PTT: Keeping up with Current Events

Professional Tip Tuesday
This past weekend my roommate, Laura, and I did "all the things". The catchphrase for the weekend captured our attempt to tackle a gigantic list of activities. We went to the movies, baked, cheered for our beloved Iowa Hawkeyes, did the Halloween thing, and rounded out the weekend with popcorn and Hocus Pocus.

All decked out 'Merica style for Halloween festivities.

"All the things" is a big part of weeknights and weekends. A full time job takes up a lot of free time. Especially living in a fun, new city with friends and a bucket list a mile long - I try to take advantage of the little bit of free time.

So to tie this all back to this week's Professional Tip Tuesday.. 

It can be tough to keep up on current events between work and "all the things". Even when I make an effort to catch up on the days happenings, I could spend all day trying to figure out the background info on one topic. And unfortunately, living in a bubble and neglecting the news isn't exactly acceptable.

Contrary to popular belief: No news, isn't always good news. 
But I recently found an email subscription that makes all of this a whole lot easier. In 2012, two girls started TheSkimm from their apartment. This daily e-newsletter is geared towards women and summarizes the ins-and-outs of the big headlines. Their webpage reads:

"We are an online newsletter that simplifies the headlines for the professional who knows enough to know she needs more. Our concept is simple: we read, you Skimm."

How great is that?

the Skimm

Being well-informed is a huge part of becoming a successful young professional. I highly recommend TheSkimm. Not only do I love the idea behind everything they are doing - but I also get to read up on all about the important stuff that's happening in about 5 minutes while I drink my morning coffee.

So keeping up with the news doesn't have to be a chore any longer thanks to TheSkimm! How do you get your daily dose of news headlines in your day? Comment below.

Taco Dip: Potluck Crowd Pleaser

In celebration of Halloween, we had an office potluck today.. Friday + Potluck makes for a great start to the weekend. The only problem was, the plethora of dips, goodies, and treats were at the end of my desk. Needless to say, I overindulged. But who wouldn't?

So this Optimistically Anna Friday post is a little recipe corner edition. Potlucks are great for team bonding. Think back to elementary school - how awesome was snack day? If you can bring a little of that to the 8-5 grind, you are doing something right.

Last night I was all over Pinterest looking for the perfect potluck recipe. I wanted something easy and quick. Our food table would not be close to an outlet, so I had to pick a dish that could sit out and be enjoyed throughout the day.

The answer? Taco dip. And it was a hit. Just in case you have an office potluck coming up, I included the recipe below.

Taco Dip: Potluck Crowd Pleaser 
Ingredients-
1 pkg (8 oz) of Cream Cheese
1 container (16 oz) Lowfat Sour Cream
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
Shreaded or Chopped Lettuce
Shredded Cheese
Pico
Black Olives

Directions-
1. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning
2. Spread mixture on a platter or casserole dish.
3. Layer the lettuce, pico, shredded cheese, black olives
4. Put in the fridge and serve when ready

That was a fun recipe for my first contribution at the office potluck. My cooking skills aren't exactly up to par quite yet. I would say cooking can be almost as big of a learning curve as anything else in your early 20s.

But let me tell ya, office potlucks can be a huge ego boost when everyone oos and ahhs over your taco dip! So What are your go-to potluck recipes?

PTT: Talented Traveling Basics

Professional Tip Tuesday
I have returned! And I think it's safe to say my guest writer stole the show. He's good, isn't he? Britt is a sports guru and proud of it. I could not have picked a better person to fill you in on sports and office talk.

Scoping out the Atlantic City Boardwalk after my shifts.

Despite what Britt thought, I was not posted up at the casinos all week. I was working long hours at a client site and didn't even see the boardwalk until my last day in Atlantic City. I did bet $1 on the slots. And that money was gone in less than 10 seconds.

My trip was filled with PTT potentials. But for this week's Professional Tip Tuesday, I thought I would start off simply with:

Talented Traveling Basics.

Utilizing all of the rewards programs and making the most of your time while traveling is truly a talent. I cannot say I am there yet. But with the first trip under my belt, and a few tips from people that have been on many business trips, I wanted to share the travel basics that I have picked up thus far. As someone that will be doing quite a bit of travel for business, below are the three big tips I took away from my first big trip!

1. Reap the rewards.

• Almost all hotels, airlines, and rental car agencies have rewards programs. If you know you will be a frequent traveler, join them! It's free and easy to sign up. 
• You will probably notice upgrades in your reservations within your first couple of trips. I talked with someone that took a first-class trip to Hawaii with his wife for 10 days - all through rewards points that he gained during his business trips.

2. Pack light. 

• I would suggest carry-on whenever possible! The horror stories about lost luggage sound terrible and not worth it.
• Plus you will save yourself a lot of time by not checking a bag or having to wait at baggage claim after you get off your flight. 

3. There's an app for that. 

• Most airlines, rental cars, and hotels probably have some sort of an app for your smart phone. You can enter your rewards number (see tip #1) and all of your booked travel info will download to your phone.
• I downloaded the Delta app and was able to 'check-in' 24 hours before my flight and access my ticket straight from my phone. 

Those were the big three tips I picked up this time around! I hope to gather a lot more go-to travel tips in my future business adventures. How do you make the most of your business travel? Any pro tips to make it easier on yourself? Comment below!

PTT: Water Cooler Sports Talk (Special Edition!)

Professional Tip Tuesday

Hello my fellow Optimistically Anna readers!

This is Anna's sports-loving and Optimistically Anna-loving boyfriend, Britt. I am honored to be a guest writer for this week's Professional Tip Tuesday.

I'm sure many of you are wondering, "Where is Optimistically Anna and why isn't she writing the PTT this week?" There are two reasons for Anna's "bye week" (sports reference - you should know what this means after reading and acting upon this blog post).

1. Anna is in Atlantic City on business (or so she tells me - I'm still convinced she's shooting craps and pulling slot handles, but we'll give her the benefit of the doubt since this is her blog after all). 
2. Anna is not as "sports-inclined" as I am. I would maybe use different verbiage, but that's her nice way of stating her lack of sports knowledge. And as you can tell by the title, this PTT is about sports knowledge and how it connects to the workplace! 

Let me begin with a scenario: 

You are walking back to your desk from lunch when you pass a co-worker who asks you, "what are you doing for the game tonight!?" Oblivious to any large sporting event happening that night, you respond, "What game?" Big mistake. Unbeknownst to you, your hometown team has a very important game that night - a game that could be a prime event for you to meet with your co-workers to watch. 

Well, fellow Optimistically Anna readers, this happened to our Optimistic friend several weeks ago. So hopefully this PTT will help you avoid embarrassing sports situations like that one.

General sports knowledge.
Next time you're at lunch with some bros that start talking about that awesome game last night, you won't feel uncomfortable or bored.

• When you get a chance to butt in, you can say, "I couldn't believe that James Shields had 11 strikeouts in 6 innings last night. His curve balls were buckling the knees of the White Sox players all night!" 
• Okay, so you don't need to pay attention to the games that closely, but knowing who James Shields is or what city the White Sox are from would be a good start. 

Regarding college sports. 

If your company is anything like mine, the employees have a lot of pride in their alma-mater. Flags of universities hang above desks, there is a donning of school colors on Fridays, and general smack talk about rival schools 

• A few beginner tips when it comes to college sports - know what conference the nearby universities compete in, who their largest rivals are, and which of your co-workers went to rival schools. 
• You find out a lot about a person based on how they react to smack talk. 

General rules of majors sports. 

I started my career a few months ago and I have already been to two different professional sporting events with co-workers. 

• Understanding the basics of live sports events will make you feel in-the-loop. You don't want to be that person asking, "Why are they punting?" When it's 4th-and-27. 
• If you're not up to the task of learning more complicated games like football, follow a tip from Anna - cheer when the crowd cheers, boo when the crowd boos, and enjoy some good people watching while you're a the game. Just kidding, Anna. :) Kind of. 

Participate in Fantasy Football and March Madness.

• These competitions provide an opportunity for you to have something in common with your co-workers. Maybe your boss isn't very personable, but he's a big fantasy football guy. Competing against him in a fantasy football league could help you have more frequent conversations with him. 
• Now you won't have to hide in your cubicle on Monday mornings as your neighbors talk about how their fantasy teams did. You can contribute to the conversation! The same goes for March Madness. **Pro tip: Knowing the major teams and star players will get you far in your departments annual bracket challenge.

So what's the next step?

-Go to www.espn.com and research your home teams! Check out their win-loss record for the current and past season. Learn the names of their best players. It's never to early to start preparing for fantasy football or march madness. 

I hope those of you who don't associate as being "sports-inclined" found this post to be insightful. Maybe I'll guest write again sometime if Anna heads to Vegas for another 'business trip'. 

What school is your favorite to talk smack about to co-workers? Any good stories about fantasy football or March Madness? Comment below!

PTT: Attending a Company Conference

Professional Tip Tuesday

The essentials.

Today I am attending my first real business outing. My company has a HUGE annual conference that includes associates, leadership, and business partners. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the industry and the opportunities I have within my company.

A conference can be so much more than just a chance to get away from your desk and your day-to-day duties (Although, that's a great plus too!).

This Professional Tip Tuesday is how to make the most of this awesome experience! 





Here are 4 big ways to take advantage of a work related conference.
1. GO! 
- Seems obvious doesn't it? But it's easy to get caught up in your work and decide not to attend. This could be a major advantage for career development and future promotions. If your company is hosting or sending you to a conference - it will be in your best interest to check it out!

2. Pick the agenda. 
- If there are break out sessions - pick the ones that are most relevant to you! That doesn't always mean the sessions that apply to your current job. Pick the courses that interest you and what you'd like to do with your career.


3. Take it in. 
- Write down all you can. The name and contact info of the speakers, the main points of the sessions, and the resources they cite to learn more. Especially if you will be at the conference all day long, it will be hard to remember all that you hear. All of these very important people aren't getting together for nothin'. Whatever you are listening to could be the next big thing!

4. Network. 
- Take advantage of breaks throughout the day and lunchtime conversations. You never know who you are sitting next to or how they can help you in the future. Bring business cards and take some notes on the people you meet. Reach out to them after it's over (the same way you would at a Career Fair). They can be great resources on your next project or maybe even during a future career move!

We've all probably attended conferences. Whether it's for an organization or a job, they can be one of the best ways to connect to people that will help you with your career. How do you make the most of conferences? Comment below!

Homecoming Happiness

This past weekend, I went back to Iowa City for Homecoming. And I finally understand. When I was in college, homecoming just seemed like a typical weekend with a few extra festivities.

But this weekend, the beauty of Homecoming really clicked. I was a happy girl surrounded by all of my college friends. It was the perfect excuse for everyone to make the trip back and celebrate the alma mater we all called home for the past 4 years. 

We were a sappy bunch. And after an incredible weekend, we're in the market for the next mass job opening in an awesome city so we can happily spend the rest of our lives together. But until then, I guess we'll just have to keep the truest meaning of 'home-coming' as an every year tradition :)

PTT: Pro Tips for Resume Writing

Professional Tip Tuesday

In the spirit of Career Fairs and job hunting season, I wanted to share this incredible infographic I found on Pinterest. 

10 Easy Steps to a Better Resume.

I have a love / hate relationship with resume writing. It is not an easy task. But seeing the finished product always brings a feeling of accomplishment. 

The average employer will spend about 30 second skimming your resume.. 30 seconds! That's a short amount of time for 1 page with lots of print to stand out in a stack. The infographic posted below does a great job of breaking down the important elements of a resume to make your experiences shine!

Originally posted by www.yellowlinelabs.com

One of the hardest, but most important tips Yellow Line Labs calls out is your approach. Telling the company how your skills and abilities will benefit them is key. If you can show them that you will add value to their mission, their organization, and their team - you will be a far better candidate for it.

So since resumes can be so tricky - my question for you is: How do you jazz up your resume and make it stand out? Comment below to share your thoughts!