Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

June is graduation season. As new graduates toss their caps in the air, they are also dreaming of their future, creating new paths, and dipping their toes in fields that may or may not turn out to be their life-long careers. To many, starting out their career with a big name – getting the shiny Fortune 500 company mark on their resume – seems like the correct entry point. We all know the allure and the vanity reasons why these names are good for those shorter-than-you’d-like-resumes. Sure, bigger companies tend to pay better and provide better benefits and boost your resume with more credibility. But what about the fact that you get to “wear more hats” in a small company environment, where you have more opportunities to apply yourself?

As the title conveys, a new graduate has a ton to gain from a working in corporate America.  Aside from the prestige and credit that the name of a big company carries, it’s the perfect place to build a solid foundation when it comes to interpersonal skills, networking ability, and even work ethics, among others. As for wearing more hats and being able to do more in a small company setting, worry about that when you have 5+ years under your belt. You have plenty of opportunities to wear different hats for the rest of your career. Think about building a house – the depth of your foundation matters more than the width. After you’ve got a solid foundation is when you can start to get fancy with applications or showcasing of your skills.

Definition of Corporate America

Before we dive into what makes corporate America the prime place to start a young professional’s career, let’s define what I mean by corporate America. It doesn’t have to be a publicly traded or conventionally “large” company. But to be considered the right environment, the company should:

• have at least 50-100 employees
• have somewhat defined functional groups & established processes
• have a steady revenue stream (you’re not worried about the company going out of business next month)
• have clearly stated and shared & business goals

The defining features that constitute “corporate America” are critical because they have everything to do with the exact benefits that a new graduate would gain from working at such a company.  If you are one of the graduates of 2018 and are considering beginning your career in the corporate world, here’s what you’re in for.

Why Corporate America Is The Best Place to Start Your Career

1. In the beginning, your employer has a lot more to offer than you do

In the first few years of your career, what you give to your employer will pale in comparison to what they can provide you. Everything that you are going to learn in the first year of work is what will propel you and your career forward. Whether be it learning the technical details on how to master your job, getting people to listen & pay attention to you when you have a great idea, resolving interpersonal conflicts when you work with difficult personalities, or simple time management tactics… the list goes on. This is what I call real-world education. In Corporate America, as opposed to small businesses or start-ups, you’re more likely to find professionals who you can model your behavior after, learn specific lessons from, and ample opportunities to hone in on the skills you’ve acquired. Yes, you will work hard and contribute as much as you can. But in those formative years of your career, soak up as much as you can in your work environment. That’s what will count in the long run.

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

2. Low-risk learning in a sheltered environment

When you are a single person on a big rowboat with a big crew, if your oar breaks or if your arm cramps up for a few minutes, the boat will continue to move forward. It may slow down or lose efficiency for little, but it won’t come to a complete stop. This is what I mean by low-risk learning – in the corporate world, results always come from a team. This environment makes an individual’s learning particularly low-risk and safe from creating actual, lasting, and irreversible damage. Additionally, you are hopefully being mentored and developed by someone, i.e. your boss, who will benefit from your progress and improvement. This was never the case when you were in school.

3. A readily available and rich network for you to tap into

One of the reasons why I emphasize that this has to be at least a 50-100 employee company is because this determines the size of the network that your employment brings you. Outside of your coworkers and managers in the department you are in, there are many more professionals that you could reach out to. If you are the passive type of are unsure of your networking skills, there are always company events and activities that put you in the vicinity of other coworkers in the same company. Talk to people. Get to know folks outside of your own functional group. When you are young, this is how you learn about what other paths there are in the business world and what people do in different fields. Heck, this is where you develop your networking skills by talking to people that work at the same company with whom you don’t regularly interact with.

4. Understanding of how a cog helps the wheel turn

“A cog in a wheel” is often used to describe the insignificance or lack of a single person’s impact in a larger environment. But when you first start out with not a whole lot under your belt, it’s unlikely that you’re going to be revolutionizing the company anyway. So, this is the perfect timing to be learning how, a little and new cog you may be, you can fit into this new and complex ecosystem. Take the time to learn the complexity of the organization, the expectation of each functional group, what the check and balance levers are at, and where dependencies and co-dependencies exist. This way when you are more skilled and equipped, you will more effectively and efficiently create impact.

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

5. An existing roadmap when you are directionless or lost

In the beginning of your career, where you end up finding employment isn’t always the result of clear-cut decision making, and definitely not an end-all-be-all. If you are ambitious like I was when I started out, you spend a lot of time thinking about what you want to be 5 or 10 years into your career. When you work in a corporate setting, there are many people that have been in your shoes when they started out. So when you “don’t know what you want to do when you grow up”, there are existing roadmaps for you to follow. Junior to senior. Specialist to Manager. Manager to Director. These are defined paths that make up the corporate ladder. When you don’t have a specific direction yet, it’s simple to just follow a defined path.

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

Dress: c/o London Times Melissa Midi Dress in Size 6

Photos by Natalie Alvarado @ Stylenfuse

The post Why Corporate America Is The Best Place to Start Your Career As A New Graduate appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Disclaimer: I have partnered with BetaBrand to show you a few different office friendly workwear pieces that I was given. I have been a long time fan of BetaBrand (for about 2 years) and I am incredibly excited to work with them! Use my code JESSICA15 to get 15% off your order!!

What I write about on Cubicle Chic is very often a direct reflection of what’s going on in my life. On that note, I am happy to report that, after 4 months of funemployment and blogging full time, I’m going back to working full time this week! As I prepare for my first day of work on Monday the 23^rd, I have been thinking about all the different aspects of how to make the best impressions on the first day.

The first day of work is often nerve wracking because it has a lot of unpredictable elements.

You don’t always know if the day is going to be filled with meetings, or cranking out trainings and signing agreement alone at your desk. You don’t know if you’re going to have a lot of tasks already or have a lot of time to soak up more knowledge.

One element you can control on the first day of work, however, is the way you dress.

Remember what you wore to your interview? Wear something similar on your first day of work.

To your employer, the first day is a bit of a “moment of truth”. They get to learn more about you, know what you’re like being in the new office, and watch how you adapt to the new office environment. Wear something that people would expect you to wear, i.e. what you wore to your interview. It puts your employer at ease, that makes them feel like you’re the same person that they decided to hire.

Be a team player and blend in on your first day.

In most corporate office settings, being a team player is crucial trait. On your first day, hopefully you’ve taken some time to research the proper dress code. Be more like others,blend in with what you wear, and play up the team player image. When in doubt, pick neutrals over colors, formal over casual, and structured & fitted over loose.

Go easy on accessories and jewelries. Remember that bib necklaces are 2012 (thanks for making this declaration, Angie!), and dainty/understated jewelries are not only more current now, but perfect for your first day ensemble.

P.S. Gramceri is my favorite dainty jewelry designer and they are VERY affordable (under $50 most of the time) and VERY well made. I’ve worn a lot of pieces from them for over a year now and the colors do not fade!

Get ready for your badge/ID photo.

More often than not, your company badge photo will be taken on the first day of your job. Wear something that you’d like to have showing in your company ID. Some rules of thumb: wear low neckline (appropriately so, obvi), clean up your hair, wear minimal jewelries (i.e. either just earrings or just necklace, not both), wear the MLBB kind of lipstick, and remember to smile!

Wear your “comfort item”.

This is a personal mantra of mine. Perhaps it’s a less superstitious version of carrying a lucky charm. It works toward any part of your outfit – shoes, blazer, pants, or how to wear your hair. For your first day of work, wear something you always wear. Wear something that makes you feel like yourself (unless you’re talking about wearing PJ….then don’t be yourself LOL). For me, this gray structured blazer (I take a size small), chic and breathable, is my go-to piece of workwear. If you’re unsure of what to wear (heels or flats, beige or black, dress or pants), default to your comfort level.

As you are reading this, I am going to be kick-starting my first day of the new position. I, for one, will be applying these tips on how to dress for my first day of work. I hope they’re useful for you too! They say dress for the job you want and not the one you have. But I say dress for the job you got for your first day of a new role, and leave the aspiration and future goals for when you have a strong foothold later!

All photography by Natalie Alverado @ Stylenfuse

The post What to Wear on Your First Day of Work appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

{Appropriate for positions such as engineer, coder, startup product manager, graphic designer, communications specialist, digital marketing strategist, videographer}

So, an in-person interview has been confirmed. You are taking hours to study the industry, get to know the company, understand the role. You’ve printed 5 copies of your resume and got that portfolio of your work ready to go.

Now, the last and the only loose end is the outfit. What should you wear for this in person meeting?

Your main goal is to look professional, showcase your style, and have a little bit of an edge so you leave a strong impression. You have done the research (you’ve looked on their social media channel, read the company blog, searched for news pieces that feature them), you know the company has that business casual environment where people dress according to their personal style.

What are some rules of thumb to follow when creating an outfit for an interview in the creative industry?

Be Confident and Comfortable

You want to feel yourself, and not be worried about a longer than usual sleeve or a pair of pants that’s tight in a place you’re not used to. So, don’t wear clothes you’re not used to wearing. And when in doubt, opt for “soft material on the inside and stiff material on the outside.” For example, a silk shirt allows you to be comfortable, and a more structured blazer will give you that professional looking edge.

Use Colors to Your Advantage

Wearing a pop of color is an easy way to add a focal point to an otherwise simple and minimalist outfit. Try a colorful bag to an otherwise black and white outfit, or a colorful (but simplistic) necklace, or a pair of colorful shoes. These will help those people that you meet remember you.

Start with a Basic Must-Have

If you don’t know where to start, I always tell people to start with one piece of clothing that you know says “professional”. Take a pencil skirt, a crisp blazer, a silk blouse, and go from there. Once you have the foundation of your outfit, pick other things in relatively neutral colors that compliment this piece. Finally, add a pop of color somewhere, and you should be done!

Do you need help putting together an interview outfit? Email me! We can do a 15 min Facetime session and try to put together based on things already in your closet. Or, if you are inclined to shop for the interview, I can also make recommendations for that!

All Photography by Natalie Alvarado @ Stylenfuse

If you’re looking for more sample interview outfits, here are 4 interview outfits some other amazing fashion bloggers. Click on the images to see their posts!

The post What to Wear To A Job Interview [For the Creative Industry] appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

I recently received and accepted an offer from a  new company. I will be starting a new job in a few weeks! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably heard about this news. But on Cubicle Chic today I want to share with you what I’m doing now that I am between two jobs, and how I am preparing myself for the next phase of my career.

This is how it goes: after many sleepless nights, numerous interviews, the final negotiations, the constant anticipation, finally, came the phone call. THE phone call that changes everything! 

Celebrate, give yourself a pat on the shoulder, and go out and get something nice for yourself because you deserve the reward. And after the adrenaline rush subsides, take a moment to think about what your next steps are. 

Leave your current employer on a good note

Do your best to leave a good transition plan for your replacement, and close all the gaps you can foresee. Be honest in your exit interview, provide constructive feedback if there are things you think your current employer could improve on. Lastly, write a heartfelt but concise farewell email to all that you’ve worked with; include your email in there, and a link to your LinkedIn profile so people can stay in touch with you. This is the last chance for you to make an impression on this professional network, make it count. 

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta 215

Mentally separate yourself from the old, and be ready to embrace the new

This is more of a philosophical note than a practical one. I’ve seen in the past people that join my team, and cannot stop themselves from using the lingo of “this is how XYZ used to do it” or “the way that we did it before was…” Let’s just conclude once and for all that there is no good end to this kind of lingo. If you have good recommendations, don’t position it as “the way that XYZ did it”; make it yours! If you don’t have good recommendations, well, you shouldn’t be making them in the first place. But by associating it with your old company, you come across as still attached and not able to adapt. For example, try to say “it’s better to ask why do WE do it this way”, and not “why do YOU do it this way” as a tactic to show you are ready to embrace the new culture and environment (Career Girl Daily). 

Be strategic in the way you build your new brand

The same way you prepared for all those interviews, you should be thinking about how to rock your first day of work, the first week of work, and the first month, and the first quarter, and so on. Read up on the 30-60-90 Day Plan (Business Insider) and think about the personal goals you’d like to reach on Day 30, Day 60, and Day 90. Think about what you want to be known for, because that is going to be your professional brand.

Also, fine-tune your elevator pitch (MyDomain.com). As part of your introduction to the new teams and new people, one of the first things they will ask you is “where did you come from” and “what did you do before”.  Be ready to have a concise but to-the-point summary that will effectively summarize your past experiences, and even impress your new co-workers just a little bit. 

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB Heels: Kenneth Cole; similar here Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta 215

Use common sense

Listen more than you speak, turn off your personal phone, curb your (hyper)enthusiasm, and observe the culture and blend in. These are all more common sense than actual tactics, but the trick is to remember these things while you are under the pressure of adjusting to a new environment, constantly meeting new people, and wrapping your head around how to hit the ground running with the new employer. 

You should also be ready to throw the work-life balance out the window for a while (The Every Girl) and be ready to log in some extra hours just to get up to speed.  These extra hours spent in the beginning will pave the way for your success later on, and also leave a good impression on people around you that you are committed and dedicated to success.

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB

Re-think your strengths and weaknesses

Take stock of the work history with your last employer and think of all your successes and failures. Think about how they made you feel, how they changed you, and what you did to make sure you can replicate the success, and avoid making the same mistakes. It may help to write these things down so you can visualize them more clearly. Take the highlights from this list of historic success and failure, and make sure that’s your starting point for your next job. Lean on your strengths, and find ways to develop things you are weaker in. 

What were the things you did right, or wrong, when you first started your job? 

All photography by Natalie Alvarado @ STYLENFUSE.COM

The post How to Prepare for a New Job || The Work That Comes After the Job Offer appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Experiences in the past have indicated something about my personality, and it’s that I may have a more serious demeanor, especially at work. I even had one person that told it to me directly, that I am an intense person to work with sometimes. Having been an outspoken person my whole life, I’ve taken comments like that as a compliment. That sentiment changed slightly in a recent incident. I had a 1:1 teleconference with someone I was trying to make a really strong impression with, and in the teleconference the video capacity was enabled. For the first time, I was watching myself as I spoke, in a way that I thought exuded confidence. I was mentally gasping at the image of myself on screen – I looked SO serious and definitely intense!

 Dress: Kit And Ace; similar here Vest: Boutique; similar here Mules: Asos; similar here  Dress: Kit And Ace; similar here Vest: Boutique; similar here Mules: Asos; similar here

Needless to say, there is a bit of a gap that exists between the internal visualization of myself and, when I get the chance to get a glimpse of, the way the world actually perceives me. It’s uncomfortable to face this realization, and quite honestly, a bit unsettling.

Working in Corporate America for half a decade has taught me a thing or two. Number 1, 2, and 3 are as follows: Your image is everything, your image is everything, and your image is everything. Yes, in case I didn’t make it clear, your image is everything. For me, the ideal image consists of the following adjectives: strategic, conscientious, and poised. The challenge, though, is that I am human and made of flesh. So while I can be strategic, conscientious, and poised, I am also passionate and dogged, and I really do care. So at times I have to be dial up certain qualities, in order to balance out the way I carry myself. As a result, I deliberately try to behave more assured, authoritative, and firm. This is reflected in the following ways: 

1. I am very conscious of something a lot of women fall victim of, something called “Uptalk” – where you raise the end of your sentence with an upward inflection to make it sound more like a question/suggestion, rather than a statement or a demand. (It’s a thing, officially called High Rising Terminal, look it up!) I do everything in my power to avoid it.
2. I pay attention to body language. Twirling the hair, sitting in the back of the room, crossing my arms, or sitting in a “minimizing” posture (including slouching, looking down, folding your arms) all indicate the lack of confidence. I do the opposite – I sit in the front, sit back and try to relax, make direct eye contact, and speak up toward the front of the room.
3. I keep small talks to the minimum. I have a select group of people that I would consider friends at work, and outside of this circle, I don’t engage in small talks too often. I prioritize being professional and effective over being someone’s pal to chat about the weekend with.
4. When the circumstances are so that I have to pick between making progress and keeping the peace or that “good feeling” environment, I usually default to the former. There are good ways, tactful ways, to create a win-win situation and achieve both, it’s true. But when deadlines are real and decisions need to be made, something’s gotta give. For me, making progress usually wins out.

 Dress: Kit And Ace; similar here Vest: Boutique; similar here Mules: Asos; similar here

So maybe, just maybe, in the process of upholding that image as a professional woman, I lost touch with the core of my being – the warm, open, caring, and easy-going side of me.

Or maybe, just maybe, in the corporate world, room for an individual to exhibit these characteristics is just limited.

Or maybe, just maybe, could it be because I am a woman, therefore the trade-off exists?

I would definitely be re-visiting this topic soon. What are your thoughts so far?

All photography by Natalie Alvarado (Stylenfuse)

The post How I Came to Be an Intense Woman at Work appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Last week we talked about how to stay graceful and chic when traveling through airports. Staying along the same line of traveling, and more specifically, traveling for business, I want to talk about one of the easiest Staying along the same line of traveling, and more specifically, traveling for business, I want to talk about one of the easiest piece to get in and out of when you’re getting ready for business meetings!

Psst… this ASOS piece is STILL AVAILABLE AND 50% off now!!! GET IT BEFORE IT RUNS OUT!!

So whether you’re going in the office and looking for a simple fail-safe outfit, or looking for something you can slip on quickly after you’ve landed in your business trip destination, this dress is it!

My favorite feature of it is how flattering it is without making you too curve-conscious. It has a ring on the left side of the wrap, and on the right is the piece of tie that loops through the ring to tie the dress together. It’s very comfortable, and do you see that slit there?? It makes the dress more interesting and adds just a little bit of sexiness!

 Dress: Asos Soft Wrap Pencil Dress with D-Ring  Dress: Asos Soft Wrap Pencil Dress with D-Ring  Dress: Asos Soft Wrap Pencil Dress with D-Ring

All photography by Arielle Levy

I’m headed to Boston next week for another business trip. I am looking forward to being in downtown Boston for business! Are any of you from the area?

The post Easy & Chic Wrap Dress for Business Occasions appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

“Didn’t I just wear this last week?“

With the confines of dressing professionally and appropriately, (let’s face it – if it was up to me I’d be rocking ripped jeans everyday) it’s not a walk in a park to always look polished & presentable, at the same time showing creativity in your outfit creation. I try to solve the problem by sticking with basic neutrals that could go with everything else I own, so I don’t have to brainstorm (more like brain-hurricane) in the morning as I get ready. Still, a slight problem still exists, which is that I end up creating really similar outfits or just gravitating toward the same piece over and over again. There are 5 work days a week is about 260 work days a year. Who has that much time to create 260 different looks?!

This is where the Third Piece Rule comes in handy. In case you haven’t heard, the Third Piece Rule is the wardrobe philosophy that adding a “third piece”, whether be it a statement necklace (any bold accessories) or an outerwear like a vest or a blazer, instantly makes the ensemble more elevated and interesting.  You can read all about it here.

Here, I am using a statement necklace to add instant glam to this office outfit that is otherwise a bit lackluster.

I did want to give a mention to the brand that makes this particular necklace I am wearing. It’s a Florida based company called Mirina Collections . They make a ton of these beautiful statement necklaces that are unique and obviously glamorous. I was offered a couple of pieces from their “Famous Necklace” collection at a discounted price to try out (about 50%), and in return they had asked me to give them a shout out on Instagram, which I did. In my opinion the retail price for these necklaces is a bit steep for the actual quality of the pieces (even though they claim to hand make all the pieces). But at the discounted price, they were worth every penny. Would you like to see more of how I style these Mirina Collections necklaces? Let me know

Top: Alice and Olivia (similar here)
Necklace: “Jess” by Mirina Collections
Bottom: Top Shop Leigh jeans
Blazer: Top Shop Nicola Peplum Blazer (similar here)

All Photography by Brianna Olsen

The post The Third Piece Rule & what it means for the Cubicle Chic appeared first on Cubicle Chic.