A five minute catch up and my employment tips

I’ve done temporary work since finishing uni, but I’ve now got extremely bored. So I decided to apply for a master’s degree at The University of Sheffield and to my amazement I got accepted on the course ‘Magazine Journalism’. And yes, I would LOVE to ideally work for a magazine and this course offers everything I’ve ever dreamed of but I’m finding it difficult to justify spending £A LOT OF DOLLAR on a year’s course. Is it worth it? Why is it so difficult to find a job nowadays? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Anyhow, this post isn’t about me moaning about monotonous life decisions. It’s about little tips that I’ve picked up along the way to help you find employment.

1.       Look the part – first impressions do count. Especially in fashion journalism! (Devil Wears Prada dilemma).

2.       Do background research. This includes figures, founders, duties, job description etc.

3.       Polish your online profile. This includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Most employers do now check your social networking sites to see your bad habits (images with you and a blow up doll with a traffic cone on your head whilst wearing a tutu are a no go).

4.       Proof read. This includes your CV and cover letter, correct any grammar or spelling mistakes and proof read time after time after time!

5.  Stand out. Hundreds of job seekers are applying for that one position so you need to make sure you get remembered. To get your foot in the door, make your application more personal. For example, I applied for a job at a fashion magazine and the font in the magazine looks like this – I wrote my entire CV and cover letter in this font.

6.       Show some energy. Be full of beans when visiting a potential employer. Don’t be polite and lethargic like me, god that gets you nowhere! Prove to the employer that you’re willing to try your best and put 100% effort in your work. It’s a learning curve – I’m getting there ;) 

Summer workwear for women 2012

Working 9 to 5 and want to look stylish in the office? Who wouldn’t! Here is some essential fashion items needed to refresh your work style.  I mean serious, fashionable business. 

Work wear doesn’t have to be as boring as it sounds, collecting your key items can be fun. Be experimental.

Since I have finished uni, I thought it was about time I took the plunge and invested in some outfits for the world of work and as usual, I took it too far and went a little crazy. Here are some items that I have put together for my work wardrobe:

Topshop

Mango

Topshop

Topshop

Coast

Topshop

Next

Warehouse

Quote of the day

 
  
The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you that you love, well, that's just fabulous."
– Carrie Bradshaw

The Beauty Box

Over the past year the trend of the beauty box has grown enormously, beauty product lovers across the country have joined in the growing development of new and exciting products that get sent directly to your door every month, how exciting!

After not a lot of persuading (me being a HUGE beauty addict myself) I signed up to Glossy Box. I subscribed online, the price is reasonable at only £10 + £2.95 p+p per month. Each month I will receive a box full of new sample, travel and full size beauty products to ‘try before you buy’. During your registration, you have to answer a series of questions regarding your skin and hair type and the kind of products that you usually buy, this is because Glossy Box will try and send you out products that are suitable for you, bonus!

 First impressions: When my box arrived I was extremely impressed, it comes very well presented with ribbon and tissue wrapping paper – the perfect little gift to surprise you each month. With the presentation being at such a high standard, it would be suitable to give as a gift to friends or relatives.

Advantages: The products that get sent out for you to try are tailored to suit you, and you can give a review back to Glossy Box on the products to receive Glossydots (points that you can accumulate to get a free box – think of it as a Boots advantage card). There are many popular brands such as Dermalogica, Paul Mitchell etc, whilst introducing you to new up and coming brands. The box also comes with a guide about the products, the price, offers and where to purchase if you wish to do so.

Disadvantages: You may receive the odd product that doesn’t appeal to you, save them and give them to your friends as a gift.

July Glossy Box

I received: 

Collin Resultime – Regenerating Collagen Gel

Paul Mitchell – Texturising Sea Salt Spray

Monu – Extra rich night cream

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics – Lip Frosting

Kryolan – Satin Powder (SP333)

Elizabeth Arden – Visable Difference Skin Balancing samples.

Make-up by Laura Dawson

I'm a lucky girl, one of my best friends is a make-up artist (which is extremely handy) and she has done my make-up today using Benefit products.

The products that she has used includes:

Face:
- The POREfessional balm which minimises the appearance of pores
- Play sticks
- Hello flawless oxygen wow!

Cheeks:
- "Sugar rush flush" face powder
- Bronzing and highlighting face powder duo

Eyes:
- "They're real" mascara
- "Big beautiful eyes" contour kit 100% recommended***

Eyebrows:
- Brow zings

Lips:
- Bella Bamba ultra plush sheer bright watermelon lip gloss

Apologies for the poor quality of the photograph, they were taken on my phone.

Laura specialises in bridal and special occasion make-up including proms, graduations and nights out. She is also a mobile spray tanner using LA Tanning solution in the Chesterfield, Derby and Sheffield area, if you would like to contact her about any enquiries you have please call Laura on 07714582812.

Degree Result!

After countless hours of waiting around I have finally received my degree result and I have managed to achieve a:

2.1!!!

I am over the moon! It feels like the end of an era now, I can move on with my life and get myself a proper job (fingers crossed). Good luck to all the fellow students who are still awating their result!

Jess

xxx

Quote of the day

A strong person and a waterfall always channel their own path.        - Anonymous

Why second-hand clothes shops are booming

Where most high street shops are fading, charity and vintage shops are thriving. Whilst it is miserable that we are losing some of our favourite high street stores because of the recession, it is giving charity shops a boost.


Charity shops used to be knitwear, bric-a-brac and hand-me-down clothes maintained by elderly women. However the abandoned shops are now in full swing and sweeping profits due to the shops closing down frequently on the high street. There has also been a return of vintage clothing, and where else better to pick up a bargain and get yourself a fashionable item that isn’t worn by the majority of shoppers?

According to Charity Retail Association, there are 7,700 charity shops in England which raise around £200 million per year. They get tax concessions because all the profits from a charity shop go to fund the work of the charity, which provides public benefit. They serve a charitable purpose so they benefit from exemption from corporation tax on profits. They receive 80% mandatory non-domestic relief which is funded by the central government, with a further 20% relief available at the discretion of local authorities.

Amanda Silkstone, 40 from Chesterfield works as a sales assistant at Age Concern in Chesterfield. She said that Age Concern hasn’t increased in business because of high street stores closing because “we can’t compete with Primark.” She thinks that the economy will pick back up again and that it’s just going through a slump.



High street music and DVD stores have suffered the most, as people can now get the same products online for a cheaper price; GAME and HMV have been affected by the recession. Fashion retailers such as; La Senza, Firetrap, Azendi, Pumpkin Patch, Peacocks, Barratts and T J Hughes are just a few of the popular chains that have either gone into administration or have closed due to the recession.

Charity shops have now caught up on ‘visual merchandising’, they now have shops on eBay and stock trendy up to date fashionable items that appeal to the younger generation. It’s not just elderly women hunting for collectables in charity shops; it’s also youths on the search for one-off individual items that the high street doesn’t offer. It’s no longer embarrassing to shop in those kinds of shops, quite the opposite in fact.

Au revoir high street stores, charity shops have made a comeback. Boutiques, independent stores and good old-fashioned bargain hunting is back.

Revevant links

Find your nearest charity shop – Charity Retail Association charity shop finder
Age Concern – About the charity
Search eBay for charity items – eBay charity shops