Three Reasons Your Career Has Hit a Brick Wall

Perhaps you can remember, quite vividly, the palpable excitement with which you started your current job. This was going to be it! This was going to be the job that launched your career into the stratosphere. It had the perfect balance of familiarity and challenge. The people seemed so talented, so supportive and so ready to guide you to the next stage in your career. Every day looked brimming with opportunity and promise. 

Then fast-forward a year or two and you find yourself off that high. Perhaps you notice yourself complaining about things a lot more lately. Maybe the complaints even sound similar to those you made at your last job.

Career hit a brick wall how to avoid career stagnation

So what happened?

In the majority of cases, inertia is what happened. We become competent at what we do, then we become exceptional, and then… we plateau.

And if an employer doesn’t have the ability to recognize this pattern and roll out an infrastructure to support and nurture their employees TIMELY, well eventually, they will run out of steam.

Or, perhaps the people who seemed like such promising leaders or coworkers when you first started at the company, leave.

Or, maybe others are even getting promoted above you. And then, the work you used to find so rewarding begins to turn into a grueling chore. The momentum that propelled you through your career grinds to a stop.

As a recruiter, I’ve seen this pattern and had these chats with employees over and over again.

But it doesn’t all come down to your employer. Rather, it’s important for you to recognize patterns and have an open and honest conversation with yourself and your manager in real-time, not when it’s too late.

Some things to watch out for…..

You’re coasting at work

Be honest with yourself, have you started coasting through your days? Have you stopped giving 110% at work? When tasks no longer feel challenging to us, we stop applying ourselves to them with the same level of passion and vigor we once had. And if your current manager wasn’t around to see the almighty and powerful you when you first started, they’re likely not going to associate you as that now. That situation happens a lot, I know. And I’m sorry. But again, important to recognize and tackle these things real-time versus in hindsight.

So if you’re wondering why you keep getting passed up for promotions, lateral progressions and other opportunities, it may be because you are perceived to be coasting instead of stepping up to the plate to take on more work. But I’m here to help you with that. Go check out the blog post I wrote, Internal Job Promotions: Why Some People Get Them and Others Don’t.

Maybe you’ve lost your passion for what you do

Your passion is what gives you the X factor. It’s what makes you, YOU. It’s that indefinable quality that adds something extra-special to everything you do. Employers, clients and customers alike can perceive its value. And when it’s lost, it can be extremely difficult to get back. 

If you feel like you’ve lost your passion for the work you do (I know, I’ve been there), perhaps now’s the time to look into making a living doing what you love on your own terms. You may assume that our current circumstances with the pandemic are a barrier to entrepreneurship. But in reality, the current climate brings with it a wealth of opportunities for enterprising individuals who want to engage their clientele directly as they navigate this “new normal”. 

At the very least, you owe it to yourself to try and reignite your professional passion. Even if it means taking your skills elsewhere.  I’m happy to talk more about this anytime as I made a massive pivot this year in how I decided to allocate my skills.

Speaking of looking elsewhere, be careful not to look for opportunities in the wrong places

Here’s one thing I’ve seen over and over again as a recruiter. An employee at one company starts looking for jobs at other companies to do the exact same thing they’ve been doing, at the exact same seniority level, for x,y,z reason, and then expects to find happiness. Now, there could be a very legit reason why this could make sense, but it’s limited to either you had to relocate or you are 100% not on board with the business your last company was operating.

More often though, it’s because people get bored, frustrated, or start to feel resentment without doing a serious inventory of themselves as to why. Is it the content of the work, the process, the manager, the customers, the company’s principles and what they stand for, the industry, the lack of new opportunities or challenges? The list goes on and on. But you need to seriously inventory this about yourself and your internal frustrations and desires because this will help you better focus your attention on an actual sustainable solution. Because just changing companies hoping for greener grass very often times does not work. Do not be a job hopper. I promise you it will hurt you in the long-run. You need to know why you feel the way you feel, so you make sure the next direction you take makes sense for you.

At the end of the day, if changing companies is what makes sense for you, then the world is at your fingertips these days with everyone being forced to figure out how to work digitally. And I’m not just talking about the obvious sites like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Monster and Indeed. Recall that massive jobs hit we took earlier this year with COVID? States have really stepped up with their job posting capabilities and companies are taking advantage of it. For example, if you live in Arizona you can navigate to this website to check out a whole slew of professional level jobs. Same for other states and also professional organizations as well.

In Summary…

I think it’s oh so important that you inventory yourself constantly. I’m talking about your feelings, emotions, skillsets, performance, maybe even how others may be responding to you lately. This will tell you a lot about yourself and help you see the right direction for how to move forward. Again, don’t do this in hindsight, do this in real-time regularly, before you hit the brick wall.

Much love to you guys!

-Kristin

Visualizing the "Future You" Transforms Your Abilities Today

“Anyone who’s ever done something great with their life had to transform themselves from who they were to who they became.” 

-Dr. Benjamin Hardy, PhD

I just re-read this line from the book, Personality Isn’t Permanent, because I have been STRUGGLING a bit lately with major self-esteem and productivity issues.  And I keep asking myself, WHY? 

For the last two weeks, I feel like I’ve been paralyzed.  From a work execution standpoint, that is.

Ok, I am a bit hard on myself, but what can I say?  I happen to be a perfectionist, and I feel like my work productivity has gone to crap.

What happened, you might ask?

Allow me to first set the scene with a little known fact:

Let’s say someone wrote a book, and that someone is getting ready for its big launch day. Well, in order to get publicity around one’s upcoming book launch, one needs to write a press release.  Or several press releases.  Catered to one’s intended audience. 

You may ask, doesn’t the press write the press release?  To which I’ll proceed to shock you…No!  Said person, who needs the press release, must write the press release!

Mind boggling!

Then, the press skims through massive pools of poorly attempted press releases to search for the news-worthiest of them all, and may, or may not, decide to pick up and publish one’s press release.

Encouraging, right?

So I have a book that is due to come out in a month, and I NEED to write a newsworthy press release.  And let me tell you that in my opinion, writing copy, or writing for the press, is SO much harder than writing an actual book.  In fact, it took me LONGER to write the book description that goes on Amazon than it did to write the first part of my actual book. 

So needless to say, I’ve been frustrated.  I’ve been irritated, doubtful, driving myself insane on whether I think my press release angles are catchy enough…You name it, I’ve felt it.

…sigh…

(and apologies, by the way, for my less than stellar attitude about this)

BUT, let’s rewind a few months back to June, where I was…wait for it…unstoppable!  I felt like I could do anything! 

Me, fearless and unstoppable

Me, fearless and unstoppable

In fact, I already saw myself as an epic, published writer who was knocking down what once were barriers and taking names while I was at it. 

I was like a Dachshund taking on a Doberman.  Questionably fearless. 

But what I realize now is, that attitude is how I was actually getting things done! 

The vision was there.  In MY head, I was already there.  And because of that, I was confident.  I was executing flawlessly!  Whatever goals I wrote out the night before in my planner, I got them done the next day.  Without fail.

So, theoretically, Dr. Benjamin Hardy was right.  His philosophy stated above just proved to be true in my case (and I’m sure in many cases, he’s a pretty smart guy).

Literally the ONLY difference between me being able to get things done swiftly back in June and me not being able to get things done now, is that in June, my actions and behaviors were those of the FUTURE me, not the less experienced past or present me.

Gnarly, right?

Perhaps this also resonates with you?

Well I have good news.  Dr. Hardy lays the steps out in his book quite simply.  And for everyone’s sanity here, well mostly mine, let’s take a walk through those steps:

task+checklist

Dr. Hardy says that basically anyone who has ever transformed into doing something great with their life, had to go through this process:

1.       They had to see something new in their mind.

2.       Then convince themselves it’s possible.

3.       Then act courageously beyond their current personality and circumstances

4.       To eventually do and become what they became.

So what does that mean for you if you are at Point A in the process?

1.       You must have a new goal.

2.       You must call it a purpose worth pursuing.

3.       To which you’re then pretty much forced to develop new attributes and skills. (ahem, like writing press releases)

4.       And then you have curated transformational experiences! (like what happened to me yesterday, I’ll fill you in soon!)

So if you find yourself in somewhat of a similar rut as me, take some time out this evening to just think through all of that. 

It really is a simple, yet profound equation.  I can see where it’s worked in my life versus the times I hit a stalling point.  I’m happy to say I’m back on track now, full confidence steam ahead!

And as always, comment anytime to let me know how things are going for you!

Have a great week,

Kristin

 

Remember the Little Flairs of You

Hey y’all.  Kristin here.  Just wanted to check in real quick as this summer wraps up and see how everyone is doing.  I’m sure many of you have kids and are chaotically trying to figure out how going back to school will work.  Others have been taking a good hard look at their life, wondering if 2020 is the year to make those big changes you’ve been dreaming about.  Others might have been tragically impacted by COVID.  And others might just be doing alright and taking each day as a gift, as it comes.

Amen to that. 

And as style trends seem to fade somewhat into the distance because we all pretty much live indoors these days, it’s important not to lose that little flair of “you.”    You know, that little thing people know you for, or associate you with.  Why?  Because I think it’s motivating.  I think upholding little stylish flairs of you mean you’ve got a purpose for that day.  And in a time where so many of us are isolated from socialization, it can be so easy to forget what those are.

Did you happen to catch my recent post, Four Easy Ways to Look More Put Together?  Not that we virtual workers totally care about what everyone is wearing these days, but there I offer up a few super easy ways to put on little flairs of you. 

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It could be as simple as accessories, comfy skirts for the ladies, stylish frames, or the sharp looking comfort of merz b schwanen for the guys.

Or, little flairs of you could have nothing to do with style at all!  Perhaps it could be busting out that quick song you wrote on the piano or guitar.  The accent you’re hilariously good at.  Dedicating 30 minutes to a passion of yours every day. 

Whatever it is for you, I think it’s so important to maintain these little flairs of you on a daily basis.  Give them the time and priority they deserve.  I guarantee they’ll make you smile.

It’s really tough these days, especially for people who live alone and are limited in what they can do beyond work.  But don’t forget to remind yourself that you’re super unique, super special, and that you are beautiful, even if nobody else is around to see it, cause you are! 

That’s just my little pep talk for today.  Have a great weekend.

-Kristin

Pleated Skirts For Fall!

Fall is right around the corner and nothing gets me more excited than comfy, cozy clothes, cute sneaks, and COFFEE!!! And one of my favorite go-to fall outfits for when that weather starts to change is the pleated skirt, oversized sweater, and sneaks! YES PEOPLE!!

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Fall is right around the corner…

…which means comfy skirts, oversized sweaters, cute sneaks, and COFFEE!

H&M actually has a solid assortment of pleated skirts in both fall and summer colors, AND they actually fit really well! ANNNNND some of them are on major sale so I saved my favorites here for you!

I can’t wait to hear which colors you bought! So let me know in a comment below or tag @suits.and.sneaks in your fave new skirt on Instagram.

Happy weekend y’all!

-Kristin

Four Easy Ways To Look More Put Together When Working From Home

Last week I wrote a post for the guys on Four Simple Ways To Up Your Work-From-Home Style During COVID 19.  We talked from everyday work wear to how to up your look in a suit on Zoom interviews.  Speaking of suits. Ladies, there are the most adorable Gold cufflinks on Etsy if you ever need a gift for your man.

But this week, it’s all about the ladies. 

Particularly those of us who are caught in the middle of loving the comfort of WFH clothes, i.e. sweats and fabletics, but miss the confidence that comes with getting dressed up to go into the office. 

So here are my favorite easy ways to get the best of both worlds so you can go about your workday feeling more chic and confident, yet still comfortable enough to get things done.

Pleated Skirts

Photo source: Promesa USA Silver Pleated Metallic Midi Skirt

Photo source: Promesa USA Silver Pleated Metallic Midi Skirt

I.  Flipping.  Love.  These.  What better way to feel fab and feminine in the comfort of your own home (or in the office if you’ve already gone back) than a pleated skirt!  They’re stylish.  They’re fun.  They’re beyond comfortable when sitting and working for long periods of time.  They’re expandable for all those extra snacks you might be popping into your mouth come 3pm (guilty).  And, you can take these skirts in so many different directions.  So overall, a fantastic investment.

Keep them casual chic by pairing them with some cute sneaks, or totally dress them up 10 notches with heels for a night out like you see below. 

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Photo by Vicky Cheng on Unsplash

Photo by Vicky Cheng on Unsplash

I saved some of my favorite pleated skirts here!

The Little Fitted Jacket That Could

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve thrown one of these on for a Teams meeting and suddenly looked 10 notches more professional.  Get yourself one of these!  If you’re literally still sitting in the cami you slept in and prefer to keep it that way for the entire day, then you’re totally cool.  Because if you suddenly realize your Teams meeting that starts in two minutes requires video, then this will be your saving grace.  Check out my favorites here.

Stylish Frames

Yessss girl!  I just ordered myself a pair of blue light filtering Phonetics and they took my work-from-home look to a whole new level.  Check out my before and after pics here. 

Kristin Leigh, Phonetic blue-light filtering glasses, before and after

Kristin Leigh, Phonetic blue-light filtering glasses, before and after

Jewelry

Let’s finish with a super easy-to-implement one here, keeping those Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings top of mind.  Earrings or necklaces are a godsend for this because they’re an easy, inexpensive way to brighten up your face. 

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I’m a huge fan of offsetting anytime I get dressed.  What does offsetting mean, you ask?  I always implement opposites into my look.  So if my shirt is extremely casual and plain, then I’ll be sure to include a necklace or earrings to offset that depending on my agenda for the day. 

If I’m wearing sneaks that day (duh), then I offset them with something more chic.  Offset, offset, offset.  I’m not sure that’s a technical term in fashion, but I’ve been using it as my formula for years now.

watch simple.jpg

Same thing goes with materials or lines and shape of your clothing.  If what you’re wearing on top is very stiff or straight-lined, then offset it with a necklace that has a bit more depth.  You don’t have to go over the top, but even something as minimal as this Italian 14k rope chain could be all you need since the design is a bit more 3D than traditional flatter necklaces might be. 

Bracelets and watches are my absolute fave, especially minimalist simple ones with a single ornament.  Super inexpensive, super simple, and all you really need when working from home.

I hope those ideas gave you a little inspiration, and let me know any other tricks you’ve got below!

Have a great weekend!

-Kristin

How To Listen To Yourself and Others

Do you ever stop to listen to yourself?  Like really stop to quiet the mind’s chaos and listen to yourself. 

I’ve been doing this a lot lately.  And wow.  It’s amazing the things you hear when you take the time to actually listen and acknowledge what your inner self is trying to tell you.

Did you know there are actually three levels of listening?  They’re called Levels 1, 2, and 3.

And in this post I’m going to introduce you to the three levels of listening, show you the benefits of expanding your listening to the deepest level 3, and finish off with showing you exactly how you can go about putting this into practice.

Most people are stuck at Level 1.  It’s the surface level. 

Whether you’re in a conversation with someone else, or you’re just trying to get through the day but can’t hear past the noise in your head, that’s you listening at Level 1. 

At Level 1, you have only your conscious, self-centered thoughts as your frame of reference.  And I don’t mean that in a bad way.  What I mean is that, what’s on your mind in the current moment dictates how what you are hearing will impact you, whether it’s from someone else’s mouth or in your own head.  You are your frame of reference in the conversation. 

Level 2 listening is listening with more than just your ears. 

It’s focused at a much deeper level, listening for emotion, expression, perception, or perhaps underlying values or frustrations.   When you listen to someone else at Level 2, you’re noticing more of the underlying things behind what they’re saying.  You can apply this to yourself as well.

And at the deepest level, the root of it all, is Level 3 listening.  

Level 3 is when you listen to information from all angles of the universe at once.  You tap into your deepest intuition.  And beyond listening, you’re able to draw conclusions.

Most people listen at Level 1, because statistically, most people aren’t trained therapists, counselors, or coaches.  Level 1 listening is totally normal and to be expected.  But learning to listen to yourself and others at Levels 2 and 3 can bring some MAJOR benefits.

For purposes of this blog post, let’s hold on the benefits to others and spend this time talking about how this benefits YOU, specifically if you find yourself in a rut about something. 

Let’s start with an example, and I’m going to kind of embarrass myself here:

A scenario at Level 1 Listening:

I binge eat the daylights out of my kitchen in the afternoons, and unfortunately, this brings about a number of negative consequences.  I blow through my groceries budget way sooner than expected.  I’m eating way too many calories a day.  And it’s unhealthy, any way you look at it.  Not to mention, I feel like a complete failure every time I do this.  Failure in the sense that I can’t stick to my intended meal schedule, and that I have no control, no commitment, no strength, no nothing!! (stomps feet like a 2 year-old at this point.)

Ok so yes, this was a daily occurrence for me.  And yes, there was a LOT going wrong in that thought process I was having.  Thought distortions, meta views, the list goes on. I can elaborate more on those topics another time, but the point here is that all of the above is me Level 1 Listening to myself. 

Because I’m focused on the very surface level issue here (binge eating), and the impact it’s having on me at that superficial level (frustration and failure).

If you’ve heard of the weight loss Noom app that’s based on psychology and making major waves, a lot of what they teach in that is this exact concept. (I joined and it’s been a Godsend to me).

But here’s what Level 2 Listening would look like if we replay the scenario: 

Ok, I’m getting very frustrated on a daily basis because of this.  Why does this keep happening?  If I listen more closely, with ALL of my senses, I can actually see that there are several triggering events that happen that cause me to run to the fridge desperate for snacks.  (And none of them are hunger, by the way). 

In Level 2 listening, we start to see patterns and trends. When something with work comes up that I either don’t want to do, or I don’t feel comfortable or confident enough doing, I try to avoid or procrastinate doing it by getting up and going to the fridge for food.  Listening to myself at this level, I can also see that having a bowl of snacks sitting next to me is oddly comforting to me during those more difficult tasks I have to do.  WEIRD. 

But now, let’s go a little deeper into Level 3 Listening: 

It seems that I’m using food as a crutch to get me through something I deem to be difficult.  I seem to lack confidence in my ability to complete more time-intensive tasks, or those for which I might not have an immediate solution.  I’ve realized that I like finishing things quickly.  If not, it seems I fear the time and effort it takes to find solutions for people. Interesting.

Starting to see something here? 

Now look at how insane this Level 1 conclusion was compared to Level 3!

Level 1 Conclusion:  I keep blowing through my budget and eating way too many calories a day because I’m a total failure who clearly has no control or commitment to staying healthy!

Vs. Level 3 Conclusion: I like completing my work and finding solutions quickly for people.  I seem to lose confidence in more time-intensive projects, and in those instances, I use food as my crutch to get me through the task.

Wowsers. Quite a difference.

Can you imagine if you listened to yourself at Level 3 more often?  Can you imagine if you listened to your significant other, coworkers, friends, and family at Level 2 or 3 more often??

But really, this is so beneficial to understand, especially if you’re someone who beats yourself up a lot, OR just as importantly, if you’re someone who gets frustrated with other people easily.

So how do you start to make this a regular practice?

1. It starts with you being aware. 

And you can check that box because I’ve now made you aware of these listening concepts.  But also, take this awareness and apply to your own personal thoughts and the conversations you’re in with other people.

2. Stop and seek silence. 

I stumbled into this practice when I started going out to the dock first thing in the morning as a new way to set my mood for the day.  The longer I sat out there, the more still my mind became.  Of course it wouldn’t last more than one hour into my work day, so I started going back to my quiet place during my lunch breaks.  And then again after work.  I made a habit of seeking this silence multiple times daily.  Because there is no way you can think clearly when the usual distractions are right around you. 

So find your silent space.  Preferably outside your house somewhere.  Or maybe in your bedroom if it means there’s no TV, phone, or work distractions.  Or, if you’re home alone with nowhere else to go, just sit in the middle of your living room with your eyes closed and imagine yourself somewhere else entirely.

3. Ask out loud into the silence for help with your specific issue.

Some may call this asking the universe.  For me personally, I call it asking God.  And others might just call it talking out loud to themselves.  But I’ll tell you this, after two solid months of doing this daily, I can go outside to my God spot, ask my question, and I hear an answer come right back to me.  And not only do I get an answer, but I get a step-by-step understanding of my situation, myself, and others involved.  With all senses.  At all three listening levels.  It is pretty bad-ass. 

4. Do not underestimate the power of what you just did.

Do you know how rare it is for people to feel listened to or understood?  I’m sure you’ve said the same thing yourself! 

Do you know how powerful it is when you can actually hear your intuition (or God) speaking?  Where you can hear it so clearly that you have the confidence to act on it?  (By the way, if our intuitions didn’t come from something bigger and more powerful than our earthly physical bodies, then we’d never have any worries, stress, fear, or uncertainty, would we? Just my thought.) 

So this is an amazingly powerful thing!  So take this information and your time spent in silence, listening at all levels, very seriously.  It can be life changing.  Actually I’m going to come right out there and tell you it WILL be life changing. 

And don’t forget to thank yourself for this time spent listening at all levels.  It’s one of the most valuable things you can do for yourself and for those around you.  Give it a try and let me know what you think in a comment below! 

Have a fantastic week! On all levels ;)

-Kristin

Four Simple Ways to Up Your Work-From-Home Style During COVID19

Guys, this one’s for you today.  Ladies, I’m writing up a separate one for you as we speak!

Once upon a time, you lived in a world of waking up every morning, shuffling half-asleep into your closet, trying to make out the blur of clothes in front of you in order to decide what you were going to wear to work that day.

Then COVID hit, and you’re in a world now where, shoot, do you even get OUT of bed anymore to start your workday?  I mean, a laptop is the same laptop whether you’re in bed or sitting upright at your desk, right?

work from home sweats

And so here is your new Monday through Friday norm.  Week after week.

But let’s say you DO make an effort to get out of bed and brush your teeth at least.  And you actually put on clothes. Eventually you begin to notice that you’ve been “showing up” to your virtual day job wearing your same favorite few tees every day.  Or, maybe it’s just a sweatshirt.  And, does it really even matter what’s on your bottom?

Question for you:

While I’m sure this is comfortable and all, are you starting to feel kind of blah inside?  Maybe a little dull?  Like you’re in this new work-from-home routine and it’s really not all that exciting? 

Perhaps you actually miss coming up with an outfit to wear to work each day because you could at least show off some of your personality. Or maybe, you were one to dress a level above your title in hopes it’d get you promoted faster. 

After all, getting dressed shows purpose.  But it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. In fact, just choosing SOME simple accessories that best reflect your authentic style and personality could mean everything! 

So here are four simple ways to spruce up your virtual workday look and #letthrealyoushinethrough in your next Zoom meeting:

Photo by manny PANTOJA on Unsplash


Try Out Some Stylish Frames

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Prescription or no prescription, this is one of my favorite ways that guys can show off their personalities and up their t-shirt-around-the-house game.  In fact, I think frames paired with a comfy tee is a superb way to professionalize your look and show up to your Zoom meetings in casual style.  Kind of like, you make it look so easy, yet you’re so good. 

You can visit website and choose from a massive variety of top brands and styles.  You’re sure to land a brand new set of specs that frame your face and make you look even more distinguished in no time.

The Tiny But Mighty Pocket Square

how to style pocket squares

If you’re more than a t-shirt guy and need to dress to impress on your next Zoom call, look no further than the humble pocket square. They are so easy, so simple, and yet so…bam!  You show up to your video calls looking like a man on a mission.  This little square is the color to your mon-o-chrome, the linen to your life, the silk to your, ok I have no idea where I’m going with that one, but you get the point. Go get yourself some!

Watch This

Photo by Tamarcus Brown on Unsplash

I love a good watch on a guy.  It just says, Hi, I’m a man.  And if your laptop camera is angled the way it should be (ahem, up angling down is a bit more flattering), then your forearms and wrists should be showing.  And who wants bare forearms and wrists??

You don’t need to drop big bucks on a watch, any priced watch does the trick  But if you can afford a Rolex or Omega, then by all means, shop right ahead!  But you don’t need to go the designer route to look great.  Any watch that is simple and well-made will add a dignified note to your look.

On The Cuffs

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash

Got an upcoming Zoom video interview?  Nothing tells hiring managers that you’ve got attention to detail like the fact that you’re wearing badass cuff links on a Zoom video interview during COVID 19.  As a recruiter, I would freaking love you for it. 

Why? Because cufflinks are one of the most telling, yet subtle, signs of style for men everywhere. They’re small enough to know their place, yet special enough to have their shining moment in the world. Also, please know that managers hiring candidates using only video interviews will be looking to your video screen for ANYTHING to try and get a better sense of your personality.  And cufflinks show that you are ready to bring the goods, my friend.

In Summary

These are just a few easy-to-implement ideas to polish off that top half of you for when you need to show up to work on a laptop screen.  I’d love to hear other creative ideas you’ve been doing as well so update me in the comments below!

Have a great week y’all,

Kristin

Doing This One Simple Thing Will Ensure Your Cover Letter Is Actually Read

Ah, the dreaded cover letter.  I’m not going to use this post to defend or debate one.  But what I AM going to tell you is that if you spent the time writing one, it could very easily get overlooked.  EVEN if the company required it.  Why is that? 

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Take note of this very important detail: 

When you apply through a jobsite and are asked to upload your resume and cover letter, are you uploading two separate files, or one file that includes both documents? 

Here’s what happens in the company’s recruiting system when you upload two separate files.  First, you and 100 other people applied to this job, meaning there could very easily be 200 files for the recruiter to open and read through.  Chances are the recruiter is going to go straight to the resume since that’s been the standard way to represent oneself. 

Then, the recruiter may or may not also open, read, and save your cover letter to their files.  And even if they do, your cover letter might not get submitted to the hiring manager with the resume.  Inadvertently, due to the sheer volume of files.

If you wrote a kickass cover letter straight from your heart, then make sure you do this one simple thing:

Save your cover letter and resume into ONE pdf file and title it, “[your name] Resume & Cover Letter”.  In that order.  Then, in the pdf file, make page 1 your cover letter and page 2 your resume. 

Ok, but that’s flip-flopped, you say.  Yes.  Intentionally. 

First, the recruiter’s eyes will automatically be drawn to the filename's first word, “Resume.”  That’s what they really want to see.  Then, upon opening the file, the recruiter’s eyes will go to page one, which happens to be your cover letter.  This will force them to at least take a glance through your letter while they scroll through to page two, your resume.

What if the company requires two separate file uploads on the application site?  Still, do the above.  Merge both cover letter and resume into one file like I advised above, then upload into the "Resume" upload box.  Then upload your cover letter into the "Cover Letter" upload box, if this is required.  So your cover letter is in theory uploaded twice?  Big deal.  Doing this will guarantee that both documents you worked so hard on will make their way through the recruiter’s review AND the hiring team's review, no matter what. 

Give it a try, you’ve got nothing to lose!

-Kristin

Menswear: Tom Ford Eyeglasses

mens eyewear

Men’s accessories. They’re everything. And we so quickly have fallen for the Warby Parkers and Tom Fords of the world because let’s face it, men’s fashion eyewear has come onto the scene HOT.

Just look at our lovely model for example. This is one of my favorite men’s casual outfits by the way. But look at the way the glasses jive so well with the casual sneaks. And the glasses, quite frankly, really finish off his look.

Are any of you guys rocking the eyeglasses to work on a daily basis? Would you? To help you out, I included my four favorite styles below.

Happy shopping!

-Kristin

Forget Following Fashion Trends, You Do You.

Once upon a time there used to be a season for certain colors and an era for certain styles.

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We can look back on the decades of our past and pretty much generalize the fashion trends for each era. 70s were the hippies. 80s was total hair. 90s was cutoffs and hip-hop. 2000s were punk rock and skater boys and babes. And now here we are in 2018, with the onset of social media’s Pinterest and Instagram. Photography and fashion are in full swing.

But here’s one thing I’ve noticed about this new digital world that we’ve all come to love and hate. It’s given us an outlet to express our individual style.

You can scroll through Pinterest and Insta feeds for hours and hit the like button on all different types of fashion. Why? Because the pictures look good. Because the ENTIRE LOOK looks good. You fall in love with the person’s overall style. The clothes, the makeup, the expression, the background, the lighting. Take all of that combined and the fact that a girl is wearing white pants in winter is pretty meaningless because, well, her photo completely ROCKS.

white pants.PNG

Fashion is a massive part of our modern lives, especially since so much of our lives have been shifted towards showing off our looks. And with any industry, some people have such a true passion and love for it that they dedicate their whole lives to it. (Think your major bloggers on Instagram)


Once upon a time we were also taught to dress a certain way for certain circumstances or occasions.

suits

Interviews, weddings, corporate jobs. Shoot, think of the countries where women don’t even have a choice in what they can wear! And while times are changing for the better, the fact remains that if you dress outside what certain people consider “the norm,” you very well might be looked at twice.

career suits

Is that a bad thing though?

And honestly, what does it matter to people what you wear if it’s not hurting anyone?

Well the truth is, it does. Because your style speaks louder than your words. Especially on first glance. But just because people make judgments in a matter of seconds doesn’t mean you can’t tailor a polished look to reflect your individuality.

freedom of expression

Freedom of expression is important for maintaining our identity as individuals. You can still totally do this even if you work a corporate 9 to 5 job by adding your unique favorite trends to a more conservative polished style. I explain exactly how to do this in fashion posts throughout my site. Crazy story but I actually work in a global pharmaceutical company and I can easily think of 4 coworkers that have tattoo sleeves. BUT they balance that with a more polished professional outfit so the whole look is just totally badass! (Side note, if you’re going a tattoo route, be sure to use barrier tattoo gel)

Remember that you should dress according to what you truly like and feel comfortable in, but by also dressing in such a way that makes others comfortable and shines you in the best, most respectful light. This is what Suits & Sneaks is all about! Follow along for loads more tips on getting dressed each day that gains you respect and authority in the workplace, but also lets the real you shine through at the same time.

Cheers!

kristin suits and sneaks

-Kristin






How to Save on Corporate Style: Clever Cost Saving Tips

Polished casual styled with Seavees

Polished casual styled with Seavees

If you’re like most, you’re anticipating the arrival of the new year with hopes and dreams to bring out a new and better you. New mindset, new habits, new routines, new goals. Heck, maybe you’re even on a mission to find a new job that you love for 2019. So what better way to package up this NEW YOU than with a fresh, new wardrobe?

Except that, this is the busiest shopping season of the year and you’ve probably already spent a TON of money. (And I’m guessing well beyond your budget?) So, how do you now build a stylish work wardrobe with the little that you have left in the bank?

I’ll give you a hint. The answer is not always to start from scratch. To take the pressure off you a little, here are six ways I typically save on my corporate style.

1. Stick with the simple

I’m a huge fan of basics for two reasons. One, because they never go out of style. You can wear them in different ways forever. And two, because it’s not as noticeable when you repeat a basic piece of clothing as it is when you repeat a flashy or trendy one. (Case in point, I haven’t gone shopping in OVER A YEAR.)

Get these basic pieces for Men and Women

Get these basic pieces for Men and Women

I would even advise being strategic with your COLOR choices and stick with basic colors like black, white, or gray. I know this sounds boring, but remember, this is your foundation. Spend minimal dollars on a few basic things and your opportunities to style in different ways on top of that are endless. See #2 below.

2. Mix and match with layers and accessories.

An added bonus to the basic foundation above is that any accessories or jackets you layer on top will instantly stand out. Whether we’re talking about a diamond necklace from Ritani or a scarf from Target, if you have a basic foundation, then most likely you’re pretty much guaranteed that any accessory or layer you add on will match.

Men’s Flatlay

Men’s Flatlay

This is genius I tell you for yet another reason: Accessories DON’T WEAR OUT! They don’t fade with washes, they don’t get ruined from spills. They take up little space. And what’s more, they typically go on major sale at certain stores throughout the year. Set this 1:3 spending rule for yourself: I will figure out how to buy a single shirt-price worth of accessories that can translate into three different looks. Boom, financial win. It’s that easy.

3. Always check the labels.

I completely stay away from anything that needs to be dry-cleaned. It’s just not worth it to me. I actually take it a step further and stay away from anything that needs to be ironed, because well, ain’t nobody got time for that. If you’re looking for money AND time savings, checking the labels is super important.

4. Shop out of season. Heck, shop out of style.

clothing layers for winter

I could care less if clothing is in season or not. Why? Because quite frankly guys, it’s not so much about the clothes as it is the person wearing them.

Let’s all get real here for a moment. Think about when you see fashion bloggers on Pinterest or Instagram. What about the pictures attract you to it? Is it 100% the clothes? Or is it the model’s hair, his or her fitness level, the camera angle, the lighting, a statement accessory? There are a number of factors that can take a look from being blah to wow, and it will always be more than just the clothing pieces themselves.

So with that, buy that’s-so-last-season clothes! They’re cheaper! Because guess what? You can make anything look attractive by adding additional layers like a blazer or accessories, and most importantly, you will strut into your office silently screaming that this look is yours to OWN.

5. Look for deals online.

Like most purchases in life, you can usually find work clothes cheaper if you shop around for them online. You can use price comparison tools to compare similar items from different stores. You can leverage online voucher sites to find coupons for money off products both in-store and online. Heck, you can go sign up for mailing lists or newsletters for your favorite retailers because they will give you a discount code. Don’t want spam mail? Who cares! You just got 25% off!

6. And lastly, wear what is provided.

I’ll save the best scenario for last, in that if you’re a uniformed worker, then you luck out and don’t have to buy wardrobes of clothes. Though many might argue this and say you wish you could wear what you want, how easy and cost-effective is it to wear the same things everyday?! Am I right? But even if you’re not a uniformed worker, many companies give out branded shirts, polos, socks, etc. for free. Why not wear them?? This means one less outfit where you can save the money to buy something else.

Make use of company-provided shirts

Make use of company-provided shirts

So there ya have it folks! I live by these rules every time I look for something new to wear. I honestly am a cheapskate when it comes to fashion and style. I buy everything at discount prices, and at most, once a year. Building a work wardrobe from scratch can be costly, but, hopefully, with these tips, you can save yourself some money as you start the new year with the new you!

-Kristin