First of all, thank you SO much for all of your responses to my last interview with Amanda from Poshmark. I love how some of you asked her more questions and we had more insightful conversation even after the article published. It’s such an incredible honor that I get to chat with these ambitious career women who are doing incredibly challenging but amazing things in their field. I hope to bring you more in the future!

This week’s #GirlBoss on Career Girl Chat

The second Career Girl Chat features Jennie Yoon, who heads up US & Europe Business Development and Marketing at Casetify, a hip lifestyle brand with a focus on tech. Jennie and I actually went to high school together, and reconnected over a blogger conference last year in the Fall. Jennie’s current role at Casetify revolves around maximizing growth and revenue through new distribution channels and strategic partnerships. Jennie’s totally OG in influencer marketing, and has been doing this for years before influencers were publicly acknowledged as a marketing channel. Casetify’s past collaboration includes celebrity endorsements (Hilary Duff, Snoop Dogg), TV placement (Good Morning America, Today Show) and brand collaboration (American Apparel, Pepsi) to name a few. As one of Casetify’s main strategy drivers, Jennie’s role at Casetify has evolved from digital marketing and story-selling in the beginning, to brand building and strategic marketing to her current role. She describes this job at Casetify and herself as a match made in heaven and it’s clear that every fiber of her is dedicated to the success of Casetify. So, let’s get into the question and find out how this #GirlBoss went from interning at a Law Firm’s HR department to holding this much coveted position at Casetify!

Rapid fire questions – what was your college major, your first job, and how many resumes you sent out before you got your first & current job?

I majored in Psychology and Human Behavior, had a minor in business. After working for a few years I went back to school and got an MBA from Pepperdine University which was the pivot point that ultimately led me into marketing.

My first job was at a law firm, I had an internship in Human Resources. I took the job because I saw the the stability of this career path. With my Asian upbringing, stability and access to climbing the corporate latter was important. HR made sense because it’s relevant to every company across different industries. My boss at the time saw my potential interacting with people and reading people, so I focused on recruiting and built the department from scratch for the next 4 years. I found myself enjoying building something in an unknown environment, and mainly, enjoyed the people I got to work with.

Before I landed this job, I probably sent out 10-15 resumes before I got the position in the Law Firm in HR—but the time was probably different. My most recent position with Casetify came out of opportunities I got through traveling, networking, and it was such a match made in heaven so everything just came together within a short time (more on that later).

1)     When you first graduated from college, did you know that you’d end up where you are today, why or why not?

Not at all. I always knew career was important, and I wanted to be part of something where I can make a difference. My mantra is that if you choose something, go all in—if it doesn’t work out, at least you won’t look back because you know you gave it all. People have told me to ‘find my passion’ but honestly, I don’t know what I was doing when I graduated. I just knew whatever I chose, I wanted to get my hands dirty and somewhere along the road, passion is something you figure out as you see more things and experience more things (goodness, I sound old).

TIP: Look for role-models, and surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.

If you’re in college, do take multiple internships to help find out what you like and don’t like. Study abroad if your school lets you. My realization came a bit later in my life, but I got a chance to study abroad during my MBA program to Hong Kong. Through a few networking events, I found my way to connect with Wes Ng, the Co-Founder and CEO of Casetify. I instantly connected over our common interest: Instagram.  I positioned my talent in content building and my interest in Instagram as help, and offered to just help him out. And the rest was history!

2)     Are you happy with where you are in your career? If you were to name three things you have to have in your career/employment, what are they?

I abso-fucking-lutely love what I do. This is a dream job that anyone could’ve wanted. But this position didn’t just land on my lap – I’ve earned it by working hard and pressing on through difficult times. Here is what I think are important for me to be happy in my career:

1)      A good mentor. I always talk to people that are more experienced than me. This could be your boss, your boss’s boss, your colleague, or someone outside of your office. If it’s someone outside of your organization, ask for an introduction through your contacts.

2)      A good team. In any company (startup or corporate), the work we do is very much a team effort. Everyone has a role to play and they’re the best as a team, in a way, it’s like a football team. You win as a team, never as an individual person.

3)      Growth. Personal growth. As long as you’re learning and you have a boss that’s interested in your growth, it’s a good environment.

3)     What’s your experience with mentorship like, who were your mentors and are you mentoring anyone now?

I have both work mentors and life mentors. Work mentors have always been my direct boss (maybe I got lucky with my bosses haha), and I have some in the industry that I’ve asked my friends to connect me with. In terms of people I mentor, I welcome with open arms to anyone who wants to chat.

4)     If you look back in the past 5-10 years, what were the most important experiences that propelled you to where you are today? These could be lessons you learned from failures, being part of a special project, or pursuing (or not pursuing) a passion you really have.

Travel. Traveling exposes you to see things you’re not necessarily comfortable with. It’s very true in business that you won’t find growth in comfort zones. Traveling forces you to meet people that are not like you and don’t operate like you.

As an extension of the same point, do things that are foreign to you, like going to networking events. Talk to people you don’t know. You just don’t know what opportunities will come from a contact you made, a trip you took, or a conversation you had because you stepped out of your comfort zone.

5)     Now the dreaded “what do you want to be in 5/10 years” question…how do you typically answer questions like this?

I’ve never loved this question because so much can change in just a year. I’ve never thought in million years I’d be where I am today. Professionally, I’m confident that Casetify will be a huge brand, and I hope to continue to grow with it. Running my own company doesn’t sound too shabby either. I also do hope that I can be a great role model and a mentor to people and pay forward the fortune I’ve been blessed with here at Casetify.

6)     If you have experience in interviewing/recruiting new employees, what do you look for in candidates for positions that don’t require years of experience?

Their attitude. It’s one of those things that a good leader can sense right away. I prefer to hire people with willingness to learn, and someone who is genuinely excited about the brand, rather than a know-it-all. Many times, the technical skills are trainable, but the attitude isn’t. Secondly, I’d see if you’ve done your homework. In order for you to stand out, make sure you’re prepared, including doing some stalking work around the company and the people you’ll be meeting with. And lastly, don’t forget the thank you note after the interview. It’s a good way to be on top of the recruiter’s inbox, and to be reminded of who you are.

7)     Lastly, what’s your go-to office outfit, and what is one piece of clothing you can’t live without?

My wardrobe is a lot of black, white and tan. Tech founders like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg wear outfits that almost look like uniforms. I’ve read that they stick to a standardized outfit so they don’t have to spend time thinking about what to wear. My go-to office outfit is all black ensemble – black jeans with black top. One piece of clothing that I can’t live without would be my black jeans.

One thing I’ve learned is that you can never be overdressed for a work meeting and you don’t get a second shot at first impressions. Just because we’re in the start-up world doesn’t mean we can be sloppy. So develop a routine and minimize the time spent in putting things together.

All photography by Natalie Alvarado @ Stylenfuse

The post Career Girl Chat || From HR Intern to Director of Biz Dev at Casetify – How did she do it?! 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.

I think I was lucky. I didn’t start my career in the corporate world until I was 26 because of grad school, so I think I got into the working world a little more matured and a little more ready. Maybe I was more ready to become, shall we say, a #GirlBoss?

But thrown into the midst of the workplace without much experience, I was facing a steep learning curve and some real growing pains. Like my manager told me on the day I started, “Be ready to drink from the fire hose.” She was not exaggerating. And this was how my career in biotech marketing began.

It wasn’t just the workload or the new processes and jargons I had to pick up. It wasn’t even the fact that I was hired to fill a position that required at least 2–3 more years of experience than I had. It was the fact that this is now a new environment where things operate based on completely different rules. I came to learn that the work place is a complex ecosystem with hidden intricacies. From what you casually mention to your boss, what you use as desk decor, to what perfume you are wearing; everything adds to or detracts from your reputation. And reputation, as I’ve come to know, could mean the difference between promotion and layoff, getting visibility and never being noticed, moving on and up and staying static in your position.

So here are a few things that I have learned from 5 years of working in the corporate environment. If I could go back in time and chat with my 25-year-old self, I would tell her:

1. Choose your work friends carefully

Your work friends are people you eat lunch with, seen going on coffee runs with, people that you actually directly work with (which you have less control over), and people that you do happy hour with. This is simple: birds of a feather flock together. If you associate with people that are lazy, overly casual, “loose”, and careless, you will be perceived as the same.

2. Don’t be labeled as “The Young One”

Even if you are the youngest on the team, don’t ever settle for a label as such. Labels like this often come with the association that you lack experience or even skills. Just because you are younger in age, doesn’t mean you don’t have more to offer. Labels like this are also very hard to get out of once you have it.  What’s worse, is that “the young one” is often used as a psychological crutch that hinders people’s growth. Stay away from it, for your development’s sake.

3. Know your core competency, and find ways to make it shine

In the early phase of your employment, try to find out why you were hired. Is it your analytical skills, sales experience, or technical know-how that got you your job? Find it out, and stick to what you are best at. Are you good at Excel? Add data to your presentation. Are you really good with PowerPoint? Create a presentation even when you don’t need to. And in your spare time, develop other missing skills. Not great at presentations? Volunteer to present. Not good at Excel? Find a co-worker who is, and ask nicely or bribe them – do whatever you have to do to have them teach you.

4. Know the job after this one

This doesn’t mean you start looking for the next job as soon as you find one. This means that the job you are interviewing for and preparing for should pave the way for your next one.  Never leave “figuring out what my next thing is” till after you get a job; you should do that prior to your interview. The reason is that so you negotiate terms that allow you to develop skills you are lacking (refer to the last point) and make you more prepared to go for a more senior, but similar position, or switch to a tangential kind of function.

Shoes: Kenneth Cole; similar here, here, here Blazer vest: Chelsea28 x Olivia Palermo; similar here, here, here Bag: Louis Vuitton Bag; similar here, here, here

5. Find a mentor

A good mentor can guide you through uncertain times and difficult decisions. They may have been in your shoes and know the consequences of taking certain directions  But finding a good mentor is not easy. Mentors are not floating around waiting to teach you the ropes or how best to climb the corporate ladder. Mentorships have to be sought out, fostered, and maintained. But mentorships could also come from places you least expect. If you’re lucky, your boss could be your mentor. Or our co-worker could be your mentor. The best mentor is the kind that is personally invested in your development.

Whichever direction you go in to look for a mentor, know to always prepare questions before you meet with your mentor. Your mentorship is as good as you make it out to be. It takes work.

6. Your boss is not your buddy

Don’t get me wrong – friendship can certainly exist between you and your boss. You can even have a friendship outside of work.  Your boss is there to make sure, as a team, you deliver results. Your boss may even be there to motivate you, encourage you, and help the team be efficient. What they’re not required to be, is to be your friend. They may look out for your benefits and crack jokes with you and that would be great, but they’re certainly not obligated to.  The point is to never default your boss to be your friend, or worse, your equal.  Because they are not.

7. If you think you are being underpaid… prove it

Rather than complaining about being underpaid, spend your time investigating your “worth”. Simply put, in the working environment, your “worth” is equal to what an employer is willing to pay you. Different employers may have different opinions. So if you think you are being underpaid, prove it by looking for other jobs and seeing if others are willing to pay you your ideal salary. If you do, you either have found a new employer or solid evidence that you deserve higher pay at your current job. If you don’t find an employer willing to pay you your ideal salary, then maybe it’s time to explore options to enhance your value and skillset, so that eventually you can find offers with your ideal salary.

Top: Zara; similar here, here, here Blazer vest: Chelsea28 x Olivia Palermo; similar here, here, here Bag: Louis Vuitton Bag; similar here, here, here

So what do you think? I used very specific examples that related to my particular experience. Do you have anything else that you’d share with your 25-year-old self if you could go back in time?

The post 7 Pieces of Career Advice I Would Give to My 20-something-Self appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

Sophia Amoruso may have written a book about it, but I have lived it. I’ve always embodied many of the components of what make up the #GIRLBOSS personality – firm, determined, unwaivered, highly professional, and very ambitious. Yet in the corporate world, you see all too often that strong minded women get categorized into the b*itchy bucket. It’s almost inevitable, and it really is a shame. That’s where being “nice” makes a difference.

Being nice is in the professional world is not about being easy-going or eager to please. And it’s definitely not letting people step all over you. It’s actually the ability to persuade other without force, to convey a message without having to scream, and solve a problem, reach a solution, without leaving dead bodies behind.

Having said all that, let’s come back to what I do best… putting together professional outfits to present the woman you want to be. Today,I’m sharing with you an outfit that makes me feel like a total #GIRLBOSS, and a very nice one at that.

 Blazer: Six Crisp Days Amelia Four Button Blazer (Dailylook) Jeans: Topshop Jamie Jeans Shoes: (similar) Gray pumps Sunnies: Banana Republic Linney

There’s something to be said about the soft colors and femininity of a flowy scarf.

 Blazer: Six Crisp Days Amelia Four Button Blazer (Dailylook) Jeans: Topshop Jamie Jeans Shoes: (similar) Gray pumps Sunnies: Banana Republic Linney  Blazer: Six Crisp Days Amelia Four Button Blazer (Dailylook) Jeans: Topshop Jamie Jeans Shoes: (similar) Gray pumps Sunnies: Banana Republic Linney  Blazer: Six Crisp Days Amelia Four Button Blazer (Dailylook) Jeans: Topshop Jamie Jeans Shoes: (similar) Gray pumps Sunnies: Banana Republic Linney  Blazer: Six Crisp Days Amelia Four Button Blazer (Dailylook) Jeans: Topshop Jamie Jeans Shoes: (similar) Gray pumps Sunnies: Banana Republic Linney

What do you do, use, say, or wear that makes you a #GIRLBOSS? I want to know!! 

All Photography by Ngoc M Nguyen

The post New #GIRLBOSS attitude and an outfit to go with it. You’re welcome. appeared first on Cubicle Chic.