Where Are You When I Need You?

Have you asked that question of your spouse, friend, relative?? How about asking that question of YOURSELF? How would YOU answer that question?

The one thing I knew when I was broke...alone with a new baby....no money...no business....no formal education....was that I was there for me! You must know that NOW for yourself.

It is important to learn the skills to navigate this world but you must show up for yourself to make it successful. SHOW UP physically and mentally. As a woman...Mother and working woman we must be "present" so when those moments of opportunity arrive (and they happen quickly) we must be ready!

Get over the "why me".....there will always be someone or something worse than any experience you have ever had. Would you ever ask "why me" when things are going well? So why waste your time and energy thinking about something you really can't answer? Why torment yourself for no reason?

AHA....you say but I am afraid....yes! We are ALL afraid....afraid of....not getting it....getting it...having it...not having it....wanting it...not receiving it....loving it...hating it....fearing it.....and what....NOT fearing it??? Yes! Not fearing it! Make fear your best friend not an "un-invited" companion.

As a working woman who is beginning a career or changing a career, no doubt issues and concerns come to mind about being a working woman. Take a breath and understand this is NORMAL.

Some of those issues or questions you are asking yourself about being a working woman may be:

Do I want a job?

Do I want to change my present job or career?

Do I have the skills to have the job I want?

Do I have the time and resources to learn new skills?

Do I have physical, financial or family constraints that I feel affect my ability to be a working woman?

Here are six simple steps to help you get what you want.

I tell you sometimes it's just go-go-go and my mind never stops. At these times – when I realize it's been a while since my last stop –I remind myself to stop and breathe. So simple, some may say, but the reality is that working women have a lot to juggle and sometimes breathing is not a priority.

(Ok, am I totally alone here?) Right now, stop reading this, and breathe…

…be crazy, take another breath…

Whether you quickly stop off at the market to get some onions to "dress up" your dinner, or wish you had grabbed a flower to dress up your desk or home, you need to be aware of how good "dressing up" the things in your life, makes you feel.

Maybe some of you remember dressing up as children and how great that was? Every time you dress something up, it creates a better experience, in whatever it is you are doing. The same is true for your appearance. You need to "dress for success" as well.

Just as you feel better about a meal because you "dress it up" with an onion or see the flowers in your work environment, you feel better about yourself when you are clean, coordinated, and wearing clothes that make you feel confident.

I don’t know about you but, if I am wearing jeans and a sweatshirt I sit, talk, and act very different than if I am wearing a blouse, skirt, and have heels on.

Stop "getting ready" to work in a "man's world".

In many professions and workplaces --it still IS a "man's world".

As a baby boomer, I am aware of this fact and make daily choices to navigate around it. However, I don’t believe my 21 year-old daughter knows this concept-----yet. Maybe she never will! What a concept!

What does it mean to be a "working woman in a man's world?”

Well, let's see---under most circumstances we women are the homemaker, the teacher, the nurse, the mother (and often times - the father), the coach, the friend, and often the significant breadwinner. We fix, we do, we nurture, we organize, we (you fill in the blank) so many things…on so little energy.

Then on top of it all we must be alerted to and be conscious of our roles as women in the workplace. As a working woman, you need to keep in mind your physical femininity, your vocal appropriateness, and many times you may need to defer your voice to be supportive of a man/the men in your life.

So, you’ve landed the interview for that dream job you’ve been working so hard to get. Congratulations! But you don’t want to blow it by making critical errors when it comes to dressing for that interview, right?

Well, here are my top 10 Must Do’s for working women when dressing for a successful interview:

1. Well groomed hair.

Ever heard a friend’s advice about never getting a haircut right before taking a picture or going to a special event? Well, the same is true when it comes to interviewing. The night before your big interview is NOT the time to try a do-it-yourself highlighting kit or any new look. Your new change might backfire on you, and in the end, make your less secure for your meeting. Save your new look for another moment!

2. Wear some color.

Now, I’m not suggesting you should go into the interview looking like an easter egg, but let’s face it…if you wear all black at an interview you look too serious – especially if you match it with a serious hair style. If you have chosen to wear a suit, throw on a blouse underneath, or a scarf to give your outfit a little kick with some color! Do not show cleavage!

I want to continue our look at the top 10 must do’s for working women when dressing for a successful interview with tips 4-7:

4. Conservative colors

Conservative colors in various shades of blue and gray are best. Yes, it’s important to add some color (see #2), but an interview is not the time or place to make a fashion statement. If you are applying for a job in an art field, you can be more adventurous with your style. But most people should keep it conservative. Take your 4 basic colors, black, blue, brown and grey, with these color palettes you have a multitude of outfits in your closet that I know can be interchangeable. Dressing for success also means looking at what you have in your closet, then putting a look together that gives you confidence and makes you fell successful.

5. Find something that makes you feel empowered and ready to take on the world!