured in Huffington Post. All you have to do is write one letter to one woman in your life every day for 30 days. Grab your notecards and gel pens, and join us today in starting this challenge to say thank you, I love you, I’m proud of you, and I support you to all of the fierce women in our lives. Not only will telling other women how important they are make them feel better, but it will make you feel better too! You’ll improve your writing skills, connect with old coworkers and mentors, and learn the power of expressing yourself. It’s a win-win. If you’re in, share a picture of your first letter today using #BGxChallenge!  Everyone gets overwhelmed by stress sometimes. It’s totally normal, especially for a twenty-something just breaking into her first job or first internship while still trying to learn the ropes!
The key isn’t to have zero stress in your life, but to have a healthy outlet to release your stress. Here are four stress outlets The Brand Girls thinks every professional woman should try: EXERCISE: This is a well-known one and that’s because it’s so effective. Whether it’s a mile run or a Cross Fit session, a work out can help you channel your stress (and it’s good for you, too!). MEDITATION: According to Huffington Post, celebrities from Oprah to Kobe Bryant swear by meditation to stay healthy. It’s a great form of self-care! GIVE YOURSELF A DEADLINE: My personal favorite technique is giving myself a deadline to be stressed. I take a moment to acknowledge that I have a lot going on in that moment and I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Then I give myself the next 30 minutes (or hour/day/3 days depending on how big my stressor is) to whine about it, but then when my deadline arrives I have to get up and conquer my to-do list. DANCE IT OUT: Dancing can be an incredible release because it’s fun AND a form of exercise. Feeling burnt out after a stressful work day? Head home and crank up the music while you’re making dinner - see how it makes you feel! |
