Dear BGQ: “I am wanting to order business cards but not exactly sure what do put on them. Any suggestions? My first thoughts were name, school (year of graduation), major, email, cell number + LinkedIn URL, but I’m not sure.”
A: “Thanks for asking! Some things to include are your name, logo, email, phone number and LinkedIn URL (make sure it is the clean, shortened version)! In terms of theme, 100% have it mirror your resume in terms of colors, fonts, etc.” - Team BG Q: “I landed a networking phone call with a high-profile sports photographer. I've drafted some questions, but they're somewhat generic (how did you start out, how did you get here, etc) and I know that I'm not as strong a communicator on the phone as I am in person. What I really want to get out of this is a professional contact in the industry & down the line is to take pictures with the organization he works with. Any tips on how to structure smart questions to get a conversation pointed to where you want it to go?” A: “Great question! Something I LOVE that other people do before calls with me is have something specific I’ve done that they like & let the convo stem organically from there. For example, if he is a sports photographer look through his online portfolio or Instagram (I’m sure he has one in this industry) and pick a favorite photo or two + share why they are meaningful to you!” - Team BG Q: “I’m looking for recommendations on daily planning - does anyone use an app or website to organize their day (preferably hour-by-hour). I currently use an agenda, and have tried Apple's calendar, but looking for something new. In particular, looking for an online planner to organize study habits/schedule for law school.” A: “Awesome submission! I swear by my bullet journals. They work so well for me that I have four now! The biggest thing is to start to get a routine down. I sit down every night and update my tasks for the next day (color coding and cute fonts/stencils/stickers) is such a game changer for me. Doing it at the end of the day helps me unwind too - I see how much I accomplished today and what I need to tackle tomorrow! Also a huge fan of setting iPhone + laptop reminders for really big to-dos. Hope that helps you.” - Team BG
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Dear BGQ: “I'm about to start the interview process for a new role at my current company and am getting my prep ready. Another woman on my team with the same role as me (and very similar background) is also going for this new position. I would love to know if anyone has tips for how I can stand out?”
A: “Come prepared! Put together a presentation, handouts with your ideas, progress reports of your past successes. Go above and beyond with your details.” - Team BG Q: “I miraculously landed a networking phone call with a high-profile sports photographer tomorrow pm. I've drafted some questions, but they're seeming somewhat generic (how did you start out, how did you get here, etc) and I know that I'm not as strong a communicator on the phone as I am in person. What I really want to get out of this is a professional contact in the industry & down the line I would love to take pictures with the organization he works with. Does anyone have tips on how to structure smart questions to get a conversation pointed to where you want it to go? Calls to action for when we're wrapping up the conversation?” A: “Great question! Something I LOVE that other people do before calls with me is have something specific I’ve done that they like & let the convo stem organically from there. For example, if he is a sports photographer look through his online portfolio or Instagram (I’m sure he has one in this industry) and pick a favorite photo or two + share why they are meaningful to you!” - Team BG Q: “I am currently looking for a new job and found one that I think would be great and would align well with my goals. Upon reading the job description, it is asking for the standard resume and cover letter, but it is also asking for a 300 word blog post. I do not have a blog so I’m not sure what I should send them. Do you have any advice on what I should do in this situation? Do I need to create a blog? Are there any tips you have for applying for jobs with blog posts?” A: “I don’t think you have to create a blog, just to do one blog post. As long as it’s blog post length/style, I think that covers what they’re looking for. I would say doing that over creating a blog just to put one post on it would probably be preferable. But major bonus points if you do have time to create a blog and have the time to get a few posts on there! Shows a true commitment to the role and your ability to go above + beyond.” - Team BG DEAR BGQ: “I just finished up and interview for a marketing position with 6 employees in the room asking me questions. I’m unsure what to do about the follow up email and handwritten letter. Should I write just 1 letter/email to ‘The Marketing Team’ or should I write individual ones?”
A: “I would send an individual email to all if you can make the content different (meaning making sure it is not a copy and paste) and if it is, then do a very thoughtful group email and then one group thank you card - include your business card in the thank you card. Way to rock it!” -Team BG Q: “I have so much going on right now in my personal life and sometimes find it hard not to let the two worlds collide! I would love some guidance on how to keep it polished and professional when your life is CRAZY behind the scenes.” A: “I am a HUGE fan of time-blocking - if I have to pack for a trip rather than taking all night I hit my timer for 15 minutes and whatever is in the bag comes! I do this with emails (1 hour a day ONLY), big projects, 2 hours and you would be SHOCKED on what you can knock out without distractions...time blocking both personal + professional makes the world go round + wish I knew this sooner” -Team BG Q: “I’ve been at my current company for about a year and a half and although it’s a great company, and I do love my job, I want more from it. It’s a midsize firm but my department is on the smaller size and unless someone quits, there isn’t a lot of room for growth as the most recent hire. I heard someone once say that you can create positions for yourself, but I was wondering if people had suggestions or examples of positions they’ve created? I’m feeling stagnate and I could use some ideas!” A: “Great question! I think this is something a LOT of millennial women struggle with. It depends a lot on the culture of your organization, but I’ve found that the best way to help justify a new role for yourself is identifying the NEED for that role and showing how you already fill it. A big part of this is identifying those gaps + being the person to come up with solutions for them. You want people to associate you with making their lives + jobs EASIER!” -Team BG Dear BGQ: "What’s the biggest way you think someone can stand out in an interview or application against other applicants even if their experience isn’t as extended as others, other than confidence?" A: "You ladies have the greatest gift in my opinion of the ability to CONTROL an interview + pre-plan what you will be asked based off of your pitch. Your pitch is part of your power... I would make sure you are ready to be interrupted at every angle of that interview conversation + really practice what makes you different and special with many people." - Team BG Q: "Would you recommend changing your resume for each specific job opportunity?" A: "No I would not - but I would change your brand mission statement to have a focus on your industry...so for example if the role is digital marketing rather than saying "marketing" or "business" I would fine tune focus it there." - Team BG Q: "What is your process for making a difficult decision?"
A: "I am a huge fan of a pros + cons list... I do this with everything , especially with "where would my time be more valuable" - the pros of doing this event is xyz and the cons is xyz because I could be doing something with more impact. Give yourself 20 min of restricted brainstorming time with that list and that should help give you clarity." - Team BG Dear BGQ: "In the next couple of months, I know I am going to be traveling a lot for work. I don’t want to break the bank, but I want to stay in a place that is safe and clean. How do you find places to stay when you travel?"
A: "Go to hotels.com and then find anything that has 100+ reviews - you should be able to get a "Best Western" "Marriot" etc. under $130! We also love Hotel tonight. It’s an app has cheap rooms too for last minute bookings!"-Team BG Q: "Do you have advice on how to begin an inquiry email to a company without a specific person's name? The email is simply info@____.com so I have no idea the correct way to address the email." A:" Hi Team XYZ" is the best way when you don’t know the name of the person you are connecting with. Also, check out https://www.email-format.com/. This is another great resource for finding email contacts." -Team BG Q: "Where are best places to look for finding housing for summer internships?" A: "Websites like Craigslist and Airbnb are great resources to find short term rentals. Another great option is to see if nearby universities offer housing. Many universities in places like New York sublet their dorms over the summer"-Team BG Dear BGQ: "I’m at a company waiting for my interview, which was supposed to be at 10, it’s now almost hour later and I have another interview in a different town 30 minutes away that I have to get to by 12:30, if they don’t call me back for the interview soon is it rude to leave? I don’t want to be late for my next interview because this company has been keeping me waiting. I’m not sure what to do."
A: "I would weigh which company/position is more important to you and decide based on that! Agreed! I don’t think it’s fair to miss your next appointment because this one kept you waiting. I would follow up with the company that made you wait and call to reschedule if you’re still interested in that role!" -Team BG Q: "So I have my final interview with a company I'm pretty interested in in two weeks. For the interview, I have to come up with a PowerPoint presentation about myself that answers specific questions they have set up for me. Any ideas on how to make this presentation original and stand out while still being professional? He said I could get as creative as I want with it." A: "This is an interesting idea! I think a lot of what you’ve learned in BG will help you here. Make sure to incorporate why you + what sets you apart from the rest without being boastful.My biggest tip is to take language from the job description and company’s website/LI page. For example, if I was applying at Pepsi for a social media role, I would ask for a copy of their brand guidelines and their PowerPoint template if one is already created (this is important to comms/marketing teams). Then I’d be sure to go through the job post and pull out some of my goals/priorities in this role based on that! And include a few examples maybe with screenshots of social posts to show you did your HW." -Team BG Q:"Hello, I have an interview where they will give me a “case” and ask questions about it. How did you prepare?!" A: "Try some practice cases through youtube, but also Deloitte has some great walk throughs and other big 4 firms on their website. There are some great articles and examples on their sites. Make sure you are asking clarifying questions too - the interviewer wants to see your train of thought and how you got to a certain answer/outcome. Break it down step by step and you’ll do just fine!" -Team BG Q: "I have my final interview with a company I'm pretty interested in in two weeks. For the interview, I have to come up with a PowerPoint presentation about myself that answers specific questions they have set up for me. Any ideas on how to make this presentation original and stand out while still being professional? He said I could get as creative as I want with it. Any and all tips are welcome!!"
A: "This is an interesting idea! I think a lot of what you’ve learned in BG will help you here. Make sure to incorporate why you + what sets you apart from the rest without being boastful. My biggest tip is to take *language from the job description and company’s website/LI page.* For example, if I was applying at Pepsi for a social media role, I would ask for a copy of their brand guidelines and their PowerPoint template if one is already created (this is important to comms/marketing teams). Then I’d be sure to go through the job post and pull out some of my goals/priorities in this role based on that! And include a few examples maybe with screenshots of social posts to show you did your HW." - Team BG Q: "I’m going to a career fair tomorrow and I can’t decide what to wear. I want to stand out a little but definitely want to keep it simple and professional. Do you have any advice?" A: "I highly suggest that you dress professional (think J Crew or Banana Republic) wear either flat or heels, dress pants, blouse and add some personality with jewelry! Don't forget to bring your resume (printed on nice thick card-stock) and your business cards! Good Luck!!" - Team BG Q: "I am currently looking for a new job and found one that I think would be great and would align well with my goals. Upon reading the job description, it is asking for the standard resume and cover letter, but it is also asking for a 300 word blog post. I do not have a blog so I’m not sure what I should send them. Do you have any advice on what I should do in this situation? Do I need to create a blog? Is there any tips you have for applying for jobs with blog posts?" A: "I don’t think you have to create a blog just to do one blog post. As long as it’s blog post length/style, I think that covers what they’re looking for. I would say doing that over creating a blog just to put one post on it would probably be preferable. But major bonus points if you do have time to create a blog and have the time to get a few posts on there! Shows a true commitment to the role and your ability to go above + beyond". - Team BG DEAR BG Q: "I have gotten a couple emails from recruiters that have found me via linkedin and said they want to speak to me regarding my personal career goals and vision as they think I could be a good fit for their company. I am wondering what the best way to respond to these emails would be/ how I should go about speaking with them over the phone? Also, how do I know that these outreaches are from legitimate companies and offer good opportunities for myself?"A: "Great question! Two of my first moves are ALWAYS checking to make sure a company is legitimate via LinkedIn + Glassdoor. There are an unbelievable amount of spam emails you’ll get from companies that aren’t real or are door-to-door sales disguised as something else (Marketing, Entry Level Manager, etc.) You should be able to see that they have a company page on at least one of these sites. At bare minimum, you should be able to find other people who work there and see a little about what they do. Usually after doing that HW, you’ll have a good idea of whether you want to work there or connect with that recruiter. As far as what your response should be, it really depends on if you think this company and that potential role would be a good fit for you or not. Even if it’s not in the city you want to work in or the type of company you imagined working for - connecting with the recruiter is harmless and could potentially open you up to other opportunities!" - Team BG Q: "I received an awesome internship offer for this summer, but they only gave me a week to respond. I asked for an extension of a week and they happily gave it to me. That deadline is now Friday. I don’t want to pass up on this opportunity, but am still waiting to hear back/interview for another internship I am also interested in! Any ideas of how to proceed? Thank you!"A: " This is tough - back when I was in school, I had the same issue at my first internship and actually talked to my boss at the internship I received an offer from. I was completely honest that I really wanted to work with him and his team, but that I was also waiting to hear from my dream internship. He told me that no boss worth working for would ever keep you from your dream job or internship. I accepted their offer because I really felt this boss & company showed they cared about me + my professional growth (which is what internships are for!)" - Team BG Q: "I am in the midst of applying for my first summer internships and want to be extra confident that my cover letter is as perfect as it can be before I submit it. I am confident in the content, however I want to be sure that the visual layout is right. What would be the best way to go about this?"A: "You want your cover-letter template to match EXACTLY your resume template, same colors etc. Very basic it should mainly be your black + white text... hope that helps!" - Team BG Written By: Hannah Harger
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