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The Best Career Advice From Her Conference

- Sarah 3 Comments

Her Conference Career Advice

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I spent this past weekend at Her Conference, an annual conference for college women and recent graduates who are interested in the journalism, marketing and journalism industries. While I may not be looking for my next internship or first job any more, it was still incredibly inspiring to hear industry leaders share their honest advice. Here are some of the gems.

On being a woman in the workplace…

Supporting women never goes out of style.”
, Director, No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project

You don’t deserve everything; you deserve to earn everything.”
, Vice President of Editorial Strategy, Refinery29

Nobody can take away your knowledge. Nobody can take away your hard work.”
, Correspondent, E! News

Being a woman means waking up earlier, going to bed later and working harder.”
, Founder and CEO, Faith Popcorn’s Brain Reserve

On asking for help…

We have to accept the idea that we are all going to fail a little.”
, Editor-in-Chief, Seventeen

It was years of me being defensive before I realized that asking for help is built into the system.”
, Editor, People StyleWatch

On standing out (in the best way possible)…

Nothing beats preparation.”

It’s ok to put yourself forward.”
, Special Projects Director, Cosmopolitan

The answer is always just do good work.”

Confidence is like a muscle; you have to work on it every day.”

Knowing how to write and communicate are the greatest skills you can have.”

On finding your place…

You don’t have to be where you want to end up on Day 1.”

You have to find something that makes you feel like you’re giving back to the world and using your talents.”

Choose an organization that is thoughtful about [work-life balance].”
, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Chairman, Bloomberg LP

What’s your favorite piece of career advice?

~ Sarah

Last-Minute Her Conference Packing List

- Sarah 4 Comments

On Friday afternoon, I’ll be hopping on an Amtrak and heading to New York for Her Conference 2015! HerCampus.com, a site I wrote and edited for in college, launched the conference four years ago and it’s my third time going! It’s geared towards collegiettes (i.e., college women) interested in the media industry as well as bloggers. This time, I really will feel like a post-grad (the last time I went was in 2013, a couple months after graduating Fordham), which is crazy! Since it’s not my first rodeo, I thought I’d share some tips I’ve learned from past conferences.

Let’s start with your supplies (besides your smartphone, of course!):

Her Campus Her Conference Essentials

Pen & Notebook: Chances are both will be included in your goody bag, but if you have a dedicated blogging notebook (I actually use this one from Poppin), don’t forget it!

Portable Phone Charger: Tweeting and Instagramming is definitely encouraged at Her Conference, which means a lot of time on your phone! There’s only so many outlets and charging stations available at in the conference space, so a portable phone charger or power bank is clutch (especially if it’s cute too).

Mini/Disposable Toothbrush: Her Conference is a long day. Fun and empowering, but exhausting! Breakfast, lunch and snacks are served to help you power through, but a quick restroom stop to brush your teeth will help you feel refreshed!

Blotting Papers: You may not use blotting papers throughout the day, but when you arrive at the conference after a long walk or sweaty subway ride, you’ll be glad to have them on hand (plus they won’t ruin your makeup). Also useful if you have post-Conference plans and don’t have time to freshen up. New York in July is no breeze!

Business Cards & Case: You put lots of time in perfecting your business cards (I actually just got my newest ones from MOO on Monday — highly recommend them!), but the presentation isn’t complete without a classy case to hold them in.

Some other tips:

  • Dress for fashionable functionality. It’ll be hot outside, but the room temperature can definitely fluctuate, even from room to room. Layers are a must! I recommend a cardigan or blazer, depending on your personal style. Also, consider flats. When I wore heels, my feet were definitely sore by the end of the day. Keep it collegiette chic!
  • Review the schedule beforehand. There’s only so much room for each session, so a quick look at the schedule will help you prioritize. If you’re part of the Her Campus team and can attend the conference on Saturday and Sunday, some of the sessions do overlap, albeit with different panelists.
  • Pack light. This isn’t just referring to what you bring with you (besides the above, you really shouldn’t need too much extra!). You will be acquiring stuff, from goody bags to potential giveaways, so make sure you leave room to bring everything back home with you!

Have you been to any blogging conferences? Share your essentials in the comments! If you’re going to Her Conference, don’t forget to say hi!

~ Sarah

Black-Eyed Susans & Belmont Jewels

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If this spring had a theme, it might’ve been…horse racing?? I somehow ended up at both a Preakness watching party and then at the actual Belmont Stakes to watch the first Triple Crown winner in decades!

In May, my friend Jasmine and I were lucky enough to attend Preakness at the Piazza. It’s one of my favorite nights in the spring — a horse race, good food, good drinks (I’m a sucker for vodka cocktails), good music, all for a good cause (this year’s Preakness at the Piazza raised over $110,000 for the National MS Society!). Plus, Jasmine and I got to dress up and wear hats. (We both bought ours at Burlington last-minute!)

Here are some iPhone pictures from throughout the night:

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Preakness at the Piazza outfit

My dress and clutch are old from Target, and my sandals are old from Payless.

Preakness at the Piazza outfit

Preakness at the Piazza

The big screen at the Piazza!

Preakness at the Piazza

Dancing in the rain — so refreshing!

A couple weeks later, as in days before the Belmont Stakes, my friend Lizzy suggested that we go see the race…in person. Tickets were $20 for standing room, and there was a potential Triple Crown at stake (ha!), so I went for it. Good thing I bought two hats at Burlington for the Preakness (it was a hard decision, okay?) because we road tripped out to Long Island that Saturday.

Belmont Park was interesting. Everyone was either really over dressed or really casual, which was strange. There’s also some picnicking on the grounds throughout the day, plus concession stands with really long lines. Lizzy and I paid $20 for Belmont Jewels (the race’s official cocktail) that wasn’t even that strong, but I guess it’s better than spending a grand on a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby.

Belmont Jewel

Oh, and we could barely see anything from the grandstand.

Belmont Stakes grandstand

But we were there!

Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes

Dress – H&M; Hat – BCBG via Burlington; Wedges – Payless.

So I wouldn’t go back to the Belmont Stakes, but I’m definitely glad I got to experience it, especially since it was such a historic race! And you know I’ll definitely be ready to dance (and eat!) at next May’s Preakness at the Piazza!

Anyone else go to any horse races? Or love derby style? Let me know!

~ Sarah

Thanks to Philly PR Girl for the Preakness at the Piazza tickets!