Every Most weeks, I feature a roundup of interesting articles, blog posts, and fun graphics that caught my eye throughout the week. Sometimes they’re themed and sometimes I just go with the flow. This week: a random mish mash of links about productivity, keeping it real online, and valuing yourself as a young entrepreneur. 

Easy Ways to Defeat “Fuzzy Brain” at Work: I definitely struggle with days where I feel wildly unproductive. I feel like it’s harder when I have no one telling me what to do!

Lessons Learned: First Months as a Young Trep: My friend Jenna from college recently launched a digital marketing consultancy that focuses on SEO, SEM, paid search, and email marketing. She recently blogged about her biggest lessons so far. The most important takeaway for me: don’t undervalue yourself! Check out Part Dos as well (it has a little shout out to me!)

10 Tips for Juggling Multiple Projects and Priorities: Courtney lays out some guidelines for you.

On Social Media + Keeping It Real: Ever feel pressured to appear perfect on social media? I died laughing over some of the stories shared when Sarah of Yes and Yes asked people to be real on her Facebook page.

Are You as Busy as You Think You Are? Sounds like my conscious time management blog post! An awesome post on getting honest with yourself about how you use your time.

Transparency, Coaching, and An Americano: Want to know what a coaching session is like? This guy is letting you watch his!

And in delicious recipes: parmesan and garlic roasted edamame, strawberry coconut soft serve, and sesame ginger noodles with chicken and veggies!

Share/Bookmark

Every Most weeks, I feature a roundup of interesting articles, blog posts, and fun graphics that caught my eye throughout the week. Sometimes they’re themed and sometimes I just go with the flow. This week: any and all things related to life coaching! 

Interested in becoming a life coach? Here’s a career profile on Levo League about how to find or become a life coach.

The title of this New York Times article says it all: Should a Life Coach Have a Life First? What do you think about young life coaches?

I had a great phone call with Ashley of Your Super Awesome Life yesterday- so glad that I found her on Twitter and then read her post on Yes and Yes. Love her list of top 5 freebies for women in their 20′s!

Looking to launch into life coaching? Molly Mahar, a well-known life coach, offers online courses through her business, Stratejoy.

Love this piece from Amanda Abella (who describes herself as a “Millennial Movement Mastermind”): Work/Life Balance- Seriously?

Confused about life coaching? Here are 10 life coaching myths.

If you need some guidance on where to start if you’re thinking about life coaching full-time or on the side, read this piece on one woman’s take on life coaching certifications and more.

Share/Bookmark

I recently stumbled upon Meredith Fineman’s blog and was intrigued by her Journalism-ism post. Her point: “In the world of the aggregate, the retweeted, how do we make sure that there are new standards of ethics?”…We can’t be held to outdated standards…”

Is blogger outreach part of your work? Here’s what matters when choosing bloggers to work with- written by GroupHigh, approved by me

Looking at these Thai steak lettuce wraps from Iowa Girl Eats and these gluten-free banana nut quinoa muffins from Fannetastic Food is making me hungry!

Since starting work with a client in fashion, I’ve become more interested in fashion styles and trends. I love these top 10 spring trends from Corporate Fashionista.

I love reading pretty much every piece on The Daily Muse- so many fun professional development posts! Here’s 4 things you can learn from the best business blogs.

I still adore bright pink just like I did when I was in middle school, so I of course loved Nikki’s Bright Pink Please post!

If you’re a freelancer- or a human- you’ve definitely felt the pressure to say yes to everything. Will Hardison tells you why you should say no!

Share/Bookmark

Here are 58 tips for transforming your blog and dazzling your readers.

Here are some ins and outs of creating an editorial calendar for your blog.

Here’s how to use Google calendar to create an editorial calendar.

Here is why Adam of Digital Careerist says all job seekers should be blogging.

Here’s how to successfully pick a hashtag if you’re running a Twitter campaign.

Here’s how to prepare for a video interview.

Here’s how to marry routine with spontaneity.

Here’s 4 ways to cope with the winter blues.

Here’s how to create space in a busy schedule.

Share/Bookmark

Only fitting to make this week’s Weekend Reading be focused on online presence management considering that it’s my new career, right? Here are some articles and posts that I encourage you to check out, just as I encourage my clients to do!

8 Things Amateur (and Sometimes Professional) Bloggers Do That Make Me Want to Smack Them via Cordelia Quits

The Importance Of Creating An Online Portfolio via the Grindstone

You’re Probably Doing This Wrong on Twitter via Alexis Grant

How to Find Almost Anyone’s Email Address with Rapportive via Glen Cathy of Boolean Black Belt

5 Ways to Boost Your Small Business Twitter Account via Brazen Careerist

5 Tricks To Get More Retweets via Will Hardison

The top 5 mistakes candidates make on LinkedIn via The Prepary

Apply the Golden Rule to Guest Posting via SEOMoz

7 Posts To Read If You Care About Your Business + Blog via Sarah Von Bargen

Building a New Website? 13 Things to Ask Your Developer For via Levo League

Share/Bookmark

I like the idea of having one word that you want to live by for the year, a la Clare: Accomplish 2013 & Monthly Goals. Now what should my word be?

I love Elle’s suggestions of choosing mini-resolutions, instead of daunting ones you may never accomplish: Healthier You Mini-Resolution Ideas.

The EveryGirl is another advocate of the dumping traditional resolutions that are bound to fail: Living Well: Ditching Traditional New Year’s Resolutions

But speaking of resolutions, I am a fan of the philosophy of working smarter, not harder. Hence, my interest in My Career Resolution for 2013:  Work Smarter, Not Harder.

From one of my favorites, Yes and Yes: 13 Fresh Starts For The New Year.

And lastly, Angeline shows why focusing on discipline is good if you’re doing it for your own good: Project Discipline.

And a bonus read unrelated to the new year: What I Love About Raleigh, Better not Bigger. Thank you for the shout-out, Mr. Hardison. Go Raleigh

Share/Bookmark

After my blog post went up on Levo League last week, I was contacted by a reader who had a question about getting into marketing and PR. She told me that she didn’t study those fields in school, but wanted to transition into them. Most of what she knows comes from online research and networking events and conferences. She wondered if I had any tips for her. Perfect for another edition of Ask Cristina!

 My suggestions for breaking into a new field*

*especially marketing and PR

1. Build your personal brand: Do you have a wildly successful blog, a Twitter account with tons of followers, or a thriving Instagram profile? Guess what- then you do have experience in marketing. Parlay your personal successes into professional strengths.

2. Find local businesses in the field and ask them for informational interviews: Find companies on Twitter or Google or individuals on LinkedIn and reach out. Ask to grab coffee (and pay for them!) and pick their brains. Ask what they look for in potential candidates. What skill sets? What personality traits?

3. Find relevant internships: Don’t let pride get in the way of potential career success. Be willing to put in some time in order to gain relevant experience (but don’t let yourself be taken advantage of either!). What’s better than an unpaid internship? A paid internship! And they do exist

4. Freelance: Find a small business that may need some extra help with marketing or PR and charge them an affordable rate. Track your progress- how many new Twitter followers did you gain? Has website traffic increased? What clever new techniques and more efficient processes did you come up with? Summarize these successes on your resume. P.S. A sole proprietorship is insanely easy to start!

What do you think of these suggestions? What else would you recommend? 

Share/Bookmark

Photo credit

It’s Friday yet again (pause for cheering) and I have another roundup of links that I’ve compiled throughout the week. Last week freelancing, this week pretty much the opposite- job seeking! But if you’re a freelancer, don’t close your browser yet- many of the same tips and tricks that apply to job searching relate to finding and building relationships with freelance clients.

This week’s star source of inspiration is The Prepary. Founder Jaime had me with the tagline: “Advice for the modern job seeker and professional” and her crisp, sleek website design.

Is December a good time to look for a job? via The Prepary

Share/Bookmark

Sometimes my Weekend Reading posts are just a mishmash of random articles and posts that I’ve aggregated from across the web throughout the week, but this weekend I’m focusing 100% on freelancing!

Quote from 99U

Answers to 100 Freelance Writing Questions via Make A Living Writing

The Pros and Cons of Becoming an Independent Contractor or Freelancer via Brazen Careerist

Share/Bookmark

A few months ago, I discovered Megan’s blog, ProfessionGal, through one of her posts on The Daily Muse (it’s no secret that I’m a bit obsessed). I reached out to Megan about the possibility of cross-posting and I was so excited when she said yes. Being laid off means I have more time to pursue some side projects that I had put on the back burner. Exhibit A: my guest-post on Megan’s blog today! May as well milk my story of being laid-off for all it’s worth, right?

Laid Off at 23: Starting Over When You Just Started

On November 28, I received a call from LivingSocial, letting me know that my position (along with 399 others) was being eliminated. Effective at the end of the day.

I felt blindsided, but even as I spoke to the HR representative on the phone, I could see the silver lining of the situation. I knew I wouldn’t stay with the company forever, so I could see that this was just the push I needed to pursue another company and position that aligned with my interests.

I’m also learning to find the fine line between saying, “No thank you” to jobs that don’t interest me or that don’t offer the flexibility that I’m used to while still exploring every opportunity that presents itself. I have high standards, but I understand that I need to be practical as well. 

Read the rest of the post on ProfessionGal!

And a few interesting links for the weekend:

• Sourcing Techniques: Push and Pull Activities
• How to Tell Someone You’re Job Hunting (Without Killing the Conversation)
• A Job Versus a Career (from one of my best friends/new blogger Karrie!)
• One Life Change I’m Making Because of My Email Detox
• Why New Clients Won’t Contact You on LinkedIn

Share/Bookmark